In late 2017, Saint Clair Systems, Inc., Carlisle Fluid Technologies and BYK Gardner formed a collaboration to definitively prove how common process variables combine and contribute to the formation of orange peel in highly critical painted surfaces. In this two-part series, we explore how this carefully crafted design of experiments (DOE) isolated and contrasted the impact and interaction of three key process variables:
The subjective criteria used to evaluate their impact on finish quality was wave-scan balance and distinctness of image (DOI). While the first in this series of tests to be undertaken, the ultimate goal was to determine how to control orange peel and improve overall finish quality by managing critical process variables. In this series of articles, we will review the testing process, the data obtained and the analysis of that data.