Coil in manufacturing industry
A wide, growing range of metal products is pre-painted.
Household electrical goods manufacturers are major users of coil, since it removes the painting process from the factory. All the main segments are supplied:
- Laundry (washing machines, tumble driers)
- Cooking (ovens, microwaves)
- Cold (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners)
- Electronic goods (computers, hi-fi)
- Small electrical appliances (mixers, toasters)
Coatings must have a high performance, perhaps with high levels of gloss, certainly with high flexibility, hardness, scratch and chemical resistance. As many are assembled from a number of parts, colour accuracy, reproducibility and consistency are also important.
Many packaging manufacturers value the speed and reliability of the coil process to make cans, casks, barrels, aerosol cans and film cases.
Furniture also uses coil, for example in office and school furniture, storage and shelving systems, light fittings and extractor hoods.
Specific coating types include:
- Polyester: this is the most commonly-used system for internal and external applications, and is increasingly used in combination with polyurethane resins
- Films: most film is PVC or PVF, although polyester and polypropylene films are taking an increasing share — Becker Industrial Coatings makes adhesives to laminate the film to the substrate, some of which can be coloured and perform as paints under clear film.
- new primers, such as a weldable primer, which was developed by LTD in conjunction with Beckers Sweden, the Technical University (KTH) in Stockholm and major automotive manufacturers. Targeted at automotive component and general engineering manufacturers, it will enable them to meet environmental compliance standards economically by cutting out pre-treatment and priming processes.