Glossary

The Automotive Industry Standard (Bureau of Indian Standards) that governs safety glazing and automotive window film compliance in India.

A UV-stable topcoat chemistry within TPU film — resists yellowing over the film's lifespan. Used in quality PPF products with multi-year anti-yellowing warranties.

A less UV-stable topcoat chemistry within TPU film — will noticeably yellow within 3-4 years under Indian sun. Some budget products use it to cut cost; don't expect strong anti-yellowing performance.

A microfibre cloth with a stitchless, woven edge rather than a sewn border. Essential for PPF-wrapped cars, since a stitched border edge can scratch film.

A cleaning product that removes loose dirt and surface contamination without stripping existing wax, sealant, or coating. Maintenance, not protection — pH-neutral formulas are safe for coated and PPF-wrapped cars.

A polyester film with carbon particles instead of metal or dye — blocks heat with zero signal interference, has a flat matte look, and sits in the mid-tier on price.

A liquid product, usually SiO2-based, that chemically bonds with a car's clear coat to form a hard, hydrophobic, glass-like layer 1-5 microns thick. Protects against UV fading, water spots, and light swirl marks — but not stone chips or deep scratches.

A thin SiO2 layer applied over an existing wax, sealant, or coating to boost hydrophobic properties and gloss. A maintenance booster, not a standalone ceramic coating — the two terms are often confused but describe different products.

A moulding-clay product used to remove bonded surface contamination (rail dust, industrial fallout, tar) that washing alone can't remove. Prepares the surface — it doesn't polish or protect paint on its own.

Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 — the rulebook that includes Rule 100(2), governing legal window-tint darkness (VLT) for windscreens and side windows nationally.

An abrasive product that removes scratches, swirl marks, and oxidation by cutting into the clear coat. A "before" step used ahead of polishing and protecting — not for maintenance use.

How long a ceramic coating takes to fully bond and harden after application — typically touch-dry in 1-2 hours, full cure within about 7 days.

PMD's core buying model: you buy the product directly and it ships to you, sealed, before any installer touches it. You then pay for installation separately. Because you already hold the exact product, an installer can't quietly substitute a cheaper one.

A traditional car-care shop that bundles product and labour into one opaque price, so you can't see how much you're actually paying for the product versus the installation.

The concentrate-to-water mixing ratio for a DIY product (e.g. 1:200). Higher-dilution concentrates work out far cheaper per wash than ready-to-use bottles — worth comparing cost-per-use, not just bottle price.

The cheapest sun film technology — a polyester film with organic dye that absorbs heat rather than reflecting it. Fades toward purple/brown over a few years. Best suited to rear-window privacy on a budget, not heat control.

PMD's internal grouping for a sun film product line (e.g. "STRATOS 70," "Crystalline CR70") across its different coverage formats and vehicle sizes.

PMD's classification of a sun film's core material — in order of most to least advanced: Multi-Layer Optical (MOF/Crystalline), Nano-Ceramic, Carbon, Hybrid Ceramic, Metallic, Dyed.

A ceramic coating with graphene added to the formula. Coatings with under 0.5% graphene by weight offer no meaningful advantage over standard SiO2 ceramic — judge by actual composition, not the word "graphene" alone.

Grams per square metre — a measure of microfibre cloth thickness and softness. Around 300 GSM suits general use; 400-600+ is safer for coated or wrapped cars, since thin, low-GSM cloths risk swirl marks.

A dye-and-metal combination film aiming for a middle ground between dyed and metalised — better heat performance than dyed alone, less signal risk than fully metalised, but not free of either trade-off.

A surface that repels water, causing it to bead and roll off rather than sheet or soak in — reduces water spotting and contamination buildup. Applies to PPF topcoats, ceramic coatings, and some DIY protectants.

The percentage of light a film reflects back inside the cabin. Lower means less dashboard glare and better outward visibility — standard glass is around 8-10%, premium films can be under 5%.

The percentage of infrared radiation (the part of sunlight you feel as heat) a film blocks. Brands often lead with this number because it reads higher than TSER, but IRR alone overstates real cabin cooling — always check TSER too.

When an installer charges for a premium branded product but actually applies a cheaper, unbranded one — common when the customer never sees or holds the original packaging.

A film with a thin vapour-deposited metal layer that reflects heat effectively but can interfere with GPS, FASTag, and mobile signal.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways — the central government body that prescribes vehicle safety and compliance standards in India, including automotive window film rules.

The most advanced heat-rejection film technology PMD stocks — built from 200+ ultra-thin polymer layers (not ceramic particles) that reflect solar energy through optical interference. Reaches a higher TSER at a given VLT than ceramic. 3M's Crystalline series uses this technology.

A metal-free film embedded with ceramic nanoparticles — strong heat rejection, stays optically clear, resists fading, zero signal interference. One tier below Multi-Layer Optical Film on TSER-at-VLT performance.

A synthetic polymer protection layer, more durable than wax (3-6 months) with a stronger hydrophobic effect — sits between wax and ceramic coating on the durability ladder.

A measure of acidity/alkalinity. Neutral (6-8) is safe for painted, coated, and film-covered surfaces. High-alkaline products are powerful cleaners but can strip wax/sealant in a single wash; acidic products can etch paint or lift PPF edges.

A finer abrasive than compound, used to refine the surface after compounding (or on lightly swirled paint alone) — restores gloss and preps the surface for wax or coating.

A clear or matte film applied over a car's paint to physically protect it from stone chips, scratches, and minor abrasions. Not the same as ceramic coating, which is a chemical bond, not a physical film.

The lowest tier of PPF material — yellows over time, limited impact resistance, generally not recommended for exposed painted surfaces.

A between-wash spray that removes light dust, fingerprints, and water spots, and adds minor gloss. A convenience product, not a substitute for washing or a protection product.

PMD's plain-language note on each product page about who a specific product actually suits — e.g. daily drivers, PPF-wrapped cars, high-usage vehicles — rather than a generic "great for everyone" claim.

Regional Transport Office — the Indian government authority responsible for enforcing vehicle compliance rules, including window-tint (VLT) law.

A clear or near-clear laminated film applied to reinforce glass — holds shattered glass together on impact rather than darkening it. A safety upgrade, not a heat or privacy product.

The premium tier of PPF self-healing — minor surface scratches disappear on their own at room temperature within seconds to minutes, no heat source needed.

PPF self-healing that requires warm water, a heat gun, or direct sunlight to trigger — still effective, but needs a deliberate action rather than healing passively.

Disruption to GPS, FASTag, mobile reception, or parking sensors caused by a film's metal layer acting like a Faraday cage. Carbon, ceramic, and MOF films don't have this issue.

A film that doesn't interfere with GPS, FASTag, mobile signal, or parking-sensor reception — true of any film without a metal layer (carbon, ceramic, MOF). Metalised films are the ones that risk signal interference.

The compound most ceramic coatings are based on — the same material found in glass and quartz. Its concentration is a better indicator of real coating performance than marketing labels like "9H hardness."

PPF thickness measured in microns (µm). Roughly: under 100µm is a light gloss/scratch layer; 150-200µm suits Indian road conditions; 200µm+ is heavy-duty, high-impact-zone protection.

A step below TPU in durability and clarity, sometimes used in budget PPF. Yellowing resistance and self-healing are typically weaker than TPU — not equivalent, despite similar marketing language.

The gold-standard PPF material — flexible, optically clear, capable of self-healing, and highly resistant to yellowing. All premium and mid-range PPF is TPU-based.

The broadest heat-rejection metric for a sun film — how much of the full solar spectrum (UV, visible light, and infrared combined) is blocked from entering the cabin. The single most reliable number for comparing real cooling performance across films.

A product that restores tyre sidewall appearance from dry grey-brown to satin or gloss black, and helps prevent the rubber from drying and cracking.

The percentage of ultraviolet radiation a film blocks — protects skin and prevents interior fading. Most quality films, even entry-level ones, now achieve around 99%.

The percentage of visible light that passes through the combined system of glass and film. Lower % means a darker tint. A film's rated VLT multiplied by the car's factory glass VLT gives the real, "effective" VLT.

A measurement (in degrees) of how hydrophobic a coated surface is. Above 100° is good, above 110° is excellent, below 90° is hydrophilic (water sheets rather than beads).

A sacrificial protective layer applied over clean, polished paint — adds gloss and 1-4 months of protection. Carnauba (natural) gives a warmer finish; synthetic lasts longer. Not a substitute for ceramic coating.