The Solution for the Automotive Coatings Industry: The Integration of Sagola and Elcometer

Sagola has been manufacturing high performance spray paint guns and spray equipment accessories for the automotive industry for over 65 years. Building a reputation for manufacturing high quality, highly efficient, versatile and reliable spray guns and filters, their equipment allows professionals to quickly and easily achieve the highest levels of finish.

In 2021, Sagola was acquired by Elcometer, a leading manufacturer of inspection equipment for the coatings industry.

The combination of Elcometer’s coatings inspection equipment with Sagola’s spray equipment brings together an ideal and unique solution particularly for those in the automotive and automotive refinishing sectors. Whether you are testing a coating in the paint laboratory, applying a coating on the paint line or respraying vehicles in a bodyshop, the final product needs inspecting, by adding Elcometer’s comprehensive range of inspection equipment to Sagola’s range of spray technologies, Elcometer can now provide our customers around the world with a total solution.

Physical Testing

Automotive coatings serve a dual purpose in providing both protection and aesthetic appeal. Acting as a barrier to protect the underlying material from various environmental and physical impacts, whilst also giving an attractive appearance that enhances the visual appeal of the vehicle.

Physical testing in the laboratory is crucial not only in evaluating the quality and durability of a coating, but also to ensure that it can withstand the wear and tear of everyday use.

Through undertaking controlled, repeatable and reproducible impacts, scratches and abrasions on a coating, an evaluation can be made into the performance of a paint in real-world situations.

The results of such tests can then be used to make improvements to the paint during the development process, leading to durable and long-lasting, high quality finishes which also meet industry standards and quality expectations.

Elcometer offers a wide range of physical test equipment ideal for the automotive industry, including:

Bend and Impact Testing

Abrasion and Washability Testing

Hardness and Scratch Resistance Testing

Gloss Measurement

The appearance of a vehicle’s paint, and particularly it’s shine, is a critical factor in the overall quality of the product and customer satisfaction. Automotive and coating manufacturers must therefore ensure that the paint has the desired level of gloss – not only on the body panels, but also on key visual components within the car itself.

A glossmeter works by directing light at a specified angle on to the surface and measuring the amount of light reflected back at the same angle. The amount of light reflected is then used to calculate the gloss value, typically expressed in gloss units (GU). This gloss value provides an independent, objective measure of the paint’s finish, which can be used to determine if the paint meets the manufacturer’s desired specifications, helping to improve the quality of the final product.

In bodyshops, gloss is also critical as it is important to match the finish of the repainted areas of the vehicle to the original paintwork so that the vehicle’s overall appearance can be restored. With its simple one button operation and a large, clear display, the Elcometer 480 Glossmeter is easy to use. Its portable, lightweight and rugged design makes it suitable for use on the production line or in the bodyshop. The Elcometer 480 is a high precision instrument and has a measurement range of up to 2000GU, an accuracy of ±1GU and can store up to 500 measurement readings.

Coating Thickness Measurement

The coating thickness gauge is a vital piece of equipment in the automotive industry, serving dealerships, bodyshops and insurance companies alike. The coating thickness of a vehicle can be measured for various reasons which include quality assurance, assessing historical damage and ensuring adequate repair has been carried out which all goes to help determine the value of the car. When measuring a vehicle’s coating thickness, inconsistent readings on a body panel can be a strong indicator that rework, has been undertaken. Rework could range from simple scratches to significantly filled body panels. A high reading suggests body filler was used, a lower reading can suggest a replacement panel was not adequately painted.

This information gives valuable insight to dealerships and insurance companies alike, allowing detailed assessment into a vehicle’s true condition, determining if it has been in an accident or has experienced other types of paint damageultimately giving a more realistic resale value of the vehicle.

Coating thickness gauges, also known as dry film thickness gauges (DFT) are also used in bodyshops to determine the amount of paint needed for repairs and ensure the rework is of a similar thickness to the rest of the vehicle.

The entry level Elcometer 311 Automotive Paint Meter and the more advanced Elcometer 456 Coating Thickness Gauge are versatile and reliable instruments which are both widely used within the automotive industry as they are ideal for measuring the thickness of paint and other coatings on vehicles. With instant material recognition and the ability to switch between steel and aluminium panels, these Elcometer gauges allow users to quickly and easily assess any damage to the vehicle.

Spraying

Replicating a vehicle’s entire paint finish in an aftermarket paint environment, matching the exact colour, gloss and coating’s uniformity of finish across the whole of the car to as it was when manufactured can only be achieved with high-quality spray guns recognised and approved by the leading automotive paint manufacturers. Sagola by Elcometer is one of the few manufacturers with approval from many of the automotive paint manufacturers around the world. Our spray guns are widely used in bodyshops providing aftermarket painters with a similar paint finish and appearance uniformity on the vehicle as it was when first manufactured.

Sagola has a gun to suit any application - engineered for both quality and performance. The Sagola 4600 Xtreme is a top-of-the-range gravity-fed spray gun designed for high performance and versatility, featuring a stainless-steel needle and nozzle, which ensures a high-quality finish and increased durability. Its adjustable air and fluid controls allow users to fine-tune their application, ensuring a consistent and precise finish every time.

Each Sagola spray gun is designed to deliver high performance and a low cost of ownership being easy to maintain. Sagola’s interchangeable aircaps, needles and nozzle kits allow for the customisation of the spray gun’s spray pattern, fluid flow and atomisation, ideal for each specific application or material requirement.

Elcometer’s acquisition of Sagola brings a comprehensive solution to the automotive coatings industry. The combined offering of Sagola and Elcometer ensures that professionals have the necessary tools to inspect, evaluate, repair and respray vehicles to a high standard from one company - Elcometer.

For more information on Elcometer and Sagola, please visit www.elcometer.com