Paint cure times and OEM Coatings

Production time is a pain point we encounter with manufacturers and product finishers as diverse as the OEM market itself. How can we produce equipment quicker, so we can pack it, ship it and sell it more quickly?

Well, industrial paint cure times play a big part in manufacturing speeds. So whether you’re using a water- or solvent-based OEM coating, it’s important for manufacturers to choose one with cure times designed to meet their needs.

Paint cure times and cost savings for alkyds, urethanes and epoxies

Alkyds

Alkyd coatings are veteran materials in the industrial coatings industry. Though they’ve been around for some time, in some situations, Alkyds may still be the best product for the job. Advancements and hybridizations in alkyd formulas have resurrected these products that were once considered old-fashioned. Alkyd formulations have been modified to be more environmentally friendly, for instance.

The three main draws of Alkyd paints have traditionally been their single-component packaging, relatively low cost and the familiarity with these products among manufacturers who have been using them since they had newly come to market.

Perhaps more importantly though, newer formulations of water-based alkyds show real promise as quick drying, low-VOC products. Certain resins have been proven to speed up the drying process for example, allowing refurbished shipping containers to be stacked only a few hours after they had been coated. This represents a real advancement in the usefulness of an ultra-low VOC alternative to other solvent-based products.

Urethanes and Epoxies

Production is at the mercy of the rate at which the solvent evaporates. This can be a problem when it affects the output of a manufacturing facility. Manufacturers may want to make the switch to a urethane, where paint cure times are drastically reduced, since drying with these products is dependent on a chemical reaction that can be catalyzed from the outside. As productions speeds increase, the increased expenditure on a higher cost-per-gallon product is eventually narrowed until the lower throughput time actually leads to cost savings.

Newer formulations of urethane coatings and epoxy coatings are helping to address inefficiencies. Specific formulations— those that cut the amount of harmful byproducts released into the atmosphere, and reduce the amount of product that’s needed by going farther with less—represent great opportunities for original equipment manufacturers and product finishers to increase production while cutting coatings costs.

These are just a few examples of how the right coating can help manufacturers achieve the results that are important to them. For more on choosing the right OEM coatings, download our guide through the link below.

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