Key Questions to Ask When Ordering Coating Lines

Question:

We are interested in installing a powder coating line. What should we consider? B.R.

Goto Litong to know more.

Answer:

I have advised many future powder coaters, written several articles and taught many seminars on this very topic. The most often asked question is “How much is it going to cost to convert to powder coating?” It seems that this simple question would have an equally simple answer, but it doesn’t. That’s because every powder coating system is custom designed using standard components to meet specific quality, performance, part size and production requirements. “Right-sizing” your powder coating system ensures that you end up with a process that will accommodate your products in the volumes you need to produce at the quality your customer expects.

You should consider several issues before you purchase a powder coating system:

1. Will powder coating work with your product? This may seem obvious, but you should verify that there is a powder coating material available that meets all your functional performance and visual appearance objectives. Next you should verify that your products can be powder coated (Can your products conduct an electrical ground of less than one megohm for safe electrostatic powder application or handle preheating for flocking applications? Can your product withstand the cure temperature for standard powders or the flow temperature for UV curables?). If the answers to these questions are yes, then proceed to the next issue.
2. Is powder coating economical for you? There are operational cost analyses that can be preformed to determine if powder coating can save you money or cost you more. Most of the time powder coating will be less expensive than liquid coatings, but running the numbers will ensure that you won’t be surprised after you install the equipment. The Powder Coating Institute (PCI) has a spreadsheet application that will assist you in determining the operational cost of a powder coating system and will allow you to compare this cost with your existing or a competing finishing technology. You can obtain the spreadsheet free by calling PCI at 703-684-.
3. Do you have some equipment in your existing finishing process that can be used to support the new powder coating process, or must you buy a completely new system? If some of your equipment is compatible for use in your new powder coating process, is it in good shape? You can certainly reduce the cost of converting to powder coating if some of your finishing system components are compatible to the new process (washer, dry-off oven, cure oven, etc.)
4. Is there a Return on Investment (ROI) or payback target that needs to be met? You can obtain budgetary quotations for the equipment and installation costs of your new system and use the operational cost/savings analysis (see No. 2) to determine the ROI or payback for the new powder coating process. Compare your answer to your target.

At this point, you have addressed all the preliminary issues that need to be answered before you can determine if powder coating is right for you. Several issues will affect both the size and cost for your new powder coating system. We will deal with these issues individually.

1. How many parts do you have to coat per unit of time? What is the optimum hang pattern for these parts? What effect will downtime for color change have on the available production time? Is there future production growth that needs to be accommodated? What will be the anticipated reject rate from this process? These issues are used to determine if a batch or conveyorized operation can support your production needs. Also, if your process is going to be conveyorized, these issues are used to calculate line speed.
2. What is the aggregate part size for your new system? This aggregate part size is the height of your tallest part, the width of your widest part and the length of your longest part. Often these three dimensions do not occur on the same part.
3. What is the product quality you are looking to achieve with this new powder coating process? The quality issues that need to be identified are:

   a. Corrosion requirements will affect the pretreatment system configuration (number and length of the washer stages).

   b. Appearance requirements will determine if an environmental room is necessary.

   c. Coating requirements will determine the configuration of the cure process (IR, UV, convection, temperature, time, etc.)

   d. How many colors will you be using and will these colors be reclaimed or sprayed-to-waste?

   The above-mentioned issues size every powder coating system. In powder coating, the bigger the system, the higher the cost. Since most of the powder coating process is time dependent (i.e., washer stage duration, cure time, dry-off time, etc.), the faster the line speed the larger the equipment and the higher the equipment costs. Furthermore, the larger the product the more equipment is necessary to coat it and taller equipment also increases system cost.

   Careful consideration of the issues discussed here will ensure that you obtain a system that is “right-sized” for your needs. A system that is too large will mean that you spent too much for it and will penalize you every minute of operation because it is more costly to operate. Conversely, if you undersize your powder coating system it will become a bottleneck, causing all sorts of production scheduling problems.

To purchase a powder coating line, you must first prepare a Technical Assignment. In this guide, I will explain how to complete the TA form and what input data we need to design the line. By knowing what to focus on, you’ll be able to prepare a comprehensive Technical Assignment and order the line with the correct configuration.

As for the "quality" of the coating, we will offer several alternative equipment configurations to choose from. But when it comes to the "quantity" of coated parts per unit of time, only you can provide the expected coating volume — the projected output based on your company’s production plans and long-term growth strategy.

Information about Parts to be Coated

Filling out the Technical Assignment form begins with information about the coated parts and the expected coating volume. First, we are interested in the physical characteristics of the parts: dimensions, weight, coating area, steel type, and wall thickness.

Parts with maximum dimensions and weight. Be sure to specify the largest dimensions and heaviest weight of the parts. This data is critical for determining the size of passage openings and the load capacity of the conveyor system.

Drawings of typical parts. It is advisable to provide drawings and 3D models of typical parts. Based on these, we will suggest the most efficient grouping of parts on the conveyor and offer rational multi-level hanging solutions.

Coating Volume

Coating volume refers to the number of parts that need to be coated per unit of time — per hour, shift, or month. This is the most important parameter for determining the required capacity of the powder coating line.

You may have a wide range of parts to be coated — sometimes hundreds of different items. It is not necessary to list every part individually. The coating volume can be expressed in size groups of parts or "reference part hangers":

• Size groups of parts. Combine your entire product range into groups of similarly sized parts — for example: large, medium, and small. Indicate the total quantity of parts in each group.
• Reference part hangers — standard hanger units based on the size of the largest parts. Fit the parts from each size into reference hangers and calculate the number of such hangers required. For example:

Example of grouping parts by size and converting them into reference part hangers to estimate coating volume. This approach helps evaluate the required volume using standardized hanger units.

It is best to define the coating volume using 3 to 5 size groups of parts. This allows us to more accurately determine the optimal part hanging density on the conveyor. For those who prefer a more detailed approach, the online form allows you to specify up to 10 different part types. If that's still not enough, you can always send an Excel file with the full product range.

Number of colors and changeover frequency. This information helps determine the appropriate type of spray booth and powder recovery system. If frequent color changes are expected, it may be advisable to use two booths mounted on mobile platforms.

Company operating schedule. Specify the number of working days per month, number of shifts per day, and the duration of each shift. We will calculate the effective working time and account for the time needed for color changeovers.

Want more information on coating line manufacturer? Feel free to contact us.

For example, let’s take the following input data:

• Reference part hanger: × 500 × mm;
• Coating volume: pcs/month;
• Available working time: 160 hours/month;

To coat this volume of parts, the required line capacity is:
3,200 / 160 = 20 reference part hangers per hour.
Considering the hanger dimensions and spacing, the calculated conveyor speed will be:
1 m/min.

Conveyor speed. The lengths of all active zones and the overall dimensions of the line depend on the conveyor speed. During design, we apply standard processing times required at each technological stage of the coating process. Learn more about powder coating technology.

Coating Quality

Coating quality refers to the proven protective and decorative properties of the powder coating — for example, high resistance to wear, corrosion, and UV exposure. Quality can be defined by compliance with international standards such as ASTM, NACE, QUALICOAT, etc.

Surface preparation is the most critical stage in the coating process, as it directly affects the quality of the final coating. It includes cleaning, degreasing, and applying a conversion layer to improve adhesion between the metal and the coating. Learn more about surface preparation cycles.

Multilayer coating — to enhance the functional or aesthetic properties of the finish, two layers of powder coating may be applied: primer + coating or coating + clear coat. The number of layers is determined by individual requirements or relevant industry standards.

We only need to know the operating conditions, type of steel, and required service life of the coated parts. Based on this information, we will suggest several alternative surface preparation and coating processes that can give your products a competitive advantage.

Production Facility Dimensions

Please provide the geometric dimensions of your facility: length, width, and height. The flexible design of EUROIMPIANTI lines allows installation in buildings of almost any shape.

Facility layout drawing. It is advisable to provide a DWG-format digital drawing of the shop floor, indicating the positions of existing columns. We will design the layout around them and precisely fit the line into the available space. For example:

Loading / unloading zones. Indicate your preferred locations for the conveyor's loading and unloading zones. We will take your preferences into account when designing the equipment layout and ensure convenient logistics for both incoming parts and finished coated products.

Primary Energy Source

Indicate the preferred energy source: electricity, natural gas, or other types of combustible fuels.

In powder coating technology, the energy source is used to heat chemical solutions, as well as in the drying and curing ovens. The share of the energy source in the cost of coating 1 m² is about 10 - 15%. This figure depends on the mass (metal content) of the parts — the heavier the parts, the higher the energy consumption.

Comparative analysis of heat cost. If different types of energy sources are available, we will provide a comparative analysis of the cost of generated heat, taking into account the efficiency of heat generators and current energy prices. This analysis will help you choose the most cost-effective energy source to reduce production costs.

Custom Design of Powder Coating Lines

The more thoroughly the technical assignment is prepared, the easier and faster it will be to align with you. The clearer the task is defined and all requirements described, the lower the cost of understanding and the higher the accuracy in designing a suitable powder coating line.

"A problem well stated is a problem half solved."

Charles F. Kettering
inventor and engineer

We will carefully analyze the technical assignment and take all requirements and constraints into account. As a result, we will design a powder coating line that is perfectly balanced across all key parameters:

1. Maximum size of part hangers and size of passageways;
2. Conveyor operating speed and load capacity;
3. Module dimensions and lengths of all active processing zones;
4. Surface preparation cycle and coating application technology;
5. Configuration of spray booths and powder recovery systems;
6. Thermal power of drying and curing ovens;
7. Control panel and software system.

Equipment customization. Each coating line is developed individually. The modular architecture of EUROIMPIANTI offers broad opportunities for engineering creativity. We flexibly adapt the line to meet specific production needs. The configuration of modules can be tailored to the available floor space and the unique layout of the facility.

Perfect technical assignments do not exist; there is always a risk of overlooking something. During the approval process, we synchronize our understanding of the task and help take into account all important details to design the right line and achieve the ideal end result.

We will offer alternative layout options for your powder coating area and explain the benefits of each. Through a clear and structured comparison of configurations, we will guide you toward a reasonable choice that best suits your goals. Together, we will implement the optimal solution — a powder coating line that delivers competitive coating quality at minimal costs.