Strategies to Optimize Tactical Vehicle Corrosion Maintenance Performance within Field / Intermediate Level Repair

Strategies to Optimize Tactical Vehicle Corrosion Maintenance Performance within Field/Intermediate Level Repair

Intermediate level repairs of USMC tactical vehicles and associated equipment form a critical part of the service Corrosion Prevention and Control strategy.   Over the past several years, technical guidance to these facilities has been modified to introduce new products and processes to improve corrosion control.  While new technologies and materials have been introduced, less HQ emphasis has been placed on standardizing work practices and incorporating industrial specifications to control surface preparation and coating application.  This may lead to inconsistent practices in intermediate repair facilities, potentially resulting in differing painting quality and corrosion control.  

As part of a continual improvement process, there is interest in optimizing the coating application standards within such facilities.  The introduction of such standards would also include quality assurance (QA) checks.   The optimization intends to balance coating system performance with the incremental cost of achieving the standards.  This paper reviews this trade-off analysis and recommends areas that might be addressed in a standardization program.