Axalta Coating Systems, the company behind the Cromax, Spies Hecker and Standox refinish paint brands, has provided car manufacturers with an insight into new electrocoat technology innovations at the 29th International Conference on Automotive Body Finishing (SURCAR).

The event brings together a global audience of influential members in the automobile industry and associated paint industry experts and was this year held in Cannes, France. This year’s topics centred on current and future technology changes, market trends, industry developments. 

One of the keynote speakers was Dr. Herman Yee, the Global Manager of Technology for Electrocoat at Axalta. His presentation, Electrocoat: Bringing Value to OEMs Today and into the Future, outlined the cost savings that the car industry can expect to make with higher electrocoat throw power. High throw power is appealing because it can reduce the consumption of electrocoat. He also presented a novel, Axalta-patented approach to rheology control for better edge protection. Designed for a lower temperature reaction, it can inhibit flow before crosslinking and prevent the electrocoat from flowing away from edges before curing. Dr. Yee concluded his presentation with an overview of future development targets for e-coats that cure at low oven temperatures.

Axalta invested over US$180 million last year to expand its R&D and technology capabilities, develop solutions in line with market needs, including low temperature curing and reduction of film build.

Dr. Yee pointed out that in five to eight years, a decrease in cure temperatures will be necessary. He concluded, “While significantly reduced oven temperatures can lead to cost savings, the real benefit to our customers is to allow plastic substrates on car bodies to pass through the electrocoat process without damage from the high temperatures typically associated with today’s ovens.”