3M Automotive Aftermarket Division offers two systems—one with a compounding step and one without—for paint professionals. In order to determine which process is right for a paint finishing job, 3M has offered the following advice. According to 3M paint finishing experts, size matters when selecting the best process to deliver high-quality results, as does the color of the vehicle.
“When you have small to medium-sized areas like a door panel or fender, we recommend using the 3M Trizact 5000 and 3M Perfect-It 1 solution,” said Todd Bailey, U.S. marketing manager, Paint Finishing Systems, for 3M. “The paint professional can spend more time sanding with a DA and less time buffing with a heavy buffer. Because this system doesn’t have a compounding step, it eliminates the time and cleanup for compounding and allows the painter to complete the job more quickly.”
For large areas or dark-colored vehicles, 3M recommends its 3M Perfect-It Large Area Paint Finishing System.
“For a large area like a hood or roof, you’re going to get the best results with a traditional refinishing method,” said Bailey. “You can achieve a perfect finish with the 3M Perfect-It large area paint finishing system. The system features the 3M Perfect-It EX rubbing compound, which delivers the fastest cut and easiest clean up.”
3M offers standard operating procedures for both processes on its website.
