Powered paint is used rather than liquid paint. It has almost the same consistency as flour. As the powder particles pass through the tip of the spray gun they are charged and the powder is attracted electrostatically to earthed parts. Only metals or alloys can be painted in this way.

The process cannot be used on items made from plastic, nylon or fibreglass. The powder will not attract or adhere to fillers either. Once the powder has been applied it adheres to the surface in much the same way as rubbing a balloon up and down on a fabric and then placing it on a wall. The part is then lifted together with its earthing hook and placed in a conveyor stoving oven.

Stoving
Parts pass through the oven for a twenty-minute period at a temperature of 180C. At this heat the powder melts and forms an even coating. Once they are removed from the oven the parts are hung up to cool for twenty or thirty minutes before they are packed. When the hooks are removed a small “witness” mark is left where the metal-to-metal earthing contact has been made.