Making VE Panels

Video: Vitreous Enamel Building Cladding Panel Production
with Product and Quality Checking for Colour and Thickness

Trico VE makes Vitreous Enamel cladding panels for architectural, building, construction and rail industries as well as London Underground.
See Panel examples

In the video, a panel is being sprayed after panel formation, then heated to fuse the enamel as a glass coat to the metal in a tower furnace.

Before spraying, all metal surface impurities are cleaned in a degreaser or acid bath. After rinsing and neutralising, the panel is ready for the vitreous enamelling process. A ground coat enamel is applied, the panels are then fired, this fuses the enamel ground coat to the steel. The cover coat is then applied before the panel is once again fired at 830 degrees Celsius in our tower furnace (with a 3-meter capacity) which is one of five at our West Yorkshire manufacturing plant. Aside from quality checks, the Vitreous Enamel process is now complete. By withstanding 830°C, the V.E panels demonstrate their resistance to fire and extreme conditions.

Trico VE produces a very wide range of vitreous enamel panels: –

  • Architectural, building design cladding panels (See Stern Court & Fairway Court) and other panels are made to order.
  • Trico vitreous enamel cladding panels used on London Underground – often for fire safety being noncombustible as well as the other benefits.

For Panel specification and colour options, please see: Tech Info.

Vitreous enamel panels are chosen for many reasons which include the well-proven facts that they are

  • Non-combustible and Resistant to Heat or Fire
  • Durable & Long Lasting
  • Weather & Acid Resistant
  • Fade Resistant
  • Graffiti Wipe Clean
  • Colourful & Attractive
  • Virtually Maintenance Free
  • Long-life Guaranteed

Panels are manufactured using special grade steel, which is usually 1.5mm thick and formed into tray panels with flanges of between 25 and 40mm.
The steel conforms to the requirements of BS EN 10209.
Characteristics of enamel coatings applied to steel panels intended for architecture. BS EN ISO 28722: 2011

See Panel examples