Aircraft Paints and Coatings

Paint manufacturers off new application training, solar heat management and new shades (one of which is inspired by a ballet tutu).

MARKETPLACE

Matthew Orloff

Aircraft coatings and paint provide more than a nice aesthetic; they protect aircraft from harsh environments; reduce drag resistance and boost resistance to dirt. However, deciding to get a new paint job requires a completely fresh weight and balance inspection. For MRO providers offering aircraft paint services, the following is a shortlist of companies that offer new services.

SHERWIN-WILLIAMS

Visualizer
Company: Sherwin-Williams
Product: As a household brand whose products can be found at major home department stores, Sherwin-Williams’ Aerospace Coatings division also can be easily found at 5,000 locations across 120 countries. Given its magnitude, the company’s qualifications extend to most aircraft and parts manufacturers, further making its options abundant. Sherwin-Williams has recently developed a web-based tool called “Aircraft Color Visualizer,” which allows paint shops, OEMs and aircraft owners the ability to see aircraft color combinations in an interactive experience before deciding on a final paint scheme. This provides a convenient way to explore the endless possibilities of products and combinations to envision what a business jet will ultimately look like at first glance.https://marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/sherwin-williams-aerospace-coatings

AKZONOBEL AEROSPACE COATINGS

Virtual Reality Training
Company: AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings
Product: Another giant in the aerospace coatings space, AkzoNobel offers a plethora of products. At NBAA-BACE 2022 in Orlando, Florida, the company introduced a new training technology that takes a virtual approach to painting an aircraft. The virtual reality-based system immerses a trainee in a virtual paint booth, complete with details including aircraft parts and the production floor itself. The system can be programmed to various paint specifications, such as the thickness of the coating required. In this case, when operators use the spray gun, they receive immediate feedback so they can change their technique, which may include the distance from which they are spraying, or the angle and speed at which the gun is used. Trainees see whether too much or too little paint is used and look for inconsistencies in the way the coating is being applied. The product was developed alongside technology specialists Virtual Paint Products and has been successfully tested at AkzoNobel’s training center in Troy, Michigan. Portable units have been designed for use at a customer’s own premise.https://marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/akzonobel-aerospace-coatings

PPG AEROSPACE

Heat Management Coating
Company: PPG Aerospace
Product: PPG Aerospace supports all segments of the aerospace industry, including business aviation. The company offers application supprt centers for its customers, where regional bases are set up around the world to offer technical support and delivery of PPG products. Heavy investment has been made into solar heat management coating, which helps keep aircraft skin up to 25 deg. cooler, while also making the interior cabin 5-7-deg. F cooler. The technology uses infrared-transparent stainers that allow solar heat to pass through topcoat pigments to a white primer coat, reflecting the heat away from the aircraft. For corrosion protection, which is something all aircraft require, PPG has developed Aerocron electrocoat primer, the first electrocoat specifically formulated for the low-temperature curing limitations unique to aerospace substrates. Aerocron Electrocoat Primer is intended to replace the traditionally used spray primer coatings for corrosion protection, which can be challenging to apply uniformly and efficiently. To enhance aesthetics, PPG has launched its Desothane HD basecoat/clearcoat, which provides color coverage of the basecoat and a high-gloss clear topcoat.https://marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/ppg

MANKIEWICZ

Colors of 2023
Company: Mankiewicz
Product: With over 125 years of experience in coating solutions for industrial series production, Mankiewicz is another option specific to aviation. Every year the company releases its “Colors of the Year,” which is a collection of three colors selected by its in-house design department based on the latest social trends and influences. For 2023, the colors included Fée Dragée (sugar plum fairy in French, from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker), a pale pink similar to a ballet tutu; Oyster Mushroom, an earthy grayish shade of brown; and Under Leaves, a dark green similar to foliage highlighted by diffused light. In addition, Mankiewicz recently became the first coatings manufacturer to join the Green Cabin Alliance, a new cross-industry group within the aircraft interiors supply chain that advocates for the aviation industry to work together to decarbonize the design, manufacture and supply of aircraft cabins. Its water-based coatings are said to have long-durability periods that can be applied eco-efficiently.https://marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/mankiewicz-coatings