Today’s marketplace is demanding and highly challenging. Often enough, competition for the best products is global and not local or regional. Manufacturers have to pay attention to details while adhering to the demands for high quality and affordable products that are environmentally friendly. This says nothing of the need to make a profit. Industrial metal finishing is one means through which companies strive to make all their ends meet.
What Is Metal Finishing?
Metal finishing is a term that encompasses a variety of methods and technique with the goal of producing a finished product or component. Some shops are generalists and can perform almost any other type of finishing, while others are specialists, restricting their methods to a specific few. Among the most common forms of metal finishing are:
* Metal Plating: This includes both electroplating and electroless plating
* Brushed Metal: A method for removing all surface flaws
* Buff Polishing: Uses a buff polishing machine to produce a buffed surface
* Metal Grinding: Smooths out the surface of metal using specific equipment
* Metal Vibratory Finishing: The machinery removes sharp edges. This is deburring
* Sand Blasting: Sand or bead blasting uses a high power sand blaster to produce a smooth surface
* Hot Blackening: This high temperature process involves the spreading of a thin layer of black oxide over the component’s surface
A currently popular method for industrial metal finishing is powder coating.
Types of Powder Coatings Used in Industrial Metal Finishing
Powder coatings achieve a specific type of finishing. They imbue protective measures. Among the most common types in current use are:
* Epoxy: For water valves and waste treatment machinery
* Fluoropolymer: A non-stick, low friction material
* Nylon: A popular coating that provides parts with high corrosion resistance
* Polymers: This diverse group is popular for protection against a variety of corrosive substances and conditions
By providing the right coating, an industrial metal finishing company ensures all parts receive the most effective protection possible.
