A green coating has passed its gel point but has not completed its cure schedule. Operators intentionally pull primers green so the subsequent topcoat can chemically bond with the base layer as both finish curing together. If a single-coat finish is left green by mistake, it remains soft, lacks chemical resistance, and fails adhesion tests.
Pull that rack of bumpers green so we can shoot the clearcoat while they're still hot.
When shooting over a green primer, the part must stay hot enough to prevent the primer from fully crosslinking before the topcoat hits it.
Also heard as
- gelled
Do not mix it up with
- Undercure: Undercure is a defect where the final product fails to meet the cure schedule, while green usually refers to the intentional partially cured state during a two-coat process.
Related terms
Undercure
A film that did not get enough time at temperature to crosslink fully, so it looks fine but performs poorly.
Gel time
How many seconds a powder takes at a set temperature to go from melted to a rubbery gel that no longer flows.
Two-coat
Describing a finish built from a base coat and a top coat, each sprayed separately.
Cure schedule
The time at temperature a powder needs to cure fully, measured at the part's metal, not the oven air.