Has anyone measured the paint thickness on their XKs? I was surprise to see readings over 8 Mils while many standard cars today are between 4-5 mils. Anyone have any experience with this using a paint meter? Does Jaguar use a lot of paint or clear on their cars?

 

Boca:

Sit back and relax......get a glass of wine, a beer, iced tea or whatever. Put your feet up....and watch this.......you will be impressed, amazed, thankful you are selecting a Jaguar XK or XKR. Most of all. SIMPLY ENJOY. I am sure this will answer allot of questions that you might have.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/222956

 

Link doesn't work on my smartphone. I'll try it from my PC later.

UPDATE: It is now later, and the link works from my PC. I would like to add that this is the third time that this video of XK robotic construction has been posted in separate threads on this forum. The first thread was on 6-14-12 by mjsammon and then on 6-7-13 by me. There are several websites that have the same video, and they are listed in this thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...n-video-96665/. Unfortunately, it appears that none of these videos work outside the USA.

 

What is the content on this Hulu link?

It's blocked from viewing outside the US and I can't get round that restriction with Tunnel Bear.

Graham

 

Nice Video. A few too many commercials! lol Thanks for the info.

 

The video was about how the Jaguar XK car was built from start to finish.

It takes 2 weeks to build an XK and 40% is hand built, while 60% is robotic. This video takes you deep into the build process.

Forget about the commercials, that's how you get to watch this for free.

Don't bitch and complain about a few commercials, everybody needs to take a pee break once in a while or get another drink, or dry the dishes for the wife.

My god, this is video is about Jaguar's, which we all love.

Thanks for watching, hope you liked it Boca.

 

loved it! Thanks again.

 

Damn, I wish there was a way to see it outside the US...

 

Try searching for "Jaguar X150 robotic construction video" on your country's YouTube website.

Good luck, and let us know if you were successful.

 

+1


I tried to watch this before from a different post .

 

Great video but did anybody have an answer to the original question about paint thickness?

 

Great show and pretty impressive. Enjoyed the 3D design center. Thanks

 

I can't watch it either but is it the same video discussed on this thread because I put a YouTube link to it on there:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...n-video-96665/

 

I meant to bring that up again. I wanted to know what other XK owners are getting for readings on their cars?

 

The paint process will have changed with the aluminum body but this was the process used on the previous XK and X308 XJ:

1. Pretreatment (provides the basis of corrosion protection and adhesion of the primer coat)
• Ten-stage automatic partial immersion-dip/spray process, which gives full penetration to all box sections
• Degreases body of pressing lubricants
• Creates optimum zinc-phosphate crystal structure
• Rinses with demineralized water to ensure no chemical contamination remains on the body

2. Electro-coat (provides comprehensive water-based primer coating by electro-deposition)
• Fully automatic, total immersion process for maximum coverage
• Oven cured at 165 DegC for 20 minutes
• Film thickness of 20-30 microns

3. Underbody sealer (provides enhanced corrosion protection and excellent sound-deadening qualities in the car)
• Uses high-bake PVC material
• Excellent stone-chip protection
• Film thickness of 20-30 microns
• Oven cured, together with surfacer coat

4. Body seam sealing (ensures no water or dust enters into the car from body-panel joints, providing enhanced corrosion protection)
• Uses PVC (Plastisol) sealer for maximum flexibility and performance
• Manual application to enhance integrity of process
• All clinched flanges (body panel joints) sealed for greater corrosion protection

5. Surfacer coat (provides good base for sealer coat and enhances stone-chip protection)
• Automatic application by highvoltage electrostatic spinning bells for consistency of quality
• Two coats giving film thickness of 40-55 microns
• Anti-chip material applied to critical areas of the body to further enhance stone-chip protection
• Enhanced sill stone-chip protection
• Oven cured at 160 DegC for 20 minutes to ensure optimum durability in service
• Full wet sanding to provide the ideal substrate for sealer coat

6. Sealer coat (provides good base for color coat and enhances final appearance)
• Color-keyed sealer
• Provides additional flexibilityin achieving optimum final appearance
• Automatic application by highvoltage electrostatic spinning bells
• Film thickness of 25-35 microns
• Oven cure at 145 DegC for 20 minutes

7. Base coat (state-of-the-art clearover-base - COB - technology, providing high-gloss finish with excellent durability)
• Application by combination of hand spray (interiors) and automatic air-assisted reciprocators (exterior panels)
• First coat using high-voltage electrostatic process
• Film build 10-35 microns,

8. Top coat (provides a high-gloss, color and durability)
• Two-coat polyester base-coat process (wet-on-wet)
• Oven cured at 135 DegC for 20 minutes

9. Clear coat (provides a high-gloss durable paint finish)
• Two-coat wet on wet process
• Film thickness 45-60 microns (includes base coat)
• Oven cured at 135 DegC for twenty minutes

10. Wax preservatives (provides additional protection against corrosion)
• Cavity wax - sprayed into criticalbox sections of body
• Under body wax with black pigment to protect undercarriage

"Jaguar's paint process results in a world-class finish, featuring deep color.

The process utilizes water-borne paint technology, which involves thinning the basecoat paints with mostly water instead of solvent for the color coats.
Solvent emissions are reduced by up to 85 percent. Clearcoat paints are solventborne for durability."

 

Thanks for the info. What does that equate to in Mils?

 

Quoted from ABB's website: Jaguar benefits from

"Jaguar benefits from ‘state of the art’ robot-based sealing system from ABB"

ABB has revolutionised traditional car body seam sealing, soundproofing and under body sealing operations at the Jaguar assembly plant in Castle Bromwich, by installing a fully automated six-axis robot-based facility.

The investment by Jaguar Cars Limited represents a move away from intensive manual labour-based operations to a robot-based system incorporating eight ABB industrial robots.

Installation commenced in February 2005 and the facility, which has a throughput of 43 vehicles per hour, has been in full operation since June. The facility is fully automated with no operator intervention during normal operating conditions and has a high percentage of ‘no-touch,’ in that minimal post operation remedial sealing activities are required, as is normally the case with traditional automated sealing operations.

Commenting on the impact of the automated seam sealing and sound deadener facility, ABB senior project manager, Robert Low, says: “The automation of seam sealing and associated operations is a major investment in the Castle Bromwich plant and a significant, and timely, step forward in optimising the efficiency of the Jaguar paint sealing process, particularly as the new XK project ramps up to production phase. The investment has helped establish consistently high levels of quality while almost eliminating what was a labour intensive and unpleasant job.”

ABB in the UK, working in close collaboration with colleagues in Germany, was responsible for the full turnkey operation including design, project management, manufacture and installation. This included sourcing and installing the car body conveyor, roller beds, spray booths, robots, track motion, sealant dispensing systems, sealant storage system, guarding and control. ABB has also provided extensive ongoing local support including: provision of service parts, training, and start-up assistance and a site-resident engineer.

Operation of the facility is split into three separate ‘sealing’ stations and can process the complete range of Jaguar car bodies, including the new XK sports car, the S Type and the XJ saloon, both standard & long wheel base.

The skid-mounted car bodies pass through:

ØAn interior seam sealing station incorporating three IRB 4400 robotsØA NVH * soundproofing station, incorporating three IRB 4400 robots,then after transfer to an over head carrierØAn under body sealing station, incorporating two IRB 2400L robots.
At the first station, the three seam sealing robots spray a PVC plastisol material at a temperature of 30 ° C within the interior and luggage compartment spaces of the body, to seal against water ingress and wind noise. The IRB 4400 robots are designed with an exceptionally long reach, which allows them to enter each car body to access body seams.

The robots are mounted on linear track systems to further increase their flexibility. Two of the robots access/exit the rear passenger compartment from either side for sealing operations, then track forward along the track and access the forward passenger compartment, while the third robot tracks across the rear of the body, sealing the luggage compartment.

After seam sealing, the car bodies are transferred to the next station, where three IRB 4400 robots spray an epoxy-based, solvent-free 'NVH *' material, at a temperature of 60° C, the purpose of which is to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. Spraying the sound insulation material is a breakthrough for Jaguar; previous methods involved the labour-intensive insertion of bitumen pads.

After seam sealing and sound insulation operations, the car bodies move on to an under body sealing cell, incorporating two IRB 2400L robots. As the body moves through the station, the robots carry out a combined seam sealing and under body coating operation, using the same PVC plastisol as used for internal seam sealing.

Once the under body sealing application and curing is complete, the car bodies move on for the application of primer, base coat and clear coat.

All eight robots are equipped with standard ABB DispensePac dispensing systems that incorporate both material conditioning and flow control. ABB SPA 400 (Swivel Pointer Applicator) spray guns are used throughout, each of which is equipped with three separate nozzle types that can be individually selected, depending upon the area to be sprayed. A wide 'fan' configuration may be required for coating areas, while seams may need a very narrow, flat stream, so the robots are able to switch instantly from one nozzle to another, all coordinated by the ABB robot controller.

Positional accuracy of each car body skid is plus/minus 15mm, which is not sufficiently precise for optimum quality. Thus an integral vision system was incorporated that locates the actual position of the car body in relation to its ideal datum position, and then sends data to the robot controller to offset the positioning of the robots by the required margin. Additionally, the underbody robots are equipped with 'conveyor tracking' software and encoder input, so that they can determine the exact positional accuracy of the carrier as it moves through the station. If the carrier moves faster, slower or stops, the robot will offset its program to track the movement accordingly.

Robert Low sums up: "Jaguar was impressed by the ABB engineering integrity and the quality of the ABB people involved in the project, and we have continued to support the project well after the production launch. The new facility has been a great success and has realised the objectives Jaguar set for it; contributing to the development of the Castle Bromwich site and the paintshop process' quality and efficiency".

Paint thickness is not stated.

Stuart

 

Does anyone have a paint meter to check out their XK?

 

No, I am not that scientific to have to determine paint thickness in mils. As long as the car shines and reflects images well, I am a happy camper.

Jaguar has been well known for their quality paint and clear coatings. Keep the paint surface clean, washed and waxed regularly and I think you will be fine. My car is always under a car cover when parked in the garage. In fact, all my cars have car covers to keep fine dust and potential debris off the car and paint surface.

My XKR is Shadow Gray and looks great. I own a Black 2013 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T and was the first black car I have ever owned. Lesson learned, it is hard to keep clean and would not own a black car again, ever.

 

One thing I did learn from a lengthly and informative chat with a Lexus Paint shop manager is that some manufacturers put more paint on the top (hood,roof,trunk) than the side panels due to the harshness of direct sunlight.