THE BASIC MATERIALS OF MASKING

摘要

Masking, a critical component of many inorganic and organic finishing operations, is a term covering a variety of materials, products, and applications. Masking includes use of protective caps to cover raised areas and/or the grounding area around studs and holes during painting, powder coating, electrocoating, electroplating, anodizing, and many more finishing operations. Masking includes use of protective caps to cover raised areas and/or the grounding area around studs and holes during painting, powder coating, electrocoating, electroplating, anodizing, and many more finishing operations. The materials and products of masking also include plugs used, as their name implies, to plug threaded and nonthreaded holes, the grounding area around such holes, tube and pipe ends, and other depressed areas during powder coating, electrocoating, painting, anodizing, and sandblasting. In addition the materials and products of masking comprise a wide variety of pull tabs, tapes, disks, masking squares, cords, sheets, tubing, and lip masks designed to meet the specific needs of almost any manufacturer. (See Fig. 1.) There is a wide variety of materials and processes on the market today used to mold the masks in literally thousands of shapes, sizes, styles, and colors. The ideal mask for each application depends upon the type of finishing processes; the temperature, fumes, and chemicals inherent in the process; the importance of achieving sharp and distinct line separation; the need for excellent sealing capability; the ease of fitting and removing the mask; the ability to mask an irregular shape; the desire to reuse the mask; the mask's durability and resistance to flame, aging, and cracking; and many more factors. The qualifications of the mask maker obviously have an important role in matching mask, material, and application. When comparing mask manufacturers look into the cost of tooling (for example, a dip-molded mask will usually incur tooling costs below 1/10 those for an injection-molded part). Compare the mask maker's experience, flexibility, ability to provide a custom shape if needed, and ability to provide quick turnaround.