Water Based Automotive Paints in Pakistan

With increasing safety and environmental standards, industrial processes have been constantly evolving towards better processes both machine and material wise. One of those major shifts is the use of water borne paints over solvent borne counterpart.

The use of waterborne paints reduces overall LELs in paint shop and reduces fire hazards. LEL and VOC are directly proportional and hence worker health hazards are also reduced. From quality POV the use of water as solvent compared to thinners are reduces the dependence on psychrometric variables of booths, hence better wave scan results on painted body. The elimination of use of many equipment that are used for solvent borne process reduces consumption Gentani as well.

Despite all the advantages, the switch from thinner to water-based technology is an extremely difficult task for a running plant, if not impossible.

The merging of primer and topcoat booth is a major layout change for any paint shop especially if the line is automated. The effective painting lengths of booths will directly reduce available production time and therefore line buffer capacity and takt time. The reduction in takt time will change manpower density of booth or in worst cases increasing number of robots.

Another layout change which is even more difficult than the said change would be introduction of settling zones between paint layers with appropriate evaporating mechanism. The changepoint is so huge that makes the switch nearly impossible.

Another requirement for water borne paints is immaculate PTED quality. Increasing built-in quality of PTED line is again not an easy task as it will involve addition of automated metal seed separators, micro bubble oil removal, increase in DI showers and better BIW quality body entering to paint shop with sanding controlled under standard grit size. (Only one company has waterborne compatible plant in Pakistan out of 7major companies).

With new automotive companies coming to Pakistan, we might expect water borne paints being introduced here, however highly unlikely!!