Pop-Free SMC

• Paint "pops" were a major problem for SMC for some time. They took the form of bubbles between the layer of paint and the molding compound. The pops resulted from oxygen released from the SMC when paint was applied in heated conditions.
  
  

Features

• SMC is strengthened with continuous threads of fiberglass and is usually made in sheets of the material, which then is cut and layered into the shape needed for particular jobs. SMC sheets typically receive two primer coats before use, a process which used to be largely responsible for the "popping" effect. The Automotive Composites alliance, or ACA, solved the problem through strengthening primers, and the problem of paint pops is now a thing of the past.
  
  

Benefits

• Tests conducted on SMC have demonstrated significant ability to withstand prolonged adverse weather conditions. In addition, initial concerns regarding shrinkage of SMC have been successfully addressed by the ACA. Test results indicate that SMC shrinkage is not significantly higher than it is for conventional steel parts.