finishing-and-treatment-manufacturing-processes > Electrophoretic Painting

Electrophoretic Painting is a process where the paint is deposited onto the surface of a component to improve properties such as corrosion protection and wear resistance.

The process works in a similar way to Electroplating, where the component and an electrode are submerged in an aqueous solution and a voltage applied across the two. The deposition of the paint can be done by either anodic or cathodic action. Once the paint has been applied, the process typically encompasses a baking or curing stage to complete the coating operation.

Popular applications for Electrophoretic Painting include metal fabricated products such as vehicle bodies and drinks containers. This process can be applied to a wide range of materials, including polymers and ceramics. Electrophoretic Painting is suited to complex components and can offer a uniform coating thickness relatively quickly.

Electrophoretic Painting is often described as a cross between plating and painting. The process has a number of commercial names, including; E-Coating, Electrophoretic Coating, Electrocoating amongst others.