New pre-treatment tech vital for energy-efficient production, say suppliers

The metal pre-treatment process occurs after the structure of a vehicle is finalised and before it is painted. The entire body and chassis are typically submerged in large baths of chemicals, ensuring all the metal is clean, anti-corrosive and ready to be applied with paint.

Zinc or iron phosphate were previously been used during this pre-treatment process, but some suppliers are turning to new technologies that use different chemistries, which could have a notable impact on the energy-efficiency of the entire vehicle manufacturing process.