A method of preparing a coated article is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate bearing a partially-dehydrated aqueous coating layer. The method further includes providing a coating composition to a high transfer efficiency applicator, the high transfer efficiency applicator comprising a plurality of nozzles each being configured to apply a stream of the coating composition to a substrate substantially without atomization. The coating composition is a waterborne fluid that exhibits a near-Newtonian viscosity profile, and comprises a binder, a crosslinker, and a thickener. The method further includes applying the coating composition to the substrate with the high transfer efficiency applicator via disposing a plurality of lines of the coating composition onto the partially-dehydrated aqueous coating layer of the substrate via the plurality of nozzles, thereby forming an overspray free coating layer thereon.

A coating system is provided for improving adhesion between adjacent coating layers, where the coating system includes a first coating composition containing a first modified polymer composition having a first functional group, and a second coating composition containing a second modified polymer composition having a second functional group, wherein the first functional group and second functional group are reactive with one another, such that upon formation of a first coating layer from the first coating composition and an adjacent second coating layer from the second coating composition, the first functional group and the second functional group react with one another to bind the first coating layer and second coating layer together at their adjacent surfaces, and methods for improving adhesion between adjacent coating layers using the coating system.

The method for producing a repair sheet includes: attaching a nonpolar resin plate to an appropriate position on a dummy vehicle body corresponding to a repair area including a coating film in need of repair; supplying the dummy vehicle body to a topcoat application line and forming a pigment layer on a nonpolar resin plate and a clear layer on a nonpolar resin plate under a condition equal to that for topcoat application to a vehicle body to be actually coated; and supplying the dummy vehicle body to a coating drying line and drying the nonpolar resin plate having the pigment layer and the nonpolar resin plate having the clear layer formed thereon under a condition equal to that for coating drying of the vehicle body to be actually coated.

Described herein is an aqueous basecoat composition including a silane-based additive as hardener/self-crosslinking material to improve adhesion of the basecoat to the under- and overlying coating layers, as well as the cohesion property of the basecoat itself. Also described herein is a mixer system for preparing an aqueous refinish basecoat composition including at least one base color component, at least one pigment-free component, at least one hardening component including the silane-based additive and optionally at least one rheology module as well as a method to prepare an aqueous basecoat composition from said mixer system. Further, described herein is a method of coating a substrate with the basecoat composition and a clearcoat composition and jointly curing the basecoat and clearcoat composition as well as to a coated substrate obtained from the method. Finally, described herein is a method of using the silane-based compound as hardening additive in aqueous basecoat compositions.

Provided is a clear coating composition from which a coating film superior in color shift and appearance can be obtained. A clear coating composition comprising: a hydroxy group-containing acrylic resin (A); a polyisocyanate compound (B); and an organic solvent (C), wherein the hydroxy group-containing acrylic resin (A) includes a primary hydroxy group-containing acrylic resin (A1) and a secondary hydroxy group-containing acrylic resin (A2); the primary hydroxy group-containing acrylic resin (A1) has a weight average molecular weight of 6,000 or less; the secondary hydroxy group-containing acrylic resin (A2) has a weight average molecular weight of 6,000 or more; the organic solvent (C) includes a ketone compound having 7 or more carbon atoms (C1); and the clear coating composition has a solid concentration at a time of application of 55% by mass or more.