Method of coating alloy wheels
AssigneeSuperior Industries International, Inc.
InventorsParveen Kakar, Henry Clay Chenault
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alloy wheel is formed having a three dimensional configuration defining a face and recessed surfaces. The face of the wheel is machined providing a smooth surface at the face and defining an edge between the smooth surface of the face and the recessed surfaces. A nozzle element for projecting a plasma jet toward the wheel is provided. The plasma jet is projected toward the smooth surface of the face, the edge, and toward at least a portion of the recessed surfaces forming an alloy oxide at least on the face and the edge disposed between the face and the recessed surfaces. A first polymeric coating is applied over the face, the recessed surfaces and the edge disposed between the face and the recessed surfaces.
Claims8
A method of coating an alloy wheel, comprising the steps of:
- forming a wheel including an alloy substrate having a three dimensional configuration defining a face and recessed surfaces;
- applying a base polymer coating over said alloy substrate;
- machining said face of said alloy substrate thereby removing said base polymer coating and re-exposing the alloy substrate for providing a smooth surface at said face and defining an edge between said smooth surface of said face and said recessed surfaces with said recessed surfaces retaining said base polymer coating;
- providing a nozzle element for projecting an atmospheric plasma jet toward said wheel;
- after machining said face of said wheel, projecting the atmospheric plasma jet from said nozzle element toward said smooth surface of said face, said edge, and toward at least a portion of said recessed surfaces thereby forming an alloy oxide of said alloy substrate at least on said face and said edge disposed between said face and said recessed surfaces;
- applying a second polymeric coating over said face, said recessed surfaces and said edge disposed between said face and said recessed surfaces, thereby adhering said second polymeric coating over said alloy oxide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.