PRODUCTION, PROPERTIES AND APPLICATION OF ORGANICALLY COATED STEEL STRIP AND SHEET

Metallic materials feature an excellent forming behaviour and varying technological properties. The purpose of organic coatings is to protec t them against environmental effects, to improve the surface appearanc e, and to increase their useability through functional properties. The environmental protection legislation makes, however, increasingly exa cting demands on the operators of coating plants. The coil coating pro cess combines to a great extent environmental compatibility and econom ic efficiency. The metal surface is cleaned, chemically pretreated and coated by roller coating application of liquid, organic coating mater ials and subsequent heat drying or cross-linking, or by plastic foil l amination, in a single pass. Automated and computer-aided control syst ems make it possible to achieve a consistently high quality level by m eeting close tolerances. As colour is an essential surface feature, pa rticular attention is paid to its determination and evaluation possibi lity. The great number of colours and degrees of brightness as well as of smooth or structured surfaces and the various metallic base materi als ensure a wide range of application possibilities. Due to its good long-term corrosion-protective performance, this composite material ha s been successfully used for many years for outer building application s. Special coating systems enable its use in the manufacture of white goods. in the phono industry, etc. New material combinations are desig ned to take up the important part previously played by zinc-rich paint coated, cold-rolled steel sheet for corrosion protection in the autom otive industry. The high environmental compatibility continues to be c onsistently further developed in terms both of coating technology and of coating materials.