Equipment and infrastructure reliability play a significant role in plant profitability and performance. Therefore, industrial coatings provide a cost-effective, long-term solution to protect your considerable investments, expand the service life of your costly equipment and infrastructure, and help avoid cureless damage and expensive shutdowns.
With the understanding and assessment of industrial coating applications, the products available on the market, and the adequate implementation process, the possibilities to utilize industrial coating solutions to protect your investment are pretty much limitless.
So, if you want to learn more about how industrial coatings can help protect your company belongings, you’re at the right place.
What Are Industrial Coatings?
In a few words, industrial coatings are specially formulated composite materials that consist of a hardener, a resin, and a reinforcement known for their protective properties. Urethane and еpoxy are the two most commonly used polymers used for industrial coatings as they’re both durable and provide first-rate chemical resistance.
The different sizes, materials, and ratios used will alter the protective and functional properties of the industrial coating. For that reason, determining the ideal industrial coating solution to use is vital to ensure strong performance, as the application parameters will definitely impact the final product selection. In the end, not all industrial coatings are created equal, so it’s essential to choose a product from a reputable manufacturer that offers high-quality solutions that provide reliable, long-term solutions.
When choosing industrial coatings for your needs, make sure to go with solutions that offer 100% solids and have very little or no volatile organic compounds and odors, as these products are much safer to use and resist permeation.
How Do Industrial Coatings Work?
The composition and engineering of industrial coatings permit them to withstand even the most severe external conditions, which concrete or bare metal cannot. Because of that, each coated surface will most certainly outperform its non-coated, untreated counterpart. In addition, while chemical exposure, corrosion, erosion, abrasive wear, high pressure, and velocity can all contribute to significant damage during the lifespan of infrastructure and equipment, industrial coating solutions can form an impenetrable barrier that can withstand rough service requirements between the application surface and its surrounding environment.
Other than extending the life of your crucial equipment and infrastructure, industrial coatings minimize the normal wear and tear of industrial assets that happen over time. Also, they are a more cost-effective solution than exotic alloys, as they offer the same level of protection and longevity for much less money.
Industrial Coatings Applications
A wide variety of industries, including general manufacturing, wastewater treatment, food and beverage, steel, mining, and others, use industrial coatings for a range of implementations like industrial pumps, valves, piping, agitators, mixers, floor coatings, and tank linings. For instance, a given company may have valves, pumps, and pipping in harsh slurry applications that might wreak havoc on uncoated infrastructure and equipment.
For that reason, entities need to coat new equipment to prevent damage and apply coatings to restore worn-out equipment and extend their lifespan. Many industrial coatings even have FDA approval to be used in various food and beverage applications.
The Proper Application Of Industrial Coatings
Surface preparation is perhaps the most critical step when applying industrial coating solutions, as improper surface preparation attributes to an estimated 50% of industrial coatings failing sooner rather than later.
So, before you apply the industrial coating of your selection, make sure that the surface is spotless and decontaminated. Afterward, start by removing any damaged or loose metal or concrete and follow this procedure up with adhering high-quality cleaners and degreasers to remove oil and grease residue. Finally, create a surface profile to lead a proper adhesion for your industrial coating solution. Conducting a good preparation is vital to extending the industrial coating’s performance over the life of the inventory or infrastructure.
Even though this preparation often comprises the highest cost in a given project, keep in mind that it will bring the single most significant impact on the overall performance and longevity of the coating. Taking shortcuts in preparation can lead to a significantly reduced service life and problems down the road.
Once you’re finished with the preparation stage, you can apply the industrial coatings with a wide variety of techniques depending on the surface or piece of equipment. When applying, you can use a roller, trowel, or brush. For more precise applications, like pump casings and impellers, spraying provides thin, uniform coverage.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how industrial coating solutions provide extended life and longevity of costly equipment and company infrastructure, perhaps you can start doing your research on what your company needs and what type of coating will bring the best results to your environment.
