Automotive Paints and Coatings

By Hans-Joachim Streitberger, and Karl-Friedrich Dossel

The book covers the painting process of passenger cars and ‘‘light trucks’’, as they are called by the American automotive industry. These vehicles are mass manufactured and therefore their coating requirements in terms of processing and coating performance are similar in nature. The key performance drivers in automotive coatings are quality, cost, and environmental compliance. Quality, in this context, relates to corrosion protection and long lasting appearance. Quality and cost are addressed by more efficient coating processes and a higher degree of automatization. This has led to reduced use of paint and lesser waste per body. With the widespread use of high solid, waterborne, and powder coatings, solvent emission from paint shops have been reduced by more than 50% over the last ten years.