Power clearcoat, a leap in paint technology

BMW faced challenges in both material development and systems engineering to develop its new clearcoat technology.

The automobile has long been a form of individual expression. A car's color speaks about its owner. A particularly warm red can say, “I am friendly and approachable,” while an exotic green can convey, “I am flamboyant, expressive, and I love life.” The color of a car represents the emotional side of mobility.

Designers attempt to make a car's paint sensible as well as functional, which was the case at BMW's assembly plant with its powder clearcoat (PCC) system (Figure 1). The application of PCC in standard production leads the way into a colorful, environmentally compatible future.