PTFE FAQs
Q. What other coatings apart from PTFE do you apply? A. Other coatings applied are illustrated on the Coating Selection, see page: PTFE Coating Selection
Q. What is the largest item that can be coated? A. Our largest oven is 2m², we also have a 10m long conveyor oven.
Q. Is there a large range of colours? A. There are colours available, however, it must be remembered that PTFE coatings are performance coatings and as such are not designed for their aesthetic appearance.
Q. Can some geometric features be masked and free from coating? A. Uncoated areas can be achieved by masking.
Q. What is Teflon®? A. Teflon® is a registered trademark of Chemours and is used in relation to products manufaxctured with Chemours’s fluoropolymers products.
Q. What is Xylan®? A. Xylan® is a registered trademark of Whitford Ltd.
Q. Can you apply FDA approved coatings? A. FDA (Food & Drug Administration) is an authorising organisation and therefore can be issued with a compliance statement that is dedicated to a particular end use in association with either USA or European legislation.
Q. What is the best coating for chemical resistance? A. PFA would be the favoured choice. There are variants of PFA that have different characteristics for different applications, see page PTFE Coating Selection
Q. What is your current lead time? A. Our current lead time is between 7 to 10 working days, this is subject to volumes and coating specification. However, we understand that shorter lead times are on occasions required, please advise us of your requirements.
Q. Are you ISO approved? A. We have a Quality Management System registered to BS EN 9001:2008, please see: BSI Cert FM 22008 for a copy of our certificate.
Q. Can existing PTFE coatings be removed? A. Existing PTFE coatings can be removed by means of alternative blast media, such as crushed corn, crushed walnut shell and crushed thermoset plastics are some of the options. These materials have little or no effect upon the geometry of the part.
Q. How can PTFE stick to another surface? A. PTFE can stick to another surface by means of roughening the surface with an abrasive medium, such as Aluminium Oxide or by the application of an etch primer.
Q. What chemicals is PTFE resistant to? A. PTFE materials are essentially chemically inert. They are affected only by molten alkali metals, fluorine and chlorine trifluoride at elevated temperatures and pressures.
Q. What temperature can PTFE withstand? A. PTFE is rated for continuous service at temperatures as high as 260°C. It can also sustain short exposures at higher temperatures.
Q. What does Coefficient of friction mean? A. This is a quantity used to calculate the force of friction between two parts. The lower the number, the less friction there is.
Q. What is Moly? A. Moly is a commonly used abbreviation for Molybdenum Disolfide. There is a beneficial additive to some PTFE coatings to enhance lubricity and sustain higher loads.
Q. What is a Technical Data Sheet? A. This is detailed information primarily intended for industrial and commercial users. Included with the details are product descriptions, features and benefits, application methods and some properties of the PTFE coatings.
Q. Why should I choose a PTFE coating? A. PTFE has one of the lowest coefficients of friction of any solid material. It’s abrasion resistance is adaptable to demanding environments by means of inorganic fillers, such as glass fibre, carbon and graphite. PTFE is chemically pure and inert, this provides an excellent anti-stick, non-wetting contact surface and PTFE retains it’s excellent properties even under cryogenic temperatures.
Q. How are PTFE coatings applied? A. PTFE coatings are applied by means of spray method, however, powders such as PFA can be applied the electro-static method.
Q. Do you coat medical devices? A. Yes, however we would draw your attention to: medical statement
Q. What thickness is the coating? A. Thickness of coating does depend upon the number of coats applied, however, the average single coat system would be between 20 microns and 25 microns.
Q. What substrates can be coated? A. Substrates most suited are clean stainless steel, steel and aluminium, as well as most other metallic substrates. Substrates that attract oxidisation, such as copper, brass and zinc will require additional surface preparation. Other materials such as glass, plastics and elastomers can be coated, however, some elastomers have temperature limitations.
Q. What are your payment terms? A. Payment terms are 30 days net.
Q. Do you accept credit card payments? A. We do not accept payment by credit cards. However, we can arrange for a ProForma invoice to be issued.
Q. Can you accept electronic payments? A. We do accept electronic payments.
Q. Do you sell Teflon® or Xylan® materials? A. No, we do not sell Teflon® or Xylan materials, however we would welcome the opportunity to provide you with a quotation to meet your requirements.
Q. Do you collect and deliver? A. We have our own lightweight vehicle for short distances, however, we do rely upon national carriers.
Q. Will coatings disguise and cover surface imperfections? A. Coatings will follow the contours on the surfaces of the substrate.