Systematic processes help piece together quality results in the paint shop
It's been said, "Since there are some things in collision repair that cannot be controlled, we must control all that we are able." Each vehicle and the way it is damaged are different from others, so it's challenging to standardize the repair or refinish process.However, standardizing and developing processes for repair of these different collision jobs as much as possible will lead to lean production, or in the case of collision repair, to lean repair. To become a lean repairer, technicians must develop processes to continually look for and eliminate waste. Waste can take the form of time, materials, personnel or partners. By eliminating waste and becoming a lean company, a collision repair facility will be able to deliver consistent positive results.
How did lean develop?
W. Edwards Deming of MIT first presented his "Fourteen Steps to Business Success" shortly after World War II. After being invited to lecture in Japan on several occasions, his 14 points to the new economics helped turn Japanese manufacturing into the manufacturing success that it is today.How can success in collision repair and automobile manufacturing be compared? While there are vast differences between the two, there also are many similarities. The acquisition of parts and their on-time delivery, striving for continuous improvement, eliminating waste and fostering quality throughout the process leads to success in the repair process and in manufacturing.
Eliminating waste
Much of the waste in a collision repair facility results from poor time management. Such things as working without standardized operating procedures, partners not delivering essential parts or materials as they are needed, technicians working only in designated stalls, repairs taking longer in one area before they are moved to the next step of the repair process and even the way vehicles are parked in a stall all can cause waste during the repair process. Though there are many other areas where waste exists, these are a good place to start.
Standard operating procedures
Much has been written about establishing standard operating procedures (SOPs). Because they have been instrumental in producing successful results for such a long time, it's surprising that more companies have not adopted them.
SOPs don't always need to be produced by each shop, however. In the case of paint repair, most paint manufacturers have published their recommended procedures for refinishing. These may be called a "production sheet" or "core procedures," but either way they are a step-by-step process for refinishing.
The Uniform Procedures for Collision Repair (UPCR), which outlines standard repair procedures, is available at the I-CAR Web site. (To view go to www.i-car.com/html_pages/technical_information/upcr.shtml).
By using SOPs, the technician has made decisions before the repair has started about the proper sequence, the materials needed and the tools needed to complete the work. Technicians can gather all the needed tools and materials for the procedure and repair the vehicle in proper order, thus completing the repair in as little time as possible and with products that have proven reliable for the repair. By having a standard procedure, materials also can be standardized and on hand for each repair process. Standardizing repair materials eliminates the need to have large stocks of costly materials on hand.
Supply partners
Collision repair businesses often overlook the importance of establishing good supply partners. Supply partners can have a tremendous impact on the success and profitability of a repair facility. Parts suppliers, who will deliver the needed parts for each job on time, make sure that if a part is back-ordered, they find alternative suppliers.
A good supply partner operates knowing that their success is dependent on your success; therefore, supplying your business with an uninterrupted supply of parts or materials that is correct and just-on-time leads to the success of both businesses. With a good supply of parts and materials, a steady flow of work can be maintained within a repair facility.
Technicians and their stalls
If technicians have assigned stalls and they only work in that area, both time and space are often wasted. Technicians often have large toolboxes that are difficult to move. This requires them to waste considerable time moving back and forth from stall to work. If a repair becomes stalled, the technician also becomes stalled, or their productivity is markedly reduced.
If, on the other hand, there is a specific area in which to keep the technician's tool center, with a mobile cart on which to gather the needed tools and materials for a repair and move it to the vehicle, productivity can be significantly improved. If a repair becomes stalled for some reason, the technician can move to another vehicle with the needed tools and materials, thus maintaining productivity.
Completion times matter
When procedures have been established, each one must be assigned a completion time. If assigned repair times are not met, it is unrealistic to assume that the time can be made up during the next process. Therefore, if a repair takes longer in the structural area, the paint time should not be affected.
Time delays should be examined and changed so that the procedure will not fall behind in subsequent repairs. If a delivery time is set for the completion of the whole repair but individual department times are not established, those repair procedures in the later portion in the repair process are often pressed to complete the job in less time than is needed to maintain consistent quality.
Painting off-vehicle
Painting parts off the vehicle and painting a repaired carcass, and then reassembling the vehicle, can save time, vehicle movement, mixing and prep time, and materials. Doing so also produces more consistent results. Masking lines can be eliminated. In fact, the masking process time is reduced because it is faster to mask a disassembled vehicle than to painstakingly mask tightly fit parts.
Parts from one or more vehicles can be painted in a booth at one time with the carcass of a vehicle, then placed in a booth where they are refinished and blended, then moved back after curing for reassembly. This process also helps eliminate dust debris, thus reducing the need to de-nib or buff vehicles.
Many paint systems now provide sealers that can be applied to new e-coated parts with reduced preparation, thus speeding up the refinish time. Parts off the vehicle are much easier and faster to move, and many of the steps needed to paint them can be performed by persons other than the lead painter, giving the more skilled workers more time to paint and blend where they are needed.
Productive parking
Even the way a vehicle is placed in a stall affects productivity. If it's placed so that the area to be repaired is turned away from the aisle, getting to the area to work becomes difficult. Moving parts and materials into the stall also is harder. In addition, having free movement to do the needed repairs is restricted.
However, if the vehicle is placed in the stall so the area to be worked on is closest to the aisle, efficiency is improved. It's easier to keep the work clean, and if technicians need assistance from the foreman, they can be assisted faster and with more room. It also is more productive to move technicians to the work once they have retrieved the needed tools.
Conclusion
These are a few time- and cost-saving examples that can be used in a collision repair shop. A technician's gathering the needed tools, and then moving to the vehicle to repair it, is more efficient than moving the vehicle to the technician. Dedicated carts with the tools and materials needed for paint preparation and detailing speeds up the tasks and ensures consistency. Each department having set times for their work to be completed keeps productivity and efficiency higher. Standardizing repair procedures reduces wasted time and materials. Fostering quality, efficiency and customer satisfaction leads to business success in several industries, including the paint shop.