The use of prepainted sheets or coil coating in construction is becoming widespread in Latin America. Know its advantages.
by Vanesa Restrepo
Prepainted metal sheets, also known as coil coatings, are gaining ground in Latin America. These are sheets of metal, usually steel or aluminum, which can be divided into sheets that are then used in architecture, home appliances, decoration and transportation.
The introduction of coil coating dates back to 1935, when Joe and Henry Sonnenberg built the first metal winding line in the U.S. Initially, the width of the steel band was 50 mm and the products are mainly used for the production of blinds, a product that soon replaced traditional wooden ones. At the time, alkyd coatings with a thickness of approximately 200 pm were used.
After World War II, the world focused on recovery and reconstruction. The rapid development of the architectural sector increased the demand for new materials that were faster to craft and obtain. This meant a great opportunity for pre-painted sheets that were easy to install. This market was mainly centralized in Europe and America before the 1970s. Until 1979, the US had a modern coil coating industry with a line speed of 244 m/min.
Already in 1980, the countries of Asia and Latin America began to invest in pre-painted metals, and the coil coating coil lines began to be built, which represented the second air for this industry. Since then, the sector has gained ground in our countries thanks to the ease of application for the construction of appliances, vehicles and the use in constructions such as enclosures and roofs of easy installation and long duration.
The market
Until 2010 the estimated consumption of pre-painted sheets in the world exceeds six million tons per year, of which four million are used in metal architecture. Some of the most common uses of coil coating sheets are in the construction of industrial facilities and production plants that take advantage of the easy installation and lightness of the material to create resistant and durable environments.
Similarly, and since they adapt easily to different designs, they have been used in the construction of stadiums, hangars, airports and other sports venues. In homes they are used as roofs and for specific enclosures, although their consumption is lower than in the industrial sector.
The other major consumer of this type of materials is the vehicle and auto parts sector, which take advantage of the advantages and malleability of the material for the construction of lightweight and fast bodies and for the replacement of parts in vehicles with lower costs.
A third intensive user of pre-painted sheets is the appliance sector, where they are used as boxes for washing machines, dryers, microwave ovens and refrigerators, among others.
In the world, the main user of coil coating is Asia with 36% of the market, followed by North America with 26% and Europe with 25%. Latin America ranks fourth with just 8% of the world market. Of that percentage, 37% corresponds to Brazil, 31% to Mexico, 15% to Argentina, 8% to Colombia and 5% to Venezuela.
Thus, we have that the pre-painted sheets business moved about US $ 7,600 million in 2010, showing significant growth compared to 2009, when the statistics slightly exceeded US $ 7,400 million.
According to Mario Narváez, of the Global Paints company, the trend in coil coating is oriented towards the replacement of liquid paint by powder paint, given its versatility in handling, ease of use and agility in the installation of works. Similarly, there is a development in the treatment of the metal surface with developments based on nanotechnology, in which chromium is removed, for example, to be replaced by fluoro zirconium acid. The curing of the paintings also moves towards infrared (IR) or UV curing, as properties and functionalities are improved.
The progress in environmental matters, as in the whole industry, is oriented to the reduction of voC in paints and the reduction of CO2 emissions in industrial processes linked to the sector. This is achieved through the creation of coatings with high solids, the use of powder coating and the progressive removal of solvents.
Proceeds
For the paint applicator, coil coating reduces work in painting parts in a structure, saves space and helps increase plant capacity in industrial facilities. To this is added that it is resistant to the formation of parts, reduces bottlenecks, minimizes energy costs and reduces the contact and handling of hazardous materials, improving risk levels for workers.
Meanwhile, for those who work in the construction sector and who are in charge of the finishes, the coil coating saves construction time, allows a more flexible and functional design, guarantees homogeneity of the material in the metal structure, is easy to handle and reduces the risks for the personnel of the work.
Uses
The prepainted sheet has provided practical tools and product-specific solutions so that architects can materialize in a tangible way in their works and designs, the aspirations of a more concerned and friendly architecture with the environment and with the quality of life and work of those who will occupy that space, either for room or for work.
Prepainted sheets used for outdoor applications use paints formulated based on the quality requirements necessary for exposure to atmospheric agents such as ultraviolet radiation, urban pollution, and climatic agents. They generally have a better brightness that obeys their high content of protective resins and consequently the pigments used are all of high resistance and solidity to direct sunlight.
In the case of tiles and enclosures for housing and housing constructions, the prepainted sheets must have:
1. Good processability
2. Good mechanical strength:
3. Flexibility, hardness
4. Good weather resistance
5. Good UV resistance
Among the manufacturers of household appliances it is sought that they have:
1. Good mechanical properties
2. Hardness
3. Abrasion resistance
4. Excellent flexibility
5. Resistance to yellowing
