- Untreated cars had 6.8 times more body rust than Krown-treated vehicles
- Underbodies of untreated vehicles had 3.6 times more corrosion than treated ones
- Advantages of rust treatments become greater as cars get older
TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2018 /CNW/ - After examining the rust patterns on hundreds of Ontario vehicles, researchers at the University of Windsor's engineering faculty concluded that untreated vehicles had 6.8 times more visible corrosion on body panels than vehicles protected with Krown Rust Control treatments. For underbody parts that are subjected to greater exposure of dirt, gravel, water spray and road chemicals, untreated cars had 3.6 times more corrosion that those that benefited from Krown treatments.
"The results are statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval," said researcher Dr. Susan Sawyer-Beaulieu. "This means that results similar to these would occur at least 95 times out of 100 repeats of this study with different vehicles. The chance that these results might be misleading are close to zero."
To measure the amount of corrosion on vehicles for the study, the university's research team photographed the visible surfaces of 228 Krown-treated vehicles that were collected through the course of two sampling campaigns. The results were compared to measurements taken from 141 untreated vehicles that were collected in a similar fashion. Both treated and untreated vehicles that were studied varied in make, model and age.
Armed with these photographs, the scientists measured the amount of visible rust with special software to determine what percentage of the surface area in square centimetres was corroded and recorded that number to establish each vehicle's Corrosion Index (CI). No distinction was made in the severity of corrosion, so blistering paint, surface rust and perforations were all measured equally when calculating the CI, but the research team aims to refine the index in future studies to measure the levels of rust severity.
Sawyer-Beaulieu believes that her team's study only exposed the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the corrosion levels on cars since they only surveyed about 35 per cent, on average, of the visible surfaces of the vehicles they studied. It was enough to establish a valid statistical comparison between treated and untreated vehicles, but many parts of the car that are harder to get at were not examined, so it's possible that untreated vehicles on Canadian roads are even more corroded than the research team was able to measure.
The study's results also confirmed that the effects of not using rust control treatments are even more visible as a car gets older. Researchers observed no significant statistical difference in visibly corroded areas on vehicles up to the age of six years, but from the age of seven to 15 years, the amount of rust seen on untreated versus treated cars jumped significantly.
"Considering that the average age of a car in North America is 11 years old, Krown Rust Control treatments have the potential to improve and extend the experience and utility you derive from your vehicle," said Craig Shuttleworth, Marketing Director at Krown Rust Control. "What's even more important is to start the treatments early because you don't want to give rust a head start. It can be years before corrosion becomes visible, but by then it could be too late."
Keeping your car rust free is not just about keeping it looking good, added Steve Fletcher, Managing Director of The Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC). He believes that corrosion protection has environmental benefits that are often overlooked.
"Corrosion protection not only keeps your car looking good for longer, but it keeps it on the road in good condition for many more years," said Fletcher. "That's not only good for the consumer by keeping money in his or her pocket, but it's good for the environment because it keeps cars from being disposed of before they need to be."
Responsible automobile recyclers, like members of the ARC, methodically process every vehicle to maximize how much material can be reclaimed from it and to minimize their environmental impact. Unfortunately, Fletcher said, too many vehicle disposal operations simply crush cars to sell them for scrap metal, sending the remaining components to landfill sites.
Shuttleworth at Krown Rust Control also noted that keeping a car rust-free makes it safer to operate, especially by protecting the under-surfaces of the car that we rarely see.
"Corrosion on your vehicle's underbody may not matter cosmetically but it can represent a safety issue," he said. "Specifically, the vehicle frame which when compromised by corrosion can cause life-threatening failure in the event of a vehicle accident."
To obtain a full copy of the research study, please visit Dropbox.
ABOUT KROWN RUST CONTROL
Krown Rust Control is a 100% Canadian-owned and operated company that continues to break new ground and reach new levels in the field of corrosion control. Krown is dedicated to developing leading-edge rust inhibitors and lubricants/penetrants and are considered by many to be the best in their field of expertise. Krown products are used in a variety of applications from industrial factories, to commercial fleets to retail customers and their respective vehicles. They operate in more than 250 locations in Canada, the USA and Europe.
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SOURCE Krown Rust Control
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