The process complexity and engineering support are more demanding, but the cost to paint cars may be reduced due to improved system performance. They formed a partnership to develop a new coating process for the A-class automobile. The process uses an integrated paint concept and a powder slurry topcoat. The first coat is a waterborne paint that has properties of a filler and eliminates the need for a filler coat. The second coat is a waterborne metallic liquid, applied electrostatically.
Powder is sprayed on as a slurry, a mixture of water and powder clearcoat.
This process eliminates one coating layer and one cure cycle, and produces a very tough film with less orange peel than some liquid coatings. Testing began in 1996 with a limited number of car bodies. By November 1997, production was at 100 units per day and increased to 750 units a day in 1998. Along the way, many technological problems have been solved. This process should find its way into a U.S. manufacturing plant within the next two to three years.