Abstract: An automotive quality paint coat is laminated to the exterior surface of a molded plastic car body member or panel. In one embodiment, the paint coat includes an exterior clear coat above a color coat. During processing, the clear coat and color coat are each coated on a temporary flexible casting sheet and dried. A high gloss surface is transferred to the clear coat from the casting sheet. The paint coat is then transferred from the casting sheet to a thin, semi-flexible thermoformable plastic backing sheet by dry paint transfer-laminating techniques. The resulting laminate is thermoformed into a complex three-dimensional shape of the car body member or panel. The preformed laminate is then bonded to an underlying plastic substrate material, by injection-cladding techniques, for example, to form the finished article. The paint coat has sufficient elongation to retain exterior automotive appearance and durability properties during thermoforming without deglossing.

Abstract: An automotive quality paint coat is laminated to the exterior surface of a molded plastic car body member or panel. In one embodiment, the paint coat includes an exterior clear coat above a color coat. During processing, the clear coat and color coat are each coated on a temporary flexible casting sheet and dried. A high gloss surface is transferred to the clear coat from the casting sheet. The paint coat is then transferred from the casting sheet to a thin, semi-flexible thermoformable plastic backing sheet by dry paint transfer-laminating techniques. The resulting laminate is thermoformed into a complex three-dimensional shape of the car body member or panel. The preformed laminate is then bonded to an underlying plastic substrate material, by injection-cladding techniques, for example, to form the finished article. The paint coat has sufficient elongation to retain exterior automotive appearance and durability properties during thermoforming without deglossing.

Abstract: An automotive quality paint coat (44) is laminated to the exterior surface of a molded plastic car body member or panel (118). In one embodiment, the paint coat (44) includes an exterior clear coat (45) above a color coat (46). During processing, the clear coat (45) and color coat (46) are each coated on a temporary flexible casting sheet (42) and dried. A high gloss surface is transferred to the clear coat (45) from the casting sheet (42). The paint coat (44) is then transferred from the casting sheet (42) to a thin, semi-flexible thermoformable plastic backing sheet (72) by dry paint transfer-laminating techniques. The resulting laminate (70) is thermoformed into a complex three-dimensional shape of the car body member or panel. The preformed laminate (116) is then bonded to an underlying plastic substrate material, by injection-cladding techniques, for example, to form the finished article.

Abstract: An automotive quality paint coat is laminated to the exterior surface of a molded plastic car body member or panel. In one embodiment, the paint coat includes an exterior clear coat above a color coat. During processing, the clear coat and color coat are each coated on a temporary flexible casting sheet and dried. A high gloss surface is transferred to the clear coat from the casting sheet. The paint coat is then transferred from the casting sheet to a thin, semi-flexible thermoformable plastic backing sheet by dry paint transfer-laminating techniques. The resulting laminate is thermoformed into a complex three-dimensional shape of the car body member or panel. The preformed laminate is then bonded to an underlying plastic substrate material, by injection-cladding techniques, for example, to form the finished article. The paint coat has sufficient elongation to retain exterior automotive appearance and durability properties during thermoforming without deglossing.

Abstract: An automotive quality paint coat is laminated to the exterior surface of a molded plastic car body member or panel. In one embodiment, the paint coat includes an exterior clear coat above a color coat. During processing, the clear coat and color coat are each coated on a temporary flexible casting sheet and dried. A high gloss surface is transferred to the clear coat from the casting sheet. The paint coat is then transferred from the casting sheet to a thin, semi-flexible thermoformable plastic backing sheet by dry paint transfer-laminating techniques. The resulting laminate is thermoformed into a complex three-dimensional shape of the car body member or panel. The preformed laminate is then bonded to an underlying plastic substrate material, by injection-cladding techniques, for example, to form the finished article. The paint coat has sufficient elongation to retain exterior automotive appearance and durability properties during thermoforming without deglossing.

Abstract: A process for making plastic siding panels, such as outdoor weatherable vinyl panels with an embossed wood grain pattern, comprises extruding a vinyl sheet, and overlaying on the extruded sheet a flexible carrier sheet having coated thereon (a) matte release layer bonded to the carrier sheet, and (b) decorative coating on the matte release layer facing toward the extruded plastic sheet. An embossing roll applies pressure at elevated temperatures to transfer the decorative coating from the matte release layer and bond it to the extruded sheet, while the embossing roll embosses a three-dimensional impression pattern in the laminate transferred to the extruded sheet. The carrier sheet and its matte release layer are then released from the laminate transferred to the vinyl sheet. The matte release layer transfers a low 75.degree. gloss level, preferably in the range of 8 to 12 gloss units, while enabling free release of the carrier from the embossed low gloss surface at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A process for making plastic siding panels, such as outdoor weatherable vinyl panels with an embossed wood grain pattern, comprises extruding a vinyl sheet, and overlaying on the extruded sheet a flexible carrier sheet having coated thereon (a) matte release layer bonded to the carrier sheet, and (b) decorative coating on the matte release layer facing toward the extruded plastic sheet. An embossing roll applies pressure at elevated temperatures to transfer the decorative coating from the matte release layer and bond it to the extruded sheet, while the embossing roll embosses a three-dimensional impression pattern in the laminate transferred to the extruded sheet. The carrier sheet and its matte release layer are then released from the laminate transferred to the vinyl sheet. The matte release layer transfers a low 75.degree. gloss level, preferably in the range of 8 to 12 gloss units, while enabling free release of the carrier from the embossed low gloss surface at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A process for making plastic siding panels, such as outdoor weatherable vinyl panels with an embossed wood grain pattern, comprises extruding a vinyl sheet, and overlaying on the extruded sheet a flexible carrier sheet having coated thereon (a) matte release layer bonded to the carrier sheet, and (b) decorative coating on the matte release layer facing toward the extruded plastic sheet. An embossing roll applies pressure at elevated temperatures to transfer the decorative coating from the matte release layer and bond it to the extruded sheet, while the embossing roll embosses a three-dimensional impression pattern in the laminate transferred to the extruded sheet. The carrier sheet and its matte release layer are then released from the laminate transferred to the vinyl sheet. The matte release layer transfers a low 75.degree. gloss level, preferably in the range of 8 to 12 gloss units, while enabling free release of the carrier from the embossed low gloss surface at elevated temperatures.

Abstract: A process for forming a composite that is useful as an exterior vehicle part in which a layer of a coating composition is applied to a flexible smooth glossy polymeric carrier sheet and dried and laminated under heat and pressure to a flexible polymeric substrate to form a laminate, the carrier sheet is removed and the laminate is thermoformed into a three dimensional structure and a rigid thermoformable plastic is adhered to the thermoformed laminate to form the composite; the coating compsition used in the process that forms the exterior finish on the composite has a film forming binder which is in an organic liquid carrier is of a polyesterurethane and a multifunctional crosslinking agent of an epoxy compound or an organic polyisocyanate; whereinthe polyesterurethane is formed by reacting a hydroxy functional polyester with a hydroxy containing carboxylic acid and an organic polyisocyanate.

Abstract: A process for making a rigid composite structure with a thermoplastic polymer surface by:a. thermoforming a thermoplastic polymeric sheet into a three dimensional structure; the sheet has primary glass transition temperature that is at least 10.degree. C. greater than the molding temperature of step c. below;b. placing the thermoformed structure and a charge of sheet molding compound (SMC) in a mold andc. heating the charge and thermoformed structure under pressure in the mold to cure the SMC and to adhere the SMC to the thermoformed structure, where the molding temperature is at least 10.degree. C. below the primary glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic polymeric sheet;the resulting composite structure which can be finished with a paint or a layer of clear coat and color coat also is part of the invention.

Abstract: A process for making a rigid composite structure with a thermoplastic polymer surface by:a. thermoforming a thermoplastic polymeric sheet into a three dimensional structure; the sheet has a primary glass transition temperature that is at least 10.degree. C. greater than the molding temperature of step c. below;b. placing the thermoformed structure and a charge of sheet molding compound (SMC) in a mold andc. heating the charge and thermoformed structure under pressure in the mold to cure the SMC and to adhere the SMC to the thermoformed structure, where the molding temperature is at least 10.degree. C. below the primary glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic polymeric sheet;the resulting composite structure which can be finished with a paint or a layer of clear coat and color coat also is part of the invention.