Dip Coating in Thermoplastic Powders
The dipping of metal components into Thermoplastic powders or, Fluidised Bed dipping, as it is sometimes known, is the oldest form of plastic coating and goes back to the time when Plastic Coatings was established in 1952.
Thermoplastic coating material is ground into a fine powder and kept in a steel box (Fluid Bed) open at the top and with a fine gauze across the bottom, fine enough not to let the powder particles through. Air is then introduced up through the gauze which makes the powder particles rise and act like a box of fluid, hence 'Fluidised Bed'.
Metal components are pretreated, usually degreased and shotblasted, heated up to between 250 and 400 degrees C depending upon the coating required, then dipped into the Fluid Bed of plastic. The Powder particles melt onto the metalwork forming a smooth continuous coating.
Coating materials used can be Low Density Polyethylene, the PPA ® range, Talisman ®, Deconyl ® Nylon 11 (Rilsan ®) and Vyflex ® PVC.
