How does it work?

Wet coating is an umbrella term for all application processes that use a liquid coating material. Due to its versatile application possibilities it is very popular and widely used. It can be applied to almost all basic substrates and is suitable for small parts in the bulk sector as well as for components in the rack and hand application sector.

We use zinc flake coatings as basecoats, a wide range of organic sealers as topcoats and both silicate topcoats and sliding coatings/dry lubricants as finishes. Both single-layer and multi-layer systems are possible. Multi-layer systems are characterized by the combination of different layer structures, for example a zinc flake coating as basecoat, an organic sealant as topcoat and a silicate topcoat as finishing. By means of hundreds of possible combinations we reliably protect your products against mechanical, thermal and chemical stresses such as corrosion and weathering. At the same time, the surface can also be provided with other functions such as adhesion promotion, electrical insulation or optical effects.

We are also striving for sustainable progress in the field of wet coating. The current issue of PFAS, also known as perpetual chemicals, affects all households and industrial sectors worldwide. We are already actively supporting the goal of minimising the production and use of PFAS in order to reduce their environmental impact. We are therefore already in a position to offer you a PFAS-free Corrosion protection system consisting of PFAS-free Basecoat and topcoat offer. You can find out more about this topic on our LinkedIn profile.

Basecoats (zinc flake coatings)

Zinc flake coatings are basecoats made of zinc and aluminum flakes, which have a long-lasting, active-cathodic corrosion protection effect and can therefore be found in a wide range of applications in all kinds of industries.

Of course we can also offer you a PFAS-free corrosion protection for example Dörken's DELTA-PROTEKT® KL100 zinc flake coating.

For a detailed description of basecoats, feel free to check out our zinc flake coatings technology page!

Topcoats

Topcoats are organic sealants that fulfill a variety of different functions. On the one hand, they enhance the coated components functionally, because they increase resistance to corrosion, chemicals, weathering and mechanical influences. Topcoats can also add new functions such as adhesion mediation, electrical insulation or even defined friction and sliding coefficient windows. In addition to the functional aspect, appearance also plays a major role, which is why we offer many other colors in addition to black, gray and silver topcoats on request. Topcoats are often built up in combination with basecoats to form so-called multi-layer systems, but they can also be applied as a single layer.

We process topcoats either in combination with basecoats or individually both as bulk goods (E-Coating, dip spin application) and in the rack area. Our self-developed processes Kleverest® and Trace Coating are also used here. In addition to a wide range of Dörken and Magnip products, we also use our own coating agent groups Klevercol®, KleverPUR® and KleverPLAST®. These highly crosslinking topcoats are characterized by very good opacity, high resistance to corrosion, chemicals, weathering and mechanical influences and by imparting adhesion properties for subsequent bonding applications. They can be applied to metallic, non-metallic and plastic substrates and, depending on the coating agent used, offer integrated UV tracers for optoelectronic 100% control.

In addition, you will already find a number of PFAS-free Topcoats such as Dörkens DELTA-PROTEKT® TC 502 GZ or Magnis P35 and B28N.

Finishing

Silicate top coats and sliding coatings or dry lubricants play a crucial role in various industries, especially in mechanical engineering, the automotive industry and many other fields of application. They contribute to functional enhancement, an extended service life of components and the reduction of friction and thus wear.

Through continuous research and development in this field, these technologies are constantly being improved and help to successfully meet the challenges of modern industrial applications and to minimise the cost of production. Environmental compatibility of machines and systems. This also includes the use of PFAS-free coating agentwhich is already part of everyday life for us at Klever.

Silicate topcoats

Silicate top coats are thin protective layers (1 - 3 µm possible) with which components are finished to provide them with protection against corrosion, wear and other harmful influences. Among other things, these coatings consist of silicates, chemically stable compounds with very good adhesion and scratch resistance and high temperature and corrosion resistance.

One particular aspect, however, is the reduction of friction or the setting of defined friction and sliding coefficient windows according to customer requirements. This serves to increase the efficiency of machines and systems and to extend the service life of components, resulting in considerable cost savings.

lubricant coatings/dry lubricants

Bonded coatings and dry lubricants are special materials applied to surfaces to minimize friction and wear or to set defined friction and sliding coefficient windows. They are particularly important in moving mechanical systems such as gears, bearings and motors. Unlike liquid lubricants, they do not require permanent lubrication and offer the advantage that they do not attract contaminants or dirt.

In the automotive industry, reduced friction helps significantly to reduce fuel consumption and minimize environmental impact. But also in other industries, such as food processing, aerospace and many others, dry lubricants are essential when moving parts need to be lubricated without resorting to liquid lubricants.

General procedure:

Regardless of the application method, the components can be pretreated before coating. This can be a combination of different processes, individually tailored to your requirements, such as Blast cleaning and Alkaline degreasing, flaming and ionization or even Phosphating.

The coating process itself differs greatly depending on the application method used and is adapted to your individual, complex requirements. After application, the wet coating is dried and crosslinked on the components in a controlled temperature range according to their material and the coating agent used