The Powder Coating Process

Step 1: Preparation - Depending on the material, we clean off any pre-powder coated or painted surface. This provides a bare metal surface so that when the piece is finished, it is better than brand new.

Step 2: Pre-Baking - Next, the piece gets pre-baked. We feel that pre-baking parts is a characteristic of a high quality coater.  This process takes out any impurities that may be in the metal ("outgassing").  If impurities are not baked out, they can cause unsightly blemishes in the final product.

Step 3: Masking - Masking off parts that will not be powder coated is a labor-intensive step followed by an additional chemical cleaning,  wipe down step removing any remaining impurities.

Step 4: Powder Application - The piece is taken to the powder booth where the part is sprayed. The powder from the spray gun adheres to the part much the same way that dust clings to a TV screen.  At this point the powder is still just that – powder.

Step 5: Oven Curing - The part is then placed in a curing oven for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees.  This allows the powder to “flow out”, forming the durable, colorful finish unique to powder coating.  After curing, the part is removed from the oven and cooled.  There is no “drying” time as with paint.

Step 6: Buffing - Your part is then given a final buffing and inspection before any inlay work is done.  Now your piece is ready for shipping.