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The Auto Painting Tips Newsletter
With Chris Curwen & Expert Auto Painter - Dave Gage (Car Cosmetics) October 9th, 2007 - Issue 24 In this issue:
We both wanted to cover this topic this week as we both feel it's important that you know a little background on automotive paint products. The manufacturing of automotive paint products is a highly technical and scientific industry. In addition to meeting customers' requirements with high quality automotive paint products, paint manufacturers must always comply to increasing health & safety, environmental standards and car paint spraying regulations. When a new product is developed for the auto paint industry, it must meet all of the strict car paint spraying regulations related to personal user safety and overall environmental pollution criteria. Even if a new paint product may be able to cover car bodies in one easy stage, shine continuously without the need for wax or polish and resist oxidation problems and any other disabling factors, this does not guarantee it would meet all car paint spraying regulations and be safe to use. It may require a different type of application procedure or a special high-tech filtering system to prevent hazardous fumes from harmfully affecting users or poisoning the atmosphere. Therefore, an even balance has to be reached for all automotive paint products that will not only serve their function as intended, but also be safe for people to use and for the environment. The research required to develop quality automotive paint products includes continuing research and development by paint manufacturers through their teams of scientists and chemical engineers. In addition to the development of new and energetic colors, researchers within this field of study carry out tests to determine the amount of hazardous materials created by various automotive paint products and their application techniques. Such scientists and engineers, along with those from other related fields, have invented water-based automotive paint products, although they are mostly undercoat related materials. Furthermore, a relatively new system of paint application has been developed that incorporates a high-volume spray with very low pressure. This system, known as High Volume Low Pressure or HVLP, allows more paint to adhere to vehicle bodies with far less overspray compared with conventional spray paint systems. To read more on HVLP systems, please refer to our issue on HVLP. Since more material adheres to properly prepared sheet metal surfaces, much less is lost to the atmosphere through clouds of overspray that ricochet off body panels into the air. Through increased safety awareness and continued research and development, manufacturers are on a mission to one day develop environmentally safe paint materials that can be satisfactorily applied by a means that will almost completely eliminate overspray and therefore reduce pollution to nothing. For now, automotive painters must be aware of all car paint spraying regulations, the potential hazards and take advantage of all recommended car paint protection solutions, safety procedures and equipment. Car paint protection solutions include the use of: * Positive pressure full-face respirators, * Protective hoods, * Quality rubber gloves, * Painters' safety clothing. Chapter 4 of How to Paint a Car - The Written Guide includes detailed sections on safety procedures and equipment. Remember that automotive paint products are hazardous, so make sure that you are aware of all car paint protection solutions. The chemistry involved in automotive paint materials is quite complex. You could learn a lot more by visiting your local library, should you wish to. Although that information really won't be of much help to you if you simply want to learn how to paint your car or truck. But you need to understand some automotive paint properties in order to choose the proper products and achieve a professional looking and long lasting paint finish on your vehicle. All that to come next week! ******************************************************************************** That's all we have for you this week. Thank you very much for reading. We both hope this issue has been of valued interest to you. COMING NEXT ISSUE: Happy Painting! Chris Curwen & Dave Gage www.LearnAutoPainting.com © 2007
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