Underbody Coating of Automobiles
Introduction:
Underbody coating is the thin layer of rubberized paint or a layer sprayed to the underbelly panel of a vehicle to prevent damage from rust or corrosion or any other type of damage that affects the strength of the undercarriage.
Necessity & its types:
For an Automobile to last long with respect to its strength of the body and its performance, it is necessary that all its components are free from rust and corrosion. With respect to the underbody or underbelly of a vehicle, the surface is constantly exposed to various damages like stone chips, moisture, sand & others that could highly impact the structural integrity. Often these underbody coatings are provided while manufacturing itself, as the service life goes on it is recommended to paint a new layer of underbody coating.
There are various types of underbody coating provided by vehicle manufacturers. The most common one is Rubberized underbody coating. Rubberized underbody coatings are easy to apply and offers sound-cushioning as well as protection from dust, moisture, and dents. These are usually applied at underbody and quarter panel of the vehicle. The other types include Polyurethane coating and paraffin-based coating. The polyurethane is sealant based coating applied mostly at edges to prevent any leakage as well as it provides soundproofing from the outside environment too.
The paraffin coating is a wax-based coating that is applied as usual like the other two coatings. The only disadvantage is that it wears off quickly and needs to be recoated at regular intervals. The other type of coating is an asphalt-based coating which includes a rubberized material. This coating is used for heavy-duty applications like trucks, buses and even off-road vehicles.
The thickness of this coating depends upon various factors like cost, application, and region of use. A thick coating is always recommended for heavy-duty & off-road applications. whereas, for a normal city or highway use an optimum level of thickness is sufficient.