Akzo Nobel Aerospace Coatings has further improved its leading high-gloss topcoat Aviox® Finish 77702.
ANAC has slightly modified the base material to create a longer ‘open time.’ This characteristic both reduces the likelihood of any ‘orange peel’ effect, and increases the melt time (the period during which a topcoat is able to absorb overspray and flow into a smooth finish). The result is a particularly high gloss coating with all the durability, application and maintenance benefits of the original product.
Aviox Finish 77702 is a high-solids, lead-free, sag-resistant topcoat that has already gained a reputation in the aerospace industry for excellent colour-stability – achieved in just two coats for most colours. The low film-density, at equal layer thicknesses, reduces the overall aircraft weight; an important consideration today.
The coating is formulated to be easy to apply and can be polished (during the first 48 hours after application) rather than reworked to maintain the high-gloss finish, thus reducing process and maintenance time, cutting labour-costs, and improving coating-schedules. Aviox Finish 77702 is also highly resistant to UV damage, and to staining from oil, hydraulic fluids and other chemicals.
It can be applied successfully in a wide range of climatic conditions and is approved by Airbus – exceeding the stringent specifications set by the company for coatings products.
"Aviox Finish 77702 is part of our Aviox Advanced Series, which uses the latest high-solids technology to set new industry-standards for reduced process-times and process cycle costs," explained Product Manager Robert Van Kooperen. "This latest improvement is part of Akzo Nobel’s ongoing programme of product development for performance coatings.
"As part of the world’s largest coatings-business, we are fortunate in having access to some of the best research-facilities in the industry. The aerospace sector can look forward to more important product-advances in the coming months."
The performance of the Aviox range has already earned ANAC a Chairman’s Award for Innovation from BAE Systems.