Why Do Auto Parts Favor Powder Coatings?

Aug 11 , 2025

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A Comprehensive Analysis of Applications and Characteristics

This article outlines the development history and application status of powder coating technology for auto parts. Based on the performance requirements of powder coatings in automotive components (including car bodies, engines, wheel hubs, chassis, etc.), it points out that different automotive parts should use corresponding powder coating systems, and lists specific testing standards for different powder coatings. It provides a reference basis for the development of automotive powder coatings and looks forward to the future development trends and application prospects of automotive powder coating technology.

Development Overview of Automotive Powder Coatings

In the early 1970s, powder coatings were initially applied in the automotive field. Due to the high performance requirements of automotive coatings, such as high weather resistance, high corrosion resistance, high wear resistance, heat resistance, and gloss and color retention, the technical progress was relatively slow.

The initial application of powder coatings was limited to auto parts and automotive undercoats. Later, they were gradually used in automotive one-coat powder coatings and powder clear coats, becoming truly automotive powder coatings.

· In the 1980s, Japan's Honda and Italy's Fiat began to use powder coatings to spray car bodies. American automakers were more cautious when introducing powder coatings as automotive topcoats.

· General Motors started using powder coatings as one-coat coatings for the bodies of its small truck series in 1982. After accumulating relevant experience, it began to use powder coating technology in its passenger car series in the early 1990s.

· In 2000, General Motors and Daimler-Chrysler applied one-coat powder coatings to more than 10,000 car bodies every day.

At present, the European automotive industry coatings also follow the development trend of powder coatings, replacing liquid coatings.

The application of powder coatings in China's automotive industry is mostly in auto parts. Although their excellent coating performance and environmental protection performance can completely replace liquid coatings, they are limited by product structure and coating technology:

· Powder coatings account for less than 10% of China's automotive coating application market, while in Europe and the United States, powder products suitable for spraying auto parts have reached more than 50%.

· There is a large gap between China's powder coating varieties and those in developed Western countries. In addition, there are also gaps in quality and scale in terms of spraying equipment and baking equipment.

With the development of new powder coating products and technologies, the application of powder coatings in the automotive field is constantly expanding, such as automotive aluminum wheel hubs, automotive bumpers, brake pads, filters, engines, windshield wipers, and car compartments.

Automotive powder coating varieties include epoxy powder, epoxy-polyester powder, weather-resistant pure polyester powder, polyurethane, and acrylic. At present, their curing temperatures are relatively high (180 - 200 ℃), resulting in high energy consumption. Moreover, high-temperature coating has a great impact on the mechanical properties of automotive parts, with certain potential safety hazards.

In terms of coating special parts such as automotive wheel hubs, brake pads, and rotating shafts, many automobile companies have put forward requirements for low-temperature curing coating.

Coating Requirements for Powder Coatings for Automotive Parts

Powder Coating on Automotive Surfaces

Automotive coatings have high requirements for both protective and decorative properties. The traditional liquid coating process for automotive surfaces generally includes three processes: intermediate coating, color paint, and clear coat. A large amount of VOC is emitted during the coating process. Governments of various countries encourage automobile manufacturers to adopt relatively environmentally friendly coating processes to reduce VOC emissions.

· In 2000, Volkswagen in Europe began to implement the intermediate coating-free process, adopting the "water-based basecoat + high-solid clear coat" coating process. This spraying process can reduce VOC emissions by 70% and CO₂ emissions by 20% every year, making it one of the most environmentally friendly automotive coating processes to date.

· Compared with water-based coatings, the application of powder coatings on car bodies is relatively limited, but changes are gradually taking place. The three major North American automakers, General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford, took the lead in conducting research and development on powder spraying for automotive body intermediate coating in 1996. Using powder coatings as the base powder instead of the original intermediate coating, there are now 11 automotive OEM factories in the United States using powder coating production lines for automobiles.

Automotive clear coats have always been a difficult field for powder coatings to enter, but the advantages of powder coatings in economy and environmental protection have made automobile manufacturers and coating producers carry out extensive research in this area:

· BMW is the world's first automaker to use powder clear coats in its standard products. The powder clear coat production at BMW's German factory has been commercially put into operation since 2000, with a total production of more than 500,000 cars.

· In the Chinese market:

· 2015: Jianghuai Automobile and AkzoNobel jointly developed a powder coating production line, realizing the powder solid-color paint spraying process on truck compartments.

· 2016: CIMC Dongguan Zhongji Special Vehicle put into operation a powder coating spraying trailer in Dongguan, with an annual output of 30,000 units (sets), mainly exported to North America and Europe.

· 2018: Wuhu CIMC Ruijiang Automobile Co., Ltd. adopted powder coating spraying for various mixing tank trucks, powder tanks, and their parts, using the coating process of base powder + top powder double coating and top powder single coating, achieving a new breakthrough in tank truck coating line technology.

It is reported that AkzoNobel's Interpon ultra-weather-resistant polyester powder color paint has a gloss retention rate of more than 80% after 60 months of exposure in Florida, and has been adopted by automobile manufacturers such as TOYOTA, HONDA, AUDI, PSA, and FORD, with an appearance similar to traditional water-based color paints.

Development Prospect of Automotive Powder Coatings

Automobile manufacturers have relatively high requirements for the appearance and performance of automotive coatings. At present, automotive powder coatings (such as intermediate coatings and clear coats) are only available in monochrome series because powder coatings cannot change colors as quickly as liquid coatings.

In actual production, the leveling property of powder coatings cannot reach the effect of liquid coatings and the curing temperature is relatively high, which are the main reasons for the slow promotion and application of powder coatings in the automotive coating field.

Therefore, the development direction of automotive powder coating technology is to improve the leveling property of coatings and develop low-temperature curing powder coatings. With the increasing progress of powder coating technology, powder coatings will gradually expand their application in the automotive field:

1. Metal powder coatings for automotive aluminum wheel hubs can gradually replace metallic paints;

2. Automotive chassis and engines;

3. Automotive body clear coating and automotive interior compartments;

4. New energy vehicle bodies, parts, and power battery casings will all adopt powder spraying technology.

Conclusion

Powder coatings have gone through a long-term development process in the field of auto parts. In recent years, with the increasing strengthening of national low-carbon and environmental protection regulations, the upgrading of automotive coatings has also begun to accelerate.

Eric

Vice Chairman of the Coatings and Adhesives Association
Senior New Materials R&D Engineer
Bachelor of Engineering
General Manager
Professional Experience: With 10 years of experience in the fine chemical industry, the team has served over 10,000 clients. Committed to providing one-stop fine chemical services for global clients and helping them optimize the selection of chemical materials.

References

Principles and Complete Formulas for Paint Color Mixing

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