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The Five P's:  Process

The coating processes, or fourth “P”, are the steps required to successfully meet the paint performance requirements. The process is typically determined jointly by the owner and suppliers for paint, chemicals, and equipment and identifies the times, temperatures, humidity, and other conditions that must be met.

Although the process can be widely varied, it typically includes but is not limited to, chemical and/or physical treatment of the product surface to clean it and create a profile to enhance paint adhesion, drying, paint application, curing, cooling, pollution abatement, etc.

The process times is the third factor that in concert with the production rate and product determine the equipment size, system layout, and eventually the cost.

• What is the surface preparation process?
• Is drying required?
• Is pre-heating or de-gassing required?
• How is the paint applied?
• What are the special application conditions
  e.g. temperature, humidity, etc?
• Does the paint need to be flashed?
• Is the product air cured or force cured?
  What is the cure temperature, humidity,
  how long, how many zones?
• How quickly should the product transfer from
  application to cure?

The Five P's:  Product, Production, Paint, Process, and Plant