Development of Car PPF Application Areas
Car paint protection film, which is a film that consist of cotaing base film and adhesive layer that applies on part of car or the whole car to protect the original car paint and other vulnerable surfaces. the initial version pf ppf is called “rhino skin”, and not used in the car, so why? Rhinoceros skin” is the same object we usually describe as thick as a wall, but also to prevent scratching, collision, and rhinoceros skin as thick, which can also be a vivid description of the role of car paint protection film.
The 1960s
In 1966, the world’s first generation of “Rhinoceros Skin” was born, when the “Rhinoceros Skin” protective film was used as a military product on U.S. Army helicopters to protect the propeller edge. This played a critical role in protecting the U.S. air force during the Vietnam War.
The 1970s
After ten years of military development, the use of “rhinoceros skin” began to expand, from the original protection of helicopter propeller edge, developed to protect the U.S. Army stealth fighter radome paint surface. Radome paint layer complex, divided into conductive paint, top coat, primer, decorative paint a total of four layers, a long time of water corrosion, electrostatic ablation and other reasons will damage the overall radome paint structure and anti-electric system, so the protection of the radome paint for fighter jets is vital.
Although the radome allows a certain degree of paint loss, but the maximum total area of paint loss can not exceed 490 square centimeters, otherwise the radome needs to be replaced. The application of “rhinoceros skin” greatly reduces the probability of damage to the radome paint surface and the cost of radome replacement.
The 1990s
Entering the peace era, the rapid development of the business community, “Rhinoceros skin” gradually to civilian and commercial fields. Car rallies, formula cars and other auto racing projects use “rhino skin” protective film to protect the sponsor’s logo, so that when the car body collision, to ensure the integrity of the car body brand Logo, in order to protect the rights and interests of sponsors.
Early 21st Century
Starting from year 2004,”Rhinoceros Skin” protective film came to the forefront in the European and American residential car market, and the car paint protection film gradually became a product used to protect the paint of luxury cars and European royalty cars. However, at that time, the price of this kind of paint protection film was very high, not something that the general public could accept, it was purely a luxury that only a few people could afford. Even if the general public used the paint protection film, it was only limited to the protection of door handles, footrests and other parts of the car.
Around 2010
In 2009, a TPU-based automotive paint protection film was officially born. TPU base material is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, whose advantages include scratch repair by heat, anti-aging, anti-corrosion, yellowing resistance, and super stretchability and hardness.
In the following years, paint protection films have been evolving on TPU-based substrates to achieve a wide range of automotive paint protection functions. With the continuous expansion of PPF production capacity and the increasing acceptance of the public, the demand for car coats for high-end models in 2020 is showing a blowout.
The development of car ppf materials
The key to the car ppf is the base film, so the history of the development of the car ppf material is the history of the development of the base film material, which has gone through the following stages.
The first generation – PU material
PU material, the world’s first 3M rhinoceros leather in 1966, used by the people in 2004, mainly used in the mainframe, door buckle, side skirts, rear fender bottom, front and rear bar corners and other locations.
The second generation – PVC material
PVC material, PU in the pre-manufacturing is difficult to break through to 1.52 m height, while PVO material can easily do, and thin and easy to stretch, but the shortcomings are also as obvious as PU, more scratches, discoloration, yellowing, oxidation, etc.
Third generation – TPU material
TPU material. The world’s first 1.52 meters high TPU for the United States XPEL developed in 2009, TPU base material advantage in dry thermoplastic polyamide elastomer rubber, to scratch automatic restoration, softness stretch known! And the disadvantages and PU the same, yellow flowers, discoloration and other problems.
Fourth generation – TPU+coating
TPU+coating. The world’s first for the United States XPEL 2011 research and development and creation, 2.5MIL thickness to subvert the history of all the industry’s paint protection film, the later brands coating are in 0.5MIL. can not surpass XPEL. it is more resistant to yellowing, not oxidation, corrosion resistance.
The current mainstream material – new generation TPU with self healing technology
Currently on the market, many brands use Japanese base film, because Germany/US raw material price is high .the new technology It breaks through the traditional TPU must be added coating technology (a TPU coating, a PU coating) cost greatly reduced, the surface coating particles are small, the strong density can make TPU scratches at room temperature instant restoration.
Although the expensive material, there is a threshold of the installation and paste process, so that the price of the car coat is still high, but with the continuous improvement of the paint protection film products, the maturity of all aspects, paint protection film is becoming a market demand, and the booming development of new energy vehicles, but also to accelerate the awakening of consumers to the idea of car protection, the car ppf can take advantage of the trend and expand the market share, like window film to become the standard for new cars.