FUSION Issue 1 2026 DIGITAL SINGLE PAGES - Flipbook - Page 14
PAINTSHOP AND MARINE ENVIRONMENTS
Why One Size Fits
All Consumables
No Longer Work
“ High performing
operations do not
reduce complexity
by ignoring it.
They manage it
through smarter
specification and
process design. ”
In many manufacturing organisations,
consumables are still treated as
interchangeable commodities.
Standardisation is often pursued in
the name of simplicity, cost control,
and supplier rationalisation.
While this approach can work in stable and
uniform environments, it increasingly falls short
in marine and paintshop operations where
conditions, processes, and performance demands
vary significantly.
Marine and paintshop environments are
inherently complex. They expose materials and
processes to factors that are far less predictable
than those found in controlled assembly
settings. Humidity, temperature fluctuation,
airborne contamination, salt exposure, and cure
sensitivity all play a critical role in determining
whether a consumable performs as intended.
Applying a single specification across such varied
conditions introduces risk that is often only
recognised once defects, rework, or premature
failure appear.
13
Environmental reality versus
specification simplicity
The hidden cost of
over-standardisation
Marine environments are defined by constant
exposure to moisture and salt-laden air.
These conditions accelerate corrosion, affect
adhesion, and shorten the working life of many
surface preparation and protection products. A
consumable that performs well in a dry indoor
workshop may degrade rapidly when used in
dockside or open-yard conditions. Storage
conditions, handling time, and sequencing
between preparation and coating become just
as important as the product itself.
Over-standardisation rarely fails loudly at first.
Instead, its impact is gradual. Slight increases in
rework rates. More frequent surface defects.
Reduced coating lifespan. Increased touch-ups.
These issues are often addressed locally through
workarounds, additional labour, or informal
process changes, masking the root cause.
Paintshops face a different but equally
demanding set of variables. Coating systems
are highly sensitive to contamination, surface
condition, and environmental stability.
Temperature and humidity directly influence
flash-off times, cure quality, and final finish. A
standardised consumable selection that does
not account for these variables can introduce
inconsistency into what should be a tightly
controlled process.
In both cases, the issue is not product quality
in isolation. It is the mismatch between the
specification and the operating environment.
Over time, this leads to a higher total cost of
ownership. Labour time increases. Material
usage rises due to rework and overapplication.
Schedules become less predictable. In marine
applications, premature coating failure can
result in costly downstream maintenance and
reputational risk.
From a quality perspective, inconsistent
consumable performance undermines process
repeatability. This makes it harder to establish
reliable standards, train new staff, or maintain
consistent outcomes across shifts or sites.
