SharePowder Coating Oven
A Powder Coating Oven is a specialist industrial oven used to cure powder coatings onto a variety of component and substrates. A Powder Coating Oven can take many forms from box ovens and batch ovens to tunnel ovens which are often used in conjunction with conveyorised material handling.
To understand a Powder Coating Oven first it is necessary to understand powder coatings.
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Power coatings are effectively dry paints, as opposed to wet paints, which may be a thermoplastic or thermoset polymers. All paints contain resin and binders which in wet paints are suspended in a liquid usually a solvent which can evaporate easily to leave an even coating of paint on the substrate. Powder coating eliminates the liquid suspension and gives a greater depth of coating which when cured at relatively high temperature of 180°C to 200°C for approximately 10 minutes and give a smooth, texture-free, hard and even coating often more resilient then wet paint coatings.
Powder coatings are normally applied electrostatically via a specialist powder coating gun which uses filtered compressed air at 20-30 psi to pushes powder out of the gun past an electrode which gives the powder a positive charge. The part being coated is grounded so the positive powder particles are attracted to it. When the part is completely covered the part is put into the Powder Coating Oven to be cured. The applications are endless with powder coating used to coat metals, often 'whiteware', aluminium extrusions and even medium-density fibreboard.
Powder Coating Oven - Curing
Curing is a term in polymer chemistry and process engineering that refers to the toughening or hardening of a polymer material by cross-linking of polymer chains, brought about by chemical additives and heat. In rubber, the curing process is also called vulcanisation.
A Powder Coating Oven
A Powder Coating Oven is designed to produce uniformity of temperature throughout the oven to cause a chemical reaction in order to cure the powder coating once a specific temperature is reached. Achieving uniformity of temperature is a challenge in a Powder Coating Oven since the transfer of heat via convection means heating air which is re-circulated in the oven to heat the substrate and powder. Re-circulating to much air will remove the powder form the substrate before it is cured and thus a balance has to be found between air re-circulation and heat uniformity.
Tunnel Powder Coating Oven
Powder Coating Tunnel Ovens tend to be long narrow ovens through which components are passed via a conveyorised material handling system. The entrance and exit can have doors to close the ovens whilst in operation but since components remain in the oven for a relatively short time (10-12 minute) often air knives are used to create a air curtain to contain the heat inside the Powder Coating Oven which allows component to enter and exit the oven in a continuous process.
Box or Batch Powder Coating Oven
These tend to be cubic in design which allows multiple components to be loaded into on trolleys or jigs. They incorporate doors and a series of ducting with louvers to distribute hot air from a heat box (containing a gas burner or electrical elements) with re-circulating fans to which distribute the hot air throughout the Powder Coating Oven.
A Box Powder Coating Oven is designed from strong structural frame providing a rigid dimensional framework, which allows for expansion and contraction without stressing insulated panels. This construction allows the entire oven to be raised as one for easy relocation of the complete unit.
Doors are constructed of rigid frames to prevent 'bowing' and 'close fit' when both hot and cold with 'sprung steel seals' completing the closures. All doors contain an Internal door handle to prevent entrapment.
Insulation is provided by up to 100mm High Density Stabilised Mineral Insulations drastically reducing running costs and providing a cool exterior.
Why buy a Powder Coating Oven from Airflow?
Airflow we have many years experience in the design and manufacture of Powder Coating Ovens and can installation, commissioning and provide ongoing support for the powder coating oven.
Airflow have a wealth of experience in manufacturing powder coating ovens and this is really Airflow's specialisation. Although Airflow manufacture ovens for a whole host of applications from Oil, Aerospace, Pharmaceutical and the list goes on, Product Finishing Ovens is our mainstay. Most ovens supplied by Airflow are for Product Finishing with Powder Coating Ovens taking a large percentage of our business.
Airflow understands the dynamics of producing a Powder Coating Oven. It's quite a challenge to balance good temperature uniformity via multiple air changes per minutes whilst 'not blowing the powder off'. Airflow achieves this by using specialist Airflow Patented recirculation fans which give a high volume of air re-circulation at high volume but low pressure.
Our experience has taught us that to achieve this you need to not only understand thermal dynamics but appreciate the importance of air movement within the oven. That's why every Airflow Powder Coating Oven comes complete with a unique air distribution air ducting system, set off the walls of the oven unlike many of our competitors which incorporates multiple dampers, vents and louvers which we can expertly adjust to achieve exceptional performance. All Airflow ovens undergo a stringent commissioning regime, linking multiple thermocouples to a laptop computer to obtain a telementry performance mapping of the oven. We work in live situations to set up the oven to the customers specific product requirements giving optimal performance.
Please browse our website for more information about our rapid specification, quotation, manufacturing, installation & after sales Industrial Ovens service then contact us on 01142 327788 to speak to one of our team or e-mail us on sales@airflow-group.com.