This document is a general policy letter intended for Harley's suppliers, outlining the overall philosophy for cosmetic quality. Actual specific standards for each part are detailed elsewhere, on part prints and other documents Harley provides to the supplier. Standards for paint would include paint film thickness, gloss level, adherence to color standards (color match), number of minor defects allowed per specified surface area, etc.
Note that the bike is broken up into 3 areas, A,B, and C, depending on the visibility of each part. This is common practice in the automotive industry as well. Lesser standards are applied to areas which are either normally out of sight, or would require a person to assume an unnatural position to see. As an example, the paint on the hood of a car or the tank of a bike would have the toughest standards, and the rockers on a car or lower areas such as the frame and side covers on a bike would have the most lenient standards. Even in the case of an "A" surface, however, zero defects is not a requirement for the part to meet quality acceptance standards. As someone who recently spent 5 tough years running the paint department in an automotive assembly plant, I can assure you that a true "zero defect" paint job is a goal that no one has reached. The number one issue for all painters is "dirt in paint". Dirt is defined as any material foreign to the process, such as dust particles, fibers, etc. A commonly used standard for dirt is that any single particle that is 1mm or smaller is acceptable, even on an "A" surface. There are additional standards detailing the maximum number of such particles that can be present in an "x" diameter area.
Now, having bored you with all that, let me make this statement. No matter what H-D's internal standards say, as the customer you have the right to object to any defect you find. That is especially true of a CVO bike that is promoted as having a special, extra cost custom paint job. Any manufacturer who really cares about their customers will handle each complaint on a case-by-case basis, and will rectify reasonable complaints without resorting to the "it meets our standards" pitch. Now, if you complain that the powder coat on the oil pan has runs or drips, you may get tossed out on your ear.
Jerry
Author
Topic: Paint Problems 2006 (Read 176873 times)