New anticorrosion coatings for metal
Published by Sara Simper,
Editorial Assistant
World Pipelines,
The metal coatings industry is dominated by large corporations that provide a wide selection of outstanding paints but may be too rigid to cater to special application needs. Every coating application has specific parameters, but often, if the coating does not work properly straight out of the drum, the end user is out of luck. The story is different at Cortec®, where a flexible customer service mindset helps users adapt the right coating to individualised needs.
Finding the right coating
When a customer comes to Cortec looking for a new corrosion inhibiting paint, Cortec will first help them narrow down the best option available from Cortec’s existing portfolio. Some of the parameters Cortec examines alongside customers are as follows:
- Coating carrier (water-based vs solvent-based).
- VOCs.
- Coating thickness.
- Outdoor vs indoor use.
- Salt spray performance.
Based on the information provided, Cortec’s representatives and technical staff can then recommend one or two coatings that seem best suited to the job. Sometimes, no modification is needed at all. Other times, a trial run may reveal that slight customisation is due.
Coatings customisation – when one size does not fit all
Reasons for coating customisation fall into two categories: performance and application needs. The former includes factors such as adhesion and salt spray requirements, which may be higher or lower than the specific coating in the line-up. Cortec can work with customers to adjust these parameters in special situations. On the other side of the coin, the customer’s application process can be a huge gamechanger – not because of something wrong with the coating but because different application methods affect the same coating differently. For example, the use of an airless sprayer vs the dip coating process means viscosity may need to be adjusted to make the coating flow more smoothly through the sprayer. Some application methods create extra foaming and therefore require foam control. In other situations, the manufacturer may need a longer or a shorter drying time. There are countless other considerations, as well, that may require small or large adjustments to the base coating. Cortec works to stay flexible and adapt to the customers’ needs, which sometimes leads to new discoveries that can benefit others in the process.
Example: speeding up dry time
This was the case with a manufacturer who needed an anticorrosion coating to protect the outer diameter (OD) of steel pipes from corrosion until commissioning by the end user. Manufacturer requirements were very rigorous, demanding protection at 1 mil DFT (dry film thickness) and compliance to stringent VOC standards. In addition, the coating needed good hot hardness so the pipes would not stick together after force-drying. This also improved the automatic stencilling process. The quest to meet all these parameters led to the development of a new coating in the Cortec portfolio: EcoShield® 386 FD. This specialty formula showed excellent protection during a one-year trial on pipes sitting outside and even allowed the customer to reduce costs by using less paint. It also led to the discovery of a new coating with ideal characteristics for manufacturers handling hot parts on a fast-paced paint line.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/product-news/16122022/new-anticorrosion-coatings-for-metal/
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