Powder Coating vs. E-Coating

Powder coating and e-coating are finishing processes that use electrical currents to apply a protective layer to the outside of a material. Both approaches result in a uniform, cured finish, but that final result is where their similarities end. 

Understanding the differences between these processes and the benefits of each coating is an essential part of selecting the best finish for your substrate material. Read below to learn how these coatings differ and which will best help you extend your material’s durability and provide corrosion protection for your finished product.

Coating With Electric Currents

While both powder coating and e-coating use electric currents to attract particles to your material, the processes differ. 

Powder coating is a dry application process in which electrostatically charged paint powder is applied to a grounded material using a spray gun. Once the technician has completed the spray coat, they place the material in an oven to melt the powder and create an even, cured finish.

The e-coating process, also known as electrophoretic deposition or electrocoating, involves submerging your material in a water-based paint or epoxy solution. Technicians send electrical currents through the liquid, causing suspended particles to deposit on the material’s surface. When the technician is satisfied with the thickness of the coating, they rinse the material and move it to a curing oven.

E-coat finishes are generally applied to metal surfaces, while power coatings can be applied to a wider variety of materials, such as metals, glass, wood, and some high-temperature plastics.

Which Coating Is Best For Your Project?

The e-coating application process is particularly well-suited for materials with many hard-to-reach areas, because of the submersion technique, it helps with the coverage in those hard-to-reach areas. E-coating also gives technicians precise control over the coating’s thickness, resulting in ultra-thin finishes that are very difficult to achieve with powder coating techniques.

If your finish’s primary purpose is to protect your product from wear, weathering, and ultraviolet (UV) exposure, powder coating is likely the best option. While e-coating can provide many of the same benefits, powder coating results in a thicker more durabe finish. In addition, most e-coats are not UV stable, so powder coating lends increased protection to products that face exposure to the elements.

In most applications that use e-coating techniques, the e-coat acts as a primer applied before a more protective, UV-resistant powder coating. This combination is a standard practice in the automotive industry, appliance industry, and areas of industry where high corrosion protection is important, these parts undergo the e-coating process prior to coating with powder.

Professional Powder Coating From Keystone Koating

Contact the team at Keystone Koating to learn more about our professional powder coating services and request a quote for powder coating for your next project.

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