How Toll Coating Equipment Can Make A Difference

There’s a difference between handling your manufacturing in-house and outsourcing. For one thing, you’ll automatically have access to the tools and machinery you’ll need when you outsource. A toll manufacturer provides toll coating equipment—but what does that actually look like? We’re exploring that today (with a few examples from Conversion Technologies International’s repertoire). Let’s take a look!

What is toll coater?

Technically, the term “toll coating equipment” doesn’t refer to a specific technique, but rather how you use the coating technique. There are two main types of third party manufacturing: toll manufacturing and contract manufacturing. When you work with a contract manufacturer, you agree to the terms of a contract and step back, allowing the manufacturer to handle the process from the beginning to the end. Whereas a toll manufacturer covers the manufacturing process, while you maintain control over the raw materials used. Both processes are valid; it just depends on what suits your needs better.

The reason why you may select an industrial toll coater over a contract coater is that toll coating allows you that extra bit of control. Outsourcing has a lot of benefits in general. By paying a third party to handle coating for you, you’re avoiding the need to invest in permanent toll coating equipment. Additionally, a reliable, experienced third party typically doesn’t have to experiment with trial and error the way a small business owner would. You get consistent results from the start.

However, it’s easy to see why you might like to provide your own raw materials. It could be a quality control issue—perhaps you prefer a specific type of material. Conversely, you may like the idea of using a certain provider. Perhaps you have an arrangement that would save you money on procurement. No matter what your reasoning, it’s great to have toll coating as an option. From there, you just have to work with your manufacturer to see which type of toll coating equipment will best suit your needs.

What are the different types of toll coating equipment?

Whether you choose contract coating or toll coating, the manufacturer uses certain types of coating equipment. The equipment used corresponds with the coating techniques required. Depending on your project, the manufacturer may utilize equipment including:

Spray coaters

Spray coaters allow you to spray coating solutions onto a substrate through an atomizing technique. Although this equipment is theoretically easier to use than some, it’s important to know what you’re doing. It’s easy to make a coating too thin or too thick when the application is as simple as it can be with an atomizer.

Dip coating

When you use a dip coating technique, you’re using toll coating equipment to submerge the product in a coating solution. This provides more coverage than many other methods—but it’s not as simple as it seems in theory. You’re not merely dipping the products by hand. You have to work with specific types of equipment in order to avoid excess waste or uneven layers. There’s a reason why we typically use it on smaller devices.

Roll coaters

Roll coating actually breaks down into several different methods.

• Direct roll coating. In this case, you’ll apply the coating from the roll to the substrate. That’s it. There isn’t a separate barrier, it’s very much a “direct” roll coating.
• Slot die coating. Here, we get maximum precision by pushing the coating solution through a narrow opening called a slot. The slot meters the solution as it applies to the substrate. This allows more control over the thickness and consistency of the solution, which is always a pro.
• Reverse roll coating. In this case, the equipment utilizes a reverse-rotating roll to transfer the coating from a doctor blade to a substrate. It’s a bit more complex than other methods, but the precision of the results can be worth it. 

What are the other types of coating?

The three primary types of coating are spray coating, dip coating, and roll coating. However, they aren’t the only options on the table. Alternatives include:

• Powder coating. This type of coating relies on a “gun”, which sprays the powder over the required surface. The gun application ensures a smooth, consistent layer. After that initial application, we transfer the coating via a heated environment for thermal curing. The heat melts the powder, which ensures the final product resists corrosion for the long term.
• Brush coating. You can probably guess what this entails! This process utilizes a brush for application, allowing for a high degree of precision. It’s much easier to get into detail work with brush coating. However, brush coating is very sensitive to contaminants, so you need to make sure the surface is thoroughly cleaned before you begin.

Find the Best Resource for Toll Coating Equipment

No matter which coating approach you select, it’s important to use the right equipment—and if you outsource, that may involve toll coating equipment in the end. Curious about what CTI can offer? Call us at 419-924-5566 or contact us here. Let’s get into the details!