In America’s incredibly competitive auto industry, the profit margin on each vehicle is small. Automakers and their suppliers are America’s largest manufacturing sector (responsible for 3% of the GPD, according to The American Auto Council), but they “must maintain scale to remain cost-competitive.”
Paint replacement films—like blackout tape—are a significant source of efficiency and competitive advantage at scale. Black automotive tapes for window frames, window sashes, and door pillars have become a modern standard because they’re:
- Cost-effective
- Time-efficient
- Attractive
- Easy on production
- Versatile
Here’s everything that OEM’s love about vinyl blackout tape (and you will too).
Blackout tape is production-friendly.
Unlike paint, blackout tape is very production friendly because you can put it right on the line. Painting involves moving vehicles to separate areas that are sealed off from the main assembly line, and which require expensive ventilation equipment. With blackout tape, workers can use simple tools to apply the vinyl film in seconds. These tools require minimal training and are often available from the same supplier who makes the tape.
Blackout tape cuts costs…
It’s far more cost-efficient to work with tapes than steel or chrome trim. These plastic tapes can be pre-cut to size and assembled by hand on the line. Consider all of the savings this offers on components, tooling, and fitting versus a molded trim alternative. Between materials, equipment, and labor, the savings are enormous.
...and also saves time!
When the color of the car is different from the color of door sashes or window framing elements, it’s a real hassle to go through a separate painting process for these small, awkwardly sized and shaped components. Taping everything off, prepping the surface for paint, curing time, and everything else is extremely time-intensive. With blackout tape, there’s no need to mask, paint, and de-mask intricate vehicle parts like pillars and sashes.
It looks just like paint.
A car’s paint job makes a strong first impression, so owners put a lot of work into preserving the pristine luster of a new vehicle. Blackout tapes perfectly mimic the appearance of black paint (in both glossy and matte finishes). Better yet, the vinyl they’re made from is resilient to all manner of environmental and operating conditions. It features:
- An attractive black finish
- UV resistance—no fading in harsh sunlight
- Tolerance for grease, road salt, oil, soaps, kicked up dirt, and mild acids
- A tight water seal, even in heavy rain at highway speeds
- And it never rusts!
It’s not only for windows!
Blackout tape is a versatile paint replacement film that can be used all over the vehicle. For example, it can be used in dashboard components, on metal or plastic lids, or on the bumper—wherever black is the desired color. It’s also great for post-assembly fixes. For example, a pre-stamped bumper might have several holes in the surface, but as it’s wrapping up assembly, some of those holes aren’t being used. Blackout tape is the perfect solution to coat the perforated bumper and make it a solid piece.
Contact a supplier to learn more
LINTEC Auto offers a line of durable, OEM-approved blackout tapes (in addition to the tools used to apply them). Reach out to learn more about the advantages and qualities of this versatile, cost-efficient vinyl automotive tape.
