1. Protective Film Made of White Polyethylene (PE),
Most applications require a protective film made of polyethylene (PE) and a rubber adhesive layer. This film can be applied as a default on protected surfaces if the quality of your film is not specified.
The sheet material is nominally 80 micrometres in thickness. It is usually white, with two blue stripes placed at regular intervals along the width. They are not significant.
The adhesive may come in clear or black. Clear adhesive appears white on film.
Clear adhesive films should not be exposed for more than 30 minutes to avoid adhesive transfer. The adhesive will eventually break down and leave residue on the stainless's surface. Films with a black adhesive should remain stable in the sun for at least a few months because they absorb heat.
Plasma or laser cutting the protected surface can be done with the film still in place. For best results when laser cutting, cut from the side that does not have plastic applied. Or, use oxygen to help and cut from protected side.
Protective film made of stainless steel
2. Protective Film for Light Blue Polyvinyl Chloride, (PVC).
This film is ideal for deep drawing applications, especially multi-stage deep draw. It's a film made of polyvinyl chloride, (PVC), and has a rubber adhesive layer.
The film is 70 micrometres thick. It is light blue in colour.
The film should not be heated above 40°C.
To prevent adhesive transfer and to prevent the film from being exposed to the sun for longer than a few hours, it is best to keep the film out of direct sunlight.
It is important that the steel not be laser or plasma cut with the film in the place. The film can produce hydrochloric acid fumes which can be toxic and corrosive.
After pressing, the film should be removed from steel at temperatures between 15 and 40 degC.
Protective film made of stainless steel
3. Protective Film Black Polyvinyl Chloride
This stainless steel protection foil is suitable for heavy roll-forming and other applications that require extensive surface protection. It is a high-adhesion polyvinyl chloride film (PVC) with an acrylic adhesive.
The film is nominally 120 micrometres thick and black in color.
The film should not be heated above 40°C.
The film can be left exposed to the sun for several weeks and still provide reliable protection.
It is important that the steel not be laser or plasma cut with the film in the place. The film can produce hydrochloric acid fumes which are toxic and corrosive.
Protective film made of stainless steel
4. Protective film for Laser Cutting
Both CO2 and fiber optic laser cutting technologies require special films. For these films, it is important to have the right laser absorption and resistance against cutting gas pressures.
5. Protective Films
White PVC films may be used by other suppliers for general surface protection. This is less likely as PVC films are considerably more expensive than PE films.
6. Stripping the Protective Film & Cleaning the Stainless Surface
The stainless steel protection film can sometimes be left in place too long. The stainless steel protection film can become difficult to remove. It can also leave a gummy residue or friable adhesive on the steel surface. You will need to spend a lot of time cleaning the surface.
The residue can be unsightly and makes it difficult to create smooth surfaces. It may also affect corrosion resistance by retaining atmospheric chemicals that settle on the steel surface.
Even if stainless steel protection films are removed promptly, some residues may still remain. However, they may not appear. It is important to clean the surface of the film after it has been removed.
Protective film made of stainless steel
The adhesive residue can easily be removed from the steel's surface using a solvent, such as methyl-ethylketone (MEK), oil of eucalyptus or another similar solvent.
Use elbow grease to wipe off the solvent from the surface. You want to dissolve the adhesive and then wipe off any solvent. It is important that the solvent used not evaporate too fast. It is also important to consider the flashpoint and toxicity of the solvent.