Industries

Coatings for Pharmaceutical & Laboratory Equipment

AST supports pharmaceutical and laboratory equipment manufacturers and maintenance teams with materials-compliant coating systems and full documentation. Fluoropolymer coatings give process hardware an inert, non-leaching, easy-clean surface — reducing residue and shortening cleaning cycles on equipment that has to be verifiably clean between batches.

AST is the only licensed industrial fluoropolymer applicator in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, with technical and quality audits by Chemours Global and a lifetime workmanship warranty. AST is trusted by major customers including Pfizer.

AST applicator in full PPE spray-lining the interior of a large process vessel

Product-Contact Systems — PFA and PTFE

For any surface in contact with product, AST specifies from the PFA and PTFE (Teflon) family. Applied correctly by a licensed applicator these systems are FDA food-contact compliant, and the fully cured film is inert and non-leaching. The same non-stick surface that releases product also reduces residue and shortens cleaning cycles between batches.

PFA and PTFE systems for all product-contact surfaces
FDA food-contact compliant, applied by a licensed applicator
Cured film is inert and non-leaching
Easy-clean surfaces reduce residue and cleaning cycles

Non-Contact Corrosion Protection

Away from product contact, heavier barrier systems are available for corrosion duty — Halar (ECTFE) and Tefzel (ETFE) thick-film linings on structures, equipment exteriors and service pipework. These are corrosion-protection linings only; AST does not specify them for product-contact surfaces. Holiday/spark testing is standard on both systems, with results documented.

Halar (ECTFE) and Tefzel (ETFE) barrier linings
Structures, equipment exteriors and service pipework
Holiday/spark tested with documented results
Not specified for product-contact duty

Documentation and Materials Compliance

Coating on regulated equipment is only as good as the record behind it. Every AST job leaves with a documented QA package and a materials Certificate of Conformance, so the coating system on the part can be traced back to the material batch that produced it.

Materials Certificate of Conformance with every job
QA records including dry film thickness verification
Holiday-test results where the system requires them
PFOA-free systems since 2013; IChEMS-compliant

AST is the only licensed industrial fluoropolymer applicator in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, with technical and quality audits by Chemours Global. Coating materials are PFOA-free and comply with the Australian Government IChEMS PFAS standards. AST also provides a lifetime workmanship warranty.

Equipment We Coat

Process hardware, componentry and laboratory equipment

AST coats new equipment for manufacturers and refurbishes existing hardware for maintenance teams. Parts are processed at our Campbellfield, Melbourne facility, with freight in and out across Australia and New Zealand.

Typical components

Process vessels — internal linings and easy-clean interior surfaces
Mixing shafts and agitators — release and low-friction surfaces
Hoppers and chutes — powder and product release, reduced build-up
Trays and racks — non-stick surfaces for handling and drying duty
Fittings and small-batch componentry — one-off and short-run work

How the system is chosen

Product-contact duty goes to the PFA and PTFE family. Corrosion duty away from product contact can use the heavier Halar (ECTFE) and Tefzel (ETFE) barrier linings. Where the duty sits between the two, AST reviews the application, the media and the operating conditions before specifying — rather than defaulting to the thickest available film.

PFA coating services →Non-stick coating systems →

On safety and compliance questions, see our guides to PTFE, PFAS and coating safety and food-grade Teflon coating and FDA compliance. To have a duty reviewed, request a quote — turnaround is typically 7–10 working days from receipt of the part.

Process and QA

Controlled application, documented result

Strip, blast, prime, topcoat, cure — every stage recorded, with dry film thickness verified and a materials Certificate of Conformance issued with the finished job.

Fluoropolymer lining sprayed into the interior of a process vessel by AST — Vessel-interior lining application

Fluoropolymer-coated process components exiting an AST cure oven — Components exiting cure oven

AST QA inspection of a coated component under controlled lighting — QA inspection before release

Frequently Asked Questions

Are AST coatings inert and non-leaching?

Yes. A correctly applied and fully cured fluoropolymer film is chemically inert and non-leaching — it does not react with, or migrate into, the material it contacts. For product-contact duty AST specifies from the PFA and PTFE (Teflon) family, which is FDA food-contact compliant when applied correctly by a licensed applicator. AST coating materials are PFOA-free and comply with the Australian Government IChEMS PFAS standards.

What documentation comes with a coating job?

Every job is delivered with a materials Certificate of Conformance and QA records covering surface preparation, coating application, dry film thickness verification and cure. Where the coating system requires holiday/spark testing — Halar (ECTFE) and Tefzel (ETFE) barrier linings — pass/fail results are documented and issued with the job.

Which coating systems are suitable for product contact?

PFA and PTFE from the Chemours Teflon family. These are the systems AST specifies for surfaces in contact with product, and they are FDA food-contact compliant when applied correctly by a licensed applicator. Halar (ECTFE) and Tefzel (ETFE) are used only for non-contact corrosion protection — structures, equipment exteriors and service pipework. AST reviews each duty and advises on the appropriate system before quoting.

What is the turnaround on pharmaceutical and laboratory equipment?

Coating turnaround is typically 7–10 working days from receipt of the part at our Campbellfield, Melbourne facility. Freight in and out is available Australia-wide and to New Zealand, and can be quoted alongside the coating.

Only licensed industrial fluoropolymer applicator in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia

Yearly technical and quality audits by Chemours Global

Lifetime warranty on workmanship

Need a Quote for Your Equipment?

Talk to AST about your coating requirements, operating conditions and performance goals. Our team can review your application and prepare a technical quotation.