Auto Tech ASE Exam Study Guide: Master the Essentials
What difficulty has the use Low-presser (HVLP) transfer equipment and high-solids (low-VOC) materials
made for the technician? - correct answer ✔✔It made it harder to match the original equipment finish.
What has made the biggest effect on paint technology? - correct answer ✔✔the use of Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs) and VOC-based products
The biggest challenge paint technicians face - correct answer ✔✔duplicating the conditions that exist in
the assembly plant
Besides duplicating factor conditions what also makes it so difficult to reproduce the painting finish? -
correct answer ✔✔Because the procedures used by the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
cannot be duplicated in the collision repair shop.
What have acrylic lacquer and enamel have all but been replaced by? - correct answer ✔✔By two-
component urethane enamel
Urethane single-,two and three-stage paint systems are most common in - correct answer ✔✔North
America
What is an undercoat? - correct answer ✔✔It is a product that is applies to the substrate over an existing
finish
What is a substrate? - correct answer ✔✔It is any surface to which a coating is applied
What does an undercoat do? - correct answer ✔✔It give a uniform surface upon which an colorcoat or
topcoat can be applied
What else does the undercoat help with? - correct answer ✔✔It may also help the topcoat adhere to a
substrate
,What type of finish has replaced lacquer and enamel coatings? - correct answer ✔✔Urethane one, two
or three stage systems
How do enamels differs from lacquer? - correct answer ✔✔They do not "dry" or cure
Why does lacquer dry very quickly? - correct answer ✔✔because the thinner evaporates from the film.
What must you do after lacquer dries? - correct answer ✔✔It must be polished to bring out the gloss.
How does enamel cure? - correct answer ✔✔By absorbing oxygen and changing chemically.
What happens an enamel resin i(color, clear or primer) is catalyzed? - correct answer ✔✔A new chemical
compound is formed
What is the chemical reaction called when resin is catalyzed? - correct answer ✔✔Cross-linking
What are catalysts known as? - correct answer ✔✔Hardeners or activators
What is crucial to successful refinishing.? - correct answer ✔✔Proper catalyzation of resins
How do make sure that proper catalazation takes place? - correct answer ✔✔By mixing the two
substances in proper proportion
What have paint manufacturers developed to allow the painter to mix precisely the amount of material
necessary in their proper proportions? - correct answer ✔✔graduated mixing sticks
What are the graduated mixing sticks also used for? - correct answer ✔✔The addition of solvent
What is just as important as mixing the proper percentage of paint materials for paint performance? -
correct answer ✔✔The amount of solvent added
,What happens if the materials for paint are not mixed properly in the right proportions? - correct answer
✔✔The paint will not cure
How can curing time be accelerated or slowed? - correct answer ✔✔By the selection of an alternate
hardener and/or reducer.
What is the most common method of curing paint? - correct answer ✔✔By force drying it by applying
heat.
How does the downdraft-style spray booth work? - correct answer ✔✔It cures paint by forcing heated
air over the vehicle, which removes solvents and their vapors and heats the vehicle's surface.
What is important to do after a spray operation? - correct answer ✔✔Purge the booth of overspray and
solvent vapor.
How long is booth bake-cycle and how high can the temperature go? - correct answer ✔✔Anywhere
from 20 minutes to an hour and to 175 degrees
What do the the numbers in the paint code mean? - correct answer ✔✔Body color
What does the letter code mean? - correct answer ✔✔Color
How can you check to see if there is clearcoat paint present? - correct answer ✔✔Rub fine grit
sandpaper on the surface on the damaged part - if present a white residue will appear
How can you tell if there isn't any clearcoat when you sand the damaged part? - correct answer ✔✔The
dust will be the same color as the paint
These additives that allow the paint to adhere to flexible plastic called ? - correct answer ✔✔Flex agents
What direction does the infrared light cure the paint film? - correct answer ✔✔From the inside out.
, How does a short-wave infrared lamps accelerate curing? - correct answer ✔✔By exciting the molecules
of the substrate
What advantage does an infrared light have for paint curing? - correct answer ✔✔It avoids solvent
popping that occurs when solvent films over
What should you do when you an overall job? - correct answer ✔✔Plan your moves
What happens in a basecoat/clearcoat refinish system? - correct answer ✔✔It uses a modified, non-
catalyzed polyester enamel color basecoat, which must be top-coated with a urethane clearcoat.
Name three types of enamel - correct answer ✔✔acrylic, polyurethane and polyoxithane.
What type of paint is available in high solid formulations? - correct answer ✔✔Single-stage colors and
clearcoats
What system have also been developed for top coating? - correct answer ✔✔High solids paints
What creates a paint film beneath the color and topcoats? - correct answer ✔✔Undercoats
What are the benefits of high solids ? - correct answer ✔✔They increased productivity and reduction in
VOC content.
Name the types of coats - correct answer ✔✔Primer-surfacers, etch primers, adhesion promoters and
sealers
Self-etching primers are designed to convert minor surface surface rust and to help protect the metal
from further corrosion. - correct answer ✔✔These types of primers have a high acid content and also
contain chromates and VOCs. The acid etches and conditions the mental to promote adhesion.
What difficulty has the use Low-presser (HVLP) transfer equipment and high-solids (low-VOC) materials
made for the technician? - correct answer ✔✔It made it harder to match the original equipment finish.
What has made the biggest effect on paint technology? - correct answer ✔✔the use of Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs) and VOC-based products
The biggest challenge paint technicians face - correct answer ✔✔duplicating the conditions that exist in
the assembly plant
Besides duplicating factor conditions what also makes it so difficult to reproduce the painting finish? -
correct answer ✔✔Because the procedures used by the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
cannot be duplicated in the collision repair shop.
What have acrylic lacquer and enamel have all but been replaced by? - correct answer ✔✔By two-
component urethane enamel
Urethane single-,two and three-stage paint systems are most common in - correct answer ✔✔North
America
What is an undercoat? - correct answer ✔✔It is a product that is applies to the substrate over an existing
finish
What is a substrate? - correct answer ✔✔It is any surface to which a coating is applied
What does an undercoat do? - correct answer ✔✔It give a uniform surface upon which an colorcoat or
topcoat can be applied
What else does the undercoat help with? - correct answer ✔✔It may also help the topcoat adhere to a
substrate
,What type of finish has replaced lacquer and enamel coatings? - correct answer ✔✔Urethane one, two
or three stage systems
How do enamels differs from lacquer? - correct answer ✔✔They do not "dry" or cure
Why does lacquer dry very quickly? - correct answer ✔✔because the thinner evaporates from the film.
What must you do after lacquer dries? - correct answer ✔✔It must be polished to bring out the gloss.
How does enamel cure? - correct answer ✔✔By absorbing oxygen and changing chemically.
What happens an enamel resin i(color, clear or primer) is catalyzed? - correct answer ✔✔A new chemical
compound is formed
What is the chemical reaction called when resin is catalyzed? - correct answer ✔✔Cross-linking
What are catalysts known as? - correct answer ✔✔Hardeners or activators
What is crucial to successful refinishing.? - correct answer ✔✔Proper catalyzation of resins
How do make sure that proper catalazation takes place? - correct answer ✔✔By mixing the two
substances in proper proportion
What have paint manufacturers developed to allow the painter to mix precisely the amount of material
necessary in their proper proportions? - correct answer ✔✔graduated mixing sticks
What are the graduated mixing sticks also used for? - correct answer ✔✔The addition of solvent
What is just as important as mixing the proper percentage of paint materials for paint performance? -
correct answer ✔✔The amount of solvent added
,What happens if the materials for paint are not mixed properly in the right proportions? - correct answer
✔✔The paint will not cure
How can curing time be accelerated or slowed? - correct answer ✔✔By the selection of an alternate
hardener and/or reducer.
What is the most common method of curing paint? - correct answer ✔✔By force drying it by applying
heat.
How does the downdraft-style spray booth work? - correct answer ✔✔It cures paint by forcing heated
air over the vehicle, which removes solvents and their vapors and heats the vehicle's surface.
What is important to do after a spray operation? - correct answer ✔✔Purge the booth of overspray and
solvent vapor.
How long is booth bake-cycle and how high can the temperature go? - correct answer ✔✔Anywhere
from 20 minutes to an hour and to 175 degrees
What do the the numbers in the paint code mean? - correct answer ✔✔Body color
What does the letter code mean? - correct answer ✔✔Color
How can you check to see if there is clearcoat paint present? - correct answer ✔✔Rub fine grit
sandpaper on the surface on the damaged part - if present a white residue will appear
How can you tell if there isn't any clearcoat when you sand the damaged part? - correct answer ✔✔The
dust will be the same color as the paint
These additives that allow the paint to adhere to flexible plastic called ? - correct answer ✔✔Flex agents
What direction does the infrared light cure the paint film? - correct answer ✔✔From the inside out.
, How does a short-wave infrared lamps accelerate curing? - correct answer ✔✔By exciting the molecules
of the substrate
What advantage does an infrared light have for paint curing? - correct answer ✔✔It avoids solvent
popping that occurs when solvent films over
What should you do when you an overall job? - correct answer ✔✔Plan your moves
What happens in a basecoat/clearcoat refinish system? - correct answer ✔✔It uses a modified, non-
catalyzed polyester enamel color basecoat, which must be top-coated with a urethane clearcoat.
Name three types of enamel - correct answer ✔✔acrylic, polyurethane and polyoxithane.
What type of paint is available in high solid formulations? - correct answer ✔✔Single-stage colors and
clearcoats
What system have also been developed for top coating? - correct answer ✔✔High solids paints
What creates a paint film beneath the color and topcoats? - correct answer ✔✔Undercoats
What are the benefits of high solids ? - correct answer ✔✔They increased productivity and reduction in
VOC content.
Name the types of coats - correct answer ✔✔Primer-surfacers, etch primers, adhesion promoters and
sealers
Self-etching primers are designed to convert minor surface surface rust and to help protect the metal
from further corrosion. - correct answer ✔✔These types of primers have a high acid content and also
contain chromates and VOCs. The acid etches and conditions the mental to promote adhesion.
