Novel silver metallics for autonomous driving

Ideal partner for radar transparency: the pigments from SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver.

„For many vehicle manufacturers, autonomous driving is the transportation mode of the future par excellence.”

Annika Mergner

Manager Automotive Coatings

This technology places special demands on the painting of attachments and the pigments used for them. Conventional metal pigments absorb or reflect radar rays and thus dampen the radar radiation above certain pigment concentrations.

It was therefore long assumed that the established full silver tones would no longer be feasible for autonomous vehicles due to their comparatively high pigmentation with metal pigments.

ECKART is the first effect pigment manufacturer worldwide to present a product solution.

Ideal partner for radar transparency: SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver.

The combination of selected ECKART metallic pigments with the innovative pigments of SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver achieves highly attractive silver shades with low damping. The pearlescent pigments of the SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver series have been specially tailored to the needs of radar transparency and EMI shielding.

SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver

SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver, the successful combination of two different pigment worlds:

The metallic look and flop of an aluminum pigment are combined with the functional properties and radar transparency of a pearlescent pigment. By combining these two characteristics, the novel pigments are perfectly suited for use in radar-transparent systems.

For some time now, ECKART has been working on the reproduction of highly brilliant full silver tones by mixing aluminum pigments with SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver.

Use the unique advantage of getting the metallic and pearlescent pigments from ECKART from a single source, especially for autonomous driving. We would be happy to advise you individually on the development of color tones with our effect pigments.

The advantages of SYMIC OEM Opaque at a glance:

Functionality

No EMI shielding or radar damping
Excellent chemical stability
Optimal incorporation into common coating systems (solvent, water-based, UV-curing)
High shear stability
Excellent weather and condensation resistance
Excellent interlayer adhesion
Very narrow grain band

Visual appearance

Highly brilliant metallic look
Outstanding flop index
Brightest and most brilliant optics on the market
Maximum flexibility in color design
Strong coverage
Long product shelf life of 10 years

Optical comparison: SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver against competitive products

We could only use similar competitive products for the comparison, which have a color shift to bluish or brownish and a lower metallic effect. In contrast to SYMIC OEM Opaque Silver, no competitive product with weather treatment is available. Comparison of opacity (max. 100%), brightness, flop, and D50 of four pigments with each other, with the same layer thickness: