Optima Pilots
Every application test or pilot launch can consume countless hours of production time and manpower. Similarly, each paint shop technology and/or process change – unless fully validated under real-world conditions – can introduce unwanted risk to a high-volume production environment.
Optima Pilots enables customers to reduce the costs and eliminate the risk associated with these often complicated projects, no matter the scale, by handling all necessary validation within one of PPG’s full-service application test facilities. These facilities include many locations across the globe with facilities that are focused on delivering support and developmental needs to our customers.
Pilots help reduce costs and eliminate risk
Many OEMs and Tier suppliers use this service to validate new layering strategies, coat and test pilot units – including electric vehicles – and, above all, reduce costs and eliminate risk. Our capabilities range from sophisticated technical laboratory services and application testing available in multiple facilities worldwide to cleaning, pretreatment, e-coat, sealer application, topcoat and curing of complete vehicles at the Optima Pilots campus in Flint, Michigan.
The PPG Optima Applications Campus
Flint, MI
This 23-acre, fully-automated PPG Optima Applications Campus was designed and built in 1985, and is continually updated; to trial test under the most realistic conditions - using the most modern equipment available - every paint and coating product our innovative designers and engineers come up with.
While this is good for PPG customers, it's also good for non-customers because this entire state of the art facility and its expert technicians are available to be contracted by almost any manufacturer with virtually any size and any product that requires coating development trials and analyses.
- Process pilot and prototype vehicles for both ICE and EV without disruption to their assembly plant's daily production quotas, labor costs, and modifications of systems and processes to accommodate the dimensions of the prototype units
- Reduce the risk in new technology introduction using simulation and experimentation for material and process innovation and validation
- Trial test any products coating application technology, set-ups, strategy and production — Quicker, Better, More Efficiently
The European Technical Center for Automotive Coatings
Ingersheim, Germany
At this facility, PPG develops new technologies for customers to test and validate. Which includes:
Robot Application Center
- Process full bodies
- Waterborne solvent
- Spray compact & stand up primer process
- 1K and 2K technologies
Lab Application Area
- Multi-automizers
- Full process control for temperature, humidity, baking and curing
Color Styling Area
- Global color show, featuring the latest trends
- Color library bank, housing 3,500+ active colors
- New pigment collection forecasting what's next
Physical & Analytical Lab
- Test substrates & Surfaces for durability and environmental impact
- Support technology platform with timely and tailored analytical solutions
- Confocal laser microscopy and infrared as well as electron microscopy to characterize the coating system and appearance properties
