AUTOBODY REPAIR DEFINITIONS

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A

ACCELERATOR:

• Additive to paint to speed the cure of a coating.

ACRYLIC:

• A plastic like material used in the manufacturing of paint to increase gloss and durability.

ACTIVATOR:

• See CATALYST.

ADDITIVE:

• Chemicals added to a paint to improve or create certain specific characteristics: i.e., flex agents.

ADHESION PROMOTER:

• Material used over an O.E.M. or cured insoluble finish to increase the adhesion of the topcoat.

AIR DRY:

• The drying or solvent evaporation of a topcoat at room temperature.

ALTERNATE COLOR:

• A color matched to a verifiable O.E.M. color shift.

ALUMINUM PIGMENT:

• Small aluminum particles used in paint to reflect light. These flakes vary in size and polish to give a look of glamour and luster.

ARCING (the gun):

• The action of turning the wrist or elbow at the end of each pass of paint while doing blends or panel repair. This causes a lighter application of paint at each end of the pattern.

ATOMIZE:

• The breaking-up of paint into fine particles or droplets by a paint gun.

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B

BAKING:

• The process of applying heat to a finish to speed the cure or dry time of the finish.

BARE SUBSTRATE:

• Any material (steel, aluminum, plastic, etc.) which does not have a coating of paint or primer.

BASECOAT:

• A highly pigmented color which requires a coating of clear for protection, durability and gloss.

BASECOAT/CLEARCOAT SYSTEM:

• A two-stage finish consisting of a color coat and a clearcoat.

BLEEDING:

• Soluble dyes or pigments in old finishes dissolved by solvents in new color and bleed through to the new finish color.

BLENDING:

• The tapering of finishes or colors so slight differences cannot be distinguished. Merging one color into another. This is achieved by allowing some of the old finish to show through the new color.

BLISTERING:

• Effect of pressure from either solvent or moisture under a coating causing a swelling or blister in the finish; i.e. water blister.

BLUSHING:

• A milky appearance of a topcoat caused by high humidity where water condenses on or in the wet coating. This can be eliminated by use of heat or a slower solvent or retarder.

BODY FILLER:

• An activated polyester type material used on bare substrate to fill dents in damaged auto body parts.

BRIDGING:

• Occurrence where a primer or surfacer does not totally fill a sand scratch or imperfection. Not usually apparent in undercoat, however, does show up in topcoat.

BRITTLE:

• A paint coating lacking flexibility.

BUBBLES:

• Air or solvent trapped in a paint film caused by poor atomization during spraying. Air trapped in body filler caused by excessive agitation.

BUFFING/COMPOUNDING:

• Using a mild abrasive to bring out gloss and/or remove texture in a topcoat. This can be done by hand or machine.

BURN/BURN THROUGH:

• Polishing or buffing of a color or clear too hard or long causing the underlying coat(s) to be revealed.

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C

CAST:

• A variation of a color; example, a red shade blue.

CATALYST:

• Additive for paint to speed the cure, give better recoatability, better durability to weather and provides gloss.

CELLULOSE:

• Natural polymer or resin from cottonseed oil to make paint coatings.

CHALKING:

• The result of weathering of a paint film resulting in a white powdery appearance.

CHECKING/CROWFOOT:

• Tiny cracks or splitting in the surface of a paint film usually seen in a lacquer. Caused by improper film formation or excessive film build.

CHEMICAL STAIN/SPOTTING:

• Circular, oblong or irregular spots or discoloration on areas of finish caused by reactive chemicals coming into contact with air pollution (coal and high sulfur emissions), acid rain and snow.

CHIPPING:

• Removal of finish usually due to the impact of rocks and stones.

COAT/SINGLE:

• Applying of undercoat or topcoat over the surface using a 50% overlap of spray.

COAT/DOUBLE:

• Two single coats with longer flash time.

COLORANT:

• Made with ground pigments, solvent and resin. Used in the intermix system to produce colors.

COLOR BLIND:

• A handicap in a person's color vision; incapable of distinguishing or perceiving certain colors or any color.

COLOR COAT:

• The application of color to a prepared finish.

COLOR DEFICIENCY:

• A handicap in color vision, incapable of distinguishing or perceiving some colors or levels of any color.

COLOR FAST:

• See COLOR RETENTION.

COLOR MATCH:

• Two colors exhibiting no perceptible difference when viewed under the same conditions.

COLOR RETENTION:

• The ability of a color to retain its true shade over an extended period of time. A color that is color fast.

COLOR STANDARD:

• A small sprayed-out sample of OEM color. This is the established requirement for a given color code. This is the color the car is supposed to be from the factory.

COLOR VERSION:

• A color matched in a different quality finish, to match the same OEM standard; i.e., a color matched to an acrylic enamel in lacquer.

COMPLEMENTARY COLORS:

• Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.

COMPOUNDING:

• See BUFFING.

CONCENTRATION:

• The ratio of pigment in paint to resins in paint.

COVERAGE:

• The ability of a pigmented color to conceal or cover a surface.

CRATERING:

• The forming of holes in a film due to contamination.

CRAZING:

• Fine line cracks in the surface of the paint finish; see CROWSFOOT.

CROSSCOAT:

• Applying paint in a crisscross pattern. Single coat applied in one direction with a second single coat applied at 90° to the first.

CROWSFOOT:

• Tiny cracks in the surface of a paint film usually seen in a lacquer; also see CHECKING.

CURE:

• The chemical reaction of a coating during the drying process, leaving it insoluble.

CURDLING:

• The gelling or partial cure of paint due to incompatible materials.

CURTAINS:

• Large sagging or runs of paint due to improper application.

"CUT-IN":

• Painting of the edges of parts before installation.

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D

DEFINED ORIENTATION:

• The dispersion of metallic or mica flake with a definite pattern.

DELAMINATION:

• The peeling of a finish having improper adhesion.

DEPTH:

• Lighter or darker in comparing two colors. The first adjustment in color matching.

DIE-BACK:

• The gradual loss of gloss due to continued evaporation of solvent after polishing.

DIRECT (FACE):

• The color viewed from head-on (90°).

DISPERSION LACQUER:

• Particles of lacquer paint suspended or dispersed in a solvent which is not strong enough for total solution.

D.O.I. (DISTINCTNESS OF IMAGE):

• How clear a finish reflects an image.

DOUBLE COAT:

• One single coat of paint followed immediately by another.

DRIER:

• A material used in a paint which enables it to cure.

DRY:

• The evaporation of solvent from a paint film.

DRY FILM THICKNESS (D.F.T.):

• The thickness of a paint after it has dried and/or cured. Measured in mils.

DRY SPRAY:

• The process of applying paint in a lighter or not as wet application.

DURABILITY:

• How well a film weathers and lasts.

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E

ELECTROSTATIC PAINT APPLICATION:

• Process of applying paint by having the surface electrically charged positive or negative and the application equipment on opposite electric charge.

E.P.A. (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY):

• Government agency established to administer federal environmental legislation.

ETCH:

• The process of chemically treating a material for corrosion resistance and adhesion of a primer, or to remove rust.

ETCHING PRIMER:

• A primer which contains an acid which etches the substrate as well as applying a primer. To protect against corrosion.

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F

FACTORY PACKAGE COLOR (F.P.C.):

• Car colors that are matched, produced and packaged by paint companies for specific car color codes for use at the refinish level.

FADING:

• A gradual change of color or gloss in a finish.

FEATHEREDGE:

• A sanding process of tapering a broken paint edge to a smooth finish.

FEATHERING:

• Slang term for blending or slowly moving the edge of one color into a second color.

FILM BUILD:

• The wet or dry thickness of applied coating measured in mils; also see DRY FILM THICKNESS.

FISHEYE:

• Round ring-like craters caused by contamination.

FLAKE-OFF:

• Large pieces of paint or undercoat falling off of substrate; also called delamination.

FLASH/TIME:

• The time needed to allow solvents to evaporate from a freshly painted surface before applying another coat or heat.

FLATTING AGENT:

• Material used in paint to dull or eliminate gloss.

FLEX AGENT:

• Material added to paint for additional flexibility, usually used for rubber or plastic flexible parts.

FLOATING:

• Characteristics or some pigments to separate from solution and migrate to the surface of paint film while still wet.

FLOP (SIDE TONE):

• The color of a finish when viewed from a side angle, other than direct.

FLUORESCENT LIGHT:

• Light emitted from a standard fluorescent fixture.

FLOW:

• The leveling properties of a wet paint film.

FOGCOAT:

• A final atomized coat of paint, usually applied at higher air pressure and at greater distance than normal.

FORCE DRY:

• Speed of dry due to application of heat. See BAKING.

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G

GLAZE:

• A very fine polishing material used to gain gloss and shine.

GLOSS:

• Reflectance of light from a painted surface. Measured at different degrees by instruments known as gloss meters.

GRAYNESS:

• The amount of black or white in a specific color.

GRINDING:

• Using a coarse abrasive, usually a spinning disc to remove paint, undercoat, rust, etc. before applying body filler.

GROUND COAT:

• Highly pigmented coat of paint applied before a transparent color to speed hiding.

GUIDE COAT:

• A mist coat of a different color, usually primer, to aid in getting a panel sanded straight. A dry contrasting color applied to prime prior to sanding. This coat remains in the low areas and imperfections during the sanding process. When removed, imperfections are eliminated.

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