PAINTING AND COATING

OF PLASTICS
JAIME CYPHER
RYAN SEYLER
DANIEL WILSON
 Introduction
 Purpose of coating and painting
• Decorative
• For consumers
• Protection
• From unwanted environmental effects
• Helps overall performance
 Methods: Painting, Powder Coating
 Introduction
 Background on Painting
• More aesthetically pleasing
• Most common method of coating
• Paint applied to surface as liquids
• Higher surface energy = Better
 Introduction
 Background on Powder Coating
• Used on metals, ceramics, & plastic
• Powdered solid coating applied
 Preparation of Plastic
 Prevent foreign substances
• Detergent cleaning
• Salts and Oils
• Gloves
• Fingerprint soils
• Destaticizing air blow-off
• Operate in “clean room”
 Paint Adhesion
 Overcoming surface smoothness
• Micro-etch with chemical agent
• Avoid over and under etching
• Solvent choice is critical
• De-glazing with abrasive media
• Areas of frictional heating
• Cross-linked skin forms
 Paint Adhesion
• Oxidative surface treating
• For non-polar plastic surfaces
• Polarity from chemical reaction
• Polypropylene and Polyethylene
• Open flame exposure
• Photosensitizers and UV light
 Painting
 Advantages of Painting
• Protective coating
• Richer color than internal colorants
• Thin coatings possible
• Same color parts in assembly
 Painting
 Disadvantages of Painting
• Poor adhesion to certain plastics
• Air pollution
• Disposal of waste
• Paintability varies among plastics
 Types of Painting
Processes
 Spray
 Silk-Screening
 Dip-Coating
 Rolling
 Brushing
 Wiping
 Spray
 Most common and versatile method
 Easily automated
 Air pressure & liquid stream mixed
 Distance from part & speed important
 Overspray unimportant, booths used
 Spray
 Advantages
• Excellent surface
quality
• Uniform thickness
• Few runs
• Few imperfections
 Silk-Screening
 Series of screens prepared
• Multi-color images
• One screen per color
• One screen per portion
 Drying time necessary
 Silk-Screening
 Advantages
• Flat & cylindrical parts
• High volume production
 Disadvantages
• Adhesion problems
• Due to bad preparation
• Presence of mold release
 Others
 Dip-Coating
• Immersion in paint & rotating
 Brushing, Rolling, & Wiping
• Used less frequently
• Advantages
• Special effects
• Small lots
 Powder Coating
 Process
• Immersion in plastic particles or sprayed
• Baked at high temperatures
• Caution of degradation from fusion
 Powder Coating
 Types
• Epoxy
• Hybrid
• Aromatic Urethane
• TGIC Polyester
 Powder Coating
 Advantages of Powder Coating
• Many types of finishes
• Better performance
• Better for environment
• Low cost
 Powder Coating
 Disadvantages of Powder Coating
• Degradation or softening possible
• Causes part deformation
• Long color change time
 New Technology
 In-Mold Painting
• Automotive uses
• Insert-molding technique
• Eliminates paint-facility expenses
• Better design flexibility
• Recycling easier
 New Technology
 2K Polyurethane Coating
• Automotive uses
• Excellent appearance
• Excellent performance
• Curing at low temperatures
• Wide variety of plastics
 Materials
 Not to be considered
• PE, PP, and low polarity plastics
• Low surface energy
 Cautionary materials
• PC & PS
• Exposure to sensitive solvents
 Design Requirements
 Material Selection
 Adding raised part details
• Ink applied using roller
 Flat surfaces if possible
• Uniform thickness
• Cheaper
 Examples
 Painting
 Examples
 Powder Coating
 Conclusion
 Coating & Painting valuable
• Decorative
• Protective
 Preparation is crucial
 Many different processes
 Becoming more popular today