June, 2012

Ultra-low bake (ULB) and ultraviolet (UV) Which is Better? The choice of whether to use UV or ULB powders primarily depends on the requirements of the application. Generally, ULB powders are recommended for lower-performance end uses (e.g., TV stands shelves, etc.) as they meet the furniture standards for “general use.” Also, compared to UV powder coatings, ULB powders offer a broader color range and a lower cost per square foot coated. Some colors, such as deep yellows, are difficult toRead More …

Substrates such as wood, plastics and medium density fiberboard (MDF) are sensitive to heat (thermal expansion) and cannot be coated with conventional powder coatings. Consequently liquid coatings, foils and laminates have been used for their decoration and protection, especially in the furniture industry. In recent years, the development of ultra-low bake (ULB) and ultraviolet (UV) powder coatings for these substrates has allowed a dramatic reduction or even elimination of these traditional systems, resulting in new benefits for manufacturers. The woodworkingRead More …

The powders can be sprayed on most MDF types using conventional corona or tribo charging guns. In the latter case, the addition of a tribo additive to the formulation is recommended. Applied layer thickness is between 35 and 100 um, depending on the type of application. Pre-heating of the board can aid powder application in some cases. Heating To melt the applied powder efficiently, medium wave infrared radiation (IRM) is used. Further flow out is achieved by using a combinationRead More …

UV powder coating technology offers a fast, clean and economic attractive method to achieve high-quality finishes on wood-based substrates. The coating process consists of the following steps: First the article is hung or placed onto a conveyor belt and the powder is sprayed electrostatically onto the object. Then the coated object enters the oven (temperatures of 90-140 degC are sufficient) where the powder melts and flows together to form a film. This step takes 30-150 seconds, depending on the desiredRead More …

The two most widely used finishing techniques for MDF boards are: Liquid coatings Paper-based laminates (mostly melamine impregnated) and Thermoplastic foils (PVC, ABS, polyolefine-based) A range of surface appearances and qualities can be obtained with these technologies. However, there can be some drawbacks with both liquid coating systems and overlays, which can be overcome by use of UV powder coating. When using liquid coatings, normally a multi-coat system with interlayer sanding is required to achieve attractive finishes. This means thatRead More …

The most suitable approach for a coating formulation is the use of a major binder and a crosslinker. The cross¬linker may control the network density for the coating, while the binder determines properties of the coating such as discoloration, outdoor stability, mechanical properties, etc. Furthermore, this approach will lead to a more homogenous concept in the powder coating applications as a category bringing similitude to thermosetting coatings where crosslinkers such as TGIC and hydroxyl amides are used. A crosslinker shouldRead More …

The latest development in powder coatings is the combination of powder coating technology and UV technology. This approach shows some very important benefits. The benefits due to powder coating technology versus liquid coatings are: Elimination or reduction of intermediate sanding steps; High performance at high utilization rate, reclaim leading to 95% powder usage; No VOC during the curing process; and Easy recycling and no waste treatment. New benefits due to the combined technology of UV and powder coating are: SplitRead More …

Blends of specific polyesters and epoxy resins have permitted the development of smooth, high-performance finishes for wood, metal, plastic and toner applications. Wood Smooth, matte clear coats have been successfully applied on hardwood and on veneered composite board, such as beech, ash and oak. The presence of the epoxy partner in the binder has boosted the chemical resistance of all the coatings tested. An attractive market segment for the advanced UV powder coating is as a replacement for polyvinyl chlorideRead More …

UV Powder coating for Smooth, Matt Finishes Blends of specific polyesters and epoxy resins permitted the development of smooth, matt finishes for metal and MDF applications. Smooth, matt clear coats were successfully applied on hardwood, on veneered composite board such as beech, ash, oak and on PVC used for resilient flooring. The presence of the epoxy partner in the binder boosted the chemical resistance of all the coatings. The best smoothness was achieved with the binder of modification  without having criticalRead More …

The combination of methacrylated polyester and acrylated epoxy resin offers an interesting blend of properties to the cured film. The presence of a polyester backbone results in good resistance of the coatings in weathering tests. The epoxy backbone gives outstanding chemical resistance, improved adhesion and smoothness. An attractive market segment for these UV powder coating is as replacement for PVC laminates on MDF panels for the furniture industry. The polyester/epoxy blend is achieved in four major steps. The polycondensation in theRead More …