Users can apply a new coating that maintains surface quality in manufactured parts in humidity as high as 75%.
In the past, companies wanting to hard-coat products before putting them on the market had to buy expensive startup equipment and absorb high application costs. Now, the California Hardcoating Company, Chula Vista, Calif., has released a clear, super-hard coating called Perma-New that maintains a "like-new" appearance for manufactured products and is also inexpensive to apply.
The Perma-New coatings are a liquid blend of silica and resin. They are room-temperature stable 10 longer than competitive coatings and do not need to be refrigerated except during long-term storage. Unlike clear coatings such as varnishes or lacquers, Perma-Newtreated surfaces resist scratching even when rubbed with coarse steel wool.
While other hardcoatings on the market must be applied at a relative humidity of 30% or less, Perma-New coatings can be applied in relative humidity as high as 75%.
"We've taken the most durable, abrasion-resistant liquid coatings available in the aerospace and optical industries and made them practical for use in more general applications," says Dr. William Lewis, owner of California Hardcoating Company.
Because the Perma-New system doesn't require humidity-control equipment, most users can start limited-production coating for under $2,500. Perma-New protects clear plastics, like lenses, windows, and films, as well as polished metals such as brass or aluminum. Current markets include sheet-plastic manufacturers, eyeglass and safety lenses, face shields, and automobile headlamp lenses.