THERMOMASK EUROSTARS project aims to develop an innovative process to plate selectively metallic parts used for aeronautics, automotive and electronics: for these applications, a certain area of a part needs to be chemically treated, while the rest needs to be protected from these chemical treatments. To succeed in this challenge, the main idea is to pair INDAR primer developed by RESCOLL, with a protective topcoat, both sprayed on the surface to be partially treated. The main objective is to implement these formulations in EHLCO‘s lines, a project partner specialized in surface finishing processes.

INDAR primer is an alcohol-based formulation that allows on-demand debonding by thermal activation. For this project, RESCOLL adapted INDAR primer formulation and successfully developed protective topcoat formulations to be sprayed on top of INDAR primer layer, which resists to most of EHLCO’s processes, such degreasing baths, acid pickling as well as anodic and cathodic electrolytic baths.

GAITEK, another project partner, and CIDETEC, a subcontracted company, currently work on debonding processes. Promising results were presented during the consortium meeting last January. By using a laser marking process, a quick and accurate demarcation between the protected and unprotected part was achieved, as depicted below in an aluminum plate coated with INDAR primer (blue layer) and protective topcoat layer (transparent). Next steps include optimizations and upscaling.