Quality masking for a quality finish

In the industrial finishing process, what you don’t paint is as important as what you do paint. 

Threads, studs and crucial surface areas need to be effectively masked. That masking needs to be suitable for low to high pressure treatments as well as high temperature environments such as powder and E-coating finishes.

The cost implications of leaks, cracks and other failures can be catastrophic. Taping can be time consuming both to apply and remove and ineffective on repeat processes.

All of which is why we have become one of the largest global manufacturers and suppliers of plastic and rubber masking caps, plugs and sleeves.

Choose from a wide variety of standard caps, plugs and custom shapes, all of which are available in materials and lengths to suit your application. Many sizes are held in stock. But we also specialise in medium to high run bespoke manufacturing in house, designed to your specifications.

Sizes, shapes and materials vary according to the application – so don’t try to fit a round peg into a square hole … literally.

Flexible Short Caps, for instance, can be applied quickly and easily. No matter what the application, they fit snugly without cracking or splitting. Short Caps also possess excellent insulation qualities and resist weather, moisture and chemicals.

Applications include:

• Thread Protectors
• Masks (for painting, plating, powder coating, shot blasting)
• Insulators
• Decorators
• Seals
• colour Coding

Plugs are designed to provide tight seals for threaded and non-threaded through holes. Silicone plugs will resist temperatures up to 600°F (316°C) and are specifically designed for powder coating and E-coating applications.

The tapered plug design of these plugs allows one size to fit multiple ports while the soft rubber material conforms to provide a tight seal. EPDM plugs are ideal for most plating and anodizing applications due to their excellent resistance to chemicals.

Using the right caps or plugs for the right job is essential.

It is important to fully understand the customers’ needs in order to suggest the most appropriate and cost effective solutions. If, for some reason, we can’t visit the site, then photographs and technical drawings of the component and the areas that need protecting do help our own engineers to plan, structure and cost our proposals.
 

What are we protecting the crucial parts from? What are we keeping out and what are we keeping in? What temperatures and materials are the parts going to be exposed to during the rigorous finishing stages of their life?

We have many 'off-the-shelf' solutions in the form of caps and plugs such as the plastic plugs on the engine mounting (above) protecting the threads from abrasive dirt ingress. However, with some lateral thought from our custom moulding engineering department, instead of applying five plugs before steam cleaning the unit, the fast application and removal of a multiple plug speeds the process up enormously (below).

This plastic diaphragm has been designed to protect the engine module as it is shipped from a manufacturer in the UK to an OME in China where it will become part of a mobile power unit. We really can’t stress enough how important it is for our customers to fully involve our sales engineers at the planning and design stage...

… A combined cap / plug diaphragm like this is clearly not an off-the-shelf product, but the result of combined, creative, engineering skill to create a solution that has become integral in an extended and global manufacturing process.

Whether you simply want a low order quantity of flexible caps from stock, or have a bespoke application that needs a cost-effective solution, just pick up the phone and we'll be pleased to help.

Call now for expert advice on 01634 686 504 or take a look and buy on-line through the Shop Now button below:

 01634 686 504