Knowledge and FAQ
Who is EVCO Engineered Solutions?
EVCO Engineered Solutions, Inc. is a family-owned general contractor for industrial finishing systems, based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, near Cleveland. EVCO consults on, designs and installs complete powder coating and paint finishing systems, including pretreatment washers, dryoff and cure ovens, powder booths and conveyors. EVCO is equipment-agnostic: it assembles the right suppliers for each project rather than selling one manufacturer’s product line.
EVCO is headquartered in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and manages finishing system installations for manufacturers across the United States. EVCO works with U.S.-based suppliers and installation crews.
An equipment manufacturer sells its own washers, ovens or booths; EVCO acts as the general contractor and picks the best-fit equipment for your parts, space and budget. One team owns the design, equipment coordination, utilities, installation and start-up, so there is one point of responsibility. EVCO favors simple, non-proprietary controls and off-the-shelf components so systems are easy to run and service.
EVCO has delivered automatic passthrough powder lines, high-throughput and large-part batch systems, open-top passthrough washers and aluminum extrusion coating systems. For Bud Industries, EVCO removed an aging line and installed 680 feet of enclosed track conveyor, a passthrough washer, dryoff oven, automatic and manual powder booths and a cure oven. The time from shutdown to the first coated part was 28 days, and the client now runs 3–4 times faster than on its prior system. See the Projects page.
EVCO’s team includes Charles Eva, PE, a licensed professional engineer with a master’s in structural engineering who has managed installations nationwide, and Stephen Eva, a sales engineer with over 45 years in industrial painting, abrasive blasting, robotic painting and finishing system integration. Meet the team on the About page.
EVCO offers a free initial consultation. Call (440) 667-5400, email info@evcoengsolutions.com, or use the contact form. Have your part sizes, weights, target production rate, substrate and available floor space ready.
Planning a Powder Coating System
Start by defining your parts (largest size, weight, substrate) and your target production rate, then match a system type to them. A complete in-house line has five steps: pretreatment (cleaning), dryoff, powder application, curing, and a way to move parts between these steps. Most companies outsourcing today can justify an in-house batch system once coating costs, freight and turnaround delays add up. EVCO’s free consultation walks through these numbers before you commit to equipment.
Choose a batch system for lower to medium volumes, very large or heavy parts, an array of part sizes, or frequent color changes. Choose a conveyorized (passthrough) system when you run high, steady volumes of similar parts and want to cut labor per part. EVCO has designed batch systems that rival the throughput of many automated lines by using manual overhead conveyors to move parts between stations.
A compact batch system with a powder booth and batch cure oven typically needs about 250-350 sq ft; adding a batch washer and dryoff oven brings it to roughly 350-500 sq ft. The real driver is your largest part plus room to load, unload and stage carts. EVCO lays out each piece of equipment to fit the space you have, including L- and U-shaped layouts for tight buildings.
A basic batch system (booth, oven, guns) typically starts around $300,000, a full batch system with pretreatment and manual conveyors runs $500,000 to $1 million, and automated conveyorized lines range from $1 Million+. Cost depends most on part size, production rate, number of pretreatment stages and level of automation. EVCO provides a free consultation and budgetary estimates.
Design and equipment lead time typically run 12-18 Weeks – depending on options; on-site installation runs from a few days for a batch system to four (4)+ weeks for a passthrough system. Careful pre-planning shortens the shutdown: on the Bud Industries project, EVCO removed a 700′ long existing line and had the new line coating parts 28 days after initial shutdown.
Plan for natural gas from 1000 CFM to 5000 CFM at 5 psi for typical systems (or high-capacity electrical service for electric ovens), electrical service for booths and controls, clean dry compressed air, 60psi+ water supply and wastewater handling for the washer, and exhaust and make-up air. Spray booths are governed by NFPA 33 and local fire code, and your local building, fire and environmental authorities may require permits. EVCO coordinates utilities and can assist with permit drawings as part of a turnkey project.
Yes. EVCO diagnoses existing systems, replaces failing components and adds capacity, such as a new washer, a larger oven or automatic guns, without replacing the whole line. Retrofits are often the fastest way to fix quality problems or raise throughput.
What is Pretreatment?
Pretreatment is the cleaning and surface preparation of a part before it is coated. It removes oils, dirt, rust and mill scale, and usually applies a thin conversion coating that helps the powder bond and resist corrosion. Pretreatment is done with part washers (spray or immersion), manual wash booths, or abrasive blasting.
The two main types are mechanical and chemical. Mechanical pretreatment, such as abrasive blasting, removes rust and scale and roughens the surface. Chemical pretreatment uses alkaline cleaners and conversion coatings — iron phosphate, zinc phosphate or zirconium — applied by spray or dip in batch, manual or passthrough washers. Many shops combine both, blasting heavy scale and then chemically treating the part.
Powder coating can only be as good as the surface underneath it. Oil, oxides or residue left on a part cause poor adhesion, blistering, fisheyes and early corrosion, and most coating failures trace back to pretreatment. A properly designed pretreatment process can deliver 1,000+ hours of salt spray resistance — EVCO has achieved this even with simple manual wash booth setups. Even larger salt sprays can be achieved with multiple coats and epoxy coats.
A conversion coating is a very thin layer formed when a chemical solution reacts with the metal surface, converting it into a stable, non-metallic film. This film improves powder adhesion and slows corrosion that creeps under the paint if it is scratched. The common types are iron phosphate, zinc phosphate and zirconium-based thin-film coatings.
Zirconium pretreatment is a thin-film conversion coating that forms a nanometer-scale ceramic-like layer on steel, aluminum and galvanized parts. Compared with phosphates, it typically runs at ambient or low temperatures, produces far less sludge and contains no phosphates, cutting energy and wastewater costs. It needs very clean parts and good rinsing, usually with a deionized (DI) or Reverse Osmosis (RO) final rinse, to perform well.
Iron phosphate is the low-cost, easy-to-run choice for most general industrial parts. Zinc phosphate gives the highest corrosion resistance for demanding outdoor, automotive or agricultural parts, but requires more stages, heat and sludge handling. Zirconium typically matches or beats iron phosphate on corrosion resistance, works on mixed metals, and lowers energy and waste costs. The right choice depends on your substrate, salt spray target and wastewater rules.
A 3-stage system (clean and coat, rinse, final rinse or seal) suits most indoor and general industrial parts. A 5-stage system (clean, rinse, conversion coat, rinse, seal or DI/RO rinse) gives better consistency and corrosion resistance. 7-stage systems add extra cleaning and rinse stages for zinc phosphate, mixed metals or very demanding specs. Match the stage count to your salt spray requirement, not the other way around.
EVCO designs and installs pretreatment systems matched to your parts and specs, including automatic passthrough spray washers, multi-stage batch washers, manual wash booths and dip tanks. EVCO works with leading chemical suppliers to pick the right chemistry, then sizes stages, heating and filtration so you hit your salt spray target at the lowest operating cost. See Pretreatment Equipment.
Dryoff and Cure Ovens
A dryoff oven removes water from parts with high heat and lots of airflow after the washer so they are completely dry before powder is applied. A cure oven runs hotter with lower air flow and melts, flows and chemically cross-links the powder into a hard finish. Dryoff ovens run below cure temperature and must sit close to the washer exit to prevent flash rust.
The main types are convection ovens (batch or passthrough), infrared (IR) ovens, and combination IR-plus-convection ovens. Ovens can be heated by natural gas (tube, line or point burners, or gas catalytic IR) or by electricity. The best choice depends on part geometry, mass, production rate and your energy costs.
A convection oven heats and circulates air around the part, so the coating and the metal underneath heat evenly regardless of shape. It is the most versatile choice for complex or mixed parts. Batch convection ovens hold carts or overhead-conveyor loads for a set time; passthrough convection ovens cure parts continuously as they ride the conveyor.
An IR oven uses radiant energy to heat the coating surface directly, curing powder in as little as a third of the time of a conventional bake. Because IR works by line of sight, it is best for flat, thin and simple parts such as panels and signs. Gas catalytic IR is usually less expensive to operate than electric IR.
A combination oven pairs an IR zone, usually at the entrance, with a convection oven. The IR “kicker” quickly gels the powder and brings flat surfaces up to temperature, and the convection section finishes curing recessed or complex areas. The result is a smaller footprint oven and faster line speed than convection alone.
A preheat oven heats parts before coating. It is needed for fluidized bed coating, where parts must be hot enough to melt the powder on contact, and helps with castings or thick parts that outgas and cause pinholes. Preheating heavy parts can also shorten the cure cycle. Preheating can be achieved with standard convection ovens or specialized high output IR burners if smaller oven footprints are required.
Natural gas ovens usually cost less to operate and suit larger ovens and higher production rates. Electric ovens cost less to install where gas is unavailable, need no combustion venting, and suit smaller ovens. Compare your local gas and electric rates and available service before choosing.
Most powders cure at about 350–400°F (177–204°C) part metal temperature for roughly 15–25 minutes, but always follow the powder manufacturer’s cure schedule. The key is the metal temperature, not the oven air temperature; heavy parts take longer to come up to heat. An oven temperature profile (data logger run or ‘Data Pack’) confirms parts are fully cured.
EVCO designs, installs and retrofits dryoff and cure ovens, including batch and passthrough convection, IR, combination and heated paint-and-cure booths. Ovens are built from modular panels, so EVCO can shape them to fit your building, and selects burners or electric heat for uniform temperature and lower energy use. See Cure Oven Equipment and Dryoff Equipment.
What Type of Part Conveyor Do I Need?
The common types are manual push conveyors, powered overhead conveyors and power-and-free conveyors, built on either enclosed track or I-beam rail. Batch systems often use manual overhead rail or carts to move loads between the washer, booth and oven. Conveyorized lines use a powered chain that pulls parts continuously through every station.
Choose enclosed track for light to medium loads, tight spaces and clean environments: the chain runs inside the track, which protects it from powder and dirt and allows tight turns, elevation changes and compact layouts. Choose I-beam for heavy parts and harsh conditions: the open steel rail carries much higher loads and holds up well to heat and corrosive environments. Many lines are sized by the heaviest load per hanger, so start with your part weights.
A manual (push) conveyor is low-cost, simple and ideal for batch systems where operators move loads from station to station. This often can have a surprisingly hightthroughput. A powered conveyor moves parts continuously at a set line speed, reduces labor and gives the most consistent wash and cure times. If you run high volumes of similar parts, powered usually pays back; for large parts or variable work, manual is often the better value.
A power-and-free conveyor lets carriers stop, queue and switch lines independently of the moving drive chain. It is used where parts need different dwell times, buffer zones or multiple routes through a system. It costs significantly more than a standard powered conveyor, so most small and mid-size lines do not need one.
Line speed comes from your production target and part spacing: line speed (ft/min) = parts per hour × spacing between parts (ft) ÷ 60. That speed then sets the length of each process: for example, a 20-minute cure at 5 ft/min needs about 100 feet of conveyor inside the cure oven. EVCO runs these calculations during design so the washer, ovens and booths are all sized to the same line speed and optimized for your production needs.
Use the simplest hanging method that holds parts securely and keeps a clean electrical ground: individual hooks, load bars, or saw-tooth mini load bars for dense hanging. Denser hanging is one of the cheapest ways to raise throughput. Hooks and racks must be kept stripped of built-up powder so parts stay grounded and coat evenly.
EVCO designs and installs enclosed track, I-beam, manual push and powered conveyors, and the part-hanging systems that go with them. EVCO lays out the conveyor path to fit your building, links every piece of equipment, and sizes the system to your part weights and production target. See Conveyors and System Integration.
Full System Integration
System integration is designing and connecting the washer, dryoff oven, powder booths, cure oven, conveyor and utilities so they work as one line. It covers equipment layout, conveyor routing, line speed, controls, ductwork and utilities. A well-integrated system often outperforms a line of more expensive equipment that was never designed to work together.
Arrange equipment in process order — load, washer, dryoff, cool-down, powder booth, cure oven, cool-down, unload — with load and unload close together to share labor. Place the dryoff oven right at the washer exit to prevent flash rust, but leave enough distance before the booth for parts to cool so powder does not gel on hot metal. “L”, “U” and serpentine conveyor paths fit long processes into compact buildings.
Buying from one manufacturer is simple, but you get that company’s product line whether or not every piece is the best fit. A finishing systems general contractor like EVCO selects the best washer, oven, booth and conveyor for your parts from multiple suppliers, then takes responsibility for making them work together. This usually gives a better-matched system, better value and a single point of contact for accountability and installation.
Simple, non-proprietary controls that your maintenance team can understand and service are usually best. EVCO designs each piece of equipment with its own independent controls and off-the-shelf components, so one failure does not stop the whole line and replacement parts are easy to source. Add automation where it clearly pays back, not for its own sake.
Yes. Common upgrades include converting a manual conveyor to powered, adding automatic guns and gun movers, automating batch washer cycles, and adding IR boost zones to raise line speed. Other upgrades include a preheat oven to expand capabilities. A system review shows which upgrade gives the biggest throughput gain or capability upgrade for the money.
EVCO acts as the turnkey general contractor: layout, equipment selection, conveyor design, controls, ductwork, utilities, installation and start-up. On the Bud Industries project, EVCO replaced more than 1,000 feet of conveyor with a compact 680-foot enclosed track line and had parts coating 28 days after shutdown. Production capacity increase 3 fold. See Turnkey Finishing Systems.
Troubleshooting Finish Quality and Throughput
Find the bottleneck first — it is usually the cure oven, the washer cycle, or loading and unloading. Common fixes are hanging parts more densely, adding a second booth or oven so stations run in parallel, adding an IR boost to shorten cure time, and replacing carts with a manual overhead conveyor. EVCO has designed batch systems that rival the throughput of automated lines using these methods.
Minimize the time and distance between the last rinse and the dryoff oven, and keep the washer exit enclosed. Use a final rinse or seal with a rust inhibitor, or a clean RO rinse, so no salts are left on the surface, and blow off pooled water before the oven. If parts still rust, check rinse water quality and dryoff oven temperature and airflow.
Poor adhesion is almost always a pretreatment or cure problem. Check that oils and oxides are fully removed, the conversion coating chemistry is in range, the final rinse is clean, and parts are completely dry before coating. Then confirm parts reach the full metal cure temperature for the full time; under-cured powder is soft and peels.
Pinholes usually come from gas escaping porous substrates, such as castings or galvanized steel, as they heat in the cure oven. Preheating parts above cure temperature before coating (degassing), using an outgassing-resistant powder, and making sure parts are fully dry all help. Excessive film thickness can also trap air and cause pinholes.
Orange peel is usually caused by film that is too thin or too thick, a cure oven that heats too slowly so the powder gels before it flows, or poor gun settings. Check film thickness, the oven’s heat-up rate and gun voltage and airflow. Some powders are formulated with more texture, so compare against the manufacturer’s sample.
This is the Faraday cage effect: the electric field concentrates on edges and keeps charged powder out of inside corners. Lower the gun voltage, move the gun closer and aim directly into the recess, or use a tribo gun for parts with deep recesses. Poor grounding from powder-coated hooks makes it worse, so keep racks stripped.
Repair makes sense when the problem is a single component, such as a burner, pump or controls. Replace or redesign when failures are frequent, parts are hard to find, or the equipment can no longer meet your quality or volume. An independent review by a general contractor like EVCO, which does not sell one brand, gives an unbiased answer.