The coating has a lower flexibility, hardness and/or impact resistance than expected directly after application
A change has been made in the substrate or pre-treatment system without making changes in the process.
Contact suppliers to ensure no changes to the substrate have been made. Ensure that the pre-treatment system is appropriate to the substrate.
Under cured films will have lower flexibility, hardness and impact resistance
Modify cure conditions by increasing temperature and/or dwell time.
The film thickness is too high
Optimise the thickness of the film. Most coatings are designed for application between 60 and 100 microns; consult the technical data sheet for the coating.
Different resin chemistries will have different physical properties. Many standard coatings are a balance of properties to achieve a recognised standard such as Qualicoat. Often, improving one coating attribute will have a negativel impact on another attribute. For example, increasing the UV-weathering resistance of a polyester coating will reduce its flexibility and impact resistance.
Contact us to discuss your specific requirements. We may have an off-the-shelf alternative, or we can custom build a product to your requirements.
The coating has a lower flexibility and/or impact resistance than expected some days or months after application.
Flexibility deteriorates over time. Powder coatings will naturally lose a little flexibility and become more brittle over time. This can be confirmed using a reverse impact test (falling weight) and is is a consequence of the binder system becoming more crystalline.
If long term flexibility is an issue for post-forming work, we can tailor-make coatings that are more flexible and retain their flexibility for longer.
We can make any powder coating colour or finish to order so get in touch to discuss your requirements.