How is Xiom Changing the Powder Coating Industry?

With Xiom 1000, powder coating is no longer a labor intensive process.  Traditional powder coating is actually a series of processes—surface preparation, powder application, heating of the part, curing of the coating. 

Preparing the surface ensures that the surface is dirt- and rust-free and may include washing or blasting.  When thermoplastic powders are used, a primer is normally applied to promote adhesion of the powder coatings.  With thermoset powders, the part to be coated needs to be electrostatically charged to ensure adhesion.   The coated part is then cured or baked in an oven so that the powder melts and flows into a smooth, solid layer.

In the past two decades, powder coating revolutionized the finishing industry.  Powder coatings perform better and last longer than traditional wet paints.  Powder coatings are also more resistant to chips, scratches, wear and fading.  Other benefits include reduced waste, easier clean-up, good barrier protection, reclaimable and reusable overspray.  Powder coatings are environmentally friendly, too.  Because they don’t need solvents, powder coatings don’t release volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) into the atmosphere. 

But traditional powder coating does have drawbacks.  First of all, the product that is being coated must be able to handle high temperatures for moderate periods of time. This means that powder coating temperature-sensitive materials such as wood or plastic is very difficult.  And conventional powder coating is factory bound. Products that are to be coated must fit into the powder coater's oven. Larger equipment must be shut down, torn apart, hauled to the powder coaters, and then hauled back to the site and reassembled after coating.  Oven-curing is a cumbersome and expensive process in terms of energy use, transport costs, and wait time--and there is the chance that the finished coating may be scratched or scuffed during transport.  The need for oven-curing has, therefore, kept powder coating out of the mainstream.

 Until now. 

 The Xiom 1000 System

The completely portable Xiom 1000 system weighs just 70 pounds and consists of a spray gun, powder feeder and control console.  It can be used anywhere compressed air is available.  The control console controls the flow of propane, oxygen and compressed air, as well as the delivery of the coating material.  The gun, which permits users to start and stop the spraying process, diffuses the gases, forming a “perfect flame”. The flame heats the Xiom coatings to their melting point and sprays them onto a surface.  Like a person that walks over hot coals with bare feet, the flame and molten plastic will be hot for only a few brief seconds before they cure and cool, so most materials aren’t harmed. Virtually any surface can be coated, even cardboard and other surfaces that would incinerate in a curing oven.               

The Xiom 1000 system isn't meant to replace conventional powder coating systems. In fact, many traditional powder coaters have their own Xiom 1000 system operating alongside their ovens to provide total customer satisfaction.