Powder Coating Services

Hallam’s Powder Coating Facilities

Hallam’s powder coating plant benefits from the company’s manufacturing expertise in many ways. For example, the special carousels and housings needed to suspend components through the plant are designed and manufactured in-house. Hallam’s resources are also deployed in ensuring that the plant is maintained in excellent condition and that rigorous quality checks are applied.

Hallam also offers other protective and decorative surface finishing treatments to metallic components or products. These treatments include anodising, plating and other electrophoretic processes including E-coating.

Powder coating produces a high-specification finish which is consistent, hard, abrasion resistant (depending on the specification) and tough. The choice of colours, finishes and characteristics (e.g. antibacterial powders) is vast, as powders are produced by the powder manufacturer AkzoNobel across a wide range of textures, colours (including “flecked” finishes”) and gloss levels.

Preparation of Castings, Extrusions and Machined Components in the Powder Coating Process

The basis of excellent powder coating is thorough preparation. The vast majority of powder coating failures can be traced to a lack of a suitable preparation. The preparation treatment is different for different materials. In general, for all applications the preparation treatment for aluminium is as follows: Clean, Rinse, Etch, Rinse, Phosphate, Rinse.

Oils and greases are removed in weak alkali or neutral detergent solutions and the surface is etched to remove heavy oxides. After rinsing, the aluminium is dipped into a phosphate solution to form a conversion coating on the aluminium. This film is chemically attached to the aluminium. After rinsing the aluminium is finally rinsed in demineralized water.

The powder coating powder is applied with an electrostatic spray gun to a part that is at earth (or ground) potential. Before the powder is sent to the gun it is fluidized to separate the individual grains of powder and so improve the electrostatic charge that can be applied to the powder and ensure the powder flows more easily to the gun.

Because the powder coating particles are electrostatically charged, the powder wraps around to the back of the component or product (target) as it passes by towards the air offtake system. By collecting the powder, which passes by the target, and filtering it, the efficiency of the powder coating process can be increased to 95% material usage. The powder will remain attached to the target as long as some of the electrostatic charge remains. To obtain the final solid, tough, abrasion resistant powder coating, the powder coated items are placed in an oven and heated to temperatures ranging from 160 to 210 °C (depending on the powder). Under the influence of heat, a thermosetting powder goes through four stages to “full cure”.

Comprehensive Powder Coating Services in the UK

Hallam provides high-quality powder coating services to customers across the UK, supplying a wide range of finishes to meet specific requirements for challenging environments and aesthetics. Hallam guarantees the highest quality for both functional and aesthetic purposes. Products with powder coating finishes with spectacular high resilience include ocean-going yacht portlights, urban space signage, walkway control systems and lighting all subject to constant road spray, together with balcony fittings on high-rise tower blocks. Aesthetic requirements are emphasised in finishes for office equipment, D-I-Y tools and indoor lighting, where an array of colours, textures and properties are available.

High Volume Powder Coating Capabilities

Whether you are seeking powder coating services to powder coat low volume projects or prototypes or have higher volume requirements, Hallam is proficient in handling low or high-volume production. Special carousels and housings ensure efficient handling of components, as each item passes into the fully automated coating booth under the control of tailored process programs. The powder coating plant can accommodate a wide of sizes, configurations and materials, making Hallam the ideal partner for both high-volume and smaller bespoke projects.

History of Powder Coating Services

Hallam established its state-of-the-art powder coating facility in 2008, installing a comprehensive system using advanced, computer-controlled technology. This fully automated process starts with multi-stage cleaning and pre-treatment to ensure all surfaces are optimally prepared for coating. For powder coating aluminium, powder coating steel, and other metal powder coating applications, the process involves cleaning, etching, and rinsing, followed by the application of a phosphate solution to create a conversion coating that fosters adhesion and durability. The powder is then oven-heated after application by an electrostatic spray gun, which creates a tough, abrasion-resistant finish that can resist extreme weather conditions or substance or vandal attack.

Expertise in Powder Coating

Years of experience and a commitment to high quality for the customer underpin Hallam’s expertise in powder coating. Hallam’s close working relationships with leading powder suppliers, including AkzoNobel, ensure that for any project, Hallam can achieve the precise finish required using only the best available materials. Accordingly the company’s powder coating processes serve a diverse range of sectors in the economy including automotive, architectural/construction and the consumer goods market.