There are several reasons to choose a release coating for a specific part or component. Release coatings are designed to provide lubrication to the surface, without the need for constant addition of oil and grease. They can also be used as a coating for molds for injection molding or other types of molding applications, ensuring the surface of the mold provides a complete release for the molded product without any sticking.
Fluoropolymer Coatings
There are different release coating options to consider. These are typically made of a fluoropolymer, which is a fluorocarbon that is designed to have stable and strong carbon and fluoride bonds. The fluorine in the polymer is negative in electrical charge, which limits the ability to bond. Unlike other positively charged chemicals, it resists bonding, making the surface slippery and non-adhesive as well as non-abrasive.
A well-known example of a fluoropolymer is PTFE or polytetrafluoroethylene. While this may not sound familiar, the trade name of Teflon certainly is, fluoropolymer due to the non-stick surface it creates on cookware as well as on industrial parts and components.
There are other options in fluoropolymers including those designed to offer high levels of abrasion resistance, safety in food processing and sanitary processing equipment and systems, as well as those designed to provide continuous lubrication to the metal parts.
Adding Lubrication
The choice of release coating in molds and other similar applications where the addition of a chemical or compound would also attract dust and debris to the mold is evident.
Other types of equipment, including those systems used in clean rooms, also require the same lubrication of parts without the need for oil or grease. By adding the fluoropolymer coating to the parts, additional concerns about contamination in those types of environments can be completely eliminated.
Small parts or even large components in difficult to access areas of equipment or machines also benefit from the use of the coating. This creates extremely low maintenance requirements on those parts, which is both a marketing and a selling feature for the OEM.
