These efficient paint products will add time back into your day

Jan. 1, 2019
Properly manage your time in the paint department, and you’ll see a steady revenue stream. Even better, find ways to work more efficiently to boost production and you’ll see even more money in your coffers.

Of all the skills repairers have at their disposal, none is arguably more important than time management. Time is everything in an industry that’s driven by hourly rates, repair schedules and efficient throughput. Nowhere is this truer than a shop’s paint department, which also happens to be its biggest revenue generating area. Properly manage your time here, and you’ll see a steady revenue stream. Even better, find ways to work more efficiently to boost production and you’ll see even more money in your coffers.

There are plenty of ways to improve paint department production. One of the best is exploring new and upgraded products that are engineered to speed up your work. Paint manufacturers introduce a variety of new and improved tools every year. Here’s a look at just some of the latest and greatest products from each paint vendor aimed at making 2019 the year every shop can reach new production goals.

(Photo courtesy of Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes) If you want to speed up finish times, start by addressing prep work. Vendors offer lots of products that significantly cut time and waste during this task.

AkzoNobel

If you’re looking to save time in the paint department, the best place to start is prepping, which by its nature is time intensive, involving lots of sweat and work steps. It’s also the foundation of every finish job so you don’t want to take shortcuts that end up creating a whole host of problems require significant time and expense to repair. Instead, look for products that reduce labor steps while assuring quality.

AkzoNobel’s Autosurfacer UV primer claims to do just that with, beginning with its ability to be used in 85 percent of all repairs. Sticking to a single product saves both time and money that would be spent locating and stocking multiple fillers. AlzoNobel says the primer can be applied directly to metal and doesn’t require a wash primer on steel surfaces. Further, it’s engineered to resist shrinking and while remaining sensitive to contour-mapping, allowing Autosurfacer UV to be applied to critical substrates.

Following application, Autosurfacer UV claims to provide some of the fastest curing times in the market. AkzoNobel reports just five minutes of UV-A exposure will fully cure the product, cutting both labor and energy costs. When used with the recommended UV-A Lamp Tesla Cure R100 lamp, that time drops to less than two minutes. Sanding can begin immediately thereafter.

Looking for more savings? AkzoNobel says Autosurfacer UV cuts paint usage up to 50 percent per repair compared to conventional primers. With its 1K formula, Autosurfacer UV significantly reduces the risk of mixing errors and waste. The product also is isocyanate free, making it safer to use by reducing health risks.

Axalta

Just how much of a difference can using the right waterborne make? Quite a bit, according to Axalta Coating Systems who says its Spies Hecker Permahyd Hi-TEC waterborne basecoat lets you get more cars through the booth by delivering better coverage and eliminating the need to flash between coats.

“When people think about waterborne basecoats, they don’t always think about the technology behind them,” says Steffen Apollo, Spies Hecker Brand Manager. “But Permahyd Hi-TEC was designed to deliver a superior color match and finish in much less time.”

Permahyd Hi-TEC decreases cycle time by only requiring one and a half coats to cover, compared to other competitive basecoats that need additional coats with intermediate flash time to achieve the same coverage. Permahyd Hi-TEC offers a wet-on-wet process so no flash time is needed between coats. Shops end up being able to do more with less.

BASF

BASF also has targeted cutting paint prep times with a new primer filler for shops looking to repair minor to moderate damage more efficiently. Like its competitors, Glasurit 151-170 UV Primer Filler, grey, is designed to reduce process times, energy and waste. It too works with long-wave ultraviolet light (UV-A radiation) that BASF says enables the primer filler to “literally” dry at the speed of light.

Since no heat develops with UV-A radiation, process times are additionally shortened because there’s no need for a cooling phase. The lack of heat also means plastic bumpers won’t become deformed and require costly repairs. BASF notes other efficiencies the product offers:

  • No need to spend time moving work to other areas since the primer doesn’t require a separate space.
  • Painters don’t have to stop and suit up in traditional protective gear as need only protective glasses and regular protective gloves are necessary.
  • Glasurit 151-170 UV Primer Filler is a 1K product without a limited pot life so there’s little chance of waste.
  • Hardener and thinner additives aren’t needed, and once the product is in the cup, the shelf runs several days so it’s available for multiple jobs.

PPG

(Photo courtesy of PPG) PPG’s line of Deltron products are made specifically to speed up finish production times at shops of any size and anywhere.

Shops frequently miss out on potentially lucrative work doing minor repairs because they either don’t have competitively-priced options or can’t risk disrupting their standard operations with small jobs. PPG hopes to address both these issues with its DELTRON Speed Prime Repair System for Minor Damage, which is designed for repairing scratches, dings, small dents and hailstorm dimples.

PPG describes the system as a quick, economical repair option for shops of any size, anywhere. How easy is it to use? PPG submits the following directions based on the severity of the repair.

Slight Damage

  1. Thoroughly wash the entire vehicle with soap and water.
  2. Clean areas to be repaired with SWX350 H2O-So-Clean followed by SX330 or SXA330 Acryli-Clean Wax and Grease remover.
  3. Sand the damaged area with P220 grit by hand or by using a dual action (DA) sander. A 3-inch disk may be used to keep the area as small as possible. Be careful to not cut-through the OEM finish to the metal.
  4. After sanding blow off surface with compressed air and re-clean with SX330 or SXA330, followed by SWX350.
  5. If any bare metal is exposed in the sanding process, mix and apply 2 coats of ONECHOICE SX1071 ECOBASE or SXA1031 Etch Prime - Gray to any bare metal areas and allow to dry.
  6. Mix and apply up to three coats of DPS3105 V-PRIME Quick Prime Urethane Surfacer using a reverse priming technique and allow to dry.
  7. Block sand primer surfacer with P320 grit paper until flat and then finish with P600.
  8. Re-clean one final time and continue with recommended PPG Deltron Premium Top Coat Systems.

Moderate damage

  1. Thoroughly wash entire vehicle with soap and water.
  2. Clean areas to be repaired with SWX350 H2O-So-Clean followed by SX330 or SXA330 Acryli-Clean Wax and Grease remover.
  3. Sand damaged area with P180 grit by hand or by using a dual action sander. A 3-inch disk may be used to keep the area as small as possible.
  4. After sanding blow off surface with compressed air and re-clean with SX330 or SXA330, followed by SWX350.
  5. Mix and apply DF705 TECHNIFILL Plus lightweight body filler to areas where filler is needed.
  6. Sand and block filler with P180 grit paper, followed by P320 grit in preparation for primer surfacer.
  7. Thoroughly scuff panel edges with a scotch brite pad, then finish sand the entire panel with P600 DA.
  8. Blow off surface with compressed air and re-clean with SX330 or SXA330 followed by SWX350
  9. Mix and apply two coats of OneChoice SX1071 Ecobase or SXA1031 Etch Prime - Gray to any bare metal areas and allow to dry.
  10. Mix and apply up to three coats of DPS3105 V-Prime Quick Prime Urethane Surfacer using a reverse priming technique and allow to dry for 30 to 45 minutes.
  11. Block sand the primer surfacer with P320 grit paper until flat and finish with P600 grit.
  12. Re-clean one final time and continue with recommended PPG Deltron Premium Topcoat Systems.

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes

Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes (SWAF) has created a number of recent products whose specific purpose is reducing production time. Its P30 and P27 SpectraPrime Speed Primers incorporate special Air-Bake technology allowing them to cure in as little as 15 minutes at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This feature also eliminates the need for the bake cycle, which cuts both time and energy costs.

The primer system additionally reduces the number of basecoats shops need to achieve hiding since they’re available in seven factory-packaged colors that can be mixed together to create over 165 colors. Fewer basecoats means less money tied up in inventory and less time searching for the right product. The system also provides wet-on-wet applications, eliminating flash time between coats.

(Photo courtesy of Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes) SWAF says high-quality and quick results can go hand in hand with its CC200 Dynamic Clearcoat, which bakes in half the time and at lower temperatures than other glamour coats.

If you’re looking for other savings, SWAF says a built-in guide coat creates a gloss level that allows shops to spot un-sanded areas quickly while reducing the need to use a dry guide coat. Further, neither system requires a flex additive for application on flexible surfaces, saving additional labor and costs.

SWAF also is making the case that speed and high-quality can go hand in hand with a premium finish, CC200 Dynamic Clearcoat, it says bakes in half the time of “typical glamour clearcoats” and at lower temperatures. CC200 Dynamic Clearcoat is engineered to be used by painters at any level and repair environment. SWAF calls the finish a “workhorse” product that can effectively replace several clearcoats, simplifying work while increasing throughput and slashing energy costs.

Ready to get started working faster and more profitably? Help is just a phone call away to your vendor. The sooner and faster you act, the sooner you can speed up work in the paint department and throughout your operation.

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