Processes

The Metal Prep Coil Coating Process:

Metal Prep uses state-of-the-art techniques to produce and supply Prepainted hot rolled steel that will meet any customer’s specification.

Hot rolled stock is uncoiled, flattened, and weld-joined. The strip is then descaled and etched. Surface oxidation and mill scale is removed as the strip travels through the descaling process. The steel surface then receives a hot water rinse and is dried before entering the next stage of the process.

After cleaning, the strip passes through a tension leveling unit designed to improve the flatness of the material. The result is a clean and flat surface that it ready for application of the paint coating.

A high solids polyester paint is applied to the strip via a roll coating unit that is operated to a controlled pressure and speed. A natural gas-fired, direct flame impingement oven is utilized to cure the coating onto the strip.

After exiting the curing oven, the strip travels through a (water) quench system designed to return the strip to ambient temperature before the material is slit and the edges are coated with paint. The full width (painted) coils are subsequently slit to the customer’s desired width and the sidewall (edge) of each slit coil are coated to provide the same finish as the top and bottom strip surfaces.