Otherwise referred to as electrodeposition or e-coating, electrocoating is a process through which metallic work pieces are inundated in a water/paint bath. The process uses electricity to deposit the paint onto the metal workpiece, thus giving it a new layer. This process dates back to 1930s when the first ever electrodeposition was done. The process was conducted to apply an organic layer to metal.
While gaining in huge popularity today more than ever before, this is not a very new process considering electrodeposition started way back in 1930. Technological advancements have, however, seen the process improve and today it has become the most efficient, automatic, controllable, and affordable way of applying the much needed coating in between phosphate and the primer layers to protect it from corrosion.
There are so many reasons that justify the huge popularity of e-coating in the automotive industry today. First and foremost, it is the most cost-effective form of coating in the automotive industry today. While the initial cost of investment may be a bit higher, the significant savings over the years is something that cannot be ignored. When compared to traditional coating methods like spraying, no doubt electrocoating is an affordable solution.
In addition to affordability is efficiency, which many attest to the fact that it is undoubtedly one of the few methods with the highest material transfer efficacy. Something as simple as closed-loop ultrafiller rinsing has proven quite efficient when it comes to material utilization and recovery, sometimes up to 100% of total material used. There are other methods of e-coating which have been discovered over the years which are equally efficient in terms of material utilization, usage, and recovery.
Still on point, this form of coating has proven effective especially when it comes to partial coating of closed interior box parts of automobile bodies. Needless to mention, these are hard-to-reach parts when using automatic spray hence will normally need extensive manual coat application using specially designed spray equipment. Because the equipment will not be the same, you can bet that uniformity, especially in coat thickness will not be the same. Of course e-coating saves your time and guarantees a uniform, efficient coating process like no other.
The third advantage of electrocoating is the fact that its the most environmentally safe coating technique to date. With so many automotive assembly plants releasing harmful toxins to the environment by using chemical based products, electrodeposition is to a large extent water-based, hence is safe for the environment.
These coatings are eco-friendly because they are water-based, containing as little as 1-3% of an explosive organic solvent. Compared to other coatings used in the industry today, no doubt this is a small-enough percentage that will ensure an automotive assembly plant does not emit harmful solvent emissions to the environment.
And when all is said and done, electrodeposition is quite controllable compared to other forms of coating. For one, you can control the bath temperature, you can adjust the film thickness using voltage, and you can also adjust so many other aspects of painting. As long as you get the basics of electrocoating correctly i. E. The bath chemistry that ought to be used, how to maintain the plant and the environment, and more importantly how to operate the parameters, all else will fall into place perfectly.
While gaining in huge popularity today more than ever before, this is not a very new process considering electrodeposition started way back in 1930. Technological advancements have, however, seen the process improve and today it has become the most efficient, automatic, controllable, and affordable way of applying the much needed coating in between phosphate and the primer layers to protect it from corrosion.
There are so many reasons that justify the huge popularity of e-coating in the automotive industry today. First and foremost, it is the most cost-effective form of coating in the automotive industry today. While the initial cost of investment may be a bit higher, the significant savings over the years is something that cannot be ignored. When compared to traditional coating methods like spraying, no doubt electrocoating is an affordable solution.
In addition to affordability is efficiency, which many attest to the fact that it is undoubtedly one of the few methods with the highest material transfer efficacy. Something as simple as closed-loop ultrafiller rinsing has proven quite efficient when it comes to material utilization and recovery, sometimes up to 100% of total material used. There are other methods of e-coating which have been discovered over the years which are equally efficient in terms of material utilization, usage, and recovery.
Still on point, this form of coating has proven effective especially when it comes to partial coating of closed interior box parts of automobile bodies. Needless to mention, these are hard-to-reach parts when using automatic spray hence will normally need extensive manual coat application using specially designed spray equipment. Because the equipment will not be the same, you can bet that uniformity, especially in coat thickness will not be the same. Of course e-coating saves your time and guarantees a uniform, efficient coating process like no other.
The third advantage of electrocoating is the fact that its the most environmentally safe coating technique to date. With so many automotive assembly plants releasing harmful toxins to the environment by using chemical based products, electrodeposition is to a large extent water-based, hence is safe for the environment.
These coatings are eco-friendly because they are water-based, containing as little as 1-3% of an explosive organic solvent. Compared to other coatings used in the industry today, no doubt this is a small-enough percentage that will ensure an automotive assembly plant does not emit harmful solvent emissions to the environment.
And when all is said and done, electrodeposition is quite controllable compared to other forms of coating. For one, you can control the bath temperature, you can adjust the film thickness using voltage, and you can also adjust so many other aspects of painting. As long as you get the basics of electrocoating correctly i. E. The bath chemistry that ought to be used, how to maintain the plant and the environment, and more importantly how to operate the parameters, all else will fall into place perfectly.
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