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Engine components revolutionised by UV curing

A Frost and Sullivan product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jun 14, 2001

The latest automotive application for UV curing is in the coating of engine components, and this new market is being revolutionised by UV curable powder coatings, reports a new study

The latest automotive application for UV curing is in the coating of engine components.

And this new market is being revolutionised by UV curable powder coatings, reports a new study from Frost and Sullivan, the international marketing consulting company.

As Brian Balmer, Research Analyst at Frost and Sullivan explains, "The UV curable powder coatings combine the benefits of conventional powder coatings with lower melting temperatures.

This allows the automakers to coat pre-assembled components that contain heat sensitive parts which has not been possible before." Powder coatings have traditionally been used in the automotive sector for the protection of metal parts such as those found in the engine, transmission and drive systems.

However, their high melt temperatures precluded their use on pre-assembled units which contain heat sensitive parts such as rubber O-rings and insulated electrical wires.

The UV powder coatings create an opportunity for post assembly coating at temperatures as low as 100C.

The total market for UV curable coatings in the automotive industry was valued at $38.9 million in 2000 and is predicted to grow at a rate of 6.4 % per annum to reach over $60 million in 2007.

The introduction of these new UV curable powder coatings will be the single most important market driver over this period.

The majority of coatings used in the automotive sector are not supplied direct to the OEM but to their suppliers.

The report indicates that this will be the most significant restraint in the market since it limits the potential for increasing the range of products purchased by a single customer.

There are currently three key players in the market who are recognised powder coating specialists for example DuPont.

But, there is an indication that several other companies have spotted the potential and are now developing UV curable powder coatings ? and these may not be traditional powder coating companies.

"Companies like Red Spot who are the most specialised producer of UV curable coatings for this market are in a prime position to enter this market," concludes Balmer.

The report is a comprehensive study of the market for UV curable coatings in Europe and includes data on the automotive, furniture and construction, electronics and telecom, printing and packaging and consumer goods industries.

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