Avery Dennison recently wrapped up a shining vehicle wrap. The company completed a wrap on the University of Michigan’s solar car, Quantum, for the 2012 American Solar Car Challenge.
Using Avery Dennison MPI 1005 Supercast Easy Apply RST and DOL 1360 wrap materials, TKO Graphix (tkographix.com/Default.aspx) of Indianapolis, Indiana installed the wrap. TKO Graphix also wrapped several team vehicles in the Avery Dennison material. The company has worked with the University of Michigan Solar Car team for several years.
The install of a wrap rather than a paint job helped to keep the Quantum car light. Traditional paint weighs about 9 pounds while the Avery Dennison MPI 1005 Supercast Easy Apply RS and DOL 1360 wrap materials weigh between 8 ounces and 1 pound. “We eliminated a significant amount of weight with the wrap,” said Cole Witte, engineering director for the University of Michigan solar car. “The vinyl conforms very well to the compound curves of Quantum’s body—and looks just like paint.”
The reduced weight gave the University of Michigan solar team a distinct advantage as Quantum made its way through the eight-state, 1,650-mile course from Rochester, NY to St. Paul, MN.
“The opportunity to support America’s most successful solar car team and the engineering, innovation, and dedication of the student-led University of Michigan group is an honor,” said Kathleen Hall, vice president and general manager, Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Solutions, Americas.
