Expertise in refinement of powder coating and bonding required by the electric vehicle industry
The need for reduced carbon emissions has challenged the industry to look at different, lighter materials for vehicle design. Whereas previously the automotive industry relied on steel for chassis structure, aluminium and composites are now used alongside, or entirely replacing, conventional materials.
Not only do we offer a range of services ideally suited to this rapidly emerging sector but we are also at the forefront of designing and evaluating new surface treatments for lightweight metals.
Staying at the cutting-edge of this revolution in vehicle design sees us regularly partnering with research outfits and OEMs on private, EU & UK funded projects, often taking the lead role. See our Research Case Studies.
Proficiency in applying electrical insulation coatings
Electrical insulation, isolation and temperature regulation is required within battery cells. Fluctuating temperatures can cause the battery cell temperature to rise incredibly fast, known as a thermal runaway, and this brings the risk of battery failure, as does electrical arching.
Quick checklist of what is required – and expertly delivered by our team at Powdertech Surface Science
The coating:-
High dielectric strength >30kV/mm
Flame retardancy UL-94 V-0
Temperature index 130°C
Suitable for use in-cell, in-pack and to protect the cooling system
The application:-
Applied at the required high coating thickness to meet the Hi-Pot
requirementsExpertise in masking to apply the insulating coating only where required
Automated application process to deliver a consistent performance level
We use Resicoat systems from AkzoNobel, a range of coatings specifically designed to help protect battery systems, motors and electrical storage units. These coatings provide exceptional resistance to thermal shocks and have high dielectric strength.
The dielectric coatings are designed to prevent arcing within the battery enclosure and must be applied in precise areas to electrically isolate certain parts of the metal. Our years of experience in CAD design and application of masking schemes is essential for the efficacy of the Resicoat systems. These coatings also need to be applied at the exact thickness required for electrical isolation and free from even the smallest pin hole. Any failure in the integrity of the coating would result in unsafe leakage of current.
Cleaning metal and testing its cleanliness
Maintaining structural integrity is critical. The lightweight aluminium alloys used must be thoroughly cleaned and treated to offer enhanced bonding for powder coatings and structural adhesives, together with resistance from corrosion.
We have the ability to quantify cleanliness levels and we do this for every piece of aluminium prior to any coating.
How clean is clean? Watch the video to find out.
TiZr pre-treatment for welding and bonding
Your metal will undergo our optimised Titanium Zirconium (TiZr) conversion process whereby the unstable layer of natural oxide on the metal is replaced with a stable, chemically modified ‘shield’ layer of titanium zirconium. This surface will allow bonding and welding processes to deliver repeatable, strong, durable adhesive bonds and also provides a stable base for powder coating, with additional protection against corrosion.
We were the first powder coater in the UK to install TiZr as a chrome-free passivation process, in 2001, and have unrivalled experience in the process. We use the latest Gardobond® systems for TiZr passivation and apply it to aluminium components (cast, extruded or formed) to enhance adhesive durability for metal-to-metal bonding and welding.
Tests across a range of aluminium alloys have shown that our optimised TiZr layer matches the performance of anodising for durability of adhesive joints.
Adhesive-free structural bonding for aluminium to polypropylene composite
Our innovative adhesive-free structural bonding system, PowderBond, is already being used in bonding between aluminium and glass fibre composite materials for battery box enclosures.
More details and case studies can be found on our separate PowderBond website.
