Analytical Series Confocal Microscopy Techniques for Coatings Research – Surface and Depth Characterization of Latex Paint Films

By David A. Cocuzzi, Kristine Rosek Bertucci

About 75% of the North American coil coating industry is associated with the production of metal building products, primarily prepainted metal panels for roofs and walls. In this industry, coatings manufacturers produce the paint, which is processed by a coil coater, which then delivers the painted coils to metal building fabricators or service centers. These coils are then processed (fabricated) into building panels for roofing and walls and delivered to the market.

Most of the metal building manufacturers have their own standard color palette offered to the consumer. Many customers, however, have a specific color in mind, and each year thousands of colors are matched and make their way to the mar­ket. This is indeed a color-intensive industry, and nearly all of these building product materials carry performance warranties passed along to the con­sumer-both for standard and for special colors.