Abstract: A method of repairing a vehicle bed-liner includes depositing a two-component patching material into the defect and placing a template having a design surface over the defect in the bed-liner, with the design surface facing the defect. A rigid backing plate can be placed over the template. The template is biased toward the patching material to form a patch in the bed-liner.

Abstract: A method of repairing a vehicle bed-liner includes depositing a two-component patching material into the defect and placing a template having a design surface over the defect in the bed-liner, with the design surface facing the defect. A rigid backing plate can be placed over the template. The template is biased toward the patching material to form a patch in the bed-liner.

Abstract: A process for coating a substrate is provided which includes the following steps: (a) applying a waterborne base coat composition to a surface of the substrate; (b) applying infrared radiation at a power density of 1.5–30.0 kW/m2 and a first air stream simultaneously to the base coat composition such that a pre-dried base coat is formed upon the surface of the substrate; and (c) applying a second air stream in the absence of infrared radiation to the base coat composition such that a dried base coat is formed upon the surface of the substrate. Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed including continuous, batch, and semi-batch processes, which may include additional process steps, such as subsequent application of a topcoat. The process may be used to coat a variety of metal and polymeric substrates, for example, those associated with the body of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A process for coating a substrate is provided which includes the following steps: (a) applying a waterborne base coat composition to a surface of the substrate; (b) applying infrared radiation at a power density of 1.5-8.0 kW/m2 and a first air stream simultaneously to the base coat composition such that a pre-dried base coat is formed upon the surface of the substrate; and (c) applying a second air stream in the absence of infrared radiation to the base coat composition such that a dried base coat is formed upon the surface of the substrate. Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed including continuous, batch, and semi-batch processes, which may include additional process steps, such as subsequent application of a topcoat. The process may be used to coat a variety of metal and polymeric substrates, for example, those associated with the body of a motor vehicle.

Abstract: A process for coating a substrate is provided which includes the following steps:

Abstract: Processes for coating metal or polymeric substrates are provided which include the steps of: (a) applying a first powder coating composition to a surface of the substrate; (b) applying a first infrared radiation at a power density of 30 kilowatts per meter squared or less and optionally a first air simultaneously to the first coating composition for a first period of at least about 90 seconds such that a sintered first coating is formed upon the surface of the substrate; (c) applying a second powder coating composition over the first coating; and (d) applying a second infrared radiation at a power density of 30 kilowatts per meter squared or less and a second air at an air velocity ranging from about 0.5 to about 13 meters per second simultaneously to the second coating composition for a second period of at least about 2 minutes, such that a powder layered system is formed upon the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Processes for coating metal or polymeric substrates are provided which include the steps of: (a) applying a liquid basecoating composition to a surface of the metal substrate; (b) applying a first infrared radiation at a power density of 30 kilowatts per meter squared or less and a first air simultaneously to the basecoating composition for a first period of at least about 30 seconds, a first velocity of the air at the surface of the basecoating composition being about 4 meters per second or less, a first temperature of the metal substrate being increased at a first rate ranging from about 0.05° C. per second to about 0.3° C. per second to achieve a first peak metal temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 60° C.

Abstract: A process for coating a substrate is provided which includes the following steps:

Abstract: Processes for coating metal or polymeric substrates are provided which include the steps of: (a) applying a first powder coating composition to a surface of the substrate; (b) applying a first infrared radiation at a power density of 30 kilowatts per meter squared or less and optionally a first air simultaneously to the first coating composition for a first period of at least about 90 seconds such that a sintered first coating is formed upon the surface of the substrate; (c) applying a second powder coating composition over the first coating; and (d) applying a second infrared radiation at a power density of 30 kilowatts per meter squared or less and a second air at an air velocity ranging from about 0.5 to about 13 meters per second simultaneously to the second coating composition for a second period of at least about 2 minutes, such that a powder layered system is formed upon the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Processes for coating metal or polymeric substrates are provided which include the steps of: (a) applying a liquid basecoating composition to a surface of the metal substrate; (b) applying a first infrared radiation at a power density of 30 kilowatts per meter squared or less and a first air simultaneously to the basecoating composition for a first period of at least about 30 seconds, a first velocity of the air at the surface of the basecoating composition being about 4 meters per second or less, a first temperature of the metal substrate being increased at a first rate ranging from about 0.05° C. per second to about 0.3° C. per second to achieve a first peak metal temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 60° C.

Abstract: A process for coating a metal substrate includes: (a) applying a liquid basecoating composition to a surface of the substrate; (b) exposing the basecoating composition to air having a temperature ranging from about 10° C. to about 30° C. for a period of at least about 30 seconds to volatilize at least a portion of volatile material from the liquid basecoating composition, the velocity of the air at a surface of the basecoating composition being less than about 0.5 meters per second; (c) applying infrared radiation and warm air simultaneously to the basecoating composition for a period of at least about 30 seconds, the velocity of the air at the surface of the basecoating composition being less than about 4 meters per second, the temperature of the substrate being increased at a rate ranging from about 0.02° C. per second to about 0.4° C. per second to achieve a peak temperature of the substrate ranging from about 20° C. to about 60° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides processes for drying and/or curing topcoatings and multicomponent composite coatings applied to surfaces of metal or polymeric substrates which include applying infrared radiation and warm, low velocity air simultaneously to the coating for a period of at least about 30 seconds and increasing the substrate temperature at a predetermined rate to achieve a specified peak temperature. Infrared radiation and hot air are applied simultaneously to the coating for a period of at least about 3 minutes and the substrate temperature is increased at a predetermined rate to achieve a specified peak temperature, such that a dried and/or cured coating is formed upon the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Processes for coating metal or polymeric substrates are provided which include the steps of: (a) applying a liquid basecoating composition to a surface of the substrate; (b) exposing the basecoating composition to air having a temperature ranging from about 10° C. to about 50° C. for a period of at least about 5 minutes to volatilize at least a portion of volatile material from the liquid basecoating composition, the velocity of the air at a surface of the basecoating composition being less than about 0.5 meters per second; (c) applying infrared radiation and hot air simultaneously to the basecoating composition for a period of at least about 2 minutes, the velocity of the air at the surface of the basecoating composition being less than about 4 meters per second, the temperature of the metal substrate being increased at a rate ranging from about 0.4° C. per second to about 1.2° C. per second to achieve a peak substrate temperature ranging from about 120° C. to about 165° C.

Abstract: Processes for drying primer coating compositions applied to a surface of a substrate are provided in which the primer coating composition, if a liquid or powder slurry, is exposed to low velocity air having a temperature ranging from about 10° C. to about 50° C. for a period of at least about 30 seconds to volatilize at least a portion of volatile material from the liquid primer coating composition. Next, infrared radiation and low velocity warm air are applied simultaneously to the primer coating composition (liquid, powder slurry or powder) for a period of at least about 1 minute during which the temperature of the substrate is increased at a rate ranging from about 0.2° C. per second to about 2° C. per second to achieve a peak substrate temperature of the substrate ranging from about 30° C. to about 120° C.

Abstract: A process for drying a liquid electrodeposited coating composition applied to a metal substrate is provided. Infrared radiation and warm air are applied simultaneously to the electrodeposited coating composition for a period of at least about 1 minute, the velocity of the air at the surface of the electrodeposited coating composition being less than about 4 meters per second. The temperature of the metal substrate is increased at a rate ranging from about 0.25.degree. C. per second to about 2.degree. C. per second to achieve a peak metal temperature of the substrate ranging from about 35.degree. C. to about 140.degree. C. Infrared radiation and hot air are applied simultaneously to the electrodeposited coating composition for a period of at least about 2 minutes, during which the temperature of the metal substrate is increased at a rate ranging from about 0.2.degree. C. per second to about 1.5.degree. C. per second to achieve a peak metal temperature ranging from about 160.degree. C. to about 215.degree. C.

Abstract: A method of applying a color-plus-clear composite coating to a substrate is provided comprising: applying to the substrate a colored film-forming composition to form a base coat and applying to the base coat a clear film-forming composition to form a transparent top coat over the base coat. Prior to application to the base coat, the clear film-forming composition is heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to lower its viscosity such that the composition can be atomized and applied as a smooth continuous film. At a temperature of 20-25.degree. C., the clear film-forming composition has a high viscosity such that it cannot be atomized and applied as a smooth continuous film.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for spray painting of an article where the paint is heated to reduce the viscosity prior to being fed to a paint spray device such as an electrostatic paint spray device. A heat exchange unit is provided between each of a plurality paint supply sources and a paint spray device of a paint spray station, the heat exchange unit located closely adjacent to a respective paint spray device such that only paint being supplied to a paint spray device is heated by a respective heat exchange unit. The heat exchange unit preferably uses a hot dielectric oil for indirect heat exchange with the paint, and preferably a volume of heated paint between a heat exchange unit and a respective paint spray device is only about 15 percent or less of the volume of paint in the heat exchange unit, while the volume of heated paint is about one to three times the volume per minute of flow through the heat exchanger.