Image courtesy of BTD Wood Powder Coating

BTD Wood Powder Coating completed several planned powder coating line upgrades at its Brainard, Minn., facility. The maker of powder coated MDF and wood interior furnishings upgraded its existing preheat vestibule and conveyor system and added a newly installed cure vestibule.

Powder coated MDF is a wood finishing process that involves complex machinery at every step. In an MDF powder coating line, vestibules serve to retain heat as the parts are brought up to, or maintained at, a specific temperature necessary for the process. BTD enlarged and reshaped the existing preheat vestibule and installed a new cure vestibule.

“The enlargements and additions serve the purpose of creating more space under heat. This will allow us to improve the efficiency of the process while controlling the temperature of the parts more closely. We anticipate increased finish smoothness and consistency, decreased outgassing and higher production yields,” says Craig Fast, BTD’s vice president of operations.

The conveyor enhancements are expected to boost system reliability and decrease downtime.

Over the past 12 months, BTD has spent nearly $400,000 upgrading the MDF powder coating line alone. To learn more, visit www.btdwoodpowdercoating.com.