How Long Does It Take to Powder Coat the Alloy Wheels?

by Herts Wheels Specialists in Alloy Wheel Refurbishment

Powder coating is known to have many advantages over normal painting which once cannot at all overlook. Maybe the process is time consuming compared to the paint job, but when done clearly than the car or the motorbike owners can enjoy the benefits of powder-coated alloy wheels.

The Three C’s Involved in the Alloy Wheel Powder Coating Process

To determine the overall time needed in the alloy wheel powder coating process, understanding the complete process is necessary.

i. Cleaning
With the tyre and the valves being removed from the wheels, the alloy wheels are cleaned thoroughly. Pressure washing is generally used for removing dirt and residue. Sometimes, sandblasting is done to make sure no debris is sticking to the wheels.

Next, the alloy wheels are dipped in a chemical solution for removing the old paint layers. With the old paint being removed, extra cleaning and drying are applied to the wheels so they are ready for powder coating.

ii. Coating with Powder
With the help of compressed air guns, the expert applies the powder coating. Forcing the material through the nozzle, a positive charge is acquired. For the wheel to attract positive particles, it is grounded.

iii. Curing
After applying the powder coating, the wheels heat processing so the particles can fuse and get adhered to the wheel surface. So the wheel is sent to the curing oven and after taking it out, it is given some time for cooling down.

All these three steps ideally take 40 minutes. Based on these three, the total time necessary for applying a powder coating to the alloy wheels is 2 hours in all. Hence, the experts will not take more than a day to powder coat all the four alloy wheels of your car, even when they are working on each wheel at a time.

Factors Influencing the Application of Time

If the coating process described above is not as smooth, then it is due to certain factors having an impact on the cost and time of powder coating.

i. The Wheels’ Conditions
The wheels’ condition even determines the cleaning time. While some wheels need extensive sandblasting and paint removal, there are a few others for which a simple washing is enough to make them ready for coating.

ii. Material Type
Different materials demand for a different time for curing. The metal thickness even determines the curing time. Nevertheless, this difference in time is generally insignificant and it does not take more than 10 minutes.

iii. Curing Equipment
The equipment used in the powder coating process also influences the curing time. For instance, the infrared and convection ovens take a longer time to be cured compared to the laser curing methods. At this point even, the time difference is said to be hardly substantial for the alloy wheels.

iv. Powder Coating Service
The chief influential factor for the delivery time is its availability. Due to excessively high demand, sometimes the experts might need several days to get the job completed. That is why making an appointment in advance is necessary to receive the powder-coated wheels completed on time.

When you are looking for a complete refurbishment of your alloy wheels, then make sure to choose the powder coating over the lacquer and traditional approach. Powder-coated wheels last for a long and even maintains the safety factor.