Recoat polycarbonate lenses and clear plastic parts

Polycarbonate lenses and clear plastics

Guide to recoating polycarbonate lenses and clear plastic parts

Polycarbonate lenses and clear plastic parts are sensitive to aggressive solvent attack, sanding scratches and static dust. This guide keeps the process gentle, clean and focused on adhesion before the clear protective coating is applied.

What do you need to recoat polycarbonate lenses and clear plastic parts?

Water-based final cleaning

Mipa WBS Cleaner FINAL in spray or liquid format cleans sensitive plastic and helps reduce static dust attraction before recoating.

Microfine surface refinement

MP Finish Pad Soft Microfine P 1500 refines lenses and clear plastic contours with a very gentle manual sanding action.

Polycarbonate adhesion layer

Mipa WBS PC Primer Spray is a colourless water-based primer for polycarbonate substrates such as headlight lenses.

Activated clearcoat spray

Mipa 2K Clearcoat Spray high gloss gives a compact 2K aerosol clearcoat method for individual lenses and small clear plastic parts.

Scratch-resistant clearcoat system

Mipa 2K-HS Clearcoat CS 90 with Mipa 2K-HS Hardener HS 25 normal and Mipa 2K Thinner Normal V 25 gives a controlled clearcoat method for larger or higher-value parts.

How to recoat polycarbonate lenses and clear plastic parts

1
Clean the plastic gently

Wash away loose dirt first, then use the water-based cleaner to remove remaining contamination.
2
Refine the surface

Sand only as much as needed to remove oxidation or provide a consistent prepared surface.
3
Clean after sanding

Remove sanding residue and static dust before the adhesion layer is applied.
4
Apply PC primer

Apply the polycarbonate primer as a thin, even adhesion layer and allow the specified flash time.
5
Clearcoat the part

Apply the chosen clearcoat in controlled coats to restore gloss and surface protection.

Which clear plastic recoating method should you choose?

For headlight lenses

Use WBS Cleaner FINAL, WBS PC Primer Spray and a 2K clearcoat method to protect the sensitive polycarbonate surface.

For small clear parts

Use the activated clearcoat spray when the part is compact and the surrounding area can be masked accurately.

For larger clear panels

Use the CS 90 system when a gun-applied clearcoat gives better control over gloss, film build and edge quality.

Technical details

Mipa WBS PC Primer Spray is water-based and designed for solvent-sensitive polycarbonate substrates.
Mipa information identifies headlight lenses as a suitable polycarbonate use case for WBS PC Primer Spray.
The surface should be clean, uniformly prepared and dry before primer or clearcoat is applied.
Clear lenses can show sanding scratches easily, so the final abrasive step must be fine enough for clear coating.

Practical suggestion

Mask generously around lenses and clear parts. Overspray on surrounding paint, seals or trim can be harder to correct than the lens itself.