PRE-TREATMENT AND POST-TREATMENT
Pre- treatment and post-treatment are steps in between the actual coating process that ensure that the best results are achieved. While pre-treatment helps to ensure that the surface to be coated is clean and conditioned to optimally receive the coating that is to be applied, post-treatment helps ensure that the coated surface is protected, still clean and has the required finish. Both pre-treatment and post-treatment are vital to the overall optimization of the quality of the coating process, and should therefore never be overlooked.
Before a surface is coated with a protective coating, it must undergo a pre-treatment process. This is necessary in order to remove any contaminants from the surface, such as dirt, oils and greases, as well as to roughen the surface, which ensures that the applied coating can effectively bond to the substrate. The pre-treatment process may also involve the use of a chemical cleaner, typically in the form of immersion plating baths, to further clean and condition the surface, as well as the use of a rust inhibitor to prevent rust from adhering to the substrate before the coating is applied. By properly pre-treating the substrate, the coating process will be optimized.
After the coating has been applied and cured or dried, the surface must then undergo a post-treatment process. This ensures that the coating is properly processed through a finishing process, such as inter-coat processes that involve nesting, rolling and sweeping, as well as a top coating process. In some cases, gritblasting may be used to further prepare and condition the surface, while in others, a deburring process may be employed. The post-treatment process also helps to protect the surface, ensuring that it is cleaned and prepared with a particular finish that meets the requirements of the coating process application.
In conclusion, pre-treatment and post-treatment are critical to effective coating processes and ultimately the end result. Without them, the end product will be of inferior quality, and thus be more likely to experience issues due to lack of preparation or protection. Furthermore, pre-treatment and post-treatment help to minimize risk, as any contaminants that remain on the surface can ultimately have an adverse effect on the coating. By properly pre-treating and post-treating the substrate, the coating process and the end result will be optimized.
