Non-polluting metal surface finishing pretreatment & pretreatment/conversion coating

Picklex(R), a proprietary formulation, is an alternative to conventional metal surface pretreatments and is claimed not to produce waste or lower production or performance. A laboratory program was designed to evaluate and compare the process in common, large-scale, polluting surface finishing operations with conventional processes, using steel and aluminum panels, measuring product coating properties, process operability and costs. Twenty-one, surface finishing combinations were tested under both "contaminated" and "non-contaminated" conditions with respect to finish adhesion, bending, impact, hardness and corrosion resistance. Results. indicated that Picklex(R) pretreated panels performed as well as panels that were conventionally pretreated, and with a simpler process. It was particularly acceptable for powder-coated steel or aluminum, but may pot be applicable to certain metal plates. The results are interpreted in terms of the Surface film produced by Picklex(R). A use rate of 133 m(2)/L. (5,400 ft(2)/gal) was estimated. Picklex(R) did not generate by-product waste solids, was effective at room temperature, used short processing times and was easy to use. A field study in an actual powder coating shop was conducted to validate the lab results. An engineering assessment indicated that there are cost advantages as well. This paper focuses on the field study.