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Details to save down-time (72)
Page 84
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Never overlook paint manufacturers instructions: any even slight product change will be accompanied by back-up information
DOWN-TIME can be saved not only through proper attention to breakdown and servicing operations, but also in the body shop and in particular, in painting. Here I am looking at the middle to large haulage shop that employs its own paint spray section and normally demands a good-class job.
Obviously, the top professional coach painters have the answers to most problems gained from long experience and can give results and job times that are above question. Nevertheless, it is not always possible to employ this kind of top-class skill, or, perhaps because of cost or geographical reasons, go outside to obtain it. Thus it becomes necessary to run a paint shop on site and make the best use of the available labour.
It can take some time to learn the skills and tricks of the trade that make a good coach or vehicle painter and a considerable amount of indirect labour or, to give its modern name, down-time can pile up in the process.
My aim is to look for reasons for extra time in the paints hop and poin/ out where inexperience may be the reason for delay or for a poor result. To begin with, both paints and techniques to not stand still for long and unless the painting staff are kept up to date changes can catch them out and unscheduled repaints will be the result.
The first step to take is to approach several paint suppliers, tell them your requirements, class of the vehicle, its everyday use, type of terrain it covers and expected winter road conditions. When it is clear that you will get the paint to meet your needs, make certain that you obtain the data sheets and instruction books from the selected supplier, as all good quality paint manufacturers have printed matter on the application of their products. Check on your painters and their knowledge and decide whether a refresher course is called for.
Many "do-it-again" jobs are the result of inexperience, not so much in the art of using the brush or paint spray, but rather in the overall, general approach to painting. For example, an accumulation of old stock can cause any amount of trouble, bad covering, blemishes, runs, etc; this springs from the mixing of makes and types of material — even two makes of thinners can differ.
Ignoring manufacturers' labels and paying attention only to the finishing coat rather than the ground work wastes time. Labels should be read and thoroughly understood: it is vital that you use both colours and thinners that are designed for each other. Even where a painter is well skilled in mixing colours, etc, this does not permit the mixing of different makes; each manufacturer knows the solid content of his paint and, despite the varied appearance of paint on warm or cold days, the solids content remains unchanged. In order to achieve the right mix the correct amount of the right thinners must be used; and for spray work the correct pressure is necessary too.
The paint labels will give you temparature range, thinners' proportions and, usually, air pressure, together with good hints on surface preparation, number of coats and drying time. You will find that few if any are actually alike in all details.
Therefore, in order to avoid errors in thinning, application or temperature and the risk of down-time, make sure that you know all the information that the manufacturer considers you should know. Even the top-hand painter can be caught out if he has used one make for a long time and takes it for granted that each batch will behave in the same way.
Back-up information
However, if he has overlooked checking up on the labels he may be unaware that there are slight changes being introduced. After all, each maker is for ever seeking to improve and up-grade his product and for each improvement, however slight, there will be a back-up instruction change.
Most painters who have reached skilled status take a pride in producing a class job — their work is on show, unlike the mechanics' hidden work in engines, transmission, etc, where faults cannot always be corrected until too late. Therefore paintshop down-time is more likely to arise from corrective action being needed where the above points have been missed.