One of the most environmentally-friendly methods of protective painting is epoxy coatings, which is a product of natural plus organic resin. Resin, which often arrives from coniferous trees as well as vegetation, is valued because of its capability to create chemically and become helpful products similar to varnish, adhesives, perfumes, along with epoxy coatings, among others.
Epoxy resin is manufactured through a process of polymerization. The natural epoxy resin is combined with catalyzing agents, fillers, along with pigments to turn into a dry powder that, whilst heated, melts and brings about a consequence that enables the creation of complex cross-linked polymers. When cured as well as dried, epoxy coating provides physically powerful, UV-resistant, along with everlasting safeguard to steel materials.
Fusion-Bonded Epoxy (FBE) Painting
Fusion-bonded epoxy coating is known as a method of implementing corrosion-protective epoxy coating to steel pipes, rebars (reinforcement bars), pipes along with valves. Epoxy powder is melted at high temperature ranges of between 180 to 250°C (360 to 480 °F), plus transforms right into a liquid element that flows and adheres into the steel surface. When the fluid powder dries, it cross-links or else “fusion-bonds” on the exterior of the steel material permanently, protecting the steel structure successfully and permanently.
Fusion-bonded epoxy coatings are employed extensively within industries requiring steel pipes as well as fittings which are corrosion-free. Because epoxy painting is produced from environmentally-friendly materials, structures by way of epoxy coatings don’t include environmentally-hazardous solvents or else substances that could come off and cause health and safety risks.
The Epoxy Painting Process
Epoxy coating plants normally coat bars which are pre-cut in straight lengths of approximately 40 to 60 feet. The bars are next cut and bent to meet job specifications. The bars are carried through a conveyor system as well as subjected to the epoxy painting procedure.
To prepare metal surfaces for this epoxy painting process, blast cleaning is done to get rid of corrosion, scales as well as additional contaminants belonging to the metal exterior. The outcome of blast washing is a rough exterior finish called a profile. The profile increases the useful surface area of the steel as well as delivers enhanced anchorage for epoxy painting whilst it is later on applied to the steel bar.
Blast cleaning involves the discharge of compressed air on on the metal exterior, propelling abrasives like steel gravel, garnet, or coal slag to strike the surface, resulting to pock marks that cleanses and roughens the surface. After the rebars have been blast-cleaned, they’re heated and sprayed by way of waterless epoxy powder. When waterless epoxy powder is expelled from spray nozzles they’re imparted with electrical charges which are automatically attracted to the already grounded heated bars. The waterless powder melts and flows into the steel’s heated surface, anchoring on the ribs as well as deformations within the surface. The heat in addition induces a chemical reaction that transforms the epoxy powder molecules into complicated cross-linked polymers, perpetually changing the material into its final state.
A 30-second curing process solidifies the epoxy coating, with an air or water quench launched to reduce the high temperature faster for easy treatment.
The procedure of manufacturing epoxy coating, as well as the coating process by itself, are competent as well as environment-safe, with little material lost to the environment, even smaller waste, as well as zero contaminants. Due to the environmental issue as well as to comply with environmental protection standards, epoxy coating remain a viable choice to protective painting.
