Paint protection film (PPF), often known as a transparent bra, is one of the most important yet frequently disregarded aspects of automobile care. A good product can keep an automobile appearing like it just rolled off the lot for up to 10 years.
If you’ve considered installing PPF on your car, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with some crucial facts that will help you decide what’s best for your ride.
What Characteristics Characterize A Good Paint Protection Film?
A successful PPF begins with two components: its materials and manufacturing process.
Materials
High-quality transparent bras are made up of four layers of materials that function together:
- Polypropylene Release Liner
- Adhesive Acrylic
- Polyurethane
- Clear Coat
The polyester release liner is approximately 3.0 mils thick. This is the lowest layer that adheres to the surface of an automobile. The acrylic glue is about six (6) mils thick above that. The polyurethane layer follows, which is similarly around six mils thick. This is the layer that gives the transparent bra depth, strength, and protection. The clear coat, which is around 0.5 mils thick, is the very top layer, keeping everything beautiful and shining.
Manufacturing
Urethane, a durable and flexible polymer, is the primary component of paint protection film. It is light, flexible, and translucent, as well as very resistant to impact, corrosion, and abrasion.
During the Vietnam War, urethane technology was initially developed to address the problem of US helicopters collapsing due to broken rotor blades. 3M and the military collaborated to develop and build the technology that will save lives, helicopters, and money.
Later in the 1970s, the usage of urethane film spread to fighter airplanes, and it has since been employed for a broad variety of applications. Because the technique was so successful, it is still made today.
What Are The Benefits Of Car Protection Film?
Clear bras are intended to save automobile owners the cost and inconvenience of fixing damaged paint. After all, a good paint job might cost up to $3,500!
However, there are other benefits. Car film may protect interior metal components from UV damage, and a good PPF can help retain your car’s market value by protecting the paint job for years.
Even better, you’ll save a lot of time and effort by not having to try to buff out scratches or clean oil, or bird droppings yourself!
What Is The Purchase And Installation Procedure For PPF?
To begin, decide how much of your car’s exterior you wish to protect. You have the option of covering all high-impact locations such as rocker panels, headlights, side mirrors, and bumpers. Instead, you may go with a full-frontal application. Finally, in a complete automobile treatment, you could cover that lovely car bumper to bumper.
To ensure the integrity and clarity of the transparent bra, installation must be performed by certified professionals (not to mention to validate the warranty).
Professional installation includes critical preparation stages that you will not receive if you or a buddy attempt to apply PPF on your own. Surface decontamination and high-accuracy film modifications using modern technology and software are examples of these.
Is Paint Protection Film Harmful To Paint?
When properly removed, high-quality PPF is easy to peel off and does not cause long-term harm or impair the paint of your automobile. It’s best to get the film removed by a professional, especially if you’re going to replace it with a new film.
