BASF Coatings eliminates the
necessity for a separate
primer layer in automotive
OEM coatings. Lower investment
levels, reduced operating costs,
material savings, improved
productivity, enhanced energy
efficiency and better ecological
balances are some of the
advantages of Integrated Process II,
a new system technology
developed by BASF’s coatings
business. Integrated Process II
streamlines automotive production
line coating--in particular, the
overall length of painting lines, the
number of process steps involved
and cycle times. Building on its
earlier ideas, BASF has achieved a
major breakthrough a unique
system technology that eliminates
an entire coating layer and yet can
be seamlessly integrated into
existing plants.With the
elimination of a coating layer,
volatile organic compound (VOC)
emissions are reduced without
limiting the available colour range.
Eliminating the primer but not its
functions
BASF’s innovative Integrated
Process II enables the elimination
of the entire primer application
section of a coating line-along with
the associated cleaning, sanding,
dust extraction, water treatment,
waste disposal and pre and
post-treatment operations-while
retaining all of the primer’s
functions. The result is a much
shorter coating line. The functions
of the primer are performed by a
new water-based paint system
consisting of two components:
Colour Pro I, which absorbs
ultraviolet radiation) and Colour
Pro II. In combination, the Colour
Pro I Colour Pro II layers perform all
the functions normally associated
with primers- from ensuring
protection against stone chipping,
to providing a base for an excellent
overall finish.
In a conventional process, the
primer is applied in one step and
then baked. This is followed by the
application of the basecoat in two
steps. In the Integrated Process II
system, the primer is eliminated
then, in place of the traditional
basecoat, Colour Pro I is applied in
the first step and Colour Pro II in
the second step. Existing
equipment can continue to be
used. All that is needed is the
installation of a second paint
supply system (consisting of three
or four circulation lines) in the first
booth. The design of ColourPro I
and ColourPro II guarantees all
common basecoat application
methods used.
Improving the traditional coating
process
Automotive coatings fall within an
extremely wide range of
specifications set by automobile
manufacturers. In order to meet
the high surface finishing
standards demanded by the
automotive industry, coatings
carefully matched for compatibility
are applied in several layers.
Searching for a more ecologically
sustainable and cost-efficient
solution, BASF’s experts asked
themselves whether the traditional
coating process, proven in millions
of applications, could be improved.
Next, they asked themselves if it
was possible to create a
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