Fast-Drying Coating Systems for Agricultural and Construction Machinery

Demand for environmentally friendly coatings is increasing. The focus is clearly on fast processing and robust products. For this reason, new, fast-drying and isocyanate-free coating systems for agricultural and construction machinery are attracting significant interest in the industry. Whether agricultural and construction machinery or excavation vehicles – all vehicles in the ACE sector (agricultural, construction and excavation vehicles) are used in demanding environments. For this reason, coatings used in these fields must be particularly robust to withstand moisture, weather conditions and ultraviolet radiation. The industry's manufacturers and coating systems have high expectations regarding detailed performance characteristics. In recent years, in addition to performance properties, greater emphasis has also been placed on environmental impacts such as corrosion resistance or colour fastness. Traditional coating systems often utilise isocyanate-containing technologies. Due to their ideal properties such as hardness, gloss, chemical resistance capacity and fast drying, they are used in many different industrial coatings in the ACE sector. However, this technology has some disadvantages, particularly health-damaging properties.

Development of Isocyanate-Free Coating Systems

With the development of high-performance solutions that do not use isocyanates, dry quickly and at the same time have high robustness under mechanical load, Beckers Group can now meet the high expectations of OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). In a project spanning more than two years, Beckers worked together with a leading raw material supplier to develop specially designed primers and a special topcoat. This coating system is also suitable for wet-on-wet application. The result is a coating system that, when compared directly with current technologies on the market, demonstrates similar or in some cases better performance (see chart). Following increasing demand for isocyanate-free coatings, Beckers and its working partner launched this project. In addition, users are also interested in reducing VOC. Two-component (2K) epoxy or polyurethane primers combined with 2K polyurethane topcoats still account for a large share in the ACE market for two-layer coating systems. However, coating processes often require intermediate drying for the primer, which causes energy and time losses. Subsequently the topcoat is applied and this is again cured at high temperatures (approximately 80 degrees). The application of the wet-on-wet method significantly increases efficiency and reduces coating costs. In this method, after application of the primer at room temperature, it is allowed to air for a few minutes and subsequently the aforementioned topcoat is applied. Of course, all newly developed coating technologies must be compatible with existing applications and meet the high expectations of OEMs.

Manufacturers in the ACE sector have high expectations of coating systems.

Performance comparison of fast-drying coatings with standard 2K-PUR coatings © Beckers Group

Faster, More Economical and Environmentally Friendly Coating Process

Beckers has succeeded in developing an isocyanate-free, wet-on-wet coating technology that significantly shortens the curing process and can thus support higher piece counts in existing facilities. This safe and much more user-friendly technology represents major progress in many respects: it reduces drying times and generally provides shorter process times, supporting faster execution of additional processes on parts. Particularly high chemical resistance, longevity and resistance to scratching and impact meet the top-tier requirements of OEMs. Tests also demonstrated very good weather resistance. Since curing can take place even at low temperatures such as 10 to 30 degrees, costs and solvent emissions are lower. In addition, the isocyanate-free technology does not contain organotin catalysts and is thus much more environmentally friendly. The versatile system continues to be compatible with many other substrates. In this way, Beckers offers a coating beyond traditional systems with more sustainable and improved energy performance. Fast-drying coating work was carried out at Beckers' long-term development laboratory in the United Kingdom over more than two years. The strategic development phase is now complete and testing continues with a major OEM customer in the ACE sector. By continuing to develop the system with other OEM customers, the intention is to benefit even more from the potential of this technology. Ultimately, there is potential for reducing the use of toxic and environmentally harmful substances, which would be beneficial for both people and the environment.

Following successful tests in the long-term development laboratory, the properties of the new coating are tested with an OEM under practical application conditions. © Beckers Group/Artur Gawle