ELECTROCOATING / ECOAT / EP COATING

WHAT IS Electrocoating / Ecoat / EP Coating

Electrocoating is a method of applying paint to a conductive substrate. The process is also known as E Coat, EP Paint, KTL, Electro paint, E-Coat, EPD, E Coating and Cathodic Electrophoretic Painting.
It is used predominantly in the automotive industry as a specification of choice by all tier one motor manufacturers.

It achieves high salt spray resistance as a finish on its own, or can be overcoated and finished for use in a multitude of challenging environments.

The resultant paint finish offers high aesthetic appeal, affording strong durability and excellent resistance to the oxidative effects of corrosion as well as to the effects of corrosive liquids and chemicals.

• Uniformity of coating thickness across the whole part
• Unaffecting the functionality of threads
• Excellent corrosion protection
• Great edge coverage
• Single coating application which can be easily overcoated in powdercoat
• Process consistency resulting in low reject rates
• Compatible with a great many other coating finishes
• 100% coverage of the component, including hard to reach areas

How is Electropaint / Ecoat / EP applied?

Electropaint is applied by completely submerging the component.
Paint particles, suspended in water, are electrically charged to deposit on substrates oppositely charged when influenced by a direct current. The finish produces a uniform layer thickness from 15 microns up to 30 microns.

The process is usually divided into four stages:

Stage 1 – Pretreatment
This stage is vital to achieve the best possible results from the e-coating process.
The metal is cleaned and a phosphate applied using Chemetall BASF chemicals is added to prepare the product for the e-coat application.

Step 2 – Coating
The pretreated metal is submerged into the solution of water and Powercron 6200 paint supplied by PPG Industries. The solution is usually made up of 80% to 90% deionised water and around 10% to 20% paint.

Step 3 Post-rinsing
Post rinsing enhances the quality of the paint coating. When the coating process has finished and the component is being removed from the bath, paint solids will cling to the surface. This residue is rinsed off and returned to the tank.

Step 4 Baking/Curing
After the coated part exits the post-rinse phase, it is placed in a bake oven that cures and cross-links the paint film. The minimum bake time is 20 minutes with a part temperature at 375°F. This final step in the process ensures the coating can perform at its optimal level.

The success of the electrophoretic Ecoat painting process is greatly dependent upon the integrity of the pre-treatment processes as well as the painting process itself. Strict adherence to chemical parameters in all stages of the process is key to a quality finish achieving full specification requirements.

Profin are experts in providing e coating solutions for manufacturers. If you would like to find out more about our services then please get in touch with our sales team on 01527 524126.