Chain on Edge Painting and Powder Coating

Coating on a chain on edge conveyor

When you need high volume painting, with consistent quality and without the high cost of finishing: chain on edge and overhead conveyors can meet the challenge. Paramount Metal Finishing has been a specialist in high volume conveyorized painting.

What is a chain on edge conveyor? It is a conveyor chain mounted on rails and sprockets that holds parts from the bottom. The parts are placed on fixtures or spindles that hold the parts above the conveyor at a elevation that present the parts to stationary spray guns, reciprocating spray guns, robotic spraying equipment. The fixtures can be used to mask the parts and the spindles can be used to rotate the part, both give a chain on edge a competitive and quality advantage to parts with certain configurations.

When is a chain on edge spray system the most competitive process with improved quality?

• Cylindrical parts with tight paint tolerances
• Housing that need the interior masked
• Complex parts that can be mounted on fixture and painted manually or by a robot
• Fasteners that need the threads masked and the tops paint
• Deep finned parts that need gravity to help powder coating coverage between features
• Components that can be masked by the holding fixture

Benefits of a chain on edge:

• Spraying painting to tight tolerances by spinning a part in front of a spindle
• Improved Coverage of powder coating on complex components
• Part marking and striping of cylindrical parts at conveyor speeds
• Lower costs related to facility overhead because of relatively small footprints

Examples of parts spray painted or powder coated on a chain on edge

• Ordinance projectiles- tubular with tight tolerances
• Die cast fin housings for telecommunication and electrical industry
• Fasteners that need threads masked
• Automotive head lights and bumpers
• Bottles glass and metal

Painting on a chain on edge conveyor system

MIL-A-8625, MIL-PRF-8625 Type II Soft Coat and Type III Hard Coat

ASTM B580, NADCAP certified

Anodize is an oxide coating that is a highly effective corrosion protection for aluminum alloys and cast aluminum alloys. Anodizing is an excellent bonding base for paint, powder, and adhesives. The oxide is a hard electrically dielectric coating that can be dyed to different colors for decorative and none decorative purposes. Hard coat anodizing often referred to as MIL-PRF-8625 Type III is a thicker coating with a high degree of abrasion resistance. Types II and III are the most common types of anodizing.

MIL-PRF-8625 is the military specification that applies to anodizing aluminum. It has several types and two classes. Paramount Metal Finishing applies two types of MIL-A-8625 and two classes. Paramount Metal Finishing applies MIL-A-8625 Type II and Type III with class l and ll. Class I is the natural color that comes from anodizing the alloy. The natural colors span from clear, grey, olive green and black and are determined by several factors such as the alloy, process parameters and coating thickness. Class II relates to a dying process that can produce a wide spectrum of colors by soaking in a dye solution prior to sealing the surface.

Anodizing capabilities applied by Paramount Metal Finishing:

• MIL-A-8625 or MIL-PRF-8625 Type II soft coat
• MIL-A-8625 or MIL-PRF-8625 Type III hard coat
• ASTM B580 Types A-F
• Size: 6 ft. long x 4 ft. deep and 20 inches wide
• Capacity: Hoist line- high production
• Color dyes: Natural, Black, Gold, Blue and colors on demand.
• Sealing options: Hot Water, Nickel Acetate, Sodium Silicate, Chromate
• Racking systems: high production titanium racking systems

Note: MIL-PRF-8625 replaces MIL-A-8625. Both are still commonly used on drawings.

Paramount Metal Finishing is a specialist in anodizing and is an integrated coating applicator to ASTM, AMS and Military Specifications. We have capabilities to Plate, Anodize, Hard Coat Anodize, Sanchem, Conversion Coat, Paint, Powder Coat and Dry Film Lube in one location.

PLATING LARGE COMPONENTS
AMS 2417   AMS-C-26074  ASTM B633   ASTM B545  ASTM A967  ASTM B733

Paramount Metal Finishing offers LARGE PARTS PLATING to ASTM, AMS and MILITARY Specifications for large and heavy components through the use of internal anodes. PMF has the capacity for large components such as rollers, frames, hydraulic manifolds and chambers that require partial or complete plating coverage.

PLATING LARGE PARTS

Electroless Nickel Plating

Zinc Nickel Plating

Zinc Plating w/Internal Anodes

Nitric Passivation

Electroless Nickel Plating

MIL-DTL-5541 chemical film is a conversion coating to stop aluminum from oxidizing. It is an excellent pretreatment for primer and paints to adhere to. Chemical film increases corrosion protection and adhesion on machinable aluminum alloys and aluminum casting alloys. Chemical film is a cost effective solution for corrosion and a paint base that in many cases eliminates the need for a primer or topcoats such as wet paint or powder coating. It is also used as an adhesion enhancing coating for bonding with adhesives and form in place gaskets.

There are 2 Types of MIL-DTL-5541 and two classes:

• MIL-DTL-5541 Type l Class 1
• MIL-DTL-5541 Type l Class 2
• MIL-DTL-5541 Type II Class 1
• MIL-DTL-5541 Type II Class 2

MIL-C-5541 is similar to MIL-DTL-5541 in Type and Class with the exception that MIL-C-5541 is always a hexavalent chromium coating. Other similar chemical film specifications are MIL-DTL-81706, ASTM B449, ASTM B921, AMS 2473 and AMS 2474.

Large Parts Capability-Rack and Barrel

Paramount has the capability to process large parts in Chemical Film:

• 9 ft long x 48 inches deep and 18 inches wide
• 6 ft long x 40 inches deep and 30 inches wide
• 5 ft long x 48 inches deep and 22 inches wide
• NADCAP certified
• ITAR registered
• ISO 9001 registered

Paramount Metal Finishing is a NADCAP certified metal finisher for all MIL-DTL-5541 which is required for most aerospace components, types and classes. Paramount is also ITAR registered and performs these processes on critical military electronics as a painting and powder base coating. Chemical Film is applied as well on ordnance components as a final finish. PMF applies these coating for many commercial purposes such as cast electronic housing, medical electronics cabinets and other hardware as a final finish or a paint base.

Paramount Metal Finishing is a specialist in chemical film and is an integrated coating applicator to ASTM, AMS and Military Specifications. We have capabilities to Plate, Anodize, Hard Coat Anodize, Sanchem, Conversion Coat, Paint, Powder Coat and Dry Film Lube in one location.

NADCAP – Aerospace Quality Systems (AC7004)

NADCAP – Chemical Processing