Why is Electrostatic Spray Painting Better for Your Industrial Equipment?
What is electrostatic spray painting?
Let’s start with what it isn’t. It is NOT the same as powder coating. While the application of powdered coatings and electrostatic spray paints are similar, powdered coatings require further treatment off-site.
Unlike powder coating application, electrostatic spraying can be done right on your property, and your equipment will be ready to use the next day.
Electrostatic spray painting eliminates:
- Costly, risky relocation of equipment
- Loss of production time due to equipment being finished off-site
- Risks of uneven coverage and overspray
- The need to dismantle large machinery in order to achieve full coverage
How does electrostatic spray painting work?
First, a quick physics recap about electrical charges: opposites attract, and particles with the same electric charge repel one another. So, two positively-charged particles will repel one another, but a positively-charged particle and negatively-charged particle gravitate toward one another. Positively-charged surfaces are considered “grounded” surfaces.
The simple rundown:
- An electrostatic spray gun applies a negative charge to the paint while it’s in the gun’s reservoir.
- The paint builds a stronger static charge as it travels through the barrel of the gun.
- The now negatively-charged paint particles repel one another, so they evenly disperse when propelled through the gun’s nozzle.
- The grounded surface of your product attracts the negative paint particles, and the paint chemically bonds to the surface for secure, smooth coverage.
- Your industrial equipment dries overnight and is ready to go the next day.
In a sentence: Electrostatic painting techniques work by applying negatively-charged paint to positively-charged surfaces.
Why is electrostatic application stronger than other industrial finishes?
The electrostatic charge between the negatively-charged paint particles and the positively-charged surface of your product creates ionic bonds between the two materials. Ionic bonds are one of the strongest chemical bonds, making electrostatic spray painting one of the most durable industrial finishing techniques.
Pro tip: Electrostatic spray painting still works on non-metal surfaces. Industrial finishing systems specialists can ground the non-metal item by placing metal behind it to ground the surface or by treating it with a positively-charged primer prior to electrostatic paint application.
Compared to powder application and regular paint finishes, electrostatic spray painting:
- Looks better on your equipment due to a more even application
- Saves money on the amount of paint required for coverage
- Keeps production running on time without delays since it doesn’t require disassembly or off-site treatment of equipment
