Audi is using a new process to create partially matt surfaces on painted areas. This allows lettering, logos or photos to be displayed pixel-precisely and abrasion-resistant. In the first step of the process, a template made of thin plastic film is glued to the component that has already been painted. A special system sprays the component under vacuum – similar to sand blasting – with a fine powder of crushed glass. This removes a few thousandths of a millimetre from the top layer of clear lacquer and roughens it slightly at the same time. This difference in surface structure allows the motif to stand out clearly after removal of the template. With the special edition #2 of the Audi Q2, the automobile manufacturer is using the innovative process for the first time in mass production.
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