TCI Powder Coatings Blog

New office spaces, new improvements, and new career opportunities! TCI Powder Coatings excitedly anticipates the opening of our new office located in Americus, GA this month. The addition will be located just a short distance away from Ellaville yet create some big change. Our Ellaville office will remain fully operational. The new Americus facility will kick-start expected growth of our laboratory and training facilities, sample product preparation, light warehousing, as well as innovative solutions and increased customer service. “This addition allows us to accommodate the steady growth of our business,” and “In the near future, we will be able to add laboratory and training facilities as well as sample product preparation and light warehousing in the new facility,” stated Doug Greene, the President of TCI Powder Coatings. Not only will this facility foster company growth, but it will also contribute to increased employment within the Americus community. It is estimate

Dwell time to cure powder coatings varies depending on the thickness of the metal being coated. The mass of a thick substrate will require a prolonged bring-up time to heat the part to the desired metal temperature for curing the powder. Have powder coating questions? Please contact us today to speak with one of our professional service technicians. We can help you with any of your powder coating needs.

When asked how long it takes for powder paint to reach its full cure state, refer to the rate of cure information provided by the powder coat supplier.  The average curing time ranges from 10 to 20 minutes after the painted part reaches the recommended temperature.   75% of powder coating properties develop in the last 15% of the cycle, and various properties develop at different stages; see below chart. Have powder coating questions? Please contact us today to speak with one of our professional service technicians. We can help you with any of your powder coating needs. 

As a powder coating is subjected to heat, its cure proceeds along various stages. Stage 1: Melt Point Powder particles begin changing from a solid to semi-liquid state. Stage 2: Flow Stage Powder is fully liquefied, reaching lowest viscosity, allowing the film to smooth out. Stage 3: Cross Linking Stage Sufficient, sustained heat triggers large scale reaction within film; this reaction is the initial step to total chemical and physical change of product. Stage 4: Gel Stage At the point when sufficient crosslinking has occurred, solidification of the film takes place. Stage 5: Cure Development The final and most critical stage: baking. Baking causes a reaction of   majority of crosslinking sites and development of optimal film properties. Stage 6: Over Cure The film will start to lose some flexibility turning yellow in color with potentially decreased gloss below expected levels. Inter-coat adhesion is compromised and catastrophic failures become like

We continuously strive to provide our customers with information to improve your powder coating process. The powder coating cure process requires a certain temperature for a certain length of time in order to reach full cure and establish the full film properties. For specific information on the film thickness, cure schedule, metal temperature and other application recommendations for specific powder coating products, check out our technical data sheets (TDS) here . The curing schedules of various products could differ according to the below factors. Factors to consider for proper powder coating cure: ·       Powder Chemistry : The desired properties of cured powder arise from a chemical cross-linking reaction. ·       Type of Oven: Various types of ovens, such as convection, induction, and infrared heat the powder at numerous temperatures over differing amounts of time. ·       Metal Thickness: A metal’s thickness will play a role in the oven dwell ti

There are two broad chemical categories for powder coatings: thermosets and thermoplastics. Though they sound similar, they have very different properties and applications. The primary physical difference is that thermoplastics can be re-melted back into a liquid, whereas thermosets always remain in a permanent solid state. Thermoset Curing Process:   Thermosets contain polymers that cross-link together during the curing process to form an irreversible chemical bond. The cross-linking process eliminates the risk of the product re-melting when heat is applied, making thermosets ideal for high-heat applications such as electronics and appliances. Thermoplastic Curing Process:   Thermoplastic pellets soften when heated and become more fluid as additional heat is applied. Since no chemical bonding takes place, the curing process is completely reversible. This characteristic allows thermoplastics to be remolded and recycled without negatively affecting the material’s physical propertie

Teflon™ 532-1003 Powder Black One Coat/Primer Teflon™ powders are free-flowing powders that can be applied with conventional electrostatic powder equipment using either spray guns or a fluidized bed. 532-1003 Black Powder Coating is a unique blend of fluoropolymers and resins. This powder coating has superior toughness along with excellent corrosion resistance and good nonstick properties.  532-1003 is a low cure coating with no VOC emissions, a distinct advantage of using powder coating. 532-1003 is a general industrial powder coating with many possible end uses including but not limited to: interior and exterior piping, chemical drip pans, and air movement blades. Now is the time to give Teflon™ coatings a try without investing in additional equipment.  All you need is your spray gun and oven!