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Ford first to use new environmentally friendly paint technology

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by Tideland Prius, May 23, 2007.

  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Avon Lake, Ohio - The Ford Motor Company has become the first automotive company to paint vehicles using a new 3-wet, high solids-based system. The new technology, which took three years of development and a year of in-plant testing, is environmentally friendly and helps cut costs.

    The new technology uses a high solids-based paint formulation that produces fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than do water-borne and medium solids-based paints currently used by automakers. The new formula contains more colour pigment and so requires less paint to cover a vehicle. It also allows three layers of wet paint to be applied, one on top of each other, and baked once. This eliminates two paint ovens, resulting in a smaller, more energy-efficient paint shop.

    According to Ford's tests, high solids-based paint provides better long-term resistance to chips and scratches than does water-borne paint. The water-borne formula also requires air conditioning to get the water out of the paint for a high-quality surface, using more energy and releasing more CO2s from the paint shop.

    The company will use the new paint on some 400 U-Haul utility vans, which will be monitored over the next year to collect real-world data on the technology.

    Source: CanadianDriver
     
  2. NoMoShocks

    NoMoShocks Electrical Engineer

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    It is great to hear they are going through some serious testing and trial with the U-Haul fleet. We wouldn't want a repeat of the early eighties switch over to water based paints.
     
  3. Godiva

    Godiva AmeriKan Citizen

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    This is great.

    I wonder if Ford and Toyota will cut a deal. Toyota HSD for Ford paint.
     
  4. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Interesting. Thanks for the links!