Making automobile body panels having applied carrier films pre-painted with metallic paint

Claim 1

A method of making a plurality of automobile body panels each comprising an external sheet layer (20) and an underlying substrate layer (22), the external sheet layer (20) having a top surface that is painted to a predetermined colour with a paint material capable of withstanding large strain deformations, and a bottom surface that is bonded to the underlying substrate layer (22), such that the colour appearance of the panels conforms substantially to a colour standard when the panels are mounted on a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: (a) applying the paint material containing metal flakes to the top surface of the sheet layer (20) and baking for a sufficient length of time to adequately cure the paint; (b) coating the bottom surface of the sheet layer (20) with a layer of adhesive; (c) heating the sheet layer (20) to a temperature at which the sheet layer (20) becomes sufficiently pliable for vacuum-forming; (d) positioning the heated sheet layer (20) over the substrate layer (22) and creating a vacuum underneath the substrate by withdrawing air, or other fluid medium, through vacuum ports (16) located underneath the substrate such that the sheet layer (20) is thereby subjected to a drawing process which aligns substantially all the metal flakes contained in the paint layer, such that the colour appearance of the plurality of panels conforms substantially to a colour standard; and (e) vacuum-forming the drawn sheet over, and causing the sheet layer (20) to adhere to, the substrate layer (22).