The cleaning process begins with the steel components being steel shot blasted to a SSPC-6 commercial gray quality.  (Manual steel shot blast for touch up if required.) The BCP shot blast room is utilized for compressed air cleaning to remove shot from crevices and horizontal surfaces of steel components.

The components will enter a 5 stage batch washing system consisting of:

1. alkaline cleaner

2. water rinse

3. iron phosphate coating

4. water rinse

5. non-chrome seal rinse

Drying occurs in a IHEI batch dry-off oven at 225 ºF to flash off any moisture remaining on the steel components.

 

Electrostatic application of TGIC powders are applied manually in an environmental room that controls humidity at less than 50%.

Curing of these components is accomplished in a 450ºF maximum temperature curing oven.  The oven has three load bar locations to permit proper curing time that may vary 40-55 minutes (Curing times are dependent on metal thickness).

Cooling of approximately 60 minutes is achieved by the three load bar stations between the curing oven and the "lowerator" loading and unloading station.

Coating thickness is checked prior to off-loading the steel components with a thickness meter.  If the proper thickness is not met, then the steel components will go back to the oven where it is melted down and begin the process again.