PPG said its Enviro-Prime Epic electrocoat (e-coat) technology has received full approval from the PSA Group following production line conversions and testing at two of the automaker's facilities in Europe.
The e-coat is a patented, metal-free catalyst technology claimed to offer superior smoothness, corrosion resistance and thin-film pretreatment performance. Available in high- and hyper-throwpower versions, the e-coat helps OEMs comply with global environmental standards while avoiding the cost volatility of e-coats using metals that are in limited supply, such as bismuth.
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"Enviro-Prime Epic e-coat fulfils our expectations for corrosion resistance, adhesion and general performance," said Rodolphe Anquetil, head of the anti-corrosion department for PSA Peugeot Citroen. "It provides us with best-in-class appearance. We consider the conversion to Enviro-Prime EPIC e-coat a success."
The PSA Group launched the technology at its plant in Mangualde, Portugal, in October 2014, and, based on that success, at its largest European plant in Vigo, Spain, in August 2015. Significant testing and analysis, including a vehicle with Enviro-Prime EPIC e-coat that underwent 60 testing cycles, confirmed the e-coat's performance in appearance, mapping sensitivity, bacteria sensitivity, thin-film pretreatment compatibility, film-build distribution and throwpower. The testing also proved a 10% reduction in the amount of e-coat product required compared to the plants' previous technologies.
