One of the most important aspects in the production of valves used for transporting drinking water is represented by the painting cycle of the surfaces. A proper painting must guarantee:
- long lasting performances
- an efficient protection against corrosion and foreign material
- high resistance to scratch, impact and perfect adhesion
- compliance with potable water standards
In order to obtain all these characteristics CSA has developed a procedure also called FBT, or fluidized bed technology, for which the valves undergo the following cycle:
Paint characteristics
The characteristics of epoxy resins powder used by CSA create an anti-corrosive layer on the metal to which it has been applied. The latter, due to high paint adhesion and flexibility, can withstand a multitude of aggressive elements and is particularly suitable for potable water applications.
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| Degreasing and metallic sand blasting |
| When pieces are coming out of machining it is necessary to remove oil, and grease accumulated by means of a degreasing machine. All pieces are then sand blasted to clean the surfaces in order to obtain a roughness value of SA 2,5 which is ideal for painting. |
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| Preheating |
| The pieces are brought to a temperature up to 210°C in a static oven with air recirculation. |
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| Painting |
| The pieces, thanks to dedicated machine and rotatory equipments, is literally dipped into a tank with powder kept floating, where the name "Fluidized Bed Technology" comes from. The powder once in contact with the hot piece melts and it is immediately polymerized guaranteeing a uniform coating with a minimum thickness 250 microns, both inside and outside, which is impossible to achieve with different coating systems. |