CQI-12 Coating: Assess Liquid and Powder Coating Processes with the AIAG Checklist
What is CQI-12?
CQI-12 is the AIAG special process standard 'Coating System Assessment' for evaluating liquid and powder coating processes. It covers pretreatment quality, the coating environment (temperature, humidity, cleanliness), paint and mixing management, film thickness and appearance, adhesion and cure, equipment maintenance and personnel records. Results support supplier grading and order allocation while driving continuous improvement.
When to Use It
Use CQI-12 for audits of coating suppliers of automotive interior, exterior and structural parts, for internal paint-shop self-assessments, and when troubleshooting film defects such as orange peel, pinholes or poor adhesion. It is also used to qualify new suppliers' coating capability. Paint batch and cure-curve records should be complete so anomalies can be traced back to the specific production lot.
How to Use It (Step by Step)
Assess pretreatment parameters and verification (degreasing, phosphating, passivation), spray booth temperature, humidity and particle control, paint batch and shelf-life management, film-thickness measurement points and frequency, adhesion tests such as cross-cut or impact, oven temperature profiles, and waste air and water compliance. Judge each item as conforming, non-conforming or not applicable, with missing evidence treated as non-conforming, then track corrective actions.
Key Formulas / Example
CQI-12 is an evidence-based checklist assessment rather than a calculation. Film thickness is measured per standards such as ISO 2808, using magnetic methods on ferrous substrates and eddy-current methods on non-ferrous ones. Adhesion is commonly graded with cross-cut (ISO 2409), cross-hatch, impact or pull-off tests chosen for the coating system.