Covestro strengthens global activities in the direct coating sector

Materials manufacturer Covestro is expanding its activities in the field of direct coating and introducing new tools and materials for automotive applications.

Covestro is strengthening its global support for Direct Coating in-mold coating technology—an integrated two-component injection molding process that combines injection molding with a PU (polyurethane) coating. According to the company, the process reduces costs and energy consumption, optimizes production, and enables coated plastic components with greater design flexibility. The conventional coating process for automotive parts typically involves several steps, each of which incurs costs, consumes energy, and limits design freedom. With Covestro's Direct Coating, the molded part is transferred to a second cavity and coated with a low-viscosity two-component polyurethane (2K-PU) that cures in the mold. The integrated process does not require traditional coating or painting lines and, according to the company, shortens cycle times. It also simplifies processes and enables more flexible, scalable production of various coating designs, including variants with haptic and visual effects. "We have more than 20 years of experience in direct coating processes, with a focus on joint projects in the automotive industry. Our latest achievement in customer support is a tool that compares costs and CO₂ emissions with the conventional manufacturing process," says Benjamin Herzberg, Technology Expert IMC at Covestro.

Covestro also offers polycarbonate substrates such as Makrolon IMC2477. According to the company, the material exhibits very good adhesion to polyurethane coatings and retains its optical properties on transparent and colored opaque surfaces. In addition, Covestro has developed special polyurethane coating raw materials for direct coating applications, including fast-curing, low-viscosity polyisocyanates and polyols.