To guarantee customer satisfaction, and to avoid the expense of having to refinish a vehicle for a second time, body shop quality control (QC) experts carry out a series of stringent checks to make sure paintwork is up to standard. QC experts perform several visual checks and use special tools to make sure the paint thickness is correct and that edge-to-edge colors match.
Paint Depth
QC inspectors use depth gauges that measure the thickness of auto paint in measurements of microns, and the results of tests appear on a digital display for greater accuracy. The depth gauge has a small needle that operates as a probe and is 97 percent accurate. Inspectors place the probe over different areas of a painted panel to receive multiple readings, and reject paintwork if depths fail to meet the thicknesses that car manufacturers recommend.
Color Matching and Swirl Marks
During inspection, QC specialists use a light called a "sun gun" to check the consistency of color matching on all refinished paintwork. The sun gun produces ultraviolet light, and when inspectors cast the beam across two adjacent panels, color discrepancies are easier to identify. Sun guns also highlight the appearance of swirl marks. The tool has the same effect as natural sunlight, and rejected vehicles are painted again if colors are imperfect.
Masking Edges
A major reason for paint quality rejection in the automotive refinishing industry is excessive build on paint masking edges. Inspectors will not pass jobs where poor masking procedures have left lines of paint on trim or moldings. Inspectors also inspect the quality of door shuts and apertures to make sure that the paint flow has not left a definable edge once a vehicle is unmasked. Instead of rejecting jobs, most QC inspectors will allow paint sprayers to remove the edges with lightly abrasive wet-and-dry paper and cutting compound.
Finish Quality
An important aspect of paintwork is the quality of the finish itself, and inspectors consider certain factors before approving work. QC inspectors carefully monitor even distribution of metallic content, effective color blending and paint transparencies. They make further checks to ensure clear coats are flat and free of surface texture. Inspectors send back blemishes on paintwork, such as dirt or grit penetrating top coats during the drying process, to be sanded and polished out before the inspectors give an approval.
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