"From extended-range electric vehicles like the new Chevrolet Volt to landfill-free manufacturing facilities around the globe, General Motors continues to grow its ability to shrink its environmental footprint. And coincidentally, one of the company’s latest breakthroughs involves both its products and its plants: GM is now introducing a flame-treatment technology that allows paints to stick to plastic vehicle parts without the need for solvent-based primers, which can have a negative impact on air quality.
That’s vital, because while solvent-based primers are traditionally used to help paint stick to plastic parts, disposing of the waste solvents is an expensive, energy-intensive process. So, when GM learned of the new technology through its relationship with the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment—a working group of U.S. automakers, their suppliers and the Environmental Protection Agency—the company was quick to put it to use.
The new method of applying paint leverages a high-efficiency robotic system that modifies the surface molecules of the plastic parts so that they better bond with the paint—eliminating the need for adhesion-promoting primers. And not only does it benefit the environment, but it’s also faster and more efficient than spraying primer. In fact, the savings will pay for the capital expenses necessary to deploy the new system in less than four months according to GM." [Continue reading...]
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