PRESS RELEASE: VpCI®-395 Primer: A Little Extra Effort Goes a Long Way to Greater Anticorrosion Coating Durability!

Each coating job has different priorities-whether convenience, corrosion protection, outdoor durability, or chemical resistance. In the first case, single-component, one-coat, direct-to-metal (DTM) coatings systems are great for applications that need quick protection without a lot of time to wait for primers and multiple coats to dry and cure. However, when time does allow, it is best to put in a little extra effort—using 2K products, primers, and multiple coats-in order to achieve the best coating performance possible. That is where VpCI®-395 comes in as Cortec’s first-class, 2K metal primer for corrosion protection!

Why Use VpCI®-395?
There are many great reasons to use VpCI®-395 Water-Based Epoxy Primer. For starters, VpCI®-395 is Cortec’s most durable anticorrosion primer. It not only promotes good surface adhesion between the metal and topcoats, but it also has greater strength as a 2K (two-component) primer. The extra effort that goes into mixing two parts together at the jobsite translates into greater durability because it allows crosslinking, i.e., greater chemical bonding, between the active ingredients in the primer. VpCI®-395 shows excellent performance in salt spray and humidity testing. In addition to promoting a stronger coatings system that inhibits corrosion, VpCI®-395 has the worker and environmental advantage of being water-based. Water-based coatings typically make cleanup easier and are often associated with lower VOCs (0.2 lbs/gal [24 g/L] in the case of VpCI®-395). Thus, VpCI®-395 reduces worker exposure to solvents both in the painting and cleanup process.

Where to Use VpCI®-395
VpCI®-395 is excellent for use in immersion applications and chemical plants because of the toughness of its epoxy. It can be applied as a primer inside tanks and on handrails and metal walkways. Indoors, VpCI®-395 can also be used as a topcoat (since UV resistance is not needed) and tinted to match the plant’s color scheme. Outdoors, VpCI®-395 can be combined with EcoShield® VpCI®-386 to create one of Cortec’s best water-based anticorrosion coatings system. It can also be used with a 2K urethane one-coat system such as VpCI®-384 for even greater durability if a water-based topcoat is not needed.

Going the Extra Mile for Coatings System Success
Often, the most difficult part of a job is the prep-work-whether surface prep, additional mixing, or extra effort to apply a primer. However, these tasks can offer invaluable payoffs in terms of adhesion and overall coating durability. In the case of VpCI®-395, the extra mixing of two components rewards users with a stronger primer to help maximize the success and corrosion protection of the entire coatings system. Next time your coating project can afford to go the extra mile for greater coating durability, be sure to contact Cortec® about VpCI®-395 Water-Based Epoxy Primer for a great start to your coatings system:
https://www.corteccoatings.com/contact-us-2/

Keywords: anticorrosion coating, coating durability, corrosion protection, DTM coatings, water-based epoxy primer, anticorrosion primer, crosslinking coatings, 2K metal primer, Cortec, good surface adhesion

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NEWS ALERT: Understanding How Temperatures Affect Coatings for Optimal Results

Painting is an art—not only when painting fine portraits and landscapes, but also when doing industrial coating activities. So many issues factor into how a coating will perform that often only years of experience can fully prepare a painter to do the job right every time. However, to achieve best results, there are general principles that everyone can learn from, including a basic understanding of how temperatures affect coatings.

When Is It Too Cold to Paint?
In temperate climates, it is especially important to know when it is too cold to paint. For best results, Cortec® recommends painting with Cortec® anticorrosion coatings only when the temperatures remain above 45-55 °F (7-13 °C) overnight. This is because, especially for water-based coatings, paint will not form a good film if its water or solvents do not evaporate quickly enough. At worst, when temperatures drop below freezing, the coating could simply freeze and then run off when the spring thaw melts the coating.

When Is It Too Hot to Paint?
Although it is more difficult to reach a temperature at which it is too hot to paint, this can also happen. Often, it is when a metal part or structure has heated up
(e.g., to 110 °F [43 °C]) from sitting outside in hot weather and is painted with spray equipment. If the metal is hot enough to dry the coating before it has time to level out, the coating will have a pebble finish due to all the individual paint droplets drying in place.

Force dry coatings are a little different. These are specifically designed to dry at high temperatures in a coating oven. The problem arises when there is not enough “flash” time between when the coating is sprayed onto the part and the time it goes into the oven. The coating needs several minutes for the solvent and water to evaporate beforehand. Otherwise, the water can effectively start to boil, causing the coating to blister as it goes through the oven at a high temperature. This problem is easily solved by allowing the right amount of “flash” time before force drying.

Make the Most of Your Anticorrosion Coating
One of the most basic steps to ensure a coating turns out right is to paint at the right temperature. This is no less important for achieving optimal results with
Cortec
® Micro-Corrosion Inhibiting Coatings™. Understanding the “why” behind temperature recommendations as explained above helps make the decision
more intuitive. Contact Cortec
® Coatings for further assistance or to choose an anticorrosion coating for your application:
https://www.corteccoatings.com/contact-us-2/

Keywords: how temperatures affect coatings, when is it too cold to paint, anticorrosion coatings, when is it too hot to paint, Cortec, corrosion inhibiting coatings, Cortec Coatings, force dry coatings, painting in hot weather, coating blistering

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CASE HISTORY SPOTLIGHT: Case History #735: Corrosion Preventative Maintenance on Fertilizer Loaders

VpCI-391

Front-end loaders for moving high volumes of deicing salts and/or fertilizers at ports along the Ohio River had a habit of corroding quickly. The aggressive environment forced the company to search for a new preventative maintenance plan that would keep the equipment from looking 10 years old in just one year and reduce the normal replacement frequency of two to three years.

VpCI®-391 is now applied once a year during the slow season. The equipment is power washed and dried before receiving a complete overspray of VpCI®-391 on the front, back, top, and bottom—everything except the windows. The client loved the product and has been using it for more than a decade to extend equipment service life—no special permitting required for this low-VOC coating!

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Keywords: preventative maintenance, front-end loader maintenance, extend equipment service life, fertilizer corrosion, deicing salt corrosion, Cortec, VpCI, VpCI-391, low VOC coating, corrosion

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PRESS RELEASE: VpCI®-391: Inconspicuous Removable Coating Offers Convenient Corrosion Protection

VpCI-391 Tractor with front end loader scored feed for cows. View of the side on the background of bales with silage. Necessary equipment for a dairy farm.

Corrosion is an irreversible process that costs industries time and money to deal with the effects. Corrosion prevention is therefore in the best interest of manufacturers and asset owners responsible for covering losses from deteriorating assets. While protective VCI packaging solves many metal shipping and storage needs, it is not always the optimal choice for certain metal shapes or storage/transit settings. When this is the case, Cortec’s VpCI®-391 is an excellent removable coating to consider for temporary or even long-term corrosion protection.

Unnoticeable Dry Film Rust Preventative Coating

VpCI®-391 is a fast-drying water-based temporary coating that dries to a thin, clear, virtually unnoticeable non-tacky film. It is perfect for protecting bare metal surfaces from corrosion in transit or temporary storage but can also be applied directly over painted surfaces. VpCI®-391 provides protection indoors and outdoors and is easy to remove with an alkaline cleaner if desired. These features have made it a popular temporary rust preventative coating that displaces traditional greasy, oily rust preventatives with an unnoticeable temporary protective coating that is drastically more convenient.

Clean, Convenient Corrosion Protection

There are many advantages to using VpCI®-391. In addition to its corrosion protection, the dry, non-tacky surface finish stays much cleaner than traditional oily/greasy rust preventatives that tend to collect insects, dust, and other contaminants on their sticky surfaces. It also weathers much better in outdoor applications. Furthermore, testing has found that VpCI®-391 does not negatively impact weld geometry or mechanical properties of the weld, allowing welders to easily keep surfaces corrosion-free prior to welding without extensive surface-prep hassle.

When and Where to Use VpCI®-391

The possibilities for using VpCI®-391 are endless. Examples include the following:

  • Heavy Equipment
  • Machinery
  • Vehicles
  • Piping
  • Structural Steel

Transit is one period in which VpCI®-391 is beneficial for safeguarding brand-new metal components—whether fire trucks, valves, or front-end loaders—from unpredictable exposure to harsh weather conditions on land and sea. It can be sprayed over unpainted bolts and metal tubes as well as metal wheel rims or entire painted vehicles. Since VpCI®-391 is relatively unnoticeable, distributors often leave it on new equipment until resale.

VpCI®-391 is also great for storage and layup. For example, VpCI®-391 can be applied right over painted railings and equipment on offshore platforms for extra corrosion protection during rig-stacking. Pipeline segments stored in laydown yards may be coated with VpCI®-391 to protect weld ends from rusting. At the time of assembly or installation, the welder can simply clean off the coating or weld directly over it, instead of spending extra time grinding away opportunistic rust that could otherwise set in.

A third purpose for VpCI®-391 is preventative maintenance. For instance, one company that uses front-end loaders to move high volumes of deicing salts or fertilizers has adopted VpCI®-391 as part of their annual preventative maintenance routine. By applying VpCI®-391 over the vehicles once a year during the slow season, the equipment lasts longer and does not look 10 years old after just one year of use.

Effective, Easy, and Inconspicuous

Anyone who needs a dry temporary corrosion protection coating should consider VpCI®-391 as an easy, effective, versatile, and inconspicuous option. It looks good and performs well even in outdoor environments, allowing users the advantage of unobtrusive corrosion protection during the transit, storage, or maintenance phase. Contact Cortec® today to learn more about using VpCI®-391:

https://www.corteccoatings.com/contact-us-2/

Keywords: rust preventative coating, VCI packaging, corrosion prevention, metal shipping and storage needs, removable coating, keep weld surfaces corrosion free, preventative maintenance, Cortec, Cortec Coatings, transit coatings

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NEWS ALERT: Metal Cleaning and Flash Corrosion Protection Made Easy for Low Foam Applications

June 21, 2022

When cleaning or degreasing metals, it is important to choose a cleaning fluid that guards against flash rust. It is also important to consider the method of cleaning, since high pressure and high agitation can create a foaming mess. To address both concerns, Cortec® Corporation offers VpCI®-418 LM, a non-foaming alkaline cleaner with flash rust protection.

Preventing Flash Rust on Freshly Cleaned Metal

Metals are especially susceptible to flash corrosion after cleaning, which is why Cortec® has developed VpCI®-41x series cleaners/degreasers that contain flash rust inhibitors. These corrosion inhibitors are ideal for protecting metals that cannot be immediately coated. Other common uses include dual cleaning/corrosion protection of the following:

  • Machinery, engine blocks, or forgings coated with grease or oil deposits
  • Plate, sheet metal, and metal castings covered with oily films prior to painting or pickling
  • Metal parts contaminated with stamping, drawing, or buffing compounds
  • Metal structures

Overcoming Foam Problems in Parts Washers

When cleaning the items mentioned above, foam is usually associated with a better cleaning experience. That changes with parts washers, where high agitation creates excess foam that could overflow out of the machine and onto the floor. Pressure washing and power washing can have similar problems. VpCI®-418 LM is good for both applications because it is non-foaming and performs best with mechanical action. VpCI®-418 LM can be used on a variety of metals (carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, galvanized steel, brass [30% Zn], copper) and may be used at different dosages for light, medium, or heavy-duty cleaning.

Next time you need to clean metal parts or structures in a high agitation environment, remember to take advantage of the flash rust corrosion protection and non-foaming aspects of VpCI®-418 LM. Contact Cortec® to learn more about our portfolio of flash rust inhibiting cleaners/degreasers: https://www.cortecvci.com/contact-us/

Keywords: metal cleaning, flash corrosion protection, corrosion protection, cleaning and degreasing metals, flash rust protection, rust inhibiting cleaners, foam problems in parts washers, preventing flash rust, Cortec, VpCI

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