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A food-grade polyamide powder coating that forms a closed, pore-free film. It is impact resistant and withstands the alkaline and acidic cleaners common in food production – and, unlike ordinary paint, offers germs no foothold.
Rilsan is the trade name of a polyamide 11, a thermoplastic derived from castor oil. Melted on as a powder, it forms a closed, tough plastic layer on steel. In everyday usage the name stands for this kind of polyamide powder coating as a whole.
In handling technology it is used where steel components must be hygienically cleanable and protected against corrosion without the whole component being made of stainless steel.
Fluidised bed dipping is customary. The blasted and usually primed component is heated and dipped into a tank in which the powder is fluidised by air blown in. The powder melts on the hot surface and flows into a closed film. Alternatively it is sprayed electrostatically and then fused in an oven.
The layer is considerably thicker than paint – typically several tenths of a millimetre with fluidised bed dipping. It wraps around edges and welds, which wet paint struggles to do.
The layer is pore-free and smooth, so dirt and micro-organisms find it hard to lodge. It is impact-resistant and abrasion-resistant, absorbs little water compared with other polyamides and resists many cleaning agents common in the food industry.
For contact with food there are grades that comply with European rules on plastics. What counts is the declaration of compliance for the specific powder used – not the name of the coating.
The coating is protection, not a structural material. Its limits determine where it fits.
Stainless steel is resistant through and through: a scratch changes nothing. It is therefore the safe choice in the product area, under aggressive wet cleaning and wherever mechanical damage is to be expected. Coated steel is economical for large supporting structures, columns and jibs outside the direct product area – provided the layer is checked regularly for damage and repaired.
What Entracon offers here is on the matching page.
See what we offer| Surface | Strength | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel | resistant throughout, insensitive to scratches | cost, weight on large components |
| Polyamide 11 coating | pore-free, thick, impact-resistant, wraps edges | damage exposes steel, limited temperature |
| Powder paint | economical, many colours | thinner, less impact-resistant |
| Wet paint | easy to touch up | edge coverage, lower resistance |
There are grades suitable for food contact. Whether that applies to a particular component is shown by the coater’s declaration of compliance for the powder used and the intended application.
In many areas outside direct product contact, yes. Where impacts, sharp edges or very aggressive cleaning are to be expected, stainless steel remains the more robust solution because it does not rust even when damaged.
Small spots can be repaired locally, though the quality of the original layer is usually not matched. With larger damage the component is stripped and recoated. The important thing is to detect damage early, before rust creeps under the layer.
One short conversation usually settles more than three quotations. Call or write — you will reach an engineer directly.
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