Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Material of construction to withstand E-coating

Q. We manufacture shipping systems for truck frames. One of the components is called a spacer. It is a stamping assembly that traditionally goes with the truck frame through the E-coat process, eliminating the need to paint or powder the spacers. Our customer wants to know if there is any material that can be applied to the spacer that would be more gentle to the truck frame (no metal to metal contact) that would survive the E-coat process. The only thing that may survive (imho) is ceramic, but that would not survive the stacking on a railcar and shipment cross country.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott Pawlik
engineering - Sterling Heights, Michigan
2005

A. You might look at a plastisol coating over the spacer, or fabricating the spacer out of a tough plastic like polypropylene or Lexan. How severe is the stress on the spacer itself?

Daryl Spindler, CEF
decorative nickel-chrome plating - Greenbrier, Tennessee
2005

A. Hi Scott. Apologies that I may not understand the question, but it sounds like you are asking what material you could make a spacer out of that would not be attacked by exposure to the e-coating process, and yet would be tough enough for your needs. The short answer is that many plastics can survive acids & alkalis, probably including PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, teflon, and most fiberglass.

My guess for an affordable but overall best material would be UHMW Polyethylene. It's very tough and wear resistant as well as inert to most chemicals. Good luck!

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey