Diversified technology company 3M is changing the face of paint rectification by introducing a new upgraded process, and three innovative products, resulting in a system that is easier, faster and delivers an improved and more consistent finish.
Daniel Fletcher of the 3M Automotive Aftermarket Division, explains: “Saving time without compromising on quality is key to bodyshop profitability. We have added three key new products to our range that, when combined, provide important advances in paint rectification and offer a new solution that makes the system stronger than ever.”
A compound with extra life
For paint rectification over large areas, 3M has launched Perfect-it III Fast Cut XL, a newly-formulated, fast-acting compound designed to eliminate scratches and deliver a superior high-gloss finish on refinished or original paintwork. As well as offering greater coverage, Fast Cut XL reduces the amount of dusting in the air and onto adjacent panels and is easier to clean up. With reduced splatter and improved clean-up performance, Fast Cut XL is easy to use and produces a superior finish.
Daniel adds: “The ‘XL’ in Fast Cut XL refers to the extra life this new product provides, enabling bodyshop technicians to compound large areas without the abrasive drying while they are working. As well as being particularly beneficial for jobs that involve work over a bigger area, it can be a preferable solution for many smaller jobs because it is easier to clean up and less likely to splatter onto adjacent panels.”
Quick compounding and polishing
To make the job of the professional vehicle repairer easier, faster and more cost-effective, 3M has also introduced Quick Connect System, an innovative new system for compounding and polishing.
The system is based around a Quick Connect adaptor that fits directly onto the buffer, with double-sided 150mm and 216mm foam compounding and polishing pads and 150mm and 229mm double-sided wool compounding pads. The adaptor eliminates the need for a back-up pad and enables the technician to quickly switch between different size pads on the same job. A flexible plastic plate provides optimised support for the foam pad, which increases the life of the foam and produces a faster cut. The high-quality, colour-coded foam pads are long-lasting, improving both productivity and quality, while a rounded edge design enables technicians to polish in difficult areas. The wool pads feature a wear indicator which shows when it is time to reverse or replace the pad to ensure consistent quality.
A new approach to finishing
The most exciting part of the new paint rectification process recommended by 3M focuses on the addition of a new step in the scratch refinement stage of paint rectification. Following ongoing development in Trizact Technology, 3M has added a new Trizact Foam Finishing Disc, 6000 Grade that makes compounding and polishing easier. The principle behind the disc’s design is to reduce the depth of scratches further after using a Trizact Fine Finishing Disc, 3000 Grade. The unique pyramid surface structure of the blue foam disc produces a uniform and consistent finish. By ensuring that scratches are properly removed before polishing, it can reduce the number of labour hours required and substantially reduce re-work.
Although adding an extra step, in bodyshop trials, the new disc has been proved to save time and improve quality in the paint rectification process.
Describing the findings from field trials, Daniel adds: “By using the Trizact 6000 grade disc, you get a much finer surface finish and so can reduce the time required for polishing. You can actually see a clear difference in the level of gloss on a panel when the Trizact 6000 disc is used after the Trizact 3000, with an almost polished look, even before compounding. For the operator, this is an easier, less tiring and more convenient process and customers who have trialled the process found they achieved a consistently improved finish and an overall time saving.”
For more details on these innovative new products and the recommended paint rectification system from 3M, visit www.3Mbodyshop.co.uk.
3M, Perfect-it and Trizact are trademarks of 3M Company.
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