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Generation 1 Material
Semi-rigid
top layer: The top layer
is made from a 2 mm (.080") thick olefin alloy to distribute
impacts (screwdrivers, belt buckles, rings, etc.) Our material is
chemically inert. Bend it or drive over it; it can be flexed repeatedly
without breaking and is easily cleaned.
Bottom (back)
foam: The white backing foam is resilient to absorb impact yet
firm to accept punishment. It has a high coefficient of friction
so it grabs to a painted surface, reducing the tendency for
body or pillar protectors to slide when moving on inclines. Because
it’s a closed cell material, HardGuard foam won’t soak up fluids,
is nonreactive so it won’t cause paint to craze and won't cause
scratching itself. Though the foam will become dirty over time,
it's easily cleaned with common detergent and water.
Impact
resistance: HardGuard material features
100% foam coverage on the paint side of the protector. Complete
coverage is superior to foam strips for the following reasons:
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Impact at any
covered point is distributed by the semi-rigid top layer over a
large area and further absorbed by the foam bottom layer.
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There are no
between-foam dead spots where protector material can directly
touch the painted surface. Hard plastics cause abrasions and
pass denting force directly through to the body.
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HardGuard will
protect against a flathead screwdriver dropped from 32"
above the covered surface. It was thoroughly tested by
Toyota using the ball drop method. The best competing protectors
suffered damage at approximately 22 drops. HardGuard withstood
over 50 ball drops without signs of failure before the test
was stopped. After the drop test, sample parts were subjected
to an informal screwdriver test. Toyota personnel threw screwdrivers
at protectors from 2 meters away. The results showed no damage
to the vehicle, though bystanders were visibly annoyed.
Fatigue
resistance: HardGuard protectors
have been in continuous use for over nine years at one GM plant.
They can be bent repeatedly without breakage and will withstand a
great deal of abrasion on the outer surface though the foam layer should not be cut or dragged on the
floor. Parts will retain their shape
indefinitely if hung properly on racks.
Generation 2 Material
Our Generation
2 material was developed in response to the need for material with
properties like Gen1 but able to distribute higher impact forces
resulting from a direct air-tool hit. It was engineered specifically
for use on sills and areas that must absorb extreme impact.
Attachment
Clips
Formed
clip: Many applications require the use
of a durable clip formed to allow the protector to hang on the body.
Our clips are formed on
water-cooled aluminum tools for a precision fit. The use of formed
clips makes HardGuard protectors much more durable than other systems.
Clips are robotically machined and attached to protectors with nylon
snap rivets. Non-robotic, cutout of the top clip is the root cause
of many protectors failing and becoming permanently unusable.
 ClingPod®
Apogee developed
the ClingPod® in response to our need to hang
protectors on doors and quarters where the protector must be suspended
without clips. ClingPods won’t damage freshly painted surfaces but
they will hold protectors to bodies and are easily applied and released.
Pod Engineering: Though
suction cups appear simple in nature, they are not. To maintain
a self-supplied vacuum, the cup material must be impermeable to
gas, permanently flexible, resistant to tearing, chalking, UV degradation
and abrasion.
Pod Materials:
Standard flexible PVC would be the least costly choice for the pod
but the same plasticizers that make it flexible migrate to the surface
and cause paint damage. We now produce two types of Pods that are
fully compatible with water and solvent based paint systems.
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