When we started working on Growcraft we began with the mindset to build the highest quality light possible in all areas. This meant going the extra mile whenever possible in every aspect. In our latest video, we take you through an in-depth tour of the sophisticated manufacturing process for the Growcraft U-frames & covers.
More Than Meets The Eye
The manufacturing process is much more involved than you might think. It all begins with raw sheet metal that is fed into a Japanese punching machine, known as the Pega-345. This machine uses am X-Y grid within its programming to precisely cut out the correct shape.
After being punched to shape, the U-frame templates are cut out and moved onto deburring. This process is to smooth out the rough edges and any remaining material left behind by the Pega-345. Deburring is an important process in order to get a clean smooth final product.
Next, the now smooth template is moved onto the pneumatic nut press in order to press in the captive threaded nuts to the U-frames. The next step is to bend the templates to shape. This process is completed using a press brake which will help operates bend the sheet metal template.
Once in its final shape, the U-frames are then shipped to the nearby powder coating facility to get their clean white paint applied. Powder coating is a sophisticated painting process that involves many critical steps.
First, the U-frames and covers are hung up on a track system and start with a cleaning bath using an Iron phosphate solution. The purpose of this bath is to help the powder properly adhere to the parts later in the process.
Once clean and free of all contaminants, the parts are hand dried using a blowgun and sent into a drying oven. Now that they are clean and dry, the parts enter the powder chamber where positively charged ions are used to bond to the negatively charged U-frames and covers.
After being completely coated, the U-frame and covers are carried through an oven at 425 degrees to properly bake the powder onto the metal. Lastly, the U-frames and covers are taken off the rack, inspected for quality and packaged.
The covers will then be screen printed with either the DIY kit or commercial series color schemes. Screen printing consists of mixing colors, precise mounting, and custom screening before entering an oven at 350 degrees to cure the printed paint.
While we could have gone with basic stickers, we decided to go with screen printing because it results in a much more durable and quality final product. Be sure to watch the video to get a better understanding of how each of these steps is completed!
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