Aluminum is a fantastic metal—light, durable, attractive, rustless—and it’s among the most abundant minerals on earth (making up about 8% of the earth’s crust). No wonder it’s become a standard for automotive wheels, where lightweighting and resistance to the elements are essential.
Aluminum wheels cope better with road salt and rain than steel and stay beautifully lustrous for years without needing extensive maintenance and upkeep. However, no metal is perfect, and your aluminum wheels would only benefit from additional protection.
Pressure-sensitive temporary wheel films combine a special polyethylene carrier with a no-residue adhesive to protect aluminum wheels fresh off the assembly line from damage before they get their moment to shine on the road. These automotive wheel protection films have a few significant benefits for manufacturers who want to ensure that their high-quality automobile parts get to the dealers in one piece.
Damage Shield
Factories are busy places—without a durable shield to cover the surface, unpredictable run-ins with hard edges can gouge aluminum wheels before they’re ready to be sold. Temporary automotive protective films provide that extra layer of safety that can make the difference between a factory reject and a superior product.
Automotive protective films will help safeguard your aluminum wheels from accidental impacts, scratches, and scrapes that can occur during packaging, shipping, and assembly.
Corrosion Barrier
Aluminum doesn’t contain iron or steel, so it can’t rust. However, it does corrode with nothing more than atmospheric oxygen. This process is called “oxidation,” and is sped up with weathering, chemicals (like chlorine), and high or low pH environments. Surface-to-surface contact with dissimilar metals like steel can also cause galvanic corrosion—a common engineer design problem.
Aluminum oxide is a hard, thin layer that looks like a powdery white or gray coating on the aluminum’s surface. It can’t be easily chipped off like rust, and more severe oxidation can even create corrosion pits.
There’s no sense in letting atmospheric wear-and-tear oxidize the aluminum before potential buyers have even seen it shine, and a protective polyethylene film barrier can seal the aluminum surface from all possible corroding substances until the dealer is ready to sell the car.
Ship With Peace of Mind
The shipping process is full of unpredictable dynamic stresses on your aluminum wheels. They might be stacked, slid, lifted, and jostled in ways that would make you wince. Potholes on the road and toppled products can further expose your wheels to potential damage.
With temporary wheel films safely in place, you can ship the wheels with the peace of mind that the surface will be protected during transportation from the manufacturer all the way to their destination.
Long-Lasting from Line to Lot
From application at the end of the assembly line until they are harmlessly peeled away on the dealer’s lot, automotive protective films ensure the integrity of your wheels with long-lasting and reliable adhesion to irregular aluminum surfaces.
Flexible and form-fitting, they can be made to fit any size of aluminum wheel. When you’re finally ready, the polyethylene layer will peel off easily without leaving any adhesive residue behind, no matter how long they’ve been in place.
Don’t Wait to Take Advantage
Your aluminum wheels have a reputation for quality. Protect that reputation by consulting with a tier 2 automotive supplier of temporary protective films today.
