Custom Metal Fabrication: Three Considerations for Choosing Your Finishing Process
Selecting the right finishing process for your custom metal products can make a difference in your business sales. In simple terms, the chosen finishing will determine the appeal of the product to the potential buyers. Furthermore, the right option can mean a longer service life for your custom items. This aspect can increase the credibility and popularity of your brand. Unfortunately, choosing the perfect finishing technique can be a difficult process. There are numerous techniques such as polishing, painting, metal plating and powder coating, so selection can be daunting. If you are not sure about the right choice, you should consider the outlined factors for the best results.
Type of Material
You should evaluate the properties of your fabrication material before electing your finishing process. Different metals have different characteristics. Therefore, the right finishing technique must be used to strengthen the weaknesses of the material or enhance the favourable properties. If you are using a resilient and corrosion resistant metal such as stainless steel for your project, you can choose to leave the surface bare or simply polish it. However, if your manufacturing material is vulnerable to corrosion such steel, you must ensure that the surfaces are coated. You can choose processes such as metal plating, painting or powder coating.
Desired Appeal
The aesthetics of your custom metal products will be determined by the selected coating. If the visual aspects are essential for your project, you should think about choosing coating processes. The two primary methods of surface protection are painting and powder coating. Painting is reliable in terms of appeal because there are numerous, almost limitless, colour options. You can customise your products to match your unique market. Powder coating does not have a wide range of colours. However, the applied layer will last long after initial application. Simply speaking, the aesthetics of your powder-coated items will not decline fast like paint because the tough coating is not vulnerable to scratches and chips.
Cost Factors
Custom metal fabrication can be expensive, and the secondary finishing processes can increase the total expenses significantly. Therefore, you should think about the implications of each technique for your company's budget. Ideally, you should find a balance between quality and price. For example, some methods such as metal plating can only be performed during small-scale projects with high-end goods. Other methods such as grinding and painting are inexpensive but not exceptionally appealing. For the best results, you should aim for the middle with techniques such as polishing, powder coating and anodising.