F E AT U R E
The Market Potential for
UV Powder Coatings
Initial Results of the RadTech Powder Focus Group Market Research
By Paul Mills
The first two commercial applications for UV powder
share an interesting similarity—we wouldn’t have predicted
either of them. The developers and purveyors of this new
technology would not have guessed that electric motors or
automobile radiators would be the first.
And while it’s equally unlikely that we can predict
where the next application will come from, it is hard to
resist trying to understand the market for UV powders. To
this end, the Powder Coating Focus Group of RadTech
recently completed the first phase of a market research
study aimed at identifying the likely drivers and obstacles
for UV powders’ growth in the industrial coatings market.
A number of end markets were identified as likely
candidates for the technology based on the potential
advantages to manufacturers—that is, low temperature
processing and rapid speed of cure.
The initial set of industries surveyed included:
• Pre-coated particleboard and MDF stock
• Polycarbonate headlight lenses
• Pneumatic door closers
• Foam core doors
• Kitchen and bath hardware
• Engine blocks
• Blank coatings
• Pipe and tube
• Aerospace components
• Sheet molded compound (SMC)
These markets were chosen because the products lend
themselves to UV for any of a number of reasons. Headlight
lenses, particleboard, MDF and SMC are all heat-
temperature substrates which melt, burn or distort under
normal powder coating conditions. The alloys used in many
aerospace components change their important metallurgical
properties under high heat. Door closers, foam core doors,
kitchen and bath hardware are preassembled components
which contain heat-sensitive components.
Engine blocks are massive parts that soak up heat and,
therefore, require long heating times and cool-down periods.
While blank lines coat lighter-weight parts, the speed of these
lines, like pipe and tube lines, benefits greatly from shorter
heating and cooling processes.
The methodology of the survey was straightforward. In
each market a few of the largest and most technically savvy
companies were contacted for telephone interviews. Often
several individuals from a given manufacturer were
interviewed.
The market researchers sought first to obtain informa-
tion about the existing coating processes and then to
explore the suitability of UV powder coating.
The results of this survey are summarized here.
Polycarbonate headlight lenses
Detailed discussions were held with coatings engineers
from polycarbonate headlight lamp manufacturers. Each
had relatively recently converted to wet UV-cure systems.
At the time of evaluation, none of these companies felt that
powder was available to them as an option. Therefore, no
economic comparisons were done between wet UV and
powder UV systems.
One manufacturer (which converted to wet UV in 1994/
1995) had no reason for believing that powder would not
work and, in fact, would like to evaluate it. A second
supplier offered technical reasons why the use of powder
UV might not be viable. These reasons seem to have been
provided by conjecture, rather than being the result of
detailed analysis.
Polycarbonate headlight lenses are clearly a viable
market for powder UV, assuming the performance achieved
is equivalent to that of wet UV, for those companies that are
currently producing the lenses using thermal cure technol-
ogy. It was not determined by this research how many of
those manufacturers there may be. Converting companies
JULY/AUGUST 1999 RADTECH REPORT 31
 F E AT U R E
already using wet
UV may be
possible, but the
sell will be much
more difficult. The first commercial application of UV-
cured powder coatings: a fully assembled
Pneumatic
electric motor.
door closers
Contacts made for this market were of the segment that
manufactures storm and screen door closers. A good
portion of this market seems to have already been con-
verted to powder. Converting an existing powder line to
UV-cure powder might be possible, but the investment
would have to have a payback of about two years.
Cost savings to be set against the investment may
include material savings for a relatively small plastic part
that would now need only withstand 225˚ Fahrenheit
rather than 375˚ Fahrenheit. There may also be savings in
work-in-process inventory. It is much more likely that a
UV-cure system would be considered in the design for a
powder line to be newly installed for the purpose of
coating door closers.
Foam core doors
Based on good coating engineer contacts established for
this market, it appears that this sector has not yet con-
verted to powder coatings, although a few manufacturers
were known to do it. Two reasons were provided. Cure
temperatures required for traditional powder coating tend
to warp the doors because the cores cannot withstand the
temperature. The second reason is difficulty with rework.
The ultimate customer is not as able to repaint his
door. Nevertheless, this seems to be a market with
potential application for UV-cure powder technology.
Some of the companies we contacted are open to evaluat-
ing a powder UV system.
Kitchen and bath hardware
The kitchen and bath industry is rapidly discontinuing
the use of powder clear coat in favor of physical vapor
deposition (PVD), a gas technology. PVD applies a brass
color coat that looks exactly like brass and far exceeds the
durability of powder clear coat. White, almond and black
color coats are still applied using powder technology. UV-
cure technology has never been evaluated.
Coatings engineers from the fixture companies con-
tacted accepted that a cure that would allow heat-sensitive
components to be coated might be of interest. Each had
mild interest in a cure that reduced outgassing. Generally,
these contacts thought that energy savings would be
insignificant.
32 JULY/AUGUST 1999 RADTECH REPORT
Engine blocks
We contacted a custom powder coater who powder
coats Chrysler and Ford engine blocks and will be adding a
powder line to coat John Deere, GM, Ford and Detroit
Diesel engine blocks. This company is aware of UV-cure
powder technology. If the technology works, they would be
interested in the benefits of lower-temperature cure and
rapid cure. Several other job coaters coat engine blocks.
One job coater powder coats engine blocks for Cummins
engines. That company would be interested in looking at
the technology but does not seem progressive in its use of
coatings technology.
Blank coatings
A leading major appliance manufacturer has its blanks
powder coated by a contract custom coater. This coater is
receptive to use of UV-cure powder but points out that
although most powder suppliers are into the company
frequently, none is promoting the UV technology.
They are concerned as to whether UV-cured powders
will conform to specification requirements. The coating
would need flexibility necessary for subsequent metal
forming and would need detergent resistance.
Pipe and tube
Of the companies contacted in this market sector, some
have evaluated UV-cure liquid coatings. None has given
serious consideration to powder technology. Outgassing is
reported as a problem. One manufacturer applies a slurry
that is cured at 800˚ Fahrenheit. Another wonders if UV-
cure powder could achieve the same performance while
saving considerable energy. It remains unclear whether this
market should have
priority as a market for
UV-cure powder
technology.
Aerospace
The aerospace
industry has not
endorsed traditional
This minivan radiator is coated with
powder technology.
UV-curable powder.
This is because heat-
sensitive substrates cannot tolerate the elevated tempera-
tures required for curing of traditional powder.
One aircraft manufacturer reports that this is because it
is not repairable in the field. The aerospace industry may
well find application for UV-cure powder systems (assum-
ing heat-sensitive substrates are the main problem), but
under test, the powder did not meet the 200˚ Fahrenheit
cure temperature requirement. The industry does not use