Once the metal is cleaned, treated, and painted, the strip is rewound into a coil size prescribed by the customer. From there, the coil is removed from the line and packaged for shipment or additional processing.
After the primer is applied and cured, then the metal strip enters the finish coat station where a topcoat is applied. Topcoats provide color, corrosion resistance, durability, flexibility and any other required physical properties. Like primers, the topcoat is cured using thermal cure ovens.
Oven
Coil coating ovens can range from 130 feet to 160 feet and will cure the coatings in 13 to 20 seconds.
During this stage, the strip enters the prime coat station whereby a primer is applied to the clean and treated metal. After the primer is applied, the metal strip travels through a thermal oven for curing. Primers are used to aid in paint adhesion, improve corrosion performance and enhance aesthetic and functional attributes of the topcoat.
S Wrap Coater
The S wrap coater design allows for primers and paints to be applied to the top and back side of the metal strip simultaneously in one continuous pass.
The cleaning and pretreating section of the coil coating process focuses on preparing the metal for painting. During the cleaning stage, dirt, debris, and oils are removed from the metal strip. From there, the metal enters the pretreatment section and/or a chemical coater whereby chemicals are applied to facilitate paint adhesion and enhance corrosion resistance.
Dried-In-Place
In this stage a chemical that provides enhanced corrosion performance is applied. This treatment can be chrome free if required.
The accumulator is a structure that adjusts up and down to store material, which makes continuous operation of the coil coating process possible. This accumulation will continue to feed the coil coating processes while the entry end has stopped for the stitching process. As much as 750 feet of metal can be collected.
AZZ is proud to have facilities around the world supporting our mission to enhance infrastructure on a global scale.
In this series, we are highlighting some of those facilities, showcasing how they fit into the AZZ ecosystem and help us provide you with industry-leading services and capabilities.
Next up is our Crowley, Texas facility, which has both powder coating and galvanizing capabilities.
Let’s take a closer look.
Opened:
Powder Coating Facility Added in 2017
Services Provided:
AZZ Crowley has facilities for both powder coating and galvanizing services. Beyond the core powder coating and galvanizing capabilities, the close proximity of the two facilities allows for convenient duplex coating of metal products. This is a unique ability in the industry and allows AZZ Crowley to fill a specific niche in the AZZ ecosystem.
Focuses:
Beyond being a one stop shop for duplex-coating, AZZ Crowley is specially equipped to handle very large projects. The powder coating facility’s line features large scale surface preparation and a 60-foot curing oven – the largest in the United States. The galvanizing line is also equipped for large products. The facility features a 58’x7’6”x10’ kettle.
Industries Served:
AZZ Crowley serves industries that require large parts, including agriculture, energy, building and construction, telecom, trucking and transportation.
Quotable:
“The goal that we wished to accomplish (with this facility) was to be able to handle the largest products that our customers could manufacture. … We can handle anything you can ship to us.” – Gordon Briggs, AZZ Metal Coatings Regional Manager
Contact Info:
AZZ Surface Technologies – Crowley:
309 Industrial Blvd Crowley, TX 76036 United States 817.297.4361
AZZ Galvanizing – Crowley:
200 North Beverly PO Box 647 Crowley, TX 76036 United States 817.297.4361
Stay tuned for future entries in our “Meet the Plant” series to see highlights from more of the AZZ facilities helping us provide state-of-the-art metal finishing solutions and more.
To learn more or find other AZZ facilities, visit azz.com/locator.
FABTECH returns to the Georgia World Congress Center, November 8-10, 2022 and provides a convenient ‘one-stop shop’ venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, discover innovative solutions, and find the tools to improve productivity and increase profits. There is no better opportunity to network, share knowledge and explore the latest technology, all in one place.
