Temporary protective films are applied to many products as a sacrificial layer designed to be peeled off by the customer. These removable protective films are applied to many products such as appliances, housewares, automotive and construction products and many others. They protect products during secondary operations, packaging, stocking and shipping.
Traditionally, manufacturers maintain an inventory of the size of films needed for their products and apply the removable films by hand or machine. The films are designed to bond to the surface yet remove easily without leaving residue or blemish. This method requires the manufacturer to make a significant investment into various sizes and characteristics of protective films for unique products or parts.
Liquid Strippable Coatings Provide Versatility and Cost Savings
A better alternative gaining recognition in the industry of temporary strippable films is the use of liquid strippable coatings. Liquid strippable coatings can be applied quickly and consistently on a coil processing line in the same manner as other industrial coating finishes. Liquid strippable coatings provide the same level of protection while also being able to be applied at a wider range of film thicknesses, and any width on the strip without the need for multiple inventory SKUs.
Liquid protective strippable coatings provide versatility and with the right formulation can deliver the level of bonding and protection performance needed while assuring the proper release for easy removal. Unichem’s uniGUARD strippable coatings improves your speed of processing while significantly reducing the cost of production by eliminating or reducing inventories and scrap rates in production.
Using liquid strippable coatings eliminates particulate contamination that often gets trapped between the coating surface and the protective film laminate, during application. With liquid strippable coatings there is never a problem with tears or wrinkles that often occurs during the lamination process. In fact in many cases, the whole lamination process can be eliminated on processing lines that can apply multiple coatings in a single pass. OEMs realize the benefits of a quality, removable film applied with a consistent process without the need to stock various pre-cut films in inventory.
Versatile Liquid Strippable Coating Adds Value
Universal Chemicals & Coatings, Inc., UNICHEM, offers uniGUARD, a family of liquid strippable protective coatings available in waterborne and solventborne technologies. uniGUARD can be spray applied or coil applied on various substrates including plastics, metals, polished or thermoset coated metals, and even other coatings such as some polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) coatings.
UNICHEM’s custom technology allows for a wide range of adhesive options which can be designed to meet your specific stamping and forming requirements. uniGUARD can be formulated with varying properties from rigid to flexible, providing a strong barrier with chemical, moisture, and abrasion resistance.
UNICHEM works with OEMs and coil coating processors to design and manufacture the perfect formulation for your removable protective film coating. We excel in designing custom formulations with a wide range of capabilities to improve your product and process quality. Contact us to learn more about the many cost-saving benefits of liquid strippable protective film coatings.