Metal pretreatment has often been taken for granted in the coating industry, with most of the attention paid to the coating process and final part performance. But with stricter environmental regulations, increased cost pressures from end users, and higher quality requirements, companies are placing greater emphasis on pretreatment processes, requiring that they perform better than in the past. Considering the significance of the pretreatment process to the success of the coating, the increased focus is crucial.
The introduction of more environmentally friendly cleaning compositions has been coupled with various types of equipment to help companies handle pretreatment in more cost-effective ways. Conditioning is critical in a zinc phosphate process, and newer innovations in the chemistry of this step can reduce operating costs, while maintaining high quality standards. Some newer options are focused on completely new technologies that break with traditional methods altogether.