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Powder coating is quickly becoming one of the most popular finishing techniques available today. The powder coatings market is set to surpass 18 billion dollars by 2026. It’s cost-efficient, durable, and long-lasting, and the results can be quite stunning. And it’s highly versatile: Nowadays, you can find powder coating on so many different kinds of surfaces, in motor vehicles, construction, and everyday household objects.
But powder coating is not without its challenges. Coat thicknesses can vary from one applied area to another, and since powder coating is applied in thicker coats than other finishes, this can pose a problem. How can you trust the end result to be consistent, and to remain at a high quality for years to come?
Portable, handheld, coating thickness gauges are a perfect way to ensure that powder coating is evenly applied, so you end up with stunning results every time.
The Power of Powder
Powder coating is used to create a harder and tougher surface than traditional paint. The applied coatings are incredibly resistant to abrasion and corrosion, especially compared to their liquid paint counterparts. Each coating lasts for years, and won’t fade after exposure to UV rays like other kinds of paint, and it’s less toxic, less expensive, and comes in more varieties including metallic, and high and low gloss.
Because of its versatility and durability, there’s not really a shortage of uses for powder coating. Powder coating is used on all kinds of things: appliances, outdoor machinery (like farm equipment), sporting equipment (such as ski poles and bicycles), and for longevity on public signs.
It’s also used in architecture in places like stadiums, windows and doors, and on building facades because no matter the weather or length of time, powder coating holds up. Even appliances, cooking ranges, thumbtacks, and vending machines are all frequently finished with a powder coating.
A common use for powder coating? In the automotive industry. Whether it’s the finish on a car, on the wheels or hubcaps, on underhood components, or in high traffic areas of public transportation vehicles.
Coating Thickness Gauges & Auto Sales
One of the most important places to use a coating thickness gauge is when dealing with the buying, selling, detailing or repairing of automobiles. Because powder coating is so prevalent in the automotive industry, a coating thickness gauge can be helpful in the following fields:
- Car dealerships
- Body shops
- Painters
- Appraisers
- Detailers
- Inspectors
- Professional Car Buyers at auto auctions
So what exactly can a coating thickness gauge tell you about a car or truck? Lots of things! Buyers of used vehicles can certainly benefit from the use of a coating thickness gauge, as it can help you determine quickly where the paint has been repaired from scrapes or collisions, even in dimly lit spaces or poor weather.
Visual inspections are not always accurate, and a gauge can give you a better idea of whether or not a used car has been repaired. This kind of information isn’t always readily available, may not be disclosed, or in the case of a busy auto auction, there may not be the kind of time needed to share this information! With a coating thickness gauge, you can be sure that your used car is in good shape!
Those working in body shops or detailers can benefit from using a coating thickness gauge to ensure that you are using just the right amount of powder coating: Too thin a coating, and you risk a grainy effect or seeing the substrate instead of the smooth finish you’re seeking. Too thick of a coating means you’re using too much product, wasting materials (not to mention money!) and risk the chance of sagging.
A coating gauge can help you determine the proper amount of powder coating to achieve the best possible end result.
Beyond Automotive
Powder coating isn’t just for cars, though. Powder coating, when applied properly, can withstand extreme temperature variances like extreme heat and cold, which is why its use is so widespread in kitchen appliances and in household appliances like washers and dryers.
But why is it so important to achieve just the right thickness of powder coating? A coating that is too thin is vulnerable to corrosion and weakening, while a coating that is applied too thickly may loosen from the surface, and be less durable. And when it comes to vehicles, appliances, and other household items, you want them to last.
What can help you navigate this balance and ensure that you have the right thickness everywhere, every time? An instantaneous read from a coating thickness gauge. And today, these gauges are even faster and easier to use.
Wireless devices are available, like our L200 and L373 models, which can go just about anywhere, or you can use a gauge like the integrated LZ990 model, which automatically identifies the substrate with each reading and uses the appropriate circuit to deliver immediate results, so there’s no delay in production.
Sure, there are other ways to check the quality and thickness of your powder coating. You can use solvents, pencils, crosshatch tests, and visual inspections to evaluate the finished product, but no test has the speed or ease of a portable coating thickness gauge.
These other outdated tests are time-consuming, and many are also destructive; scratching, removing, or otherwise harming the powder coating in order to get a remotely accurate reading. None stand up to the instant results or the accuracy of a coating thickness gauge.
Ready to see how fast, easy, and accurate our coating thickness gauges are? Ensure that you get the best quality powder coating every time. Unsure of where to start? Let our team of dedicated engineers help you find the right coating thickness gauge for you. Contact us today and see how powerful powder can be.
