Painting

Wilson Partitions’ Paintline Process

Step 1: Dip Tank Pretreatment System

Extrusions must be properly pretreated to remove oils and impurities before paint is applied. In addition to cleaning the aluminum, the pretreatment system also provides a boundary layer that inhibits corrosion and increases paint adhesion. The dip tank pretreatment system consists of a cleaner, chrome conversion coating, and freshwater rinses.

Step 2: Dry-Off

Extrusions are allowed to dry overnight after the dip tank pretreatment system. This ensures that moisture is removed from extrusions.

Step 3: Overhead Conveyor System

Aluminum extrusions are racked horizontally on an overhead conveyor that travels up to 16 feet per minute. Our paint system can handle extrusions up to 32 feet long. This system moves the aluminum extrusions through each step of the painting process.

Step 4: Liquid Paint Application Spray Booths

Extrusions are coated with a liquid primer and topcoat in our dedicated spray booths. The paint is applied electrostatically using both manual and automatic equipment. Proper conductivity in the spray booths assures high transfer efficiency of the liquid coatings to the extrusions.

Step 5: Paint Cure Oven

Extrusions are baked in the paint cure oven at a temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The paint oven rapidly raises the temperature of the aluminum removing all VOCs and insuring proper cure of the coating. This process allows Wilson Partitions to supply a high performance architectural finished product.

A Note about VOCs

Wilson Partitions paintline system captures 100-percent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the paint as aluminum extrusions are processed. The VOCs are funneled into thermal oxidizers which then destroy 99.3-percent of all VOCs.