Web coating services apply a layer of resin or other liquid coating to the surface of a continuous sheet of material. They perform surface preparation techniques such as blasting and polishing, as well as preservation and strengthening operations such as coating and plating. Web coating services can apply coatings and finishes to a variety of metallic and non-metallic materials. Metallic materials are usually made of aluminum, copper, copper alloys, iron, cast iron, nickel, nickel alloys, precious metals, steel, steel alloys, stainless steel, or titanium. Non-metallic materials are usually made of ceramic, glass, plastic, polymer, wood, or carbide materials. Web coating services that work with metallized ceramic materials are also available.

Coating and Finishing Processes

Web coating services perform many different coating and finishing processes. Some companies apply abrasive, adhesive, black oxide, ceramic, conductive, oil-based, phosphate, powder, rubber, titanium nitride, or selective coatings. Others perform chemical finishing, galvanizing, hardfacing, painting, thermal spraying, and screen printing processes. Specialty web coating services that provide recoating or refinishing services are also available. Common finishing processes include abrasive blasting, peening, abrasive flow machining (AFM), anodizing, buffing and polishing, corona treatment, deburring and deflashing, electroplating and electrolytic finishing, honing and superfinishing, mass finishing, mirror finishing, oxygen cleaning, passivation, pickling and chemical deburring, and sanding and grinding.

Cleaning, Plating and Thin-Film Processes

Web coating services may perform cleaning, plating, and thin-film processes. Common cleaning processes include burn-off or thermal cleaning, degreasing, pressure washing or spray washing, immersion washing, stripping, and ultrasonic cleaning. Plating deposits a metal salt solution onto a metal or conductive surface. Electroplating requires the application of direct current (DC) power. Electroless plating does not. Common plating materials include brass, cadmium, chrome, copper, gold, nickel, platinum, rhodium, silver, tin, tin-lead, titanium, and zinc. Examples of thin-film processes include chemical vapor deposition (CVD), electrochemical deposition (EVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), ion implantation, plasma etching, and rapid thermal processing (RTP).

Certifications

Web coating services provide several types of certifications. ISO 9001:2000 establishes requirements for company quality management systems and covers standards ranging from manufacturing to services such as design, development, production, and installation. AS 9100 is a set of quality guidelines and requirements published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in cooperation with major aerospace manufacturers. AS 9100 is based on ISO 9001, but maintains a particular focus on the aerospace industry. QS 9000 is a quality standard for suppliers of DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and General Motors Corporation. QS 9000 is based on the 1994 edition of ISO 9001, but contains additional requirements that are particular to the automotive industry. Specifically, QS 9000 applies to suppliers of production materials, production and service parts, heat-treating, painting and plating and other finishing services.