Corrosion Prevention for the toughest conditions
High Tech Vehicle Protection
As hostile forces become more advanced, defensive technology must rise to the challenge. One key improvement to military engineering is Chemical Agent Resistant Coatings (CARC). These coating systems are engineered to protect vehicles, and more importantly, the troops who use them, from harmful chemical and biological agents.
Whereas most coatings are relatively porous, CARC systems are designed to be non-porous. This not only protects the underlying vehicle or structure from corrosive chemicals, but greatly facilitates decontamination. Non-porous coatings prevent toxic agents from embedding into surfaces and transferring from the vehicle to objects and people that come in contact with them subsequently.
How are CARC systems applied?
These heavy duty coatings are typically applied in three part systems. A pre-coating system will be applied to the surface first, and this will vary depending on whether the substrate is ferrous (steel) or some other material. After this, a primer will be applied, followed by a top coat.
But before any coating is applied, the surface must be prepared according to stringent standards to ensure proper adhesion of the pre-coating system. If the substrate is steel, as with any coating system, CARCs require a proper blast profile. To achieve optimum adhesion, many applicators take the extra step of removing surface contaminants, especially salts, which can cause problems of adhesion and sub-surface corrosion, negatively impacting the coating’s performance.
This can be done with a single step using a wet abrasive blast or vapor blast system, together with HoldTight 102, which will remove the salts and additionally prevent flash rust from forming during and after the blasting process. Click here to read a case study of how one contractor achieved excellent results with the process.
Best Blast Practices in Your Backyard
What some highly qualified professionals serving the US Army do for tactical vehicle surface preparation is not so different from what many civilians are now doing for auto refinishing. Did you recently get your 1966 Chevelle SS 396 L78 refinished?
If you were aiming for the best quality job on your classic car, there’s a good chance you or applicator used a wet abrasive blast system with HoldTight 102. The best technology used by the military in this case is also widely available to civilian coaters and owners.