noun
touch dry; dry to the touch
Technical term used in painting and coatings to describe a surface that feels dry when lightly touched, though it may not be fully cured.
塗料が指触乾燥するまで約30分かかります。
It takes about 30 minutes for the paint to become touch dry.
硬化乾燥 refers to full curing or hardening, while 指触乾燥 is only the initial surface dryness.
Compound of 指触 (finger touch) and 乾燥 (drying), a modern technical term.