Waterborne – should I or shouldn’t?

Our resident refinish guru Michael Preece discusses the pros and cons of Waterborne applications for paint shops considering the use of the new, eco-friendly body finish.

WHEN PAINT&PANEL ASKED me to write on the swing to Waterborne technology in Australia, it took me back to the decisions I made in the mid ‘90s. In 1992, ICI changed the game and, together with Aquabase, was the first company in the world to launch a Waterborne refinish basecoat, with a major product launch in Germany. Soon all the other
paint manufacturers were scrambling to catch-up.

I was GM for Spies Hecker at the time and I watched the 1994 introduction of ICI’s product with great interest. It took off like a rocket in the UK and even more so in Holland. So, as soon as possible, I was on a plane to Europe to see what all the fuss was about and how they were managing the introduction of this intriguing new technology. I was truly excited and what I saw convinced me to bring this to Austral ia as soon as possible and make sure we were leading the march into this wonderful new stuff.

In hindsight, I made three mistakes:

First, the product was terrific but it was probably a little early in the development cycle for the different market conditions in Australia.

Second, unlike Holland, at the time, it was certainly not cool to be green in Australia.

Third, unlike the UK, the product introduction was not supported by any VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) solvent emission legislation.

So, what has changed in the meantime?

Every Waterborne product sold by all major paint manufacturers is now what can be called ‘proven technology’. The Europeans had to get that right because since 2007 the European Union has not allowed the sale of anything other than approved VOC emission-controlled products.

This means that basecoat repair in the EU is 100 per cent Waterborne technology and everything else is Waterborne or high solids.
Due very much to all the focus on climate change throughout the world, it is now the very opposite of embarrassing to be seen to be green in Australia.

Unfortunately, our government is behind the eight ball with respect to VOC legislation, unlike Europe and many states in the USA and now even Canada. Mr. Rudd talks up a storm, but so far it’s all talk and not much action (in case you think I am being unfair, Mr. Howard didn’t do anything either). I understand a full study into the solvent emissions created by the Australian automotive industry has now been commissioned. No doubt legislation will come, but for the time being, we don’t know when.

So, when it comes to the decision to change over to Waterborne in Australia, let’s look at the six key areas of concern - 1) the product 2) the application 3) the drying 4) the process 5) the training and last but certainly not least 6) the health & safety.

The Product:

Most global paint manufacturers now have their Waterborne product available in Australia - in various stages of market introduction.

Let’s deal specifically with the Waterborne basecoat product. What are the advantages compared to solvent-borne?

All the manufacturers have produced a product with superior coverage (I will cover this more under application). This means that although Waterborne basecoat is more expensive per litre, most skilled painters will be able to complete the spray job faster and at least at a similar cost to the solvent-borne product. Very often, experience with the product
will actually lead to a reduced cost outcome when considering material costs and labour time.

This has been proven in Europe. Given this increased cost per litre, it is most important to control paint and cleaning solution wastage. A good way to do this is with 3M PPS Products (their Paint Preparation System) - this replaces traditional paint mixing cups and filters and drastically reduces the amount of product required for gun cleaning. This system also enables leftover Waterborne basecoat to be saved for use again in the future.

On colour matching, in general, as most car manufacturers now finish their vehicles’ original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in a Waterborne basecoat product, the refinish colour match is very often better with Waterborne.

As to the colour match for Australian-manufactured vehicles, you will need to talk with your local paint supplier, but it would be a surprise if this has not been taken care of too. A big product advantage is that Waterborne basecoat is much kinder to suspect substrates. This can be a problem, with solvent borne basecoat, as this aggressive product
can cause sink-back and this does not happen with a Waterborne product.

Many painters have commented that their overall finish improves when using Waterborne. This is generally due to the Waterborne basecoat having less surface texture than conventional solvent borne, so the subsequent clearcoat lays down better, giving improved flow and appearance.

For anyone doing car dealer work, this may be an important consideration as you will be better able to match the OE appearance.

The Application:

Yes, there are some differences, but it’s like any change to new technology. Ask any painter if they would like to go
back to acrylic lacquer? It’s exactly the same with Waterborne. Waterborne basecoat can be more susceptible to substrate contaminants, but a little more attention to pre-cleaning is all that’s needed. The good news for painters is it’s less work and in the main, as coverage is obtained either in one application (no flash off between coats) or in a
reduced number of coats (depending on the paint manufacturer), it is a much faster process. No more going around a poor covering solvent borne colour four or five times.

It is important to use the right spray gun and my advice is that you invest in new equipment with set-ups designed for Waterborne products.

It is also best to have separate spray guns for primer/basecoat/clear as viscosity is more critical with Waterborne basecoat. With solvent-borne basecoat, if you over reduce by 10-15 per cent it does not have a huge impact; over-reduce Waterborne and you could go andget your hair cut waiting for it to flash off.

However, even with these differences, it is really not a difficult product to apply. As for cleaning your spray equipment, for every paint company Waterborne basecoat formulae will be different, so you should follow their recommendations for the correct cleaning products.

The Drying:

Most of the paint manufacturers will tell you that with their Waterborne basecoat product, you don’t need any special new equipment. My answer to that is, “yes and no”. Your biggest investment in equipment is the spray booth/oven. Waterborne evaporates up to eight times slower than solvent, so assisting the flash off through air movement is extremely important. As long as you have good downdraft velocity (good air movement), then yes, you can use Waterborne products without any change. However, let’s remember three things. First, the work provider is focused on reduced cycle time. Second, many bodyshops tell me that their process choke-point is already the spray booth. Third, we need to remember we get high humidity in Australia (yes I know, not everywhere and not always) and this will slow down the evaporation of water from your basecoat.

With this in mind and to improve efficiency, you might want to look at investing in air blowers (blowing air over the
basecoat surface speeds up the evaporation of water from the paint film). This would be special hand-held devices for small jobs and these enable amazing improvements in cycle time. For the spray booth itself, a retro-fitted solution is a possibility. The system I was impressed with in the UK was QADS from Junair and they are now sold in Australia.
QADS not only significantly reduce the flashoff time between basecoat and clear, but also reduces conventional baking time by up to one-third. For further advice with this, I suggest you talk with your paint supplier.

The Process:

A lot of paint representatives are going to tell you that Waterborne basecoat is cheaper overall because efficiency gains outweigh the higher cost per litre. This is true if managed correctly. Volume usage  is reduced due to better coverage, but if your painter applies it like conventional solvent-borne or uses an incorrect set-up in his spray gun or
mixes as much as he usually does for solvent-borne, no gain will be made. Strictly following your paint manufacturer’s recommendations will ensure this does not happen. One common mistake, made by many,
is not capitalising on the efficiency gains through reduced application times. If every spray booth cycle is now reduced
and you do not adjust your scheduling into the paint shop to cater for this, then you will lose a real potential efficiency gain opportunity.

The Training:

The secret of the transition to any new technology is the training. You can of course learn from a product manual, but it’s always better to have physical on-site training and hands-on experience. No different with Waterborne basecoat.
Here are some frequently asked questions:

• How good are your paint supplier’s tech reps?
• How many are fully trained with Waterborne?
• Does your local Distributor stock the product and what training have they had?
• How many existing customers do they have using the product in Australia or in your area?
• Where can you see it being used?
• What will their Waterborne training program consist of?

Just remember this. You should not even contemplate changing to Waterborne unless you are going to be competently and thoroughly trained and supported.

Health & Safety: When discussing Waterborne basecoat and other Waterborne products, a perception appears to have grown that as well as being great for the environment, these products are safer than their solvent-borne predecessors. All the paint manufacturers’ formulae are different and I am neither a doctor or a chemist, so I am the wrong person to comment. However, I like to use this analogy. I have poured three quarters full of a Waterborne basecoat colour into a cup. I have added the correct amount of pristine clean mineral-free water and stirred. I hand it to you and ask you to drink it. I hope you strongly refused and rightly so. Safer is not safe and as you would not drink Waterborne, neither should you allow your painters to inhale particles of sprayed product. All the normal safety equipment should be worn when using Waterborne basecoat products and you are fully responsible for the health & safety of all your employees. At this point we should also deal with waste disposal. Waste costs can be controlled by
the use of a combination spray gun cleaning machine and coagulating unit. You wash all your equipment with the recommended cleaner and then the coagulator separates out all pigmentation and resin, which is now suitable for disposal. Keeping waste streams separate is important if you want to get it taken away or recycled. Clearly mark and separate Waterborne waste from solvent-borne waste, as many suppliers will not take away waste that has been cross-contaminated as they cannot recycle it. I will not recommend how you dispose of your waste paint product (I have been caught out on that one before), as there can be different requirements in different states. However, you need to get advice from a competent source and one waste management company that operates in all states in Australia is SITA Environmental Solutions - phone: 13 13 35, web: http://www.sita.com.au

Now you are now going to ask me for a recommendation. It’s decision time, should I or shouldn’t I? Well, sorry to disappoint you, every business is different and only you can make that decision. Because there is no legislation here to force you into it, if you change now, the responsibility is all yours. Does the product work? Yes it does. Will it cost you more? Introduced correctly, no it won’t.

One piece of advice I will give you, what I learnt from the early days of Waterborne basecoat introduction into Europe, is you should definitely not be half in it. If you are going to change, you need to do it boots and all. If you try to put in Waterborne alongside solvent-borne, your painters will always be tempted to go back to what they know and even more important for you, with two different technologies to support, your costs will probably rise.

There is no doubt that Waterborne technology is the future. The only decision is do you change now or do you wait until legislation forces the issue? Whatever decision you make, I certainly wish you continued success in this challenging and fast-changing vehicle refinish business.

ABOUT MIKE PREECE

Mike Preece has spent most of his working life in automotive paint in the UK, South Africa and l7 years as GM of Spies Hecker in Australia. After a final stint with DuPont in Europe, he started a software business – PAC Total Solutions Pty Ltd, introducing the world’s first 100 per cent web-based workshop management system, BodyNet and online customer tracking system, RepairTracker. He can be contacted on 07 5554 6424.