THE FIVE ATTRIBUTES FOR EVALUATING THE Benefits OF
UV-Curable Powder Coating B Y
M I C H A E L
K N O B L A U C H
There are many attributes to consider when evaluating various finishing materials and application systems. Is the finish environmentally friendly? Is the material safe to use? How cost effective is the manufacturing and finishing process and how will it perform? These are all pertinent questions to consider. Sustainability, Innovation, Productivity, Palette and Performance are five attributes that can be used to evaluate and demonstrate the benefits and advantages of UV-cured powder coating.
PH OTO COU RTESY OF DVUV
W
ikipedia defines Sustainability “as the capacity to endure” and includes environmental, social and economic dimensions in the definition. Since Ultra Violet (UV)-cured powder coating on medium density fiberboard (MDF) was introduced in 2001, the sustainable imperative of UV-cured powder coating chemistry and application technology has endured. Now more than ever the finishing market is demanding environmentally friendly, socially desirable and economically viable alternatives to traditional finishing materials and systems. UV-cured powder coatings are safe to handle and apply and do not pose any safety risks to employees.
PH OTO COU RTESY OF TI GER D RYL AC
Environmentally mandated production constraints and permits are not required. When evaluating finishing materials it is important to consider each material’s physical properties, liquid or powder, and their respective constituent chemistries. There are a variety of different coatings including; solventborne liquid, waterborne liquid, high solids liquid, UV-curable liquid, thermoset powder coating, low-temperature powder coating, and UV-curable powder coating. Each of these materials has a unique chemistry and set of finishing performance properties. Making things even more challenging is each of the finishing materials requires a distinct application process and equipment system. surface&panel
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