Phosphate coating
Phosphate coating or conversion coating is basically the treatment of an iron or zinc phosphate coating to the metal parts. Conversion coating typically is a vital point in the pre-treatment application which at the end improves the performance of the final coated product.
Phosphate coating transforms the metal surface to a consistent, static surface that betters bonding, reduces the range of oxidation and finally increases the overall corrosion resistance of the final product.
Various different metal items are coated these days to improve the longevity of the metal parts. Industries that use the phosphate coating range from automobile industry to marine to rail to manufacturing facilities, you just name it. High performance cars have their metal parts coated with phosphate coating to make sure the parts perform as intended and do not rust over time. Typical examples include motor vehicle components in brake and clutch assemblies, engine components, leaf or coil springs, drill bits, screws, nuts and bolts, washers, anti-vibration washers, tools, magnet cores, casting interiors and many other small items.
Manganese phosphating as a wear protection measure is widely used in the auto industry. Gearwheels in the gearbox, crown and pinion gears in the differential, cam-shafts, valves and valve-steams as well as pistons in larger diesel engines are frequently treated in this way. In other industries, the process is used to treat components in refrigerator compressors or oil pumps and their associated hydraulic rams for vehicle assembly plants.
Mother nature puts her toll on pretty much everything given that they are not treated to protect from external elements. Rain, snow, flood water etc gets into the metal body and slowly starts rusting. Any exposed layer of metal will eventually rust over time if not treated with rust protective coatings. There are various types of coatings available and widely used these days and one of which is phosphate coating. What type of coating is ideal for the metal parts or metal surface in question depends on the type of metal and the intended use of it.
While there are various types of corrosion resistant coatings available out there, just the phosphate coating itself has several types of coating in itself. Out of all the different types of phosphate coating available, Manganese phosphate coating has the highest level of hardness and superior quality corrosion and wear resistance.
Zinc phosphating is another type of phosphate coating that is widely used in the electronics and appliances industry. While manganese phosphating is widely used in the automobile and small parts industry, zinc phosphating typically finds its popularity in the appliances and electronics industry. While they are both phosphate coatings, which method will be applied depends on the type of surface or item being treated.