Case Study
Axalta required a more sustainable and productive way to deliver complex two-tone vehicle finishes, patterns and high-value design details without the labour, masking and material waste associated with conventional paint application.
Through its partnership with Xaar, Axalta introduced Axalta NextJet™, a next generation digital paint technology that enables precise, overspray-free paint placement. The collaboration combines Axalta’s proprietary jettable paint with Xaar’s inkjet technology, supporting greater design flexibility, improved productivity and up to a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions for two-tone vehicle manufacturers.
The client profile
Axalta is a global coatings company serving light vehicle, commercial vehicle, refinish and industrial markets. With more than 150 years of coatings experience, the business develops technologies designed to improve durability, corrosion protection, colour performance and production efficiency for customers worldwide.
The project
Two-tone vehicle production traditionally requires complex masking, additional labour and multiple process steps. These methods can constrain design flexibility, increase energy use and create unnecessary waste, particularly when manufacturers want to add patterns, detailed graphics or bespoke features to vehicle finishes.
Axalta set out to introduce a digital paint process that could place coating only where required. The aim was to make two-tone and decorative vehicle finishes easier to produce, while helping automotive manufacturers reduce environmental impact and improve production efficiency.
The solution
Axalta NextJet™ uses digital paint, also referred to as overspray-free application, to place paint precisely onto the vehicle surface. The technology is powered by Xaar’s drop-on-demand inkjet expertise and paired with Axalta’s proprietary paint designed for jetting.
Thise combined solution enables accurate digital application of coatings for two-tone designs, patterns, details and images. Xaar’s printhead capability to handle higher-viscosity fluids supports the productivity and performance requirements of the application, opening a route to high-value vehicle decoration with less process complexity.
The implementation
The Axalta and Xaar partnership brought together coating chemistry, digital application expertise and industrial inkjet know-how.
By combining paint formulation and printhead capability in a single technology development, the project created what is believed to be the first partnership between an inkjet printhead manufacturer and a coatings manufacturer for this application.
The impact
Outcome 1
Enables precise, overspray-free application for two-tone finishes, patterns, details and images
Outcome 2
Eliminates masking and reduces labour, energy and waste while improving productivity and efficiency
Outcome 3
Can contribute to up to a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions for two-tone vehicle manufacturers
“Axalta was quick to recognize the unique advantages of Xaar’s technology for their innovation, making use of our printhead’s ability to handle fluids with viscosities way beyond what has traditionally been possible with inkjet. Together we don’t just deliver the required productivity, we significantly improve on it.”
Graham Tweedale
Chief Operating Officer, Xaar
Technical highlights
Key capabilities
Overspray-free digital paint application
High-viscosity fluid handling
Precise digital coating placement
Compatibility points
Designed for two-tone vehicle finishes
Supports patterns, details and images
Pairs Xaar inkjet technology with Axalta proprietary jettable paint
Deployment notes
Technology tested with customers, with production potential identified as early as 2024.
The future
Digital paint opens opportunities for more flexible, lower-waste vehicle decoration, helping manufacturers respond to growing demand for differentiated finishes without adding unnecessary process complexity.
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