Industrial Coating Design and Application Review

Industrial Coating Types, Processes
Finishing and Plating Specifications

Overview of Industrial Coating Design and Application: An industrial coating is a paint or coating defined by its protective, rather than its aesthetic properties, although it can provide both.

The most common use of industrial coatings is for corrosion control of steel structures such as offshore platforms, bridges and underground pipelines. Other functions include intumescent coatings for fire resistance. The most common polymers used in industrial coatings are polyurethane, epoxy and moisture-cure urethane. Another highly common polymer used in industrial coating is a fluoropolymer. There are many types of industrial coatings including inorganic zinc, phosphate, and Xylan and PVD coatings.

NACE International and The Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) are professional organizations involved in the industrial coatings industry.

Industrial coatings are often composites of various substances. For example Xylan dry-film lubricants are composites of fluoropolymers (typically PTFE, PFA, and FEP) and reinforcing thermoset polyimide and polyamide binder resins initially suspended in a variety of solvents (such as ethyl acetate, xylene, dimethlformamide, and N-methyl 2-yrrolidone).

A typical coating system may include a primer, an intermediate coat, and a top coat. The polymer film acts as a physical barrier between the steel substrate and the corrosive environment such as atmosphere, water and soil. Industrial coatings are also available as garage floor coatings such as epoxy, polyurea, and polyaspartic.

The following are common industrial coating manufacturing processes: 

• Industrial Power Coating 
• Galvanizing industrial coating or Hot Dip Galvanizing
• Abrasion Resistant Coating
• Ceramic Coating
• Plastic Coating
• Thermal Spray Coating

Industrial coatings are available in many forms such as: aerosols, films and laminates, liquids, pastes, powders, solids, as well as diluted forms such as solvent-based industrial coatings.

Industrial coatings may be applied, by many techniques. Applicators such as brushes, rollers, screening, sponges and sprayers are most common, other widely used application forms include autophoretic application, electrocoating, and spinning.

Color pigments may be added to industrial coatings to enhance the desired product appearance.