Category: Car Protection

Car covers provide a great means for protecting your prized possession. I will explain here car cover pros and cons, as well as describe the primary types of covers and fabrics. Car paint protection is a great way to maintain your vehicle’s prime condition, preventing scratches, chips, fading, rusting, and dings from road debris, rocks, and pebbles.

DO YOU NEED A COVER?

If you store your car outside, the advantage of having a car cover can easily be seen. A cover will protect your car’s paint finish and interior from harmful ultraviolet rays. It will also protect the paint from the acidity of bird droppings that can quickly eat through the finish. Tree sap, leaves, and other pollutants also can stain or even ruin the paint. To repair the damage can be very time consuming, and possibly very expensive, depending on the extent.

If you store your car indoors, a cover will provide protection against dust and minor abrasions from foot traffic. Thicker and heavier fabrics generally provide better abrasion resistance. Delicate paint finishes are best protected by cotton fabrics, although there are some synthetic materials that can provide similar softness characteristics.

SO MANY FABRICS – SO FEW CARS!

The variety and array of cover fabrics can confound even an experienced textile professional. Listed below is a brief description of the three general categories used in manufacturing substrates with pros and cons.

WOVEN

Woven fabrics are stronger (greater tear strength) and more durable than bonded or non-woven fabrics. These fabrics are manufactured on high speed looms with yarns that run both vertically and horizontally. The yarn size and density (count) can vary depending on the fabric design and specifications. Woven fabrics usually fold and store compactly. They can be comprised of natural or man-made fibers that are often coated or treated for mildew, water and ultraviolet light protection.

NON-WOVEN

These fabrics are usually comprised of polymer fibers (polyolefins) that are compressed together under high heat or with adhesives. These fabrics are usually thicker than wovens and warp knits but offer less tear strength and durability. The added thickness can provide excellent abrasion resistance. However, the additional bulk can prove to be more cumbersome. The properties inherent in these fabrics usually provide good to excellent water, mildew and ultraviolet light protection.

WARP KNITS

Warp knit fabrics are manufactured on flat knitting machines that can resemble looms used for weaving. The fabrics are usually comprised of polyester or nylon yarns that run the length of the fabric to form interlocking loops. The yarn size and density (count) can vary depending on the fabric design and specifications. Warp knit fabrics usually fold and store compactly. They have excellent tear strength as well as water, mildew, and ultraviolet light resistance.

A FEW CAVEATS AND PRACTICAL TIPS

There are some things that need to be considered before purchasing a car cover. For example, most outdoor covers will repel a considerable amount of rain but will not keep the car completely dry. A cover must be breathable to allow the paintwork to breathe properly. If the cover material is not breathable, it can suffocate the paint which will cause it to discolor or possibly peel. Since air is able to pass through the cover, it is likely that water will eventually also work its way through the fabric to the paint. Even if it does not, during rapid temperature changes, condensation will form on the paintwork. However, a breathable cover material will allow the condensation or any rain water to evaporate, preventing damage to the paintwork.

Even the best outdoor cover is no substitute for a garage; however, a quality well fitted cover can protect a vehicle from the elements adding many years of life to the paintwork/convertible top and interior. Routine maintenance is also made much easier with the regular use of a cover.

If you will be removing your cover shortly after/during a rain storm, be prepared to deal with a very wet cover – some fabrics will retain much more water than others. If you do not have a place to let the cover dry, place it in a large bin or plastic bag until the weather conditions become more favorable. Allow the cover to air dry as soon as possible.

During winter months, if water forms on the paint surface and the temperature suddenly drops, the cover may freeze to the car. Allow time for the sun or rising temperatures to loosen the material before removing the cover.

Indoors, a cover can provide needed protection by diverting wandering eyes in public garages or preventing minor scrapes or scratches in private residences. Fabrics made from 100% cotton provide the ultimate in softness and protection for indoor use. Polyester/cotton blends, and some synthetic fabrics, can also provide excellent indoor protection while being suitable for occasional outdoor use.

Car covers can typically be washed in a home washing machine. More bulky covers should be washed in a commercial machine. Always wash in cold water with mild soap. Hot water and strong detergents can shrink and damage most covers. Additionally, a cover should always be hung to air dry. The high heat from a home or commercial dryer will damage most covers.

HOW TO PURCHASE A COVER

There are several variables to consider before making your selection
including:

Your Budget – This may limit your choices. For example, universal covers can provide good to excellent protection on a limited budget provided one is selected that fits properly. (An outdoor cover that is too loose can cause damage from the excess material flapping against the paint in the wind.) On the other end of the spectrum, some high-end
custom covers are made with soft, durable fabrics that provide an excellent fit with superior protection.

Indoor Or Outdoor Storage — Outdoor cover fabrics typically have water and ultraviolet light protection which makes them ideally suited toward harsh outdoor conditions. Although indoor cover fabrics are often safe for occasional outdoor use, their exposure should be limited.

Fabric Selection — Once you have determined your budget and identified how and where the cover will be used, it is time to select a fabric type. When phoning/visiting a retailer or manufacturer ask for fabric samples. There is no better way to compare fabrics than to see and feel them. Additionally, this will eliminate any questions or concerns regarding the quality and weight of the fabric to be purchased.

Although the purchase of a quality cover will require some preparation and fact finding, a properly selected cover can provide years of hassle free protection for your vehicle. It will reduce the amount of time needed for exterior maintenance, extend the life of the paint and trim components, as well as enhance the overall appearance of the vehicle.

Author:
Michael Trueba Jr
President
MPT Industries
Auto Chic
Phone: 973-989-9220
E-mail: mtrueba@mptindustries.com

Michael Trueba Jr has been president of MPT Industries, a manufacturer of custom vehicle covers and specialty lubricants, for over 20 years. Michael has over 25 years expenerince with textiles in a variety of industries and has performed undergraduate studies in Textile Technology and Textile and Apparel Marketing, as well as graduate studies in Finance.

E-mail: mtrueba@mptidustries.com
Web: http://www.mptindustries.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Michael_Trueba_Jr/209977

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1475172

The Short History of Powder Coatings

The essential feature of powder coatings is that the paint is applied in a dry state onto the object. The paint powder is then melted onto the product by putting the product into an oven. Protect your new car’s critical areas against scratches due to road debris, rock chips, bugs and sale with invisible durable urethane paint protection film.

Powder coatings are a postwar invention, when plastics became more sophisti-cated. The powder coating process was patented in 1953 by Dr. Erwin Gemmer.

Until 1965 powder coatings have been only used for functional applications (not aesthetical), where it was applied a layer thickness of 150 to 500 microns. The used powders then were mainly Nylon 11, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate (CAB), Polyethylene, (chlorinated) polyester and thermo curing Epoxies.

Powder coatings process at that time were mostly used for coating boat accessories, metal furniture, dishwasher and washing machine baskets. The process technique to apply powder coatings at that time is called the fluidized bed technology.

The very high layer thicknesses that were the result of the fluidized bed process, were not desirable for many applications. In general counts that the higher the layer thickness, the less smooth the surface texture becomes.

In the US some companies started in the early 70’s to experiment with applying powder coatings by using the now commonly used electrostatic powder gun.

Development of Powder Coatings

Powder coatings give better protection against corrosion than wetpaints. Wetpaints are mainly used when slickness (smoothness) of the surface structure is more important than corrosion and scratch resistance, like for example in cars. Powder coatings are technically superior to wetpaints except in surface smoothness.

Since the slickness of car bodies is one of the most important properties to be regarded as desirable, they are still wetpainted. Otherwise they also they would have been started to powder coat bodies long time ago.

In the late 60’s and early 70’s there were four basic types of thermal curing resins developed that are still used today. These are: Epoxy, Epoxy-Polyester hybrids, Polyurethane and Polyester (TGIC) resins. Since a few years also TGIC-free Polyester coatings are available.

The number of powder coating plants in the world grew fast since the early 70’s. The electrostatic powder coating process took over the environmentally harmful and labor-intensive wetpaintings.

Only in the early 80’s more commercial applications of powder coatings started to emerge, because the equipment began to drop in price and the initial limited choice of color and shine started to expand rapidly. Thereafter, the growth rate went explosively, and the technique began to displace the traditional spraying on most applications.

Applications of Powder Coatings

• Steel structures,
• Aluminum frames, windows and doors,
• Office furniture,
• Steel fencing,
• Light fictures,
• Car bodies and parts,
• Agricultural machinery,
• Radiators,
• Bicycles,
• Etcetera.

Different Types of Powder Coatings

• Epoxies
• Polyesters
• Epoxy-polyesters
• Acrylics
• Polyurethane
• Epoxy coatings are often used in two-layer system to protect heavy duty steel beams like on the adjacent photograph.

As replacement of the environment unfriendly dip galvanizing, there are nowadays highly advanced Sink-Epoxy powder coatings available. When processed properly in a duplex system, these systems can give up at least 20 to 30 years protection against corrosion.

The Principle of Electrostatic Powder Coating

The essence of powder coating is that tiny solid paint parts are charged in a magnetic field.

By charging the solid powder particles, via the gun, and grounding the metal object, arises a magnetic field between the powder and the object. As soon as the powder particles have left the gun, they start moving towards the grounded product.

The powder particles follow during their travel between the gun and the object the so called (magnetic) field lines. After passing through the magnetic field, the powder particles end up on the product, and adhere at the place where the field lines end, like a magnet on a steel object.

At locations where field lines are weak, there will group also less powder particles.

Composition of Powder Coatings

• Binder
• Pigment
• Filler
• Hardener
• Additives

By varying the type of raw material and the proportions, the properties of the coating can be influenced.

• Main Properties of Powder Coatings
• Structure Powders
• Degassing powders
• Metallics
• Thin layer Powders
• Low bake powders (low temperature)

The Faraday Cage Effect

One of the most occurring problems during the application of powder coatings with Corona guns is caused by the Faraday cage effect, because this technique uses an active electrical technique. A problem that the so called Tribo guns don’t have.

In the Corona technique not all the field lines are everywhere equal on the grounded product. Most field lines pinpoint on the outer corners of the product. On the flat surfaces are fewer field lines, and in cavities are the least field lines.

As a result most of the powder will gather on the corners and on sharp edges, and is it often difficult to inject the powder in small cavities.

Corona Versus Tribo

The adjacent picture shows the different results between the Corona and Tribo techniques. The left sample shows the result with the most commonly used Corona gun. And the right shows the result with the Tribo gun.

The Tribo technique has less problems with the Faraday cage effect, because the powder particles are statically charged in the gun itself, and doesn’t use the active charge that the Corona technique uses. But due to a few major disadvantages of the Tribo guns, like lower spray capacity and longer cleaning time during color change, the Corona guns are most used.

By means of the correct settings of equipment, the Faraday cage effect can be reduced, but cannot be avoided completely. Hence, the operator must often squirt manually to fill cavities of objects. Because of this, the production process becomes more labor intensive, and thus more expensive. Therefore, it is now an often well practiced part during the design process, to avoid unnecessary cavities in products, in order to avoid insufficient coverage.

Recovery

An important advantage of powder coating in contrast to liquid coatings, is that the recovered powder can be reused.

The powder particles leaving the cyclone (at the middle on the picture above) at the bottom side are returned to the storage tank. It is often assumed that all of the powder that ends up in the suction is fully recovered. In reality, it is only 80%, sometimes even less. This depends on the type of cyclone, and the condition of the filters in the extraction system.

If the filters are clogged, the air velocity in the cyclone will drop, and this diminishes the recovery power of the cyclone. As a result, larger amount of powder particles are also separated off as waste.

Color Change

The cleaning of the cabin is a very significant efficacy. The quality of the cleaning has much influence on the quality of the final product. In modern installations, the color change procedure can be performed in less than 10 minutes, whereas with older systems sometimes takes up to an hour.

Insufficient cleaning of the booth, the suction tubes or the cyclone leads to color contaminations. Any color contamination leads to rejection at the quality control. Get in touch for keeping your car paint protected from any dents.

Did you know that the average driver will get into 3 or 4 accidents in their entire lifetime? Most auto collisions will result in dents that may affect not only the structural integrity of the vehicle, but also the overall appearance. While there are many body fillers that can be applied to these dents, most auto shops are recommending a new type of technology: car paint protection. Familiarizing with the process involved with paintless dent removal and the benefits that it can offer can help you better determine whether you should give this new method or a try or resort to traditional body fillers.

How Does Paintless Dent Removal Work?

Paintless dent removal does not rely on paint nor body fillers. The process is simple. The mechanics will take the car apart, and gently massage the dents back into place using specialized tool and equipment. The exterior shell will be pushed back to its original position, so that the dent will no longer be noticeable.

Professionals who are skilled at paintless dent removal will be able to massage the shell back into position so well that the original dent is almost impossible to notice. Paintless dent removal is suitable for both aluminum and steel surfaces.

In order to implement paintless dent removal, the dent must be located on the exterior shell of the automobile, and must be accessible. There are several situations when paintless dent removal is not recommended. These situations include:

when the dents are less than 1 inch away from the edges of the doors, hoods, and parts.

when the dented region also has scratched or chipped paint.

when the dents are not accessible from the backside of the vehicle. For example, even if you were to take the car apart, you would not be able to access the protruding side of the dent.

when the dent is located on fuel doors.

when the dent is located on either metal or chrome bumpers.

What Are Some Advantages That Paintless Dent Removal Over Body Fillers?

Using body fillers to fill in the dent can be rather difficult. Mechanics will first need to prepare the area that has been dented before applying the fillers and polishing them until they are able to get the right shape. In comparison, paintless dent removal appears to be a lot simpler and easier. Paintless dent removal can offer several benefits over using body fillers. These advantages include:

not having to use any paint at all. If you have to repaint the vehicle, then you run the risk of not having the paint colors match up. This will no longer be a problem with paintless dent removal.

cost efficiency. In comparison to body fillers, paintless dent removal is a lot cheaper. The process is simpler, and the auto shops spend a considerable less amount of money purchasing materials.

being able to retain the original parts of the vehicle. This helps maintain overall structural integrity.

maintaining the market value of the vehicle. A vehicle with its original paint will retain a higher value than a repainted vehicle.

time efficiency. Paintless dent removal typically takes less time to complete than applying body fillers. Body fillers need to be cured, and this can take a long time, especially when auto shops will need to sand, polish and repaint the affected area.

Conclusion

Paintless dent removal has been highly recommended by many auto shops. Some auto shops specialize particularly in this procedure. Paintless dent removal also does not add any other materials or parts onto your car, and the dents and dings can be repaired without even a noticeable trace. In fact, ask a used car dealer to show you a vehicle that has been repaired in this way. You won’t even notice the repairs. Still not contented with the car paint protection of your car, why not get in touch with us.