FAQ

A: There are numerous primary, secondary and hidden costs. Primary costs are materials, people, energy, water and the cost of compliance. Secondary costs are the cost of rework, the time involved in manufacturing the product, the number of manufacturing steps appropriate to produce a product in a spray operation, and, of course, touch-ups. Hidden costs include lack of flexibility, since you can only apply one coat at a time, growth limitations and slower manufacturing cycle time due to a paint line bottleneck.

A: In today's business environment, the ability to increase profits through increased prices is nearly impossible. Business analysts say the best way to increase profits is to outsource services or lower internal operating costs. With over 30% of the manufacturing maintenance budgets and plant capital expenditures being spent on growing environmental compliance with ever more strict EPA regulations, the need to reduce these and other operations costs is paramount to survival. Coil coating, also referred to as prepaint, is the outsourcing solution.

A: Any business that works with sheet metal that is fabricated into parts or products that are post-painted either for decorative or corrosion protection purposes. Any business considering updating or replacing its paint line. Any manufacturing operation that suffers production bottlenecks due to painting operations. Any company that is constrained by space or capital.

A: Generally, conversions to prepaint occur when other major manufacturing changes are taking place. The time to consider a conversion is when: Costs must be lowered to remain competitive The down-sizing and or combining of plants is taking place A strategy of outsourcing is being pursued Plant capacity must be increased Other factors for consideration include: Major capital improvements are planned such as new painting or waste treatment equipment. Compliance with United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) regulations has become an issue of critical concern. New product model(s) are being designed. A plan to optimize use of limited plant floor space is being implemented. New fabricating or material handling equipment is being evaluated.

A: Coil coating is a continuous and highly automated process for coating metal before fabrication. In one continuous process, a coil of metal is unwound and both the top and bottom sides are cleaned, painted, oven cured, rewound and packaged for shipment. Coil coating provides for controls that are virtually impossible to attain with most other painting processes. Dealing with a flat sheet allows for mechanical cleaning in addition to the spray cleaning. The flat sheet also enables excellent control of the paint coating to within a tenth of a mil (0.0001”) or less, depending upon the equipment and the paint system being applied. Such advantages, along with the economic and environmental benefits, make coil coating the right choice for many manufacturers.

A: There are two colors that are typically used in the production of heavy gauge prepainted steel. These are dark brown and dark gray. Other colors are available by request. For light gauge prepainted materials, there is a wide variety of paints available including polyesters, polyurethanes, zinc-rich coatings, epoxies, fluorocarbons, silicone polyesters and more. A wider range of colors and glosses are available for light gauge metal, to meet customer needs. For more information on light gauge materials, processes, and end uses, please visit www.metalcoaters.com.

A: The color control from coil to coil and run to run is one of the distinct advantages of the coil coating process. Metal is coated in the flat, and because of the roll coating process, it is possible to lay down a smooth and uniform film. Laboratories and paint companies that supply coatings have developed ways to maintain film control at a variety of thicknesses that are very reproducible. Line results are very consistent, and coaters have the ability to coordinate lab conditions with line conditions to control the incoming raw materials for consistency.

A: Yes, in fact, prepainted metal can be formed and shaped with a finish that is actually superior to post-paint. This is because post-painted surfaces often suffer from dirt and oil residue, uneven application, and other imperfections. In the coil coating process, the metal is cleaned and painted prior to manufacturing, saving cost, time, and hassles, while ensuring a beautiful and flawless surface…even after forming. Once you see how easily prepainted metal can be formed, you'll form a new opinion about this remarkable process.

A: Sound manufacturing practices, including proper handling, make prepainted metal no more susceptible to damage than finished products. It is recommended, however, that tooling be dedicated to prepainted metal. The use of bare and prepainted material on the same tools can cause scratching of the prepainted metal. There are many proven, simple techniques that can be employed to prevent damage, should it occur. Again, refer to NCCA’s “Receiving prepainted Metal Into Your Plant” document. The on-line tutorial, How to Form prepainted Metal also provides helpful information on forming and can be viewed on NCCA’s web site www.coilcoatinginstitute.org

A: Prepainted metal can be joined easily – using adhesives, fasteners, or welding – and still retain a more beautiful and flawless surface than post-painted metal. That's because prepainted metal has a more flawless top coat from the start, with paint covering edge to edge, at a consistent thickness, often with both top and bottom coats. Be assured prepainted metal can be joined beautifully. The on-line tutorial, How to Join Prepainted Metal also provides helpful information on fastening and can be viewed on NCCA’s web site www.coilcoatinginstitute.org

A: See if you can handle this fact. Prepainted metal can be shipped on flatbed trucks, moved using forklifts, stored as coils for long periods -- and still retain a beautiful and flawless surface. Hard to believe? It's true: prepainted metal can be handled successfully, without harming the surface. Storing prepainted coils also is a simple process. Coils should be stored in a temperature controlled warehouse. To further ensure successful job site storage, paper-wrap panel bundles, and consider using cover (waster) sheets and end caps. Of course, as an additional prevention, you should try to minimize storage time. Handling prepainted coils is simple…and it has beautiful results.

A: Yes, prepainted coils can be printed, striped and embossed to create special visual effects. In many ways, coil coating has limitless design possibilities, many of which are virtually impossible with post-painted metal.

A: When you eliminate a post-painting operation, you free up floor space. Additionally, since work-in-process inventory is reduced, the demands for additional floor space are correspondingly reduced. Production capabilities can grow without adding precious manufacturing space.strong>

A: Minor changes may be required in order to get the most value out of a conversion to prepaint. The most common changes are die clearances, depending on the product being made. If it is a brake press product, dies might need to be adjusted to allow for the additional film that exists with paint on both sides of the product. It’s also a good time to evaluate potential manufacturing process changes, such as steps that can be eliminated and where time and money can be saved moving a product through the manufacturing cycle faster when utilizing prepainted metal.

A: In most cases, you don’t have to change tooling but you may have to make a few adjustments. Dies should be polished and die clearances adjusted to fit prepainted metal. Prepaint serves as a lubricant, and when you use prepaint, you actually get extended tool life. It is recommended that tooling be devoted only to prepainted material versus moving back and forth between bare material and prepainted materials. If the customer processes bare metal, the raw material has not been cleaned and carries roll oils and metal fines. Therefore, it is not wise to move bare material and prepaint on the same equipment..

A: The majority of time is spent developing and understanding the requirements of the painted product. Once the requirements are fully understood and agreed to by all members of the team (which should include the metal supplier, coater, paint supplier and key customer representatives), a small trial run is done to confirm that the system, which includes the metal and paint, meets customer requirements. Once the qualification process is complete, the conversion to prepaint can take place, and the current paint system can be eliminated. Depending on requirements, this transition can last anywhere from 60 days to one year.

A: Like most manufacturers, you're probably burdened with adapting your paint shop to changing environmental standards, stringent health regulations, and skyrocketing overhead. Outsourcing your metal treatment and coating operations can even eliminate all of these hassles and costs. All businesses are trying to lower costs and remain competitive. Conversion to prepaint is the answer for manufacturers seeking ways to pare down unnecessary costs. A Prepaint Conversion Team, consisting of internal and external managers and suppliers, should be established to analyze your products and process, to determine if prepaint conversion is practical. This team can also act as a steering committee once implementation begins. After the initial analysis has determined that the use of prepaint is practical, a cost justification study should be conducted to determine the full economic impact of the proposed conversion. This analysis should answer three major questions: What additional costs will be incurred by converting to prepaint? What is the offsetting cost savings from eliminating post-paint? What is the bottom-line benefit of converting to prepainted metal? Once the conversion process is complete, your plant will run more efficiently, more effectively, and more economically. Improve your product. Improve your bottom line. Coil coating is your solution.