Masking Resources

Techniques for faster, lower cost industrial masking solutions. 

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  Four custom masking tape ideas that can lower costs

  Many customers think of Viadon as just having standard tape rolls and circle die cuts. But our capabilities extend well beyond that, and for low-cost - and sometimes NO extra cost or tooling at all - you can get custom-width slit rolls of tape, small runs of custom die cuts, custom squares/rectangles or specialized shapes that can speed up your masking, save you money and get parts to your customers faster. Here's how. 

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  Mask large areas better, faster, less expensively

  The easiest way to imagine masking a large metal surface is with a wide roll of tape: Cover the entire surface, and trim to width and length and done, right? While this is one solution, there are several others that can accomplish masking larger areas at a much lower cost. Plus, learn a technique for masking large, open areas where only the outer edge is available for adhering the tape with no support in the middle. Why? Because some tapes shrink in high heat environments like a powder coating oven. Click here to learn more. 

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  Make your own die cuts, improve turnaround times

  Customers have high expectations these days, and that is often coupled with some companies using the idea of "Just In Time" or having almost no stock on-hand, except at the exact moment it's needed. What is great about a plotter-die cutting machine is that for small, one-off or limited quantity custom die cut masking tape needs, you can create the die cuts you need right when you need them - with no tooling cost or lead time to consider. 

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  The most important masking tape technique for anodizing

  Most metal finishing has a coating is applied on top of metal. Anodizing aluminum or titanium is a bit different, where the surface of the part is altered by the increased oxidation of the metal. This changes how masking is done, at least with tape. As such, there's a very important aspect to remember when applying tape prior to anodizing. Click to learn the technique for successfully using masking tape for anodizing. 

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  Powder coating masking advice 

  Whether you're just starting out and aren't sure what products are best for your needs or an experienced hand at powder coating and complex masking tasks but aren't sure how to approach a challenging project, give us a call or email. We are happy to either cover all the basics with you or tackle the toughest masking for powder coating you can throw at us. Click through for some ideas on getting started and a few of the difficult masking problems we've faced and how we solved them. There's a good chance we can solve yours, too. 

  Cleaning caps & plugs

  Often asked after plugs and caps have gone through powder coating a few times is, "How do I clean these things?" That's because as powder builds up along the section where the cap or plug engages the metal, powder can adhere to the mask in an irregular way, causing less-than-perfect masking lines when said mask is removed. How to handle this? Well... there's a few ways.