Coating services
Industrial metal coating services
Vanguard applies functional coatings to metal parts. You ship us machined or fabricated parts; we sandblast, coat, inspect and ship them back on schedule.
- Coating systems
- 100+
- Coating since
- 1967
- Powder coating length
- Up to 45 ft
- Water service
- NSF/ANSI 61 FBE
- Surface prep
- Sandblasted as standard
Coating selector
Match the problem to the coating
Most coating failures start with the wrong coating for the job. Pick the problem you are trying to solve.
- Residue and sticking Teflon™ Textile steam and dryer cans, rollers, waffle irons, griddles, baking surfaces
- Corrosion from salt or chemicals Xylan® Marine hardware, offshore oil and gas fasteners, valve components
- Abrasion wearing through parts Nylon Machine parts, rollers, injection molds, tooling, racking
- Chemicals attacking metal in process and wash-down areas Teflon™, Nylon, Xylan® Process equipment, tanks, fittings, material handling
- High temperatures hurting performance Ceramic Exhaust manifolds, headers, automotive components
- Water corroding wet-service and buried piping Fusion Bonded Epoxy (NSF/ANSI 61) Pipe, valves, fittings, irrigation and pump stations
- Pieces too long for most coaters, color that lasts Powder Coating Docks, gangways, walkways, racking, frames (up to 45 ft)
Teflon™ Coating
Non-stick release for industrial applications
When product sticks to a metal surface, for example on a textile roller, you pay for it in scrap, cleaning labor and line downtime. Teflon™ industrial coatings give metal a low-friction, non-stick release surface that performs at high operating temperatures, including FDA-compliant food-contact coating systems.
Vanguard is the premier Teflon™ coating facility on the East Coast and an approved industrial applicator. We have coated parts for manufacturers since 1967, when we started coating textile rollers with liquid Teflon™.
Teflon™ systems we apply
The classic Teflon™ system. The highest temperature rating in the family and the lowest coefficient of friction: the benchmark for pure release.
Melts and flows during baking to form a non-porous film. Excellent release plus strong chemical resistance.
The non-porous film of FEP with a higher service temperature and greater toughness. Can be applied in thicker builds.
A one-coat system with binder resins that produce a harder, more abrasion-resistant surface with dry lubrication.
Key benefits
- Releases product, resin and residue from rollers, cutting cleanup and downtime.
- Performs at high operating temperatures, up to each system’s rated limit.
- Reduces friction for smooth-running rollers and contact surfaces.
- Resists chemicals, with the strongest resistance in the FEP and PFA systems.
- Cleans up easily between production runs.
Common uses
- Textile: steam cans, dryer cans, slasher cans, dry feed rollers
- Food production: waffle irons, griddles, baking sheets, spatulas, cutting blades, packaging equipment
- Industrial: injection molds, chutes, hoppers, low-friction contact surfaces
Where heavy abrasion or salt exposure is the bigger threat, Xylan® or Nylon may outlast Teflon™, and we will tell you when that is the case.
Xylan® Coating
Corrosion and friction control
Salt spray and chemical exposure destroy unprotected metal and seize threaded hardware. Xylan® dry-film lubricant coatings put a thin, tough, low-friction barrier on the part: corrosion protection plus smooth assembly and operation, without the bulk of thicker systems.
Spec calls for a specific Xylan® series? We apply them all.
Key benefits
- Resists corrosion in salt, seawater and chemical environments.
- Acts as a dry-film lubricant, so fasteners make up consistently and do not seize.
- Resists marine growth, keeping barnacles and fouling off submerged equipment.
- Applies as a thin film, protecting parts without changing critical dimensions.
Common uses
- Marine hardware and piping
- Offshore oil and gas fasteners
- Valve components and threaded assemblies
Nylon Coating
The heavy-duty coating for wear and chemicals
Some parts do not need release, they need armor. Nylon coatings stand up to abrasion and chemical attack that strip thinner coatings.
Nylon also does something most coating shops cannot offer: it can be built up to over 30 mils thick, then milled back to a precise finished dimension, so a worn part gets protection and a restored tolerance in one operation.
Key benefits
- Stands up to heavy abrasion and impact.
- Delivers among the best chemical resistance of any coating we apply, built for wash-down and process environments.
- Builds to over 30 mils.
- Provides long service life on high-wear surfaces.
Common uses
- Machine parts, rollers and material-handling surfaces
- Injection molds and tooling
- Racking and fixtures
- Worn parts needing protection plus dimensional restoration
- Assembly lines and conveyor line components
Ceramic Coating
Heat management for parts that run hot
Exhaust heat robs performance and cooks nearby components. Ceramic coatings manage heat dispersion on manifolds, headers and other high-temperature parts, lowering operating and under-hood temperatures and supporting combustion efficiency, while adding abrasion and corrosion resistance at temperatures other coatings cannot take.
Key benefits
- Disperses heat, lowering operating and under-hood temperatures.
- Supports combustion efficiency and engine performance.
- Resists abrasion and corrosion at high temperature.
- Holds its appearance under heat.
Common uses
- Exhaust manifolds and headers
- Automotive and truck components, coated at production volumes for manufacturers
- High-heat industrial parts
Fusion Bonded Epoxy (FBE)
Corrosion protection for metal in water
Wet-service and buried metal starts corroding the day it is installed. Fusion bonded epoxy is applied as a powder to a heated part and cures into a continuous, tightly bonded barrier: the standard protection for pipe and water infrastructure.
Vanguard is certified to NSF/ANSI 61, the standard for components in contact with drinking water.
Key benefits
- Forms a continuous bonded barrier with no seams to fail.
- Protects against corrosion in wet, buried and submerged service.
- Resists chemicals in water-treatment and process applications.
- NSF/ANSI 61 certified.
Common uses
- Pipe, valves and fittings
- Irrigation systems and pump stations
Got a question about Fusion Bonded Epoxy for your project? Get in touch
Powder Coating
Durable color and protection, on pieces up to 45 ft long
Powder coating delivers a tough, long-lasting finish with color that will not fade, and it is the environmentally friendly option.
Vanguard can powder coat aluminum pieces up to 45 ft long, a size capability most coaters cannot match, on an automated line built for volume and fast color changes.
Key benefits
- Delivers a durable, even coat with color and finish that last.
- Uses no solvents, making it the environmentally friendly option.
- Protects against corrosion and stands up to UV.
- Takes pieces up to 45 ft long. Most coaters cannot touch that.
Common uses
- Docks, walkways, catwalks and gangways
- Playground equipment
- Racking, frames and fabricated structures
- Electronics housings, cabinets and data center components
Got a question about Powder Coating for your project? Get in touch
Beyond the coating
Why manufacturers partner with Vanguard
Surface prep done right, by default
Improper surface prep is the number one reason coatings fail. Vanguard sandblasts parts as standard practice before coating, so adhesion is engineered in.
Freight handled
We can book the freight, so shipping parts to a coater stops being your team’s problem.
You will know where your order is
Proactive status on quotes and orders. No chasing a shop for answers.
Quick turnaround
Redundant equipment means no single-machine bottleneck. Rush service is available.
One shop, 100+ coating systems
Teflon™, Xylan®, Nylon, Ceramic, FBE and powder: one qualified supplier instead of three specialty shops.
Inspected by people
Every job is human-inspected before it ships.
Plant capabilities
Capacity and quality control
The numbers, for your engineering and procurement team.
Curing ovens
- 10′H × 12′W × 24′L batch oven
- 8′H × 10′W × 20′L batch oven
- 8′H × 10′W × 18′L batch oven
- 8′H × 8′W × 8′L batch oven
- Monorail oven for small parts
Surface prep
- 10′W × 15′L blast room
- Blast cabinet for small parts
- 7.5 cu ft tumble blaster
Testing
- Micrometer film-thickness measurement
- Crosshatch adhesion testing
- MEK cure testing
- Bend testing
- Impact testing
Destructive and non-destructive testing available.
Who we coat for
Industries we coat for
- Textile
- Food Production and Hospitality
- Automotive Manufacturers
- Marine and Dock Manufacturers
- Industrial Equipment
- Water and Irrigation
- Playground equipment
- Data centers
- Job shops
- Large manufacturing overflow
- Retail warehouses
- Oil and gas
- And many more
Answers
Metal coating questions, answered
Which metal coating is right for my part?
Start with the problem. Sticking and residue usually call for Teflon™ (PTFE, FEP or PFA). Salt and chemical corrosion on hardware calls for Xylan®. Heavy abrasion and impact call for Nylon. High heat calls for Ceramic. Wet-service and buried pipe call for Fusion Bonded Epoxy. Long structural pieces that need lasting color call for Powder Coating. Send us the part and the problem and we will recommend from more than 100 systems.
Is your Teflon™ coating food safe?
Yes. We apply FDA-compliant Teflon™ coating systems for food-contact equipment such as waffle irons, griddles, baking sheets, cutting blades and packaging equipment.
What is the difference between PTFE, FEP and PFA?
PTFE has the highest temperature rating and lowest friction in the Teflon™ family. FEP melts and flows during baking into a non-porous film with strong chemical resistance. PFA has the non-porous film of FEP with a higher service temperature and greater toughness, and can be applied in thicker builds. See our technical guides for details.
Can a worn part be restored with coating?
Often, yes. Nylon can be built up to over 30 mils thick and then milled back to a precise finished dimension, so a worn part gets protection and a restored tolerance in one operation.
Is your fusion bonded epoxy NSF/ANSI 61 certified?
Yes. Vanguard is certified to NSF/ANSI 61 for fusion bonded epoxy, the standard for components in contact with drinking water.
How large a part can you coat?
We can powder coat aluminum pieces up to 45 ft long. Our largest batch curing oven is 10 ft high, 12 ft wide and 24 ft long. For anything near those sizes, call us with dimensions and weight.
Do you offer rush service and freight?
Yes. Redundant equipment means no single-machine bottleneck, and rush service is available. We can also book freight, so getting parts to and from our plant is not your team’s problem.
Can I test a coating before a production run?
Yes. Our sample spray booth lets us run coating trials before you commit to a production run.
Request a quote
Let us know your problem and we will work to find your solution.