Serica FLO is our premium surface finish on hot-dip galvanised grades for exposed automotive panels
Serica FLO offers the highest possible surface quality for hot-dip galvanised steels. The new improved zinc coating for Serica FLO improves galling resistance and reduces high-spot surface defects. It provides an optimisation of the long wave surface structures of the steel in addition to the regular quality requirements of outer panel steels.
Looking for a consistently excellent finish?
Steels with a Serica FLO surface finish enable a consistently excellent paint finish, even when thinner or fewer paint layers are used. Combined with the cost-effective process of hot-dip coating, Serica FLO offers you significant total cost of ownership benefits.
Compared to standard exposed hot-dip galvanised grades, the Serica FLO surface finish reduces the ‘orange peel’ effect commonly visible on painted exposed panels. Serica FLO unlocks the potential for high-end aesthetics in serial production vehicles.
Serica is available on formable and high-strength steels in widths up to 1850mm
Serica FLO can also be provided with mill-applied Prime Lubrication Treatment (PLT), an additional booster lubricant that allows for pressing of the most demanding panel shapes. Serica FLO and PLT are more cost effective full-finish hot-dip galvanised steel alternatives compared to electro galvanised steel sheet (EG) and pre-phosphated EG (EG-p) for exterior components such as bonnets, doors and vehicle roofs.
Our material experts are there to support the deployment of our products in your specific application area. For more information contact our Serica experts.
Reduced waviness
The final paint appearance of a car body panel is determined not only by the quality of the painting process but, to a large extent, by the surface finish of the material substrate. We have optimised our steel production processes for outer panel material to ensure reduced waviness, resulting in excellent paint appearance.
Are you interested in reducing your total cost of ownership?
Our experts have multiple years of experience in introducting waviness-optimised steels in the automotive market. With our unique knowledge about the influence of steel surface properties on final paint appearance we can advise you in choosing the most optimal surface finish for your particular application and paint process used.