As part of our continuing efforts to improve quality and service, this section has been prepared by our Quality Assurance Department as a guideline for incoming orders. We understand that in certain situations compliance with all guidelines may not be possible, but adhering to the guidelines will ensure the best possible service and coating results.
Labelling – Important
All parts to be coated should arrive at Colourific well-labelled. For example, your company name needs to be clearly indicated on each separate package, the colour required for your product must be specified, and your purchase order number should be shown to avoid confusion. Please ensure that Purchase Orders arrive with your order. Purchase Orders must include a detailed description of parts to be coated (i.e. quantity, size, colour, and part numbers if applicable) and any special packaging instructions.
Packaging
Please ensure that the packaging, containers, or skids you supply with your product provide proper protection against damage. (For example, if your material is placed on a skid it should not be larger than the skid). Note that material will be repackaged in the packaging containers you provide. Packages must provide suitable protection against damage to the material as well as the coated finish.
Markers, Packaging Debris, Non-Soluble Lubricants
All material to be coated should be free of inks, such as those from markers or other writing materials. These inks can show through the finished coating (especially when the parts are coated in lighter colours) and therefore should be avoided.
Parts must also be free of packaging materials and shipping debris. Our paint line personnel inspect parts as they are loaded, but problems can and do occur with residual packaging materials. One specific example is clear tape which is very difficult to detect and will generally result in failure of the coating due to poor adhesion. Please work with us to minimize this problem, and ensure the best possible coating results.
Our pre-treatment system is designed to effectively remove most common oils and surface contaminants. As an aqueous (water-based) process it will not remove heavy stripes of non-soluble oils, paraffin, entrapped oil in parts, and flaked (chipped) UV protective coatings.
Weld Spatter
All welds should be clean and the surrounding area is to be free of weld spatter whenever possible. The heat involved can change substrate properties, and may also induce contaminants into the part surface. These contaminants compromise the integrity of the powder coating, including bare spots and pinholes in severe cases. We provide superior chemical pre-treatment, but it is designed to remove surface contaminants and is not a replacement for mechanical cleaning.
Oxidation and Hot-Rolled Steel
Any type of oxidation (e.g. rust, white rust) will have a negative effect on the quality of the powder coating. Our extensive pre-treatment process cannot remove oxides or scale, and if a substrate is severely corroded the end product will have predictably less corrosion resistance and a lower quality finish. The solution to scale and oxides is mechanical refinishing (e.g. sandblasting, soda blasting) of the base metal which requires a separate process not available at Colourific at this time.
Galvanized and Zinc Substrates
Poor quality galvanized and zinc coatings cannot be overcome even with extensive pre-treatment. The result is inferior quality of the powder coated finish. Due to adhesion and quality concerns, galvanized and zinc substrates must not have a passivation coating of chromate.
Drainage & Contact Points
All parts which may trap water or coolant, including tubing, must be drained as powder will not adhere where water or coolant is present. The parts are hung on an overhead conveyor, and the part configuration (drain holes) must be considered as new parts are introduced.
Powder coating requires that the parts be electrically grounded, and parts should have a small hole where the hook or fixture can make contact. In some cases, especially flat panels, where no holes are present a small bare spot from the contact point may be unavoidable. Colourific assumes no responsibility for these bare spots.
Laser Cut Material
Laser cuts must be mechanically cleaned to remove any carbon deposits. Carbon deposits prevent coating adhesion.
|
