Bodyshop Waterborne

The Practical Guide To

Waterborne Conversion

A supplement to

Bodyshop Canada’s magazine for collision repair professionals since 1970

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S.

contents

Another Year Wiser?

W

elcome to the second annual Bodyshop Waterborne Paint Supplement. What a year it has been. When we were putting together last year’s edition, the discussion was all about the legislation, and figuring out when it will take effect. Well, one year hence, we all have a pretty solid understanding of the legislation, but we’re not much closer to having a solid answer in terms of the exact timing. In fact, as of press time, the government has yet to publish its long-anticipated Gazette II, which those in attendance at the Edmonton CCIF meeting were assured would solve the mystery. For shop owners and managers, though, should you take governmental delays as a sign to hold off on conversion? The top shops and most paint manufacturers certainly don’t think so. Despite the ambiguity and rumour, there remains no doubt that it is absolutely going to happen, with or without the buy-in of every single shop.

With that in mind, we’ve put together two very different articles for your perusal. One, a more technical feature, leans on the help of the professionals at I-CAR, and is designed as a review of the procedural and methodological differences between waterborne paints and what you may have sprayed in the past. If you’ve already converted, take the opportunity to review some of these pointers, and make sure everyone is on the same page. If you’re still waiting to convert, have a read and look at this as a bit of a prep course.

The other article should help dispel some rumours you may have heard about the conversion to waterborne, and encourage you to take a closer look at the conversion question. What’s more, the data used is all provided by you, the readers, as we’ll be taking a sneak peak at some of the preliminary data gleaned from our own semi-annual waterborne survey.

While the government might be a little slow in providing the answers, we’re not. Take a few minutes and enjoy the read.

J.D. Ney, Editor jdney@bodyshopbiz.com

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6

Behind the Numbers Semi-Annual Waterborne Survey Results: We take an early peek at some of our waterborne survey results and discuss some of the issues surrounding conversion.

The Waterborne Tech Review: There might not be a test at the end, but learning some of the basics, or reviewing what you might already know, is never time wasted.

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Copyright © 2009 DuPont. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPontTM and Cromax® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

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www.VOCcompliance l THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WATERBORNE CONVERSION

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Behind the

Numbers Semi-Annual Waterborne Survey Results

By J.D. Ney

Bodyshop magazine recently sent out our semi-annual waterborne survey. And while you’ll have to wait until the August issue to get the full results, what better time to take a quick look at some of the preliminary findings, particularly when it comes to the issues surrounding conversion? What’s more, we’ve asked industry insiders Keith Burns from PPG and Scott Smith from the Automotive Industries Association of Canada for some big-picture guidance. While, much like the rest of us, they can’t shed much light on implementation dates—“Unfortunately, I do not have a better answer for you than what was presented at the last CCIF meeting in Edmonton,” says Smith.

“I do not yet have an answer from Environment Canada. As I understand from the CCIF meeting, Environment Canada will publish the Regulations in Gazette Part 2 this spring [which will need to happen this week if that is to hold true]—which means that non-low-VOC content product can continue to be manufactured and sold for a period of one year and inventory can be sold for an additional six months after that,” he explains.

However, aside from the drop-dead date, plenty of other rumours still surround both the legislative and implementation sides of the issue, while others remain at the shopfloor level about paint quality, cost, and efficiency. The answers provided by you, the shop owners, managers, and techs, combined with the thoughts of AIA’s Smith and PPG’s Burns, will hopefully shed some light on an admittedly murky issue.

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THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WATERBORNE CONVERSION l

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Rumour 1:

Waterborne paints will cost me more

Are your material costs higher, lower or the same since the conversion?

Answer Options Response Response

Percent Count Higher

60.0%

42

Lower

11.4%

8

Same

28.6%

20

answered question 70 skipped question 64

This one depends on what you’re looking at.

There is certainly some truth to this statement, in that the majority of respondents to our survey—60%, to be exact—say that their material costs since converting to whichever waterborne provider they have selected have gone up. While it’s not an overwhelming majority, the results are clear. However, leaving the question at that would ignore a couple of other key aspects. If you take a look at Graph 2, you’ll see that when it comes to overall operating cost, a little less than 48% reported that their cost is now higher, whereas more than 52% say that their cost has decreased, or remained the same. The reasoning for this becomes quite apparent in Graph 3, where we see shop owners and managers describing the efficiency or productivity attained with the new product. According to them, only 16.9% of cases have experienced a drop in productivity, whereas 83.1% report that their productivity has either improved or remained the same with the new paint.

Are your operating costs higher, lower or the same since conversion?

Answer Options Response Response

Percent Count

Has the productivity of your paint department improved/declined since the conversion?

Answer Options

Response Percent

Response Count

Higher

47.8% 33

Improved

28.2%

20

Lower

2.9%

Declined

16.9%

12

Same

49.3% 34

Same

54.9% 39

2

answered question 69 skipped question 65

answered question skipped question

71 63

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What is the greatest benefit of using waterborne basecoat?

(Please check one only.)

Answer Options

2

Rumour 2:

The conversion to waterborne is all about the environment

Much like the last rumour, this one has an element of truth. Obviously, the government’s decision arose largely out of environmental concerns, but according to shops across the country, their decision to convert earlier rather than later involved many other factors, most having little to do with eco-concerns.

According to our survey, 8.5% did so to achieve productivity gains, 5.6% were after a marketing edge, and nearly 40% were looking for better technical support earlier rather than later in the process.

3

Response Percent

Response Count

Competitive advantage 8.5%

6

Employee satisfaction 2.8%

2

Environmental/ employee health benefits

28.2%

20

“Green” marketing potential

7.0%

5

Improved product characteristics vs. solvent-based (ie.: better coverage, better colour match)

I35.2%

25

Lower cost for paint and refinish materials

1.4%

1

Productivity gains

4.2% 3

Reduced fire hazard

2.8%

2

Other (please specify) 9.9%

7

answered question skipped question

71 63

Rumour 3:

I can wait until the end to convert

The previous question saw some 40% of you convert early because you wanted first access to the technical support that goes along with the conversion. According to our survey, it would seem as though capacity for that support could be overwhelmed should all of those who claim to be waiting until the last minute actually do so. With upwards of 80% of unconverted respondents clearly looking to hold out until the bitter end, there are increasingly dire warnings. PPG’s Burns says that while his company plans on making solvent-borne paint until otherwise mandated, he does note that there could be a shortage of training. “There is no plan to stop selling solvent-based products for those customers who have not completed the conversion to water until the stop-manufacture or import provisions are in place,” he says.

However, he goes on to warn, “We have provided information that waiting until the last minute could lead to delays for conversion if a lot of shops choose to follow the same path. Stock levels will not be a prob-

When do you plan to convert?

lem, but training could be impacted.”

The AIA’s Scott Smith sees the situation in an even more precarious light, given that some manufacturers could be unwilling to deal in two different inventories.

“It’s my understanding that the [dropdead] date is becoming irrelevant for two reasons: first, that the proposed date is almost upon us and there is no word yet; and second, that many of the suppliers and distributors are of the opinion that the conversion rate among shops is high enough that carrying two inventories will cease to make economic sense,” he says. “Carrying and distributing two inventories is both expensive and unnecessary.

“Most of the larger-volume shops have already converted. While I cannot speak for individual companies on their willingness to continue with two lines of product, I would say it is in the best interest of shops who have not yet converted to consider doing so in the near future and avoid any last-minute rush if solventbased product were suddenly unavailable.”

Unavailable trainers or unavailable paint,

Answer Options

Response Percent

Response Count

June to Dec.

087.3% 3

Jan. to June

099.8%

July to Dec.

0982.9% 34

answered question

41

skipped question

93

4

the impact on your shop is the same: downtime, and that’s something we’re all looking to avoid.

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www.VOCcompliance l THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WATERBORNE CONVERSION

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The Waterborne

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Tech Review

aterborne refinishing technology is no longer the wave of the future, but rather the new standard to which the industry must adapt, regardless of legislative timing. While conversion across the country has been progressing, there are still many shops waiting their turn, or simply procrastinating for as long as possible. Regardless of the camp you’re in, there are a few technical points of reference that are vital when it comes to the new technology. Below are some tips and tricks suggested by the technical pros at I-CAR. First and foremost, let’s understand the point that waterborne basecoats are not new.

OEMs have been applying waterborne basecoats for over 20 years. Though some paint makers have been selling waterborne basecoats successfully for over 10 years, the experience of most paint makers was not always successful.

That’s mostly been due to low demand, but there were also application concerns. Some early forms of waterborne basecoats sprayed out with a pebbly look, and unless the mate-

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THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WATERBORNE CONVERSION l

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rial was sprayed wet the basecoat would not lay out, creating severe orange peel with successive coats. Newer forms of this material still have an orange peel appearance when first applied, but the effect goes away.

Some concerns with waterborne basecoats still exist with the newer materials. Spraying equipment that doesn’t corrode is required, and waterborne coatings require a very large volume of air for drying. As a result, spray booths must have an airflow velocity of at least 20 metres (70 feet) per minute. What’s more, portable blow dryers are required in the spot repair process. There’s also the hazardous waste issue, in that waterborne does not mean excess material can be poured down the drain. In fact, the term itself can be a bit misleading, because “waterborne” does not mean that water is the only solvent.

That’s the case with most latex coatings, but waterborne automotive finishes are not latex. Waterborne basecoat does use certain solvents, including some hydrocarbon types, to reduce the resins and pigments. Co-solvent is the blending of

these various synthetic and modified liquids with purified water.

Waste from this product is considered hazardous, and must be properly disposed of.

And part of the proper disposal method is not mixing waterborne waste with solvent-borne waste. Depending on local waste regulations, the collision repair facility may also need to have lined containers, and gross waste may need to be separated from rinse water waste.

In addition to these concerns, when it comes to actually applying waterborne basecoats, there’s a learning curve in both setup and actual application.

Learning Waterborne

For those refinishers not familiar with applying waterborne basecoats, some knowledge and retraining is needed. Shop and environmental conditions may be a determinant in whether a facility can use this type of material. Temperature may also become important, and humidity plays a major role in the drying process. If the atmosphere is full of water, these materials won’t be able to expel the water from within, severely slowing the

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drying process. Heat, either via infrared lighting or hot air, greatly assists the dry time.

Heated spray booths provide good drying when the temperature is maintained at 30°C (80°F) or above, both during the spraying and drying operations.

Application

Spraying a waterborne basecoat is not much different from applying a solvent-borne basecoat, except that the recommended spraying overlap is different. Unlike the traditional 50% overlap used for solvent-borne refinishing materials, most paint makers recommend using a 75%–80% overlap when spraying waterborne refinishing materials.

Because of the higher solids content, fewer coats may be required. Waterborne coatings will result in less overall film thickness. When applied, waterborne basecoats are approximately half the thickness of traditional solvent-borne basecoats.

Waterborne basecoat appears different from solvent-borne basecoats just after it is applied. It looks very saturated and wet. Metallic colours may appear to be severely mottled. However, when the finish dries, the paint appears uniform. Air-acceleration equipment, such as an air multiplier, forces the water out of the basecoat. Air multipliers can be hand-held, mounted on a stand, or wallmounted. Spray guns should not be used as an air movement system. This can cause the basecoat material inside the gun to dry.

Preparation for applying waterborne basecoat follows the standard process of cleaning the surface with soap and water, wax and grease remover, and sanding with P600-P1000 sandpaper. The surface is re-cleaned after sanding, then the area is completely dried, and finally wiped with a tack rag.

Important Tips About Spray Guns

Spray gun fluid tips range from 1.0–1.3 mm.

The spray gun must have stainless steel or plastic fluid passages. Spray tests have shown that the gravity-feed style works best and is easy to clean.

For spot repairs, apply three to four light coats until hiding is achieved. Use portable air blowers between coats. Blending can be done following the paint maker’s process for reducing air pressure or further reducing the material. Larger panels, sections, or complete vehicle refinishing can be sprayed with medium coats. Accelerated drying may not be required due to the size of the area being refinished. Metallic colours will normally require a final mist coat to even out the metallic effect. Be careful to not over-wet the surface while mist-coating. This step is done only to control metallic position and orientation.

What’s more, spray equipment must be thoroughly cleaned immediately after each use. Following the paint maker’s recommendation, only use water to clean, and follow with isopropyl alcohol if recommended. Do not use solvent, as it will set the waterborne

material and make it difficult to remove. After cleaning completely, dry the spray gun, attach it to an air supply, and spray until all residue is gone.

Waterborne paint technology, while not new, is certainly making shops across the country take on some new challenges. But, with the right set of technical information and the right training, the conversion can be reasonably painless. In fact, most readers who responded to our survey mentioned few serious issues. In terms of ensuring that you fall into that same camp, perhaps the most important tip of all is working closely with your paint supplier, and being sure to ask all the key questions. They too want your conversion to be a success story, so be sure to use their resources as well as your own.

Three Quick Tips • Never mechanically agitate waterborne materials. Paint shakers will cause the material to capture micro-size air bubbles in the material. Hand-stir only.

• Use nylon strainers. Paper strainers use water-based glue that separates when it comes into contact with waterborne products. Paper mixing containers will do the same.

• Protect waterborne materials from freezing. Most paint makers recommend temperatures no lower than 4°C (40°F).

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www.VOCcompliance l THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WATERBORNE CONVERSION

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It’s good for the environment, but is it good for me?

Will waterborne affect my work quality?

My profitability?

How do I get started?

Am I asking the right questions?

Waterborne. The right answers for the right time. The environmental benefits of reducing VOCs are obvious, but Spies Hecker can show you how to create the right conditions in your body shop to improve cycle times using waterborne technology. We can answer your questions about potential equipment, training and procedure needs. Contact us at 800.668.6945, prompt 5.

Spies Hecker – productive refinish systems, innovative ideas.

The Greentec icon is featured on all advance-technology Spies Hecker® Permahyd® products, indicating that the product complies with strict VOC regulations.

Copyright © 2008 DuPont

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