Powder coating of freight cars: important features

Running on rails in any weather, train carriages need maximum protection. After all, they are in direct contact with moisture, sun, snow, reagents that are used in winter, rubble and many other things that can very quickly lead to the destruction of any material. Moreover, all moisture, rubble and the sun provoke a very rapid development of corrosion – the worst thing that can happen to metal.

Another factor affecting the coverage of wagons is the actual cargo they carry. After all, it can cause mechanical damage, which becomes the “weak point” of the car. And it is from these places that the destruction of the coating begins.

Therefore, just like any other vehicles, freight cars require maximum surface protection. And why come up with something new for them, if you can use a technology that has proven its reliability and durability in other areas – powder painting.

The powder has long been used to paint cars. And as you can see, it copes with its task perfectly – it protects the metal from which the parts of the car are made from damage and loss of appearance.

How does the painting of the car begin?

Freight wagons are designed to carry a wide variety of goods. Therefore, before you start painting them, you need to decide on some nuances. In particular, you need to understand:

  • What kind of cargo will be transported by these wagons.
  • Will the surface of the wagons come into contact with the cargo, and how this will affect the condition of the coating.
  • How old the car is and whether it needs to be re-painted at all.

The answers to these questions will help you decide on the type of powder for coloring. The fact is that some materials or dimensional products can be transported in a freight car, then the surface is threatened with mechanical damage. After all, let’s say pipes can scratch the coating.

Also, wagons can carry liquids. They, of course, will not do mechanical damage, but it is these cars that are more susceptible to rust than others. Moreover, both outside and inside.

Therefore, it is worth choosing a powder for coloring with specialists and only after you have decided on the cargo that will be transported by the car.

Stages of powder coating of freight cars

With the help of powder paint, you can paint brand new car parts. And you can update the old coverage.

Powder painting of wagons requires adherence to several important steps.

  • First, the surface must be prepared: cleaned of dust, dirt, oils and other contaminants, degrease.
  • If a car that has already been in use is being painted, it is necessary to remove the remnants of the previous paint and rust. It may be necessary to align the carriage. You can use putty to cover up scratches and chips. After that, the surface must be primed.
  • In order for the paint to lay down better, the product should be warmed up.
  • After that, the staining begins directly. Powder is applied to the surface using sprayers in a spraying chamber.
  • The last stage is polymerization. The product is sent to the polymerization oven for 10-15 minutes. The paint melts, combines into one continuous film and hardens.

If all the steps are followed, the result is a perfect uniform coating that can protect the material of the car from any negative factors.

Features of equipment for powder coating of cars

As well as for painting any other products, for freight cars it is necessary to have a set of equipment: preliminary preparation baths, shot blasting, drying, a spraying chamber, a polymerization oven and sprayers for applying powder.

However, the dimensions of the freight cars must be taken into account. They are the reason for some of the distinctive features of the equipment.
First, there are dimensions. After all, even the smallest parts of a carriage are quite large. And in order for the staining to take place correctly, the part must easily fit into the spraying chamber and polymerization oven. Therefore, the equipment must be selected in large sizes. And accordingly, the dimensions of the paint shop should allow to supply equipment of the required size.

Secondly, it is clear that painting such a large product by hand is long and costly. Therefore, it is worth installing an automatic powder coating line. With the help of a conveyor, she will transport all the elements between the powder coating stages. And workers don’t have to figure out how to manually transfer it. And automatic sprayers will better apply the powder to the entire surface in a fairly short period of time.

The powder coating line should be as thoughtful and ergonomic as possible. Especially when it comes to painting oversized items. Therefore, you should do its project together with specialists.

Powder paint today has a huge variety of colors, which allows you to paint cars not only in standard colors, but also a little creative. We also note that on top of a layer of powder paint, you can apply any inscriptions or drawings. They fit normally on the coating and do not change color.

Порошковое окрашивание грузовых вагонов

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