Graham Armstrong, Sales Manager of Indestructible Paint Company Ltd., describes the products and the background to his company's new range of plastic coatings.
Indestructible Paint Limited, Birmingham, has recently added a new string to its bow with a comprehensive range of coatings for plastics.
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Long established as a manufacturer and supplier of coating materials for the aerospace industry, its core business, Indestructible Paint also manufactures marine and industrial coatings.
However, a decision was taken, about two years ago to increase the company's market share of the general industrial market.
The move into the plastics coatings sector is a major element of this expansion programme. Another significant example, is the recent addition of a new line of dry film lubricants to its industrial products range.
Many of the new products, including the latest plastics finishes, were derived form established and often technologically advanced, aerospace materials.
However, further development was required and was the real key to adapting technologies to benefit the company's industrial customer's.
Correct selection of suitable polymers was also a key element in the development of the new plastics coatings.
This enabled Indestructible's technical staff to formulate very high solids. VOC compliant finishes, specifically designed to meet demands for plastics coatings with greater durability plus new and better cosmetic effects.
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As a result of this work, the company now offers tailor-made coatings to suit virtually any type of plastic substrate, providing high levels of performance plus high gloss and high build when required.
Examples of product types for this application include Indestructible's IP33000 series. These are single pack acrylic coatings, both solvent and water based.
The IP37000 series are 2-pack acrylic-urethanes both standard and VOC compliant, while IP42000 and IP50000 materials are 2 pack epoxy coatings formulated specifically for thermosets, the IP50000 series being VOC compliant.
One of these products is a spraying primer filler designed to fill and prime glass and carbon fibre reinforced composites.
Other products include IP44000 2-pack isocyanate free acrylic finishes and primers. These products offer a number of benefits in addition to being isocyanate free. For example their excellent flexibility made them the choice for a multi-choice process for the finishing of golf balls.
Indestructible also manufacture adhesion primer/sealers for polypropylene and high density polyethylene, both traditional solvent based types and a new quality water based material.
Many of the Indestructible's new range of plastics coatings utilise a number of environmentally sound curing methods, depending on polymer type and purpose.
The include UV, infra red and force drying methods as well as air drying.
One very successful finish is IP51000. A UV cured coating developed specially for television cabinets is now fully available by Phillips Electrical of Bruges.
The result of a joint project with Aquagraphics (UK) Ltd. of Corby, the coating had to provide a 'piano' finish with high build, high gloss, no orange peel at all and no other surface blemishes. Applied at 97-100% convertible solids content, it also had to have humidity resistance of at least 21 days when tested in accordance with BS EN 60068-2-20.
Other examples from the new product range include:-
- Bright Chrome effect
- Clear and soft feel coatings for plastic automotive trim parts such as fascias
- 'Dishwasher proof" finishes for saucepan handles
- Metallic or pearlescent 'flip-tone' finishes for a variety of products including mobile phones
- 'Soft feel' (suede effect) materials, both pigmented and clear
- Toy regulations approved 'chewable' finishes for toothbrushes handles. (As a result of a call for help. Cubic Pacific, a contract finisher in Australia, is now applying these products to toothbrushes down under.)
- 'Wet look' (condensation effect) coatings for drinks fonts and cosmetics closures.
Further developments, taking full account of VOC requirements and providing total compliance, will be water based high solids materials often UV curing technology.
Specific development projects, now either under way or complete, for Indestructible customers in several market sectors include:-
- Automotive - A new project with a European automotive manufacturer, to solve problems of 'telegraphing' on carbon fibre reinforced epoxy mouldings for use on motor cycle fairings and racing cars. A special 'non-telegraphing' version of IP51000 series epoxy spray filler is now being evaluated for this purpose. (* The appearance of the carbon fibre 'weave' repeated through to the surface of the finish)
- Aerospace - A new coating will provide decorative flame resistant 'no smoke' coatings for the plastic interior fittings of passenger aircraft.
- Marine - A high build coating to hide the normally rough appearance and provide a 'suede' finish on the reverse side of the glass fibre structures and hatches of luxury yachts. An intumescent coating will also be used on glass fibre reinforced polyester ammunition shell cases.
