How are new cars painted?

speeder · speeder's Garage

Is it all by robots or do human hands still spray on the paint?

Must be an amazing robotics system if that's what it is, switching colors for each couple vehicles, hitting all the nooks and crannies, etc.

Also, (if anyone knows), do they paint them the base coat, wait until it dries properly and then spray clear? Obviously it is some type of accelerated process with heat lamps but wondering if they have some super quick method. I have the old film of the Porsche factory in 1973 on DVD and of course it was a much slower, labor-intensive process then and there. I'm wondering about the modern factories of the biggies, ie. Toyota/Nissan/BMW/Ford/GM/etc.

And another question, sort of related, what type of spray guns do body shops use to paint cars these days? HVLP? RP? What do you home painter guys use? Thanks a lot.

VINMAN · 09-29-2014, 11:27 AM

I use a HVLP gun at home.

Pretty sure most manufacturers use robots nowadays.

stomachmonkey · 09-29-2014, 11:33 AM

MattKellett · MattKellett's Garage

Check out a couple of the Ultimate Factory episodes, it gives a good overall of the car manufacturing process these days.

I recall on one of the them, I think BMW, they are all robot sprayed. The car gets immersed before painting to positively charge the body so that the paint is attracted to the car surface while being painted.

I'm sure I'm not describing it well, or have the process slightly wrong, but the show is pretty good.

PorscheGAL · PorscheGAL's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattKellett

Check out a couple of the Ultimate Factory episodes, it gives a good overall of the car manufacturing process these days.

I recall on one of the them, I think BMW, they are all robot sprayed. The car gets immersed before painting to positively charge the body so that the paint is attracted to the car surface while being painted.

I'm sure I'm not describing it well, or have the process slightly wrong, but the show is pretty good.

Ferrari does that. Don't know about BMW.

wildthing · 09-29-2014, 12:15 PM

This one (dated 2011) seems to still have a real person spraying: 458 Italia. Let.

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

From what I've seen the primer is usually done through a dip in the pool... Paint applied by robots as above....

Bill Douglas · 09-29-2014, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattKellett

to positively charge the body so that the paint is attracted to the car surface while being painted.

I also think this is what happens. I'm not sure of the sciences of it though.

LeeH · 09-29-2014, 12:49 PM

Nissan in TN:

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

The porsche ultimate factories shows a primer dip, and the robot paint for most of the car, with humans doing the smaller difficult sections.

TimT · 09-29-2014, 01:31 PM

Just saw a how its made, or ultimate factory show about the manufacture of the Bentley Mulsanne.... they still hand spray the cars.... and cut and buff by hand.

The e-coat primer is done by immersion by Bentley ( and most other manufacturers)

Most more pedestrian manufacturers spray via robot...

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

How are they painted?

With paint.

MattKellett · MattKellett's Garage

Has anyone seen the Rolls Royce episode?

They have this insane hand welded roof to side panels, that has to be welded both sides at the same speed and bead so that there is no warpage (sp). Truly incredible to see the skill involved!

trader220 · 09-29-2014, 02:57 PM

Don't forget that when you paint thousands of cars the cost of the paint adds up.

Believe it or not paint also adds weight. Computer controlled robots maximize efficiency which means less waisted paint, more uniform coats and lower costs and weight. Manufacturers are cutting weight anywhere they can these days.

Brando · Brando's Garage

Explains why every car robo-painted has orange peel.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Thanks for all the replies. That answers my question of how modern cars are painted, from Ferraris to the highest production cars in the world. And all water-based paint now!

Home painters, which type of gun/tip are you using for various materials? HVLP? Line dryer on your compressor? I really want to learn how to do it.

onewhippedpuppy · 09-30-2014, 05:06 AM

I know several people that have taken community college evening auto body courses to learn how to paint. You learn from a pro, and would recoup the cost on your first DIY paint job. Might be worth considering, as there are a lot of nuances that would be hard to learn via the Internet.

trader220 · 09-30-2014, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brando

Explains why every car robo-painted has orange peel.

Thats a ridiculous statement.

Bill Douglas · 09-30-2014, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trader220

Computer controlled robots maximize efficiency which means less waisted paint, more uniform coats and lower costs

And they don't go to the pub at lunchtime on Fridays, and come to work grumpy on Mondays.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Quote:

Quote de Brando

Explains why every car robo-painted has orange peel.

Thats a ridiculous statement.

What does cause orange peel? I know that good body shops have to match the degree of peel when refinishing panels to the existing (factory) paint job.

FWIW, Porsches back in the '80s had a ton of orange peel from the factory. I always considered it the result of a good, thick paint job. Some customers would take the car to a high-end body shop upon new car delivery and get it wet-sanded down.