Plastic repairs with speed and simplicity

Plastic repairs with speed and s mplicity

Two new plastic repair solutions from SEM Products bring super quick Dual-Mix™ technology to let you make common plastic repairs with ease, versatility and speed.

These days, it’s no surprise that collision centre owners / managers are focused on the bottom-line cost of each job. Typically, the aim is to minimise labour cost but if you can also include speed, quality and flexibility, along with simplicity, it becomes a winning combination. When it comes to plastic repairs, SEM Products has done exactly that by launching two options with market leading abilities. As the name suggests, Dual-Mix™ Multi-Plastic Repair Material caters to the majority of plastic types, while Dual-Mix™ Problem Plastic Repair Material provides a handy solution for rare types of plastic. Both feature two-pack Dual-Mix technology which delivers excellent adhesion while also curing and being ready to sand in just 15 minutes.

Recently, Tom Widmer, SEM Technical Sales Manager, based at the company’s headquarters in, South Carolina, visited Australia to explain the advantages of these time-saving new products.

Keep it simple, keep it fast!

All the way through the process, these products have been designed to be very quick and effective but, at the same time, very simple. We have deliberately made it easier to do the process right, than do it wrong. This leaves a lot less room for errors that can cause reworks. It also means there are some big differences between SEM Products plastic repair solutions and the competitors. For a start, the technician doesn’t need to spend time trying to work out what type of plastic it is. When dealing with most plastics – basically, the flexible ones – Dual-Mix Multi-Plastic Repair

Material is the go-to choice. On the odd occasion when you strike a rigid or unusual plastic, there is Dual-Mix Problem Plastic Repair Material.

For simplicity, both products can be applied directly over raw plastic without the need to apply an adhesion promotor first. This is a step where the technicians might either incorrectly apply the adhesion promotor or accidently ‘forget’ to do it all together. Our theory is, you can’t forget a step that is not there! Yet another advantage is when feather-edging. We are the only company that says you can go ahead and feather right into the existing paintwork. Other products recommend feather-edging into the raw plastic and then having a second feather-edge into the existing paintwork but this is just extra potential for them to show through after the repair which can result in a rework.

It’s also simple when it comes to the actual repair job. The same SEM Products material is used on the inside and outside of the repair and both sides can be done simultaneously – there is no need to wait for one side to cure before continuing. For the final finish, you can choose between applying a thin layer of SEM Products plastic repair material, applying polyester body filler over it or apply a urethane primer – they are all fine so it’s up to you. All these factors make Dual-Mix™ Multi-Plastic Repair Material and Dual-Mix™

Problem Plastic Repair

Material very easy to train, learn and quickly begin getting the most from.

Complementary to plastic welding

SEM Products plastic repair materials are not designed to replace plastic welding – Dual-Mix MultiPlastic Repair Material and Dual-Mix Problem Plastic Repair Material are for use in addition to plastic welding. For example, they are not recommended for tears that go right to the edge of a panel – this is where plastic welding is a more effective solution. Rather, these SEM Products solutions are ideally suited to certain common repairs, such as a hole or tear in a bumper bar facia.

The process is simple, fast and effective:

Prep both sides, including dishing out the damaged area.

Place masking tape over the outside of the repair and then apply SEM Products Plastic Repair Reinforcing Tape on the inside.

Apply the plastic repair material on the inside. Place some SEM Products Plastic Repair Contouring Tape over it and use a spreader to smooth out the material. The Plastic Repair Contouring Tape can be removed after curing and reused on further jobs.

Turn the bumper over, remove the masking tape, apply plastic repair material over the outside and spread it out.

In 15 minutes, it’s cured and sanding can begin. As well as repairing accident damage, Dual-Mix Multi-Plastic Repair Material and Dual-Mix Problem Plastic Repair Material offer a perfect solution for certain awkward situations. Think about those times when a bumper (new or second hand) arrives with something like sensor holes or an extra indicator hole which doesn’t match the vehicle in your workshop. Simply using the above process to eliminate the unwanted holes means not having to wait for the correct part to arrive and the customer gets their vehicle back quicker.

SEM Products is a PPG company. Check out the extensive library of instructional videos on the Youtube channel, SEM Products Inc. A range of SEM Products are available from your PPG, Protec or CPC distributors. R