Powder Coating

Powder coating applies an electrostatically charged, oven-cured polymer finish that delivers durable, uniform corrosion and wear protection with wide color and texture options.

Overview

Powder coating is a dry finishing process where polymer powder is electrostatically sprayed onto a grounded part, then baked to melt and crosslink into a continuous film. It’s commonly used for durable cosmetic finishes and corrosion protection on metal parts, with a wide range of colors, gloss levels, and textures.

Choose powder coating for parts that can tolerate bake temperatures and where you want good edge-to-edge coverage, consistent appearance, and impact/chip resistance. It works well on welded fabrications and assemblies and scales efficiently from low to medium volumes with straightforward masking.

Tradeoffs: it adds measurable thickness that can affect fits, threads, and mating surfaces; sharp edges can thin out and chip more easily than radiused edges; and deep recesses/Faraday areas can be harder to coat uniformly. Film build, cure schedule, and surface prep (blast/conversion coat) drive performance, so call out thickness, gloss, texture, and corrosion requirements up front.

Common Materials

  • Mild steel
  • Stainless steel 304
  • Aluminum 6061
  • Galvanized steel
  • Cast aluminum

Tolerances

Coating thickness typically 2–6 mil (0.002–0.006 in); mask critical fits/threads—do not rely on coating for dimensional tolerance.

Applications

  • Outdoor enclosures and cabinets
  • Welded brackets and frames
  • Handrails and guard components
  • Appliance panels and housings
  • Rims, racks, and automotive accessories
  • Industrial machine covers

When to Choose Powder Coating

Powder coating fits metal parts needing a tough cosmetic finish and corrosion protection with repeatable color/texture across batches. It’s a good choice when you can mask critical interfaces and the part can handle oven cure temperatures without distortion or damage. Works well for fabricated parts and assemblies where durability matters more than ultra-thin film thickness.

vs Anodizing

Choose powder coating when you need opaque color matching, textured finishes, or higher impact/chip resistance than a hard oxide layer can provide. It’s also a better fit for mixed-material assemblies where only some surfaces are aluminum or where you want consistent appearance across steel and aluminum parts.

vs E-Coating

Choose powder coating when you want thicker, more decorative topcoats (color, gloss, texture) and better mar/impact resistance in handling. Powder is often preferable for external-facing parts where appearance and film build matter more than ultra-uniform coverage in deep cavities.

vs Chromium Electroplating

Choose powder coating when the goal is corrosion protection and durable aesthetics without the cost and environmental controls of chrome plating. Powder coating is better for large parts and fabrications where a uniform decorative finish is needed rather than a very hard, thin metallic wear surface.

vs Nickel Electroplating

Choose powder coating when you need a thicker barrier coating with broad color options and you can tolerate added film build. Nickel plating is typically selected for functional metallic properties (conductivity, wear, specific solderability), while powder prioritizes durability and appearance.

vs Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)

Choose powder coating for larger parts, lower cost per area, and robust outdoor protection where cosmetic color/texture options matter. PVD is better suited to thin, hard, premium decorative or functional films on smaller parts; powder is more forgiving for fabrications and assemblies.

Design Considerations

  • Call out powder type, color code, gloss, and texture (e.g., RAL + gloss range) to avoid rework and quote ambiguity
  • Specify coating thickness range and which surfaces are functional/mating so the shop can plan masking and manage film build
  • Add radii/chamfers on exposed edges to reduce thin edges and improve chip resistance and coverage
  • Design holes, slots, and recesses with line-of-sight for spraying; deep narrow pockets can show light coverage (Faraday cage effect)
  • Avoid coating over threads, press fits, and tight-tolerance bores; use maskable lands or plan post-coat chasing/reaming
  • Provide hang points or non-cosmetic areas for racking; poor fixturing drives marks, inconsistent coverage, and higher scrap