Manufacturers have long benefitted from the speed, precision, and non-polluting aspects of using coil coating lines to make prepainted metal panels. Some manufacturers, however, utilize a coil coater’s capability beyond the painting process. Here are three ways manufacturers benefit from using coil lines as an effective first-step operation beyond prepainting.

#1 Coil coating offers easier and more effective stamping. When it comes to stamping metal parts, lubes and oil are essential in facilitating the fabrication process. There are, however, many issues with the use of lubes and oil—and one of the biggest is safety. During the stamping process, oil often drips onto the floor, which can be dangerous for employees walking or operating a forklift. In some cases, using oil can even affect the manufacturer’s productivity. By switching to a coil-line–applied dry film lubricant (DFL), companies can increase productivity, keep plants clean, and minimize the hazard of slips and falls. A DFL helps to protect the tooling, and has the potential for substrate grade reduction (e.g., using a lighter gauge, but still being able to make the part).

#2 Preprimed metals can help save time and money. Coil coaters offer a variety of options for manufacturers that post-paint products. A preprimed material that has been cleaned, pretreated, and primed at a coil line replaces the first steps in a post-painting operation—cleaning and pretreating the metal. Outsourcing these steps and eliminating the corresponding waste treatment necessitated by these processes makes for sound financial and environmental decisions. A coil-coating primer from a coil line can also provide protection from corrosion and debris for steel products when they are stored in warehouses before post painting. Prepainted primers can also be formulated when resistance welding is used to join metals. Weldable primers also protect products from rust.

#3 Outsourcing pretreatment offers environmental and regulatory benefits. Using pretreated metal from a coil line helps customers keep up with the growing number of environmental regulations. The coil coating process itself is considered the most environmentally responsible way to apply a pretreatment to steel and aluminum substrate. Also, when manufacturers outsource pretreatment, they also avoid exposing workers to chemicals or solvents—and any environmental issues can more easily be concentrated, controlled, and even eliminated.

Whether a manufacturer is looking for a cleaner and safer plant floor, a more precise pretreatment, or an easier way to abide by the latest environmental regulations, using a coil line can greatly improve a company’s productivity, lower costs in the long run and reduce the amount of inventory in warehouses. It’s not just for painting!