Powder coating is a finishing process, which means the surface is the product. A scratch on a coated panel is not a cosmetic issue. It is a reject. For that reason, metal finishers are careful about what touches their parts after they come out of the oven.
One finishing shop we spoke to coats architectural panels, brackets, and small fabricated frames. Their output goes to construction sites and to other manufacturers. Parts are stacked on racks and shipped in cardboard boxes.
Their old packaging method was foam wrap, applied by hand. It worked, but it was slow, and the foam had a habit of leaving marks on freshly coated surfaces if the parts were packed too soon after cooling. They also disliked the waste-foam wrap is not recyclable and took up significant bin space.
The switch came after a conversation with a neighbouring business that used an Aircosan machine for a different purpose. The finisher bought a P30, which handles 55cm width and up to 10mm thickness at 10 metres per minute. It sits at the end of the packing bench.
The mesh is now used as a surface layer between coated parts. It is placed between panels and wrapped loosely around brackets. Because the mesh is soft and slightly springy, it does not press hard against the coating. It also allows air to move, which matters when parts are packed warm.
The shop manager noted two practical points. First, the mesh should not be used alone for heavy parts-it compresses under load, so a base layer of cardboard is still needed. Second, the machine produces very little dust, which matters in a finishing environment where any particle can ruin a coating.
Cost savings were described as significant but secondary. The main gain was fewer rejects from surface damage, and faster packing because foam wrapping by hand was the slowest step in the process.
Aircosan builds these machines in their own factory, including units up to 120cm wide. The shop manager mentioned this as reassurance that the smaller machine was designed by people who understand industrial finishing.