ABRASIVES

THE NITTY-GRITTY

AS VEHICLE MATERIALS GO HIGH-TECH, ABRASIVES HAVE GONE THROUGH A MAJOR OVERHAUL

To those outside the collision repair industry, it may seem strange to imagine scientists in research laboratories around the globe working on the next game-changing abrasive materials.

After a century of making vehicles in, more or less, the same way, auto manufacturers have spent the past decade making drastic changes to how vehicles are made.

As automobiles become more complex, so do the materials used in their construction. And with the proliferation of materials like aluminum, super polymers, high-strength steel alloys, and carbon fibre, there is need for abrasives that can deal with the properties of these new materials.

If not for those scientists, the collision industry would never be able to keep up.

In recent years, the science of abrasives has undergone a transformation as impressive as the science of automobile design, but the impact of these revolutionary advances can only be seen under a microscope.

If you have the chance—and a microscope—find an old, long-forgotten roll of sandpaper, and compare it to a new one. You will see two completely different things. One will be a jagged mountain range of quartz sand stuck into a thin adhesive layer. The other will be a single, solid strip of precision engineered carbon domes, just spongy enough to accommodate metallic ripples while carving away even the hardest lacquers.

There is no doubt that, in this age of abrasive advancements, deciding which products will serve the needs of your business is a difficult task. While some brands offer obvious advantages, such as making it easier to reach certain surfaces or use in tight spaces; deciding whether to pay the premium for these advantages is a decision that only a true industry expert can make for his or her business.

A glance through the following pages should help to smooth out the decision-making process.

As automobiles become more complex, so do the materials used in their construction. And with the proliferation of materials like aluminum, super polymers, high-strength steel alloys, and carbon fibre, there is need for abrasives that can deal with the properties of these new materials.

Dust-Free Sanding Combi Workstation

PROSPOT

prospot.com Total Automotive Sanding System

3M CANADA

3Mcanada.ca

The Dust-Free Combi Workstation makes sanding easier, cleaner and more productive according to ProSpot. Their patented Dust-Free Sanding System has now combined mobility, storage and fast clean-up for ease-ofuse while also accommodating two sanders at once. The workstation also boasts an electricity-free system, using only low-volume compressed air and anti-static hoses, technicians are able to safely work on aluminum or steel. The slim design and easy-glide wheels allow users to easily maneuver the station around the shop, while the low airflow also means quiet operation along with saving on air compressor and energy costs.

GAP 80 UV Putty

FINIXA

fi nixa.com 3M, in collaboration with Festool Automotive Systems, brings The Total Automotive Sanding System to the automotive aftermarket boasting bestin-class abrasives, premium power tools and dust extraction solutions. The system allows technicians more control over bodyshop conditions with sharper abrasives producing finer results and less dust from sanding resulting in minimized rework and better air quality. Designed with user safety and efficiency in mind with an integrated dust extraction system, IAS anti-static hose and a workcenter that enables abrasives to be used to the end of life, meaning reduced change outs and material costs.

Heavy Duty Equipment Wash

KROWN

krown.com

Finixa’s GAP 80 is a universal UV polyester putty with high fi lling properties. is putty is packed in a 310ml cartridge, can be used with a traditional sealant gun and can cure in two to fi ve minutes, depending on layer thickness. Finixa says GAP 80 boasts an unlimited pot life and, when cured, can be coated with polyester spray putty, UV primer/fi ller, PU and acrylic primers and gelcoats. Created specifically for touchless washes this powerful solvent from Krown is an effective wash for cars and trucks with the toughest soils, including road film. Working well in either hard or soft water, this heavyduty equipment has the highlighted quality of easy-rinsing for efficiency. With the ability to be used under a variety of pressures, this product has the versatility technicians look for in an equipment wash.

Emerald Sanding Discs

WURTH

shop.wurth.ca Magic Disc Diamond Grain Abrasives

EAGLE ABRASIVES

eagleabrasives.com

Wurth Emerald Sanding Discs feature a premium aluminum oxide for superior performance with extended service life by reducing problems with disc tearing. They have superb moisture resistance, are flexible and very rugged. Wurth Emerald Discs are 100 per cent waterproof and therefore ideal for wet or dry sanding applications and designed to prevent clogging and reduce heat with its open-grain design. Utilizing top-quality diamond abrasive grains, the Magic Disc was specially designed for very hard coating surfaces, even OEM E-coat primers and matte clear coat sanding. The two all-new disc grades of 400 & 500 provide users with overall reduced sanding times and versatility while still providing a uniform finish. Additionally, the added component of advanced anticlogging technology provides an extremely long sanding life.

BLUCROM Water Basecoat System Leave y r bluprint

BLUCROM BASES

DISCOVER IT

Blucrom is a water-based tintometric system made up of 54 solid bases, 9 metallic bases, 18 pearlescent bases and 5 xirallic bases.

The Blucrom bases offer a solution for users who seek ef ciency, precision and reliability in color. The special formula of its basic color pigments provides great covering power and, used together with the Roberlo 2K clear coats and primer llers, allows for high quality, maximum durability and excellent gloss levels in any automobile re nishing.

Roberlo is a family-run company specialized in the development, manufacture and sale of coatings and other repair solutions for the refi nish aftermarket and for industrial applications. Contact us today!

Razer Gold Sandpaper

WURTH

shop.wurth.ca S Performance Sanding Discs

SIA ABRASIVES

siaabrasives.com

Wurth’s Razer Gold line of sandpapers and discs are proudly Made in Canada! These durable, long-lasting discs and sandpaper will provide users with virtually no cracking or peeling, resulting in a smoother finish to your work piece. The Razer Gold line of products feature a superior resin over resin adhesion system, and one of the strongest and heaviest velour backings in the industry.

ALUgrind Mini Flap Discs

EXTREME ABRASIVES

extremeabrasives.com The S Performance sanding disks from Sia Abrasives are a high-efficiency product that allow users increased extraction performance from the high concentration of holes, which reduce dust exposure and accelerate cleaning of work pieces and machines. Not only that, the abrasive doesn’t need to be changed as frequently as others thanks to fewer sanding disc blockages, extending the lifetime of the disc and saving money. With simple positioning and convenient mounting, the disc can be easily adjusted and quickly attached to the backing pad without any issues.

6’’ STKT 36E Paperback

FBS DISTRIBUTION

fbsdistribution.com

The ALUgrind Mini Flap Discs are like no other when it comes to working on aluminum and soft metals. Along with providing users with a clog-free grinding that generates very little heat, the discs also use lower pressure which helps to reduce fatigue in operators. Not to mention a longer disc life, meaning less time and money spent on changeovers. Long lasting and specially designed to save on labour cost and improve quality, these abrasive discs from 3M have the ability to strip paint and metal along with shape and sand plastic filler. The STKT 36Es are built on tough weight-backing materials and are available in Hookit and Stikit attachments.

81132 Professional Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound

MOTHERS

mothers.com

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SPECIAL EDITION $15.99 2021

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Canada Post Canadian publication mail sales product agreement No. 40841832. A special edition of Collision Repair Magazine. 86 John St. Thornhill, ON, L3T TY2 COLLISIONREPAIRMAG.COM

INFORM,ENGAGE, CONNECT

Collision Repair’s Buyer’s Guide is a valuable industry resource featuring more than 160 products and services specifically catered to the automotive repair sector. Available both online and in print, the Buyers’ Guide is an easyto-access tool that provides crucial information to the collision repair industry.

For more information visit buyersguide.collisionrepairmag.com

Mothers® Professional Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound can quickly and easily remove 1,200 grade and fi ne sand scratches from various types of fi nishes and factory-applied automotive paint. Not only that, it can also remove heavy oxidation, car-wash scratches and other paint defects that don’t require sanding.

G360 Super Fast System Compound Kit

FARECLA

farecla.com

Boasting that there’s no need for P3000 abrasive discs, the G360 Super Fast System enables operators to see scratch marks disappear right before their eyes, according to Farecla. Permanently removing P1500 sanding marks with ease, the G360 compound kits unique abrasive technology contains no fi llers or silicones providing permanent results, potentially reducing the need for costly reworks.

STRUCTURAL ADHESIVES UNDERSTOOD

WHY MECHANICAL FASTENERS CAN’T ALWAYS COMPETE

Structural adhesives allow vehicle designers a level of flexibility that cannot be achieved with mechanical fasteners like rivets.

For one thing, adhesives are simply more physically flexible. The bonds they create are, by their nature, able to accommodate more stresses without causing lasting damage to the materials they connect.

Mechanical fasteners, on the other hand, are hard on the materials they keep together, as they must be tough enough to maintain a bond between different metals and plastics, each of which have different stress tolerances. More durable products – rivets and welds could leave behind stress points that can cause breakage. Structural adhesives create a strong bond that is unbreakable.

Because of this, structural adhesives can bond together materials that would otherwise be impossible to attach—like different types of plastics and metals with differing thermal expansion properties.

While, for a long time, the main problem with structural adhesives is they could never be as strong as a mechanical, limited designs to using mechanical adhesives for many purposes, a number of recent innovations have allowed adhesives to play a more important role in vehicle designs.

In the late 2010s, the first structural adhesives with serious load-bearing potential hit the market.

One of the first 3M’s Next Generation Structural Acrylic Adhesives also offered strong impact resistance, which is something no mechanical fastener could compete with.

The end of the decade also saw the arrival of super-adhesive capable of bonding dissimilar polymers together at the atomic level.

ADVANTAGES OF STRUCTURAL ADHESIVES

• Greater design potential – mechanical fasteners can’t really operate with the tolerances of light, thin and dissimilar materials. Structural adhesives expand the design potential by bonding together materials that would otherwise be impossible to attach.

• Better material integration – adhesive bonding allows objects to be fastened together like glue. Structural adhesives have been used by many manufacturers due to their superior durability. • Increased structural integrity— recent advances have created structural adhesives capable of bearing loads and even bonding dissimilar materials together at the atomic level.

• Increased productivity – mechanical fasteners can be a lengthy process, but structural adhesives eliminates the extra time and equipment that would be used otherwise.