About Custom Masking
- Necessary Evil or Competitive Advantage?
- It's not caps and plugs
- Will decrease your labor and rejects
- Is durable and reusable
- Have special features
- An expense or investment?
Necessary Evil or Competitive Advantage?
As the coating industry (wet spray, powder and e-coat) continues to become a commodity business how do you separate yourself from the pack? What is your competitive advantage? Quality and service are certainly two components of adding value, however those aspects of coating services are now expected according to many of your customers. Custom masking can be your competitive edge. Hi-Tech can help you design a custom mask that will help you add value to your products and services.
It's not caps and plugs
The ability to custom mask eliminates a lot of competitors, and custom masked parts typically have a higher profit potential because not everyone can do it. Many coaters use standard caps and plugs routinely, some not at all. But how would you mask the complex shapes and parts you see on this page? Hi-Tech has already done it. We didn't design these parts but we designed the masks for them to be used in all types of coating operations; wet, powder or e-coat. There is no practical limitation to the complexity or shape of custom masking.
Will decrease your labor and rejects
Custom masks by Hi-Tech are designed to ergonomically mask in seconds; easy on and easy off. They give you consistent placement and repeatable masking lines for consistent results. What is the price in your operation of rejects and touch ups because of poor placement of tape, spots or caps and plugs not really doing the job? Custom masks by Hi-Tech are also designed to be watertight, eliminating rejects from pre-treatment seepage.
Is durable and reusable
Hi-Tech custom masks are made from Dow Corning silicone and the silicone is fully cured so there is no migration to affect painting operations. Silicone masks can be used in any type of painting operation including e-coat. Because paint will not adhere to silicone, the masks can be cleaned of paint build-up and used over and over. The masks can also take a very high baking temperature up to 600°F so leaving the masks on the part through the oven is not a problem.
Have special features
Hi-Tech custom masks have several special features which could solve problems in your painting operation. Hi-Tech can custom design a mask that will eliminate powder "bridging" on your part which will also eliminate secondary finishing operations. Ever lose masks in the oven? We also have designed "air release" masks which can stop your masks from popping off. They will keep pre-treatment and paint out but release air and stay put to do an effective job of masking.
An expense or investment?
Hi-Tech custom masks have many features and benefits for the custom and production coater. Custom masking done correctly can; 1) help to get new business and separate you from the competition, 2) reduce labor handling costs by being user friendly, 3) reduce the labor needed to touch up or re-finish rejects, 4) reduce rejects due to pre-treatment seepage, 5) reduce material costs, 6) increase your line speed and 7) give your parts a higher finished goods quality.