Challenges in underbody applications
Protection against stone chipping and corrosion are major issues in paint shop underbody applications – especially in high-stressed areas like wheelhouses and rocker panels. Typically, PVC is used to seal underbody seams and to form a protective coat on exposed areas and parts. In many cases, the material is applied bottom-up, which requires precise higher-pressure applications without compromising precision. Atlas Copco’s SCA product line offers special solutions for underbody applications in paint shop that focus not only on high application quality but are designed to handle high flow rates and robot speeds to ensure a productive manufacturing process.
Flat stream for underbody seam sealing
Flat stream is a common application process developed to protect trim edges against corrosion. The material is applied with moderate pressure in a flat bead. The bead size and shape are defined by the nozzle geometry. The accurate material distribution and even contour of the application ensure a high-quality seal and prevent extensive rework. At the same time, it allows high flow rates at low cycle times. With a wide variety of nozzles available, flat stream can be flexibly adapted to customers’ requirements.
Airless underbody spraying
Airless spraying is a convenient solution for underbody protection against humidity and stone chipping. It is a high-pressure application that allows a larger distance between nozzle and car part yet providing a gapless material distribution. Airless spraying is flexible regarding coat thickness as well as application distance and application speed.
Wide flat stream for underbody coating
Wide flat stream is an extremely productive dispensing solution for underbody coating. By using customized wide slot nozzles, the application width can be up to 150 mm. The sharply contoured stream ensures a highly repeatable quality coat with no overspray. This prevents contamination of the car body and the production cell, and improves the visual appearance.
Rocker panel/anti-chip application
Rocker panels are located alongside the vehicle. Since they are an integral part of the car body, it is highly important to carefully protect them against corrosion. Furthermore, rocker panels are visible and that is why the coating must meet high aesthetic requirements. A PVC coat can be applied either with a flat stream application or with airless spraying. To obtain a sharp contour, we use a special masking tool for the airless spray application.
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