The drive for environmentally compliant coatings is the
political result of society's desire for a clean atmosphere.
All phases of the Coatings Industry have been affected by the
regulations imposed to achieve the desired goal.
Automotive finishing, in particular, has undergone a series of
revolutionary changes in recent years. In the seventies and early
eighties, automotive finishing was relatively simple. The finish
designer had two primary chemistry options, mono-coat acrylic
lacquer or mono-coat acrylic enamel. The two systems were available
in a range of colors including aluminum pigmented metallics.
Substrate was not an issue, it was steel.
Today the finish designer must know the substrate to be finished
(steel, aluminum, or a growing list of plastics, each requiring its
own unique finish or primer) in order to select a compatible finish
system. Then the designer must choose between a host of finish
options - high solid enamels, aqueous and non-aqueous dispersions,
powder coats, and one and two part urethane to name a few. Now add
Paint Film to the list.
Paint film, as the name implies, is a paint converted to dry
film form prior to application. It is typically delivered to the
customer as a solvent free roll of material to be incorporated in
the part production process.
Film finishes are applied to metal and plastic for automotive
and non- automotive markets