TITLE:
Common Factors Contributing to Vehicle Body Painting Defects in Automotive Body Repair and Painting Garages: An Application of the 4M1E Framework
AUTHORS:
Gebremedhin Girmay Aregawi, Zhongmin Wang, Wenping Zhao
KEYWORDS:
Automotive Painting Defects, 4M1E Framework, Vehicle Body Repair, Paint Quality, Spray Painting
JOURNAL NAME:
Voice of the Publisher,
Vol.11 No.4,
December
10,
2025
ABSTRACT: Vehicle body painting is the most important issue in the final stage of the automobile maintenance process, and it is related to the appearance, rust-proofing, and value of the vehicle. Yet, achieving a deficiency-free finish is challenging in less developed regions. In the current research, the basic principles of some abnormal entities, including orange peel, blistering, and fish-eye defects, found in the automotive garages of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, are studied using the 4M1E construct. We employed mixed methods, involving cross-sectional surveys of 31 technicians and supervisors from eight purposively sampled garages, along with physical panel inspections and a small-scale intervention trial. Data were processed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 27) and included descriptive statistics, reliability analyses, and multiple regression analysis modelling. The study found that lack of infrastructure integrity and process standardization were the main contributors to defects. The only major issue found was the disturbing absence of environmental management, as 58.1% of the garages were operating without a spray booth. This was then compounded by inconsistent processes, including a lack of a uniform paint mixing guide and insufficient flash-off time. It is shown that the quality of the paint is extremely deteriorated due to the failure correlation along the 4M1E domain. It can be inferred that significant quality improvements can be realized if investments are directed towards basic infrastructure and the introduction of simple standard operating procedures, as well as training for technicians. This research provides a validated diagnosis and practical, low-cost intervention for automotive garages in the emerging industry, enhancing quality, reducing rework, and improving economic sustainability.