Automotive

Surface Science Western (SSW) has worked closely with major automotive manufacturers, parts and coatings suppliers from the North American marketplace for almost three decades. Automobiles consist of hundreds, if not thousands, of components with their own unique manufacturing processes and material characteristics. SSW has gained expertise by examining many of the various components used on vehicles today, including aluminum alloy wheels, fuel system components, paint coatings (including paint defects and failures), metal plating, rubber door and window trim, electronic components and transmission parts.

SSW has a particular strength in analysing paint defects, paint craters and paint adhesion failures in automotive applications. Our success with solving automotive coating related problems from OEM’s across North America has saved them millions of dollars in reduced scrap, re-work of components, and paint line down-times.
SSW also understands the time constraints inherent in the automotive industry and provides expedited analysis turnaround to ensure you have answers as quickly as possible, within twenty-four hours of sample receipt, if necessary.
SSW also offers workshops and seminars on paint defect analysis as well as training for personnel.

Automotive Solutions

• Paint defect analysis to determine if the incorrect pigment was used in the paint formulation
• Analysis of peeling/non-adhering paint
• Blister defects in rubber door trim caused by talc and sodium stearate particles
• Polysporin® responsible for crater defects on fuel door panels
• Crater contamination on painted car panels sourced to oil/lubricants containing Teflon® and silicone
• Failure of foam adhesive on paint side panels
• Pinhole defects on car hoods caused by defects in the raw steel
• Examination of paint defects that reveal antiperspirant contamination
• Analysis of corrosion debris can help identify the type of corrosion and the contributing species such as chlorine or sulphur
• Film build measurements of multilayer painted parts
• Investigation of flame/plasma/ozone treatment of polymer surfaces to improve paint adhesion to car body panel
• Failure analysis of engine and transmission components
• Development of improved environmental corrosion tests
• Testing for the presence of pre-treatment coatings on aluminum alloy rims and body panels
• Examination of the quality and integrity of zinc phosphate coatings