Can you powder coat aluminum extrusion?

Powder coating is a form of electrostatically charged paint applied via an air fluidized hopper. This finishing method has garnered increasing popularity in recent years from its favorable physical properties and processes.

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If you&#;re looking for a high-quality finish for your aluminum extrusions, consider powder coating. Powder coating aluminum extrusions offers several quality and performance advantages for years to come.

What Is an Aluminum Extrusion?

Aluminum extrusions are the physical results of the aluminum extrusion process, which forces an aluminum alloy through a cross-sectional die using a powerful ram. The aluminum emerges from the die opening in the same shape as the die. Aluminum extrusions can take on various shapes, such as round tubes, channels and angles, and can be either hollow, solid or semihollow. 

Powder coating aluminum extrusions helps strengthen their structures while giving them a more visually appealing look.

Versatile Finish Options

Powder coating offers a wide array of finish options you can choose from based on your application and preferences.

Color

You can find powder coatings in organic and inorganic color options ranging from dark browns, blacks and grays to bright red, yellow, orange, blue and green. They come in dozens of versatile hues, giving you complete control over your product&#;s appearance.

Texture

You can powder coat your aluminum extrusions in various textures, depending on your desired outcome. These texture varieties are ideal for hiding surface imperfections while enhancing the aluminum&#;s overall appearance.

Examples of popular powder coating textures include:

• Sand: The sand texture gives surfaces the appearance of sandpaper and exhibits increased friction.
• Wrinkle: These surfaces look similar to the sand texture but have a tighter, rougher consistency for better grip.
• Hammered: A hammered texture emulates a golf ball or orange rind with small, glossy bumps for greater durability. 

Gloss

Powder coating can also give off a smooth and satiny effect with its many gloss variations:

• Matte: This is the flattest gloss type, giving off minimal shine.
• Satin: This gloss is shinier than matte but still doesn&#;t present a reflective surface.
• Medium: A medium gloss is slightly more reflective than satin and has less surface friction. 
• Full: This is the most lustrous finish type, giving off a shiny and highly reflective appearance.

Lasting Performance and Durability

Powder coating technology has advanced considerably in recent years, making this finish more robust and durable than ever. Powder coatings can be formulated to meet American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA)  and  performance specifications for aluminum extrusions, making them ideal for architectural use.

Because powder coating is thick, it bonds well to aluminum, preventing peeling and chipping. Its tough composition and alkalinity resistance has made this coating useful in high-traffic environments.

Environmental Friendliness

This substance contains zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or solvents commonly found in liquid coatings, meaning it isn&#;t hazardous to the environment. Unlike wet paints, powder exercises a one-coat process, making it highly economical. You can also collect and reuse powder coatings after spraying them to minimize waste.

Cost Efficiency

Powder coating aluminum extrusions is a low-cost process compared to other finishing methods. Though powder coating has similar material and equipment costs to liquid systems, it offers enhanced savings in all of the following areas:

• Energy
• Production
• Waste disposal
• Labor
• Regulatory compliance

With so many opportunities to cut costs, powder coating serves as an affordable alternative to other coatings. 

Experience the Benefits of Powder Coating Aluminum Extrusions at Keystone Koating

You can invest in powder coating for your aluminum extrusions at Keystone Koating. We&#;ve spent over 30 years providing our customers with start-to-finish powder coating services and are always looking for innovative ways to improve our processes even further.

Contact us to learn more about our powder coating services today!

Yes, you can powder coat aluminum! In fact, powder coating is one of the most popular aluminum surface finishes for a wide range of products. It provides additional durability to bare aluminum surfaces and comes in a wide range of eye-catching colors.

Here we summarize the powder coating process and discuss the pros and cons of powder-coating aluminum. You&#;ll gain a better understanding of this finish to determine if it is the right choice for your next aluminum project.

What is the Aluminum Powder Coating Process?

We&#;ll break down the powder coating process into four stages: surface preparation, powder application, curing, and quality inspection.

#1 &#; Surface Preparation

As all seasoned engineers and coating specialists know, surface preparation is vital to ensure good coating results. Failing to properly clean and prepare the substrate&#;s surface results in poor adhesion &#; leading to flaking and disbondment.

Before powder application, coating specialists must remove old debris or coatings and thoroughly clean the surface. Depending on the condition of the aluminum parts and the desired level of coating quality, the processes will vary.

The processes might include:

• Scraping, grinding, and using solvents to remove old coatings.
• Using pressurized water, brushes, and chemical solvents to clean surfaces and remove debris, oil, and grime.
• Sandblasting or applying chemical treatments to &#;roughen&#; the aluminum substrate so that the powder coating can better adhere to the part&#;s surface.

The result of these processes should be a clean aluminum part without any contaminants, a completely dry surface, and a slightly rough texture so that powder can easily bond to the bare metal.

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#2 &#; Powder Application

After completing the surface preparation, powder application should be relatively easy. Coating specialists must mix the powder formulation and add proper amounts of the desired color pigments, resins, and other additives.

Then, they spray the powder coating with an electrostatic spray gun. The gun gives powder particles a positive electrostatic charge, which makes them &#;stick&#; to the electrically grounded aluminum part. Any oversprayed powder can be collected and reused later.

#3 &#; Curing

To cure properly, technicians must &#;bake&#; powder-coated parts in an oven. The exact curing time and temperature depend on the coating formulation, part size, and coating thickness. Generally speaking, curing does not exceed temperatures of 390°F (200°C) and takes approximately 10-15 minutes.

#4 &#; Quality Inspections

While some may not consider this part of the coating process, experts know that inspecting quality is vital. Once the parts have cooled, inspectors should check for thickness, uniformity, and surface adhesion.

There are various inspection techniques, which can vary depending on the part. For example you can conduct destructive testing on samples from the production line, such as the crosshatch testing pictured above.

Advantages of Powder Coating Aluminum

Applying a powder coating to your aluminum parts has several key benefits:

• It improves corrosion resistance.
• It enhances impact resistance and durability.
• It is electrically conductive
• It allows for many glossy colors, including custom color options.
• Depending on the additives used, it can be quite resistant to UV damage and color fading.
• It has sustainability advantages, as oversprayed powder can be collected and reused, meaning there is little waste.
• It does not release VOCs (volatile organic compounds) or expose the coating technician to toxic or carcinogenic compounds.

Disadvantages of Powder Coating Aluminum

While powder coating aluminum is a great finishing option, there are a few drawbacks that designers should consider:

• It is challenging to complete minor touchups.
• It has high startup costs for the equipment.
• It creates a relatively thick coating without uniform thickness.
• It can fade over time from exposure to sunlight without certain additives. However, this is still usually better than liquid paint.
• It is applied using a spray gun, making it challenging to evenly coat complex parts, particularly those with hidden interior surfaces.

Is Powder Coating the Best Aluminum Finish?

Powder coating is a great choice for making your aluminum products more durable and aesthetically appealing. But how does it compare with other popular aluminum surface finishes, like anodizing or liquid paint?

Vs. Anodized Aluminum

Powder coated aluminum isn&#;t as corrosion or wear resistant as anodized aluminum. It also won&#;t achieve the same thin, even film, especially on complex parts. However, powder coatings are cheaper to apply and offer more color options than anodizing. Learn more about anodizing vs. powder coating aluminum.

Vs. Liquid Paint

Liquid paint is often even cheaper than powder coatings to apply, especially for minor touchups, and offers a similar range of color options. Custom colors for small batch work are easier to produce for liquid-painted parts but have less color consistency than powder coatings and fade faster. Powder coatings are also much more durable and safer for people and the environment.

Ultimately, the best aluminum finishing option for your project depends on your design requirements, budget, and considerations for health & sustainability. Learn more about the types of aluminum finishes that can enhance your product.

Work With Gabrian International

At Gabrian, we offer custom aluminum extrusions and aluminum die-cast parts that meet your needs for precision at a reasonable cost. We can also apply a wide range of high-quality aluminum finishes, so you can get your parts formed and treated using a single supplier.

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