The SLC-coating technology for chromelike surfaces - a process combining powder painting and physical vapor deposition gets to the industry

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The SLC-coating technology for chromelike surfaces - a process combining powder painting and physical vapor deposition gets to the industry

Gabriel, H.M.

Electroplated Cr on automotive Al-alloy wheels is of limited durability particularly in harsh climates, when salt and gravel are on the road. Furthermore high gloss electroplated Cr is associated with high costs due to mechanical polishing and environmental issues. After years of development, the new, world-wide patented SLC-process solved all these issues. The procedure of the patented process consists of 3 steps: The Al- or steel wheel is powder coated with a specific primer to give the smoothest surface with the highest possible gloss. With a specifically developed ion-assisted PVD (physical vapor deposition) process a very thin metal coating is deposited onto the polymer-coated surface. This metal coating is sealed afterwards with a clear coat again deposited by powder coating. Tests with SLC-coated wheels showed an unsurpassed corrosion and wear resistance in the 240 h CASS-test, the 1000 h salt spray test, the gravel erosion test, 1000 car washes simulation etc. Meanwhile close to 500000 SLC-coated Al-alloy wheels are on the road in Germany, other EU-countries and the United States of America. Process details, coating properties as well as other potential applications are reported. Finally a brand new coating facility for a capacity of up to 1000000 wheels is shown in detail.