Powder Coating Vehicle Parts

Preparing and Powder Coating Automotive Parts.

Here at Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating Ltd carry out work on automotive parts to a very high and long lasting standard.

Remember our motto (Do it once do it right) Our work will last you for many years to come, as powder coating is extremely chip resistant over stove or wet paints.

We are very aware that other’s offer a cheaper service, however we DO NOT cut corners and offer a professional service along with a five year anti corrosion warranty.

The material governs the approach we take on the first stage preparation.

We do not apply naked flames to strip off paint or decals as some do, this can give rise to local distortion with disastrous results.

Steel work will be blast cleaned to remove all remaining paintwork and allow for a first class key for primer coating.

For underbody parts after blasting, we recommend that the Plascoat products should utilised. Although standard polyesters will do a fine and pleasing finish.

For parts that are on show such as rocker covers or general engine parts, we would recommend standard polyester powders, as there is a large range of colours and finishes available.

Primers and Polyester coatings.

All parts will be blast cleaned and have a self-healing primer applied and semi cured a polyester coat then applied to the primer, this is normally done whilst the work is still hot from the fist stage, this allows better adhesion and promotes further coverage in the hard to reach places as joints and corners.

For extra and very long lasting protection.

The advantages of using Plascoat over normal powder coating products are many fold, acid and salt resistant, chip proof and very flexible.

Plascoat is ideal for protecting chassis, springs, sub frames, steering & suspension parts. Also widely used in marine environments, for a full and detailed look at the Plascoat range and colours please go to  http://www.plascoat.com.

Thermoplastic coatings offer a thick protective layer to the metal and are often used either to protect the underlying e-coat from chip or impact damage or to provide a “cushion” effect for parts that are in contact with each other.

Here are just some of the excellent properties of Plascoat.

Flexibility, can be stretched 1000% before coating fails.

      Damage to coating can be repaired easily be repaired.

      Significantly higher UV resistance.

      Very low toxicity.

      No plasticisers, chlorine or halogens.

      Low temperature performance to -70°C.

      Does not shrink or become brittle in hot weather.

      Harder coating.

      Higher impact strength

      Higher stone chip resistance.

      Salt & acid resistant.

      Will not fade or peel.

1. Aluminium or alloy parts will be bead or aqua blasted this is less aggressive over blast cleaning and yet it still gives a first class key for the primer coat

2. Once the blast or bead cleaning stage is completed, the work visually checked over for damage as cracks or broken weld joints.

3. The work and  is placed into our Phosphating and wash plant for final and complete deep clean, the phosphate helps further to etch into the work and therefore will give a far longer life. (this is an optional extra and further charges will be made for this work).

4. Masking off all the threads and studs  making ready for the primer or plascoat finishes.

5. Apply our self-healing epoxy polyester primer coat at an average of 50 microns per coat. (Not required for plascoat although this may be used if specified). We normally apply two coats of plascoat to give an even and long lasting finish. The second coat is  applied whilst the work is still hot from the first cure; this promotes further coverage to those hard to reach places.

6. Put through the semi curing stage @130d cent. Or 180d cent for plascoat

7. Apply the colour coat of polyester powder and fully cure until both the primer & topcoat have fully bonded to the work. In the case of Plascoat a further polyester topcoat can be applied to achieve another colour not available in the Plascoat range.

Please feel free to call us to discuss your projects, or you want to know more about our processes and how we can help you.

Preparation work for ‘Vehicle Restoration’…Suspension parts, wheels, interior items, again all parts are subject to our preparation and high quality finishing. For moving parts and or parts that are subject to stone chips we would recommend Plascoat®, this finish is very flexible and resistant not only to stone chipping it also has very good properties against most oil base fluids and chemicals.

Repair work
General repair work can be carried out in-house or if it requires work that is out of our skill range for instance structural welding then it is taken to a local highly skilled engineering company.

Collection & Delivery service across the UK. At cost.
Size is not a problem we carry out work on lorry & large tractor wheels too.

Pitfalls you should be aware of;

There are Wheel refurbishes that offer outstanding work and value for money and others that don’t really make the grade, with this in mind, you really should ask how they go about there work and what guarantee they offer.

For instance, I have come across companies offering this service that only refurbish the wheel face, not removing the tyres or valves and will charge around £45.00 each. Furthermore, they will make further charges for blast cleaning.

Others in mobile vans, again a quick rub down with wet and dry media and then wet paint the face without removing the tyre does not make the grade and again charges are around £45.00 to be honest they will not last much more than a year.

Our mind set is to carry out the work and it should be and to make a fair and reasonable charge and by carrying out the work in this way we can offer you up to a 5 year guarantee on corrosion or paint lift.

There is however in some cases problems that arise with powder coating alloy parts, further information can be found be following this link.

Plascoat coating materials for automotive applications
Plascoat PPA 571, PPA 571H and Talisman 30 can be used in a variety of automotive applications, as chassis, suspension and general under body parts. Thermoplastic coatings offer a thick protective layer to the metal and are often used either to protect the underlying e-coat from chip or impact damage or to provide a “cushion” effect for parts that are in contact with each other.

In addition Talisman 30 offers an attractive tough satin finish and is used for the coating of items such as light protectors and lever grips.

Plascoat coating powders will usually pass all standard chip resistance tests (e.g. using SAE J400) at a thickness of between 300 and 500 microns. In addition, of course, they provide excellent corrosion protection from salt, UV and water.

Developed by Plascoat, the world leader in thermoplastic powder technology, Plascoat PPA 571 is amongst the most versatile and durable coatings available on the market today. Plascoat PPA 571 will outlast most, if not all, traditional coating powders in providing long-term protection for metal against demanding environments without damaging the environment. It has a proven track record of unbeatable performance in a wide range of applications.

Key features and benefits
Superior resistance to sun, salt and sea water
Excellent impact and sand abrasion resistance
Premium quality, glossy appearance
Will not crack, chip, flake or fracture
Low temperature performance to -70°C
Excellent adhesion to steel, iron and aluminium
No requirement for a primer
Approvals for contact with food and drinking water
PPA 571 is free of Bisphenol A (BPA), PVC, halogens, phthalates and heavy metals.
What applications can Plascoat PPA 571 be used in?

Plascoat PPA 571 is used in hundreds of different applications, throughout the world and some of the more popular ones include fencing, street furniture, lamp posts, construction, hand rails, automotive parts, stadium seat frames, rail station seating and wire baskets.

How long will Plascoat PPA 571 last?
Extensive Plascoat lab tests and real world use indicate working life of over 70 years. The Swedish Corrosion Institute tests show underground life of PPA 571 of over 200 years and SGS, a global leader in testing, certify that PPA 571 will last at least 5 years in heavy industrial and marine environments.

Anti-microbial upgrade available*
Plascoat PPA 571 AM is an anti-microbial grade of PPA 571 that will resist 99.9% of all known pathogens. It has the same protective performance of PPA 571 but with the added benefit of not allowing harmful pathogens like MRSA to build up on the surface. PPA 571 AM is applied in the same ways as PPA 571.