Chief Electrocoat

Here’s What you Can Expect

WEATHER RESISTANCE

The Chief Electrocoat primer is superior to spray on primers most commonly found within our industry. It penetrates where others can’t because the steel is fully submerged in an aqueous solution during application.

DURABLE FINISH

Because the coating is electro-statically applied and then oven baked, the resulting enamel finish is durable and will withstand loading, shipping and jobsite handling.

GOOD IDEA

When compared to pre-coated sheet steel, our electrocoat is superior in the fact that all welding and necessary holes are completed prior to the primer application.

ECONOMICAL ADVANTAGES

For most interior applications, the primed steel can be left as is for many years and still exhibit a glossy finished appearance. Most top coats can be applied directly over the primer, saving you time and money.

Electrocoat Specs

HOW ELECTROCOATING WORKS

Electrocoating is a process in which we apply gray oxide primer to our structural steel members to prevent corrosion. This process, superior to any spray-on application, allows us to completely coat the steel with primer, even in the tightest corners. There is no other process in the industry that gives the same consistent result.

At its simplest, here’s what you need to know: Electrocoating is aptly named, as the process involves using electrical currents to create a protective coat on the steel.

The result is a visually appealing, smooth gray finish that is water resistant. Better yet, it’s paintable. Add a finish coat and enjoy the look you deserve.

First, we carefully balance the gray oxide primer with water-insoluble resins. These resins are converted chemically into salts so that they can easily be dispersed into water. The salt formation makes the primer have a negative charge. The primer tank itself, is wired to the negative side of the power charge.

Then, before priming the structural steel members, we connect the steel to the positive side of a DC power supply to give them a positive charge in the next step.

When the power supply is activated, the current flows from the negatively charged tank to the positively charged structural steel, causing the negatively charged primer particles to migrate to the steel, plating to the surface and penetrating virtually everywhere.

This two-minute plating process creates an electro-chemical reaction on the surface that changes the primer salts back to their original state. Meanwhile, the 300 VDC voltage involved in the process creates an electronic pressure that thickens the resin, resulting in a film that is not only water insoluble but virtually 100 percent solid. The positive-negative attraction forms a smooth finish.

After coating, the parts are baked in an oven, converting the film to a hard, abrasive enamel, creating one of the most corrosion-resistant primer applications in the industry.