1 · What is happening at this step
Dust nibs, orange peel and sanding marks are removed from the cured clear coat and gloss is restored. The work runs in stages — cut, then polish, then refine — and each stage exists to remove the scratch left by the one before it. The material being removed is clear coat, and there is a limited amount of it.
[TO CONFIRM: image — process photograph of machine polishing on a cured panel, own material or authorised only, registered in ../assets/_manifest.md]
2 · What usually goes wrong
Burning through the clear. Clear coat thickness is measured in tens of microns, and it is thinnest exactly where the machine concentrates: edges, body lines, crowns and the ridges of mouldings. An aggressive compound, a wool pad, high speed and a moment of dwell is enough to cut through to the basecoat, and there is no correcting that short of repainting. Measuring film thickness before cutting, and taping the edges, costs a few minutes and saves a panel. The same applies to the edge of the pad itself — a firm pad held at an angle cuts a crescent into the surface.
The correction leaves marks of its own. Cutting removes defects by removing clear, so it leaves a scratch pattern behind. If the cut stage is not followed by a proper refine stage, or if the refine pad still carries cutting compound, the panel comes out hazy with swirls that are invisible under booth lighting and obvious in direct sun or under an inspection lamp. Pads have to be dedicated per stage, and cleaned between panels.
Heat. Friction raises surface temperature quickly, particularly on a rotary. Hot clear softens and smears, gloss drops, the compound flashes off before it does any work, and the pad begins to skate. Heat is a function of speed, pressure, pad density and dwell time — reduce one of those before changing the compound, because changing the compound is usually not the problem.
The correction does not last. Some finishing products hide scratches with oils and fillers rather than removing them. The panel looks right when it leaves the booth and comes back dull after a few washes. For a customer paying for correction, the defect has to be removed, and a filler-based gloss will not survive the first month.
Residue and contamination. Compound dried into trim, panel gaps, rubber seals and badges is a labour cost at the end of every job. Worse, silicone carried from a polishing product into a repair area causes fisheyes in the next coating applied — a defect that shows up on someone else’s invoice. Mask the trim before polishing, and know what is in the compound.
3 · What this step uses
POLIRITE C-Series — polishing compounds
[TO CONFIRM: series designation pending finalization]
Intended for defect removal and gloss restoration on cured clear coat, in a staged cut / polish / refine sequence.
- Stages supplied: [TO CONFIRM: which of cutting compound / polishing compound / finishing glaze are available]
- Formulation base: [TO CONFIRM: water-based or solvent-based]
- Silicone content: [TO CONFIRM: whether silicone-free formulations are available — do not claim silicone-free until confirmed]
- Abrasive type used in the compound: [TO CONFIRM: abrasive type used in the compound]
- Whether any stage relies on filling agents: [TO CONFIRM: to be stated honestly if so]
- Suitable clear coat systems: [TO CONFIRM: OEM clear, 2K refinish clear, scratch-resistant clear]
- Pack sizes: [TO CONFIRM: bottle sizes and cartons per case]
POLIRITE C-Pad Series — polishing pads
[TO CONFIRM: series designation pending finalization]
- Pad materials supplied: [TO CONFIRM: foam / wool / microfiber]
- Foam hardness grades: [TO CONFIRM: available grades and how each is designated]
- Pad diameters: [TO CONFIRM: available diameters in mm]
- Face profile: [TO CONFIRM: flat / waffle / tapered]
- Attachment: [TO CONFIRM: hook-and-loop or thread size]
- Recommended tool and speed range: [TO CONFIRM: rotary or DA, and maximum rated speed]
Accessories used at this step
- Microfiber finishing cloths: [TO CONFIRM: whether supplied, and available weights]
- Pad cleaning brushes: [TO CONFIRM: whether supplied]
Supply terms for products on this page
– MOQ: [TO CONFIRM: MOQ per item]
– Lead time: [TO CONFIRM: lead time in days after receipt of deposit]
– Packaging: [TO CONFIRM: units per carton, carton dimensions and weight]
– Customisation: [TO CONFIRM: private label on compounds and pads, custom pad colours or densities]
– Samples: [TO CONFIRM: sample policy for this range]
[TO CONFIRM: image — product close-up, in-use photograph and packaging photograph for each series above, own material or authorised only, registered in ../assets/_manifest.md]
4 · Request a quote
Tell us the clear coat system, the film thickness you work with, whether you run rotary or DA, and the defect you are chasing.
Button: Request a quote → /contact/
Form prefill hint: Clear coat system · Measured film thickness if known · Rotary or DA · Current pad and compound combination · Defect being corrected (nibs / orange peel / scratches) · Monthly usage