Waltco says new powder coat system improves durability

Waltco Truck Equipment
Waltco Truck Equipment Co. has invested $3.2 million in an automated product finishing system installed in the company’s liftgate manufacturing facility.

The new powder coat paint system produces a finish that is exceptionally resistant to corrosion and abrasion. The paint system uses a computer-controlled process that includes several load stations. In the first stage, parts are loaded onto the conveyor, then routed by computer to either an Autowheel shot blast machine or a manual blast machine for cleaning. The Autowheel blast machine throws more than 265,000 pounds of steel shot per hour. This process removes all surface contaminants, taking the metal back to a near-white condition.

After the parts are cleaned, they pass through a vacuum clean-off area where the blast residue is removed. The parts are inspected and sent on to the powder paint line, located in a clean room, where automatic and manual powder paint “guns” deliver a constant, electrostatically charged mist of powder coat. The powder coat is applied to a thickness spec of 3 mils., which can successfully pass a salt spray test of 250 hours. The coating forms a polyester film over the liftgate platform.