Working In The Industry
- The Coatings Sector
- Coatings Sector Statistics (2006)
- Working in the Coatings Manufacturing Industry
- Supply and Demand
- Jobs in the Coatings Manufacturing Sector
- Coatings Manufacture and our Environment
- Qualifications and Skills Valued by Coatings Manufacturing Sector Employers
- Personal Learning and Thinking Skills
- How Coatings are Made
How Coatings are Made
Putting coatings together is a complex process that uses a wide range of machinery and equipment.
Coatings have four main ingredients that have to be combined in a specific way:
- Pigments
- add colour or shade and can protect against weather or rust
- Binders
- add gloss or hardness
- Solvent
- allows the coating to be applied
- Additives
- add extra qualities like fast-drying, light protection, UV light protection or anti-skinning
First, pigments and binders are poured into powerful mixers before being processed through machines called mills. Operating these machines takes a lot more skill than just flicking a switch: you need to know exactly what you're doing to get the paint mix right and protect very expensive machinery!
Next, the rest of the ingredients are added to the paint base, mixed and tested for quality.
The entire process demands accuracy, focus, and an eye for detail.
