I found this very interesting Ed. My husband works in R&D for cans, another unreported area. He started off on the coatings side and then moved to the actual cans. Again, a lot of the research nowadays is into making "greener" cans. We can take for granted picking up that can of beans or tuna in the supermarket but keeping the contents safe, the product affordable and better for the environment is a constant challenge.
Really interesting read, Ed, thx for sharing. I’m disappointed that car paint colours these days are so dull (is that driven by customers or manufacturers?), but you’ve shed some light on why more colours are available. I’d like to see more cars use the iridescent paints sported by TVRs - did they pop up in your research? Finally, you might be interested to know my previous company did some research that revealed yellow/orange cars are driven more quickly than any other colour. :-)
Iridescent or pearl coats are far more expensive than regular colours. They need a 3 layer topcoat system vs the regular two layer system, which means an extra pass through the paint booth, and it means it uses two cars worth of time slots.
A normal topcoat system has a base colour layer (with metal flakes in it for ’metallic’ colours) and a clear coat, which is applied on the wet colour coat.
A pearl coat has a base colour layer, and then a clear layer with mica or other thin flakes in it. That needs to be cured, before a clear protective topcoat layer is applied in the next pass.
As an adjunct to this really interesting piece, the creation of Fordite is entirely down to the painting of US cars. Overspray would accumulate around the spray booth, plotting the evolution of car colours over time. It's now a highly prized material used in jewellery and scavenged from the car factories of Detroit. I'd imagine that, along with improving drying times, car manufacturers have also found ways to reduce overspray and wastage, making Fordite a finite resource: https://www.jewellerymaker.com/en-gb/jewellerymaker-hub/article/367/the-fascinating-tale-of-fordite-a-gem-born-from-detroits-automotive-legacy/
Just for fun. There was 1959 novelette by Clifford D. Simak called The Big Front Yard. In it some canny Yankee traders bargain for other- dimensional aliens with the concept of paint. The Big Front Yard https://g.co/kgs/KJecCV
Thanks for sharing! Your article convinced me to preorder. It's a good mix of technical information and storytelling, which I love. I just preordered on Amazon to the US. It there a cheaper way to get it in the US?
"This will allow them to print custom designs, precise to the millimetre, on their cars and - even more importantly - to waste less ink". I think you meant to say "...to waste less paint." Or you could write "...to waste less 'ink'. " And then it would be clearer, since you were comparing ink to paint.
There is still snobbery around owning a hardcover book.. One aspect is that you got it "first" before it came out in paperback.. And yes, the ability to charge more is important.
I found this very interesting Ed. My husband works in R&D for cans, another unreported area. He started off on the coatings side and then moved to the actual cans. Again, a lot of the research nowadays is into making "greener" cans. We can take for granted picking up that can of beans or tuna in the supermarket but keeping the contents safe, the product affordable and better for the environment is a constant challenge.
V interesting - thanks Amanda
Really interesting read, Ed, thx for sharing. I’m disappointed that car paint colours these days are so dull (is that driven by customers or manufacturers?), but you’ve shed some light on why more colours are available. I’d like to see more cars use the iridescent paints sported by TVRs - did they pop up in your research? Finally, you might be interested to know my previous company did some research that revealed yellow/orange cars are driven more quickly than any other colour. :-)
Cheers, Simon Gandy
Iridescent or pearl coats are far more expensive than regular colours. They need a 3 layer topcoat system vs the regular two layer system, which means an extra pass through the paint booth, and it means it uses two cars worth of time slots.
A normal topcoat system has a base colour layer (with metal flakes in it for ’metallic’ colours) and a clear coat, which is applied on the wet colour coat.
A pearl coat has a base colour layer, and then a clear layer with mica or other thin flakes in it. That needs to be cured, before a clear protective topcoat layer is applied in the next pass.
(Former automotive paint shop engineer)
How do coatings on scrap metal, such as paint and galvanizing, impact on EAF steel steelmakiing?
Rick Foster
As an adjunct to this really interesting piece, the creation of Fordite is entirely down to the painting of US cars. Overspray would accumulate around the spray booth, plotting the evolution of car colours over time. It's now a highly prized material used in jewellery and scavenged from the car factories of Detroit. I'd imagine that, along with improving drying times, car manufacturers have also found ways to reduce overspray and wastage, making Fordite a finite resource: https://www.jewellerymaker.com/en-gb/jewellerymaker-hub/article/367/the-fascinating-tale-of-fordite-a-gem-born-from-detroits-automotive-legacy/
So interesting - thank you for explaining in such an engaging way.
Interesting per usual!
Just for fun. There was 1959 novelette by Clifford D. Simak called The Big Front Yard. In it some canny Yankee traders bargain for other- dimensional aliens with the concept of paint. The Big Front Yard https://g.co/kgs/KJecCV
Thanks for sharing! Your article convinced me to preorder. It's a good mix of technical information and storytelling, which I love. I just preordered on Amazon to the US. It there a cheaper way to get it in the US?
"This will allow them to print custom designs, precise to the millimetre, on their cars and - even more importantly - to waste less ink". I think you meant to say "...to waste less paint." Or you could write "...to waste less 'ink'. " And then it would be clearer, since you were comparing ink to paint.
Thank you for a great, nurdy and inspiring article. A great fit to my curious for improvements designer brain😊🙏
Fantastic article Ed. Can't wait for the book.
no US edition soon?
went to bookmark it on Amazon.com Kindle..... my Kindle is US
Later in 2023!
I hope that Material World covers why books are initially released in Hardback rather than paperback format
Good question. Not in the book but I'll try to find out
Maybe there is more profit in Hardbacks? More material needed to produce them but normally twice the price.
There is still snobbery around owning a hardcover book.. One aspect is that you got it "first" before it came out in paperback.. And yes, the ability to charge more is important.
Paperbacks are just more “comfortable “ all round
If it is a book I want to keep, I buy it in hardcover, partially because it will last longer if properly bound.