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How Waterborne Technology Can Improve Cycle Time Performance The number of color coats required to make a refinish repair is one
it can significantly reduce sprayouts. Comprised of thousands of
primary consideration for evaluating the throughput performance
variant and prime color chips, each chip is sprayed with actual
of a refinish paint system. Yet, as most know, the most accurate
waterborne paint. “The color deck is ‘dead-on’,” says Jeff Smith of
way to vet a system’s productivity is to evaluate the entire refinish
Pro Collision, Grand Rapids, Michigan. “If the color is in the deck,
process – from color identification, right on through to the final
there’s no need to do a sprayout, like we always had to perform with
clearcoat. As example, PPG’s waterborne refinish system incorpo-
our previous system.”
rates a host of features designed to speed cycle time performance. Blending Performance Given that refinishing most often calls for blending, how efficient a system can perform an accurate repair and eliminate chances for re-dos is especially critical to achieving maximum cycle time performance. PPG’s waterborne system employs an easy, one-gun process designed to achieve a fast, tight blend and accurate match the first time out. In fact, in a 2-3 coat application, it’s possible to perform a spot repair in less than an hour.
This fast blend process is aided by a very thin film build,
enabling the basecoat to dry fast. Only 2-3 minutes flash time is needed between coats and the clearcoat can be applied in 1015 minutes. The system’s EN-V® Series clearcoat line offers fast bake times as short as 10 minutes. Color ID and Matching Efficiency
To ensure color accuracy, the basecoat’s latex particles orient
The throughput of a refinish system must include its color-match-
metallic flakes smoothly to accurately match the color travel from
ing ability. Afterall, if the color doesn’t match, how fast the repair
face to flop. Painters won’t find any evidence of mottling or halos
was achieved won’t matter. In this regard, PPG has heavily invested
around the repair, which can appear using conventional basecoats.
in ensuring the ENVIROBASE® High Performance waterborne
Any dirt or specks can be easily de-nibbed, further facilitating a
basecoat system delivers color-matching excellence. Its color
fast blend repair.
variance program is one example of this commitment.
Since color variants to OEM prime colors are an everyday
from color identification to final clearcoat—the Envirobase High
challenge for identifying a correct formula, those identified by
Performance system covers all the bases to achieve the cycle time
PPG’s color variance team are quickly incorporated into PPG’s
performance demanded by today’s high-production collision centers.
To summarize, when evaluating throughput performance—
comprehensive color formula database. Formulas are updated daily through PPG’s PAINTMANAGER® XI color software. In the long run, the daily update of the database saves the technician valuable time searching for the right color formula.
Another real time saver is the Chromatic Variant Deck since autobodynews.com / SEPTEMBER 2021 AUTOBODY NEWS 9
