Benefits

Protects the Environment

Powder coating is also highly protective of our environment. While liquid finishes contain solvents which have pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), powder coating contains no solvents and releases negligible amounts, if any, of VOCs into the atmosphere. Thus, there is no longer a need for finishers to buy costly pollution control equipment. In addition, most powder coating overspray that does not adhere to the part can be retrieved and reused, virtually eliminating the waste commonly found in liquid finishing processes.

More Durable

Powder coating gives consumers, businesses, and industry one of the most economical, longest-lasting, and most color-durable quality finishes available.

Powder coated surfaces are more resistant to chipping, scratching, fading, and wearing than other finishes. Color selection is virtually unlimited with high and low gloss, metallic, and clear finishes available. And colors stay bright and vibrant longer. Texture selections range from smooth surfaces to a wrinkled or matte finish, and rough textures designed for hiding surface imperfections.

Reviewing the potential benefits of powder coating will give you an incentive to proceed with the quest for the best finish for your operation. So let's look at the three "E's" of powder coating in more detail.

Economy

Material utilization is much higher with powder, making your material costs much lower. 92% to 98% of the powder you buy will be applied to the parts you are finishing versus an average of 60% with an electrostatic liquid system (the other 40% is waste and must be disposed of!).
Since most of the material is used on the part, there is very little waste to be disposed of. And powder is not considered hazardous waste, so the cost of disposal is minimal compared to the high cost of toxic waste disposal.
Air used to exhaust the powder spray booth is returned directly to the plant, eliminating heating and cooling costs for the make-up air required when air is vented outside the plant.
Air loss from the curing oven is minimized as there is only a very small amount of volatile substance that must be exhausted. The cost of maintaining oven temperatures is therefore minimized also.
Powder is simpler to spray, so less skilled labor is needed, training is easily done and less errors are made in coating. All of which saves scrap, labor and, ultimately, operating costs.
Most powders require no primer, providing more savings in time and materials.

Excellence

The cured powder finish is less susceptible to damage than a liquid finish. There is less need for repair work on the finished item, and packaging is less elaborate, saving time and cost on rework and packaging.
Epoxy, acrylic and hybrid powders provide excellent adhesion and hardness for improved resistance to chipping, abrasion, corrosion, and chemicals; and it's flexible enough to be formable without cracking.
Polyester powders provide additional advantages in ultraviolet and weathering resistance.

Ecology

Powder is the overwhelming preference of the EPA, eliminating:

Solvent fumes and VOCs from spray booth and oven exhausts that pollute the air.
Potentially toxic sludge and water that can contaminate the earth and must be disposed of as hazardous waste.