Canadian Finishing and Coatings Manufacturing: Nov/Dec 2022 - 27

PAINT AND COATINGS MANUFACTURING: AUTOMOTIVE REFINISHING
" Clear coat is one of the most expensive coatings that a shop pays for. We strive for transfer efficiency,
but in the end, it relates back to the painter. Every time a painter uses less paint to complete a job, it's a
bottom-line cost impact for the shop. "
- Paton Cozart, Manual Atomisation Manager, Carlisle
" These systems are a key part of the vehicle's safety systems, so
it is essential that the repairs on vehicles with ADAS are carried
out correctly with a RADAR-capable coating and the proper
repair process, " adds Angrove. " This is one of our industry's
biggest challenges at the moment, and industry standards in this
area are needed. "
The collision repair industry is also seeing an increase in
demand for OEMs to certify collision repair facilities.
" The knowledge to work on today's complex vehicles and the
investment in the equipment and tools that are needed, requires
specialty knowledge and expertise, " says Angrove. " Certification
can help ensure body shops are prepared to meet that challenge. "
Mix It Up
With so many sensor technologies residing under the painted
surface, collision repair professionals are tasked with
understanding how much product is required to refinish those
areas after a repair-if they add too much paint the sensors won't
work properly.
Angrove says there is also an increased demand for accurate
colour matching and product offerings that help facilities put
more cars through the paint booth, as well as advanced technology
to support the painting process.
" For colour match technology and faster throughput times,
PPG has introduced several new technologies. Our MoonWalk
automated paint mixing system helps shops manage product
usage and increase throughput. It also saves on labour, reduces
waste and transforms the refinish mixing room into a clean and
safe environment, " says Angrove. " Our PPG LINQ cloud-based,
digital ecosystem includes our DigiMatch next generation
spectrophotometer, which features six reflectance and six
imaging angles. It's also a smaller and more ergonomic design,
which allows painters to work in smaller spaces. "
Once the painter gets a colour reading with the DigiMatch-
in about 30 seconds-he or she can review colour matches with
PPG's VisualizID cloud-based software to identify the best match
without having to rely on colour cards or spray-out techniques.
" On average, body shops have reported that this process saves
them about 2.5 hours per week thanks to reduced spray-outs, "
says Angrove.
PPG's premium product for collision repair processes is the
Envirobase High Performance line, which is a VOC-compliant,
water-based technology that enables superior colour matching
capabilities.
Angrove adds, " Outside of the tools we provide, we can also
work with repair shops to deliver in-shop consultations to help
them constantly improve on both the products they use and the
processes they follow. We also have an array of training programs
to address these issues as well. "
Ready, Aim, Accuracy
One of the biggest challenges for this industry is the lack of fresh
talent flowing through the doors. The average age of a collision
repair professional is 50 to 55, according to Bill Drozd, national
account manager for Carlisle Fluid Technologies.
" That's why we're constantly working towards being a onestop-shop
for as much equipment as we can provide to our end
users, " says Paton Cozart, manager for manual atomisation
for Carlisle. " We've specialised in producing and developing
atomisation technology for spray guns and equipment for 130
years. And we want to provide new solutions for painters coming
into the market. "
Standard applications you will find in the paint booth include
spray guns for primers, base coats and clear coats.
" But each of those materials have their own function in the
overall coating. And because of that, and because of how our paint
company partners have developed their products, they do have
different characteristics when they are being atomised, " says
Cozart. " That being said, we started developing more specialised
solutions and created platforms such as the DV1 Base, DV1 Clear
and DV1 smart repair series that are very focused on applying
that material and hitting all of the attributes for those coatings. "
The base coat gun is focused on colour matching, while the
clear coat DV1 is designed to apply a larger pattern with higher
efficiencies over a larger surface.
" Clear coat is one of the most expensive coatings that a shop
pays for. We strive for transfer efficiency, but in the end, it
relates back to the painter. Every time a painter uses less paint to
complete a job, it's a bottom-line cost impact for the shop, " says
Cozart. " We want to make sure that each droplet leaving the gun
is the same size as the one below it and above it and make sure
that most of what they're spraying is getting on the product. "
The trouble is that this is a very manual process, and every
painter is different. To help with spray application efficiencies,
Drozd says that Carlisle knows coatings are constantly changing
and that is why they partner with paint manufacturers to develop
technology that satisfies the performance of their particular
product.
" We work with some of the industry's leading providers, such
as PPG, BASF, AkzoNobel and Axalta to work through paint
November/December 2022
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Canadian Finishing and Coatings Manufacturing: Nov/Dec 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Finishing and Coatings Manufacturing: Nov/Dec 2022