Kerry Pianoforte, Editor 05.10.24
Coatings World spoke with a number of experts on the latest product offerings for the aerospace coatings market. Included in this round table discussion are Jill Kokkinen, Global Product Marketing & Commercialization Manager, Aerospace Coatings, AkzoNobel; René Lang, Executive Managing Director Aviation, Mankiewicz; Duane Utter, PPG global military segment director, aerospace coatings and Robin Peffer, PPG global product director, aerospace coatings.
AkzoNobel: For simple ‘touch ups’, for example, we have recently lunched the new Eclipse gloss TUK™. Most ‘touch ups’ require very little paint, but many traditional ‘touch up kits’ still require painters to mix more paint than they will use, creating more waste than they want to.
(Holding 30ml of paint, each Eclipse gloss TUK comprises two separate compartments encapsulated into a single container. The first compartment holds the PC-223 curing solution while the second holds the base mix with the TR-113 activator which gives the mixed product its fast-drying characteristics. The user simply removes the ring on the cap of the container and presses it down until it clicks. After shaking to ensure the base and the hardener are properly mixed, the cap can be unscrewed, and the coating is ready to apply within minutes. It can be resealed and re-used if needed.)
As well as allowing for quick fixes without waste, it also reduces the amount of packaging required from multiple tins to a single container. More importantly, instead of shipping kits all over the world, we’ve set up multiple locations globally to handle the filling, so the transportation is also significantly reduced.
In terms of planned new product launches, later in the year we will be introducing a new CF primer for Defence and General Aviation (GA) segments. We are currently in the qualification stages with quite a number of OEMs and are excited to be bringing this to market. We are similarly excited about our plans for our new Extura 3500 In Mold Film (IMF) for the composites market. We really believe this will be a game changer in the quality of composite parts as they come out of the mold.
Right now, there are multiple cycles of pore filler, sanding surfacer, and protective coatings required protect the part though assembly prior to final paint. Extura 3500 essentially removes those time consuming and costly steps from the process. The best part of this is the product was designed so that it can be easily tailored to each customer’s individual process and mold. We believe this makes it a truly unique alternative.
When it comes to services, we continue to invest on our Aerofleet Coatings Management service and Aerofleet Training+. The former was a step-change into the services world for AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings. Coatings Management is all about using data to predict paint cycles and use that data to prove to customers that not all aircraft need to be painted on a set (and often arbitrary) cycle. The objective is to lengthen the cycle between a full repaint being required. Again, every time an aircraft is fully stripped and repainted, there is a huge amount of work, time, effort, and cost involved, not to mention the environmental impact. Every second an airplane is on the ground unnecessarily is costing the airlines dearly.
In terms of Aerofleet Training+, the emphasis is again on increasing productivity and reducing cost while enhancing sustainability through Virtual Reality (VR) training. To train both new painters and upskill existing technicians is a very labor intensive and expensive process. There are many costs in painting that are not related to the cost of the actual paint. The PPE, the demo panels, the instructor time, etc all add costs and create waste. By moving to VR, all of those single use costs and waste go away. The whole intent is to shorten the learning curve with new painters, getting them to a higher level of knowledge and competence before they start using paints for real, as well as upskilling existing painters.
Most of our efforts are being focused on product improvement, reducing SVHC (substances of very high concern), and addressing the needs of new markets.
Product improvement is very important to us and our customers. Our goal is to always find ways to improve our products to benefit our customers. This is everything from radically updating our toner lines and providing improved hiding and more vibrant colors, to getting multiple suppliers approved so that we can protect our supply chain and offer uninterrupted service. Our focus is on bringing certainty in an otherwise uncertain world.
We are actively looking at removing harmful substances from our portfolio. As we learn more about the long-term impacts to both people and the planet, we want to be seen as genuine leaders in doing all we can to create products that still meet customer needs (i.e in protecting aircraft parts from the damaging effects of corrosion) while reducing the negative impact those coatings may have on the environment.
In terms of new markets, there is so much growth in the Aerospace industry globally, with opportunities coming from many directions. As the industry continues to evolve, we too are looking to evolve. We are true innovators in developing coatings for the next generation of eVTOL aircraft and also aircraft powered by biobased or hydrogen fuels, as we know their needs are likely to be very different from the needs of more ‘traditional’ airplane manufacturers.
Mankiewicz: Mankiewicz develops its product portfolio with the “Solutions solving the challenges” approach, which has different aspects.
The “process challenge” aspect is about challenging existing coating structures and application methods and thus optimizing them. This is what happened, for example, with the ALEXIT WingFlex wing coating system described above. Also, almost two decades ago, Mankiewicz pioneered the turnaround in the aviation market from classic topcoats to BaseCoat/ClearCoat systems which are state of the art today. “Still today, the performance of the ALEXIT BaseCoat/ClearCoat system sets industry standards in regards to gloss retention and robust application.
There are also different aspects to the “material challenge.” With composite materials or 3D printed (additive manufactured) components, the aim is to use suitable primers and fillers to turn uneven component structures into smooth surfaces on which the paint system can be applied to achieve a perfect final appearance. On the other hand, innovative design approaches can be used with coatings to create various surface effects. This is particularly interesting for airlines in the interior sector to enhance the visual travel experience in the cabin. “From eco-efficient solid systems to sophisticated design effects, Mankiewicz FST interior coatings can do it all. A full qualified portfolio is very convenient for our customers.
And then there is the sustainability challenge. In addition to weight reduction and sustainable, resource- and energy-saving paintwork, there is a great facet in the exciting design field of chrome replacement in interior design. With ALEXIT EcoChrome, Mankiewicz has a coating in its portfolio that deceptively recreates the popular chrome look. The pigments in this new paint are so fine that the human eye can no longer discern them. This causes the surface to appear metallic, and the effect is comparable to electroplating. The system can be applied as a single coat, which makes very economical use possible. The product palette includes various color nuances whose application is conceivable for handrails and buttons.
PPG: PPG is constantly innovating and creating new technologies that are necessary additions to the aerospace market. Some of our newest aerospace products are:
PPG PR-2940 epoxy syntactic paste adhesive (ESPA) is used to bond the internal structures of an aircraft. It also has an industry-leading tensile and compressive strength while using low-density properties which contribute to aircraft lightweighting.
The aerospace industry is going through a chrome-free conversion as highly hazardous hexavalent chrome-based corrosion inhibitors are eliminated from structural and exterior primers. PPG continues to develop innovative coatings that offer exceptional corrosion protection that is safe for humans and the environment. We now have chrome-free primers that cover all applications on the airframe, including exterior, structural, assembly, and fuel tank primers.
Different from spray applied coatings, electrocoat, or electrodeposition coating, can be applied in a continuous process with nearly 100% coating transfer efficiency. Electrocoat is a proven high-speed, high-performance corrosion protection technology for the automotive industry. PPG first developed automotive electrocoat in the 1970s and has been a leader in electrocoat materials, coatings processes, and services.
Leveraging PPG’s know-how in electrocoat chemistry while addressing aerospace’s unique needs, we developed the aforementioned Aerocron electrocoat primer. Aerocron is a game changer in aerospace primers with outstanding sustainability benefits including absence of hexavalent chrome, very low VOC, and an automated coating process. Aerocron is now being adopted by multiple aerospace OEM customers.
CW: What are the newest products your company has launched for the aerospace market? In what areas are you focusing R&D efforts?
AkzoNobel: For simple ‘touch ups’, for example, we have recently lunched the new Eclipse gloss TUK™. Most ‘touch ups’ require very little paint, but many traditional ‘touch up kits’ still require painters to mix more paint than they will use, creating more waste than they want to.
(Holding 30ml of paint, each Eclipse gloss TUK comprises two separate compartments encapsulated into a single container. The first compartment holds the PC-223 curing solution while the second holds the base mix with the TR-113 activator which gives the mixed product its fast-drying characteristics. The user simply removes the ring on the cap of the container and presses it down until it clicks. After shaking to ensure the base and the hardener are properly mixed, the cap can be unscrewed, and the coating is ready to apply within minutes. It can be resealed and re-used if needed.)
As well as allowing for quick fixes without waste, it also reduces the amount of packaging required from multiple tins to a single container. More importantly, instead of shipping kits all over the world, we’ve set up multiple locations globally to handle the filling, so the transportation is also significantly reduced.
In terms of planned new product launches, later in the year we will be introducing a new CF primer for Defence and General Aviation (GA) segments. We are currently in the qualification stages with quite a number of OEMs and are excited to be bringing this to market. We are similarly excited about our plans for our new Extura 3500 In Mold Film (IMF) for the composites market. We really believe this will be a game changer in the quality of composite parts as they come out of the mold.
Right now, there are multiple cycles of pore filler, sanding surfacer, and protective coatings required protect the part though assembly prior to final paint. Extura 3500 essentially removes those time consuming and costly steps from the process. The best part of this is the product was designed so that it can be easily tailored to each customer’s individual process and mold. We believe this makes it a truly unique alternative.
When it comes to services, we continue to invest on our Aerofleet Coatings Management service and Aerofleet Training+. The former was a step-change into the services world for AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings. Coatings Management is all about using data to predict paint cycles and use that data to prove to customers that not all aircraft need to be painted on a set (and often arbitrary) cycle. The objective is to lengthen the cycle between a full repaint being required. Again, every time an aircraft is fully stripped and repainted, there is a huge amount of work, time, effort, and cost involved, not to mention the environmental impact. Every second an airplane is on the ground unnecessarily is costing the airlines dearly.
In terms of Aerofleet Training+, the emphasis is again on increasing productivity and reducing cost while enhancing sustainability through Virtual Reality (VR) training. To train both new painters and upskill existing technicians is a very labor intensive and expensive process. There are many costs in painting that are not related to the cost of the actual paint. The PPE, the demo panels, the instructor time, etc all add costs and create waste. By moving to VR, all of those single use costs and waste go away. The whole intent is to shorten the learning curve with new painters, getting them to a higher level of knowledge and competence before they start using paints for real, as well as upskilling existing painters.
Most of our efforts are being focused on product improvement, reducing SVHC (substances of very high concern), and addressing the needs of new markets.
Product improvement is very important to us and our customers. Our goal is to always find ways to improve our products to benefit our customers. This is everything from radically updating our toner lines and providing improved hiding and more vibrant colors, to getting multiple suppliers approved so that we can protect our supply chain and offer uninterrupted service. Our focus is on bringing certainty in an otherwise uncertain world.
We are actively looking at removing harmful substances from our portfolio. As we learn more about the long-term impacts to both people and the planet, we want to be seen as genuine leaders in doing all we can to create products that still meet customer needs (i.e in protecting aircraft parts from the damaging effects of corrosion) while reducing the negative impact those coatings may have on the environment.
In terms of new markets, there is so much growth in the Aerospace industry globally, with opportunities coming from many directions. As the industry continues to evolve, we too are looking to evolve. We are true innovators in developing coatings for the next generation of eVTOL aircraft and also aircraft powered by biobased or hydrogen fuels, as we know their needs are likely to be very different from the needs of more ‘traditional’ airplane manufacturers.
Mankiewicz: Mankiewicz develops its product portfolio with the “Solutions solving the challenges” approach, which has different aspects.
The “process challenge” aspect is about challenging existing coating structures and application methods and thus optimizing them. This is what happened, for example, with the ALEXIT WingFlex wing coating system described above. Also, almost two decades ago, Mankiewicz pioneered the turnaround in the aviation market from classic topcoats to BaseCoat/ClearCoat systems which are state of the art today. “Still today, the performance of the ALEXIT BaseCoat/ClearCoat system sets industry standards in regards to gloss retention and robust application.
There are also different aspects to the “material challenge.” With composite materials or 3D printed (additive manufactured) components, the aim is to use suitable primers and fillers to turn uneven component structures into smooth surfaces on which the paint system can be applied to achieve a perfect final appearance. On the other hand, innovative design approaches can be used with coatings to create various surface effects. This is particularly interesting for airlines in the interior sector to enhance the visual travel experience in the cabin. “From eco-efficient solid systems to sophisticated design effects, Mankiewicz FST interior coatings can do it all. A full qualified portfolio is very convenient for our customers.
And then there is the sustainability challenge. In addition to weight reduction and sustainable, resource- and energy-saving paintwork, there is a great facet in the exciting design field of chrome replacement in interior design. With ALEXIT EcoChrome, Mankiewicz has a coating in its portfolio that deceptively recreates the popular chrome look. The pigments in this new paint are so fine that the human eye can no longer discern them. This causes the surface to appear metallic, and the effect is comparable to electroplating. The system can be applied as a single coat, which makes very economical use possible. The product palette includes various color nuances whose application is conceivable for handrails and buttons.
PPG: PPG is constantly innovating and creating new technologies that are necessary additions to the aerospace market. Some of our newest aerospace products are:
- PPG ARE 3D additive manufacturing which uses our commercially qualified aerospace sealant technology to 3D print products such as gaskets and seals.
- Two new aerospace adhesives, PPG PR-2936 and PPG PR-2940. You can learn more about both of these new adhesives here.
PPG PR-2940 epoxy syntactic paste adhesive (ESPA) is used to bond the internal structures of an aircraft. It also has an industry-leading tensile and compressive strength while using low-density properties which contribute to aircraft lightweighting.
The aerospace industry is going through a chrome-free conversion as highly hazardous hexavalent chrome-based corrosion inhibitors are eliminated from structural and exterior primers. PPG continues to develop innovative coatings that offer exceptional corrosion protection that is safe for humans and the environment. We now have chrome-free primers that cover all applications on the airframe, including exterior, structural, assembly, and fuel tank primers.
Different from spray applied coatings, electrocoat, or electrodeposition coating, can be applied in a continuous process with nearly 100% coating transfer efficiency. Electrocoat is a proven high-speed, high-performance corrosion protection technology for the automotive industry. PPG first developed automotive electrocoat in the 1970s and has been a leader in electrocoat materials, coatings processes, and services.
Leveraging PPG’s know-how in electrocoat chemistry while addressing aerospace’s unique needs, we developed the aforementioned Aerocron electrocoat primer. Aerocron is a game changer in aerospace primers with outstanding sustainability benefits including absence of hexavalent chrome, very low VOC, and an automated coating process. Aerocron is now being adopted by multiple aerospace OEM customers.
