A high level of skilled craftsmanship and experience has always been required when painting the Porsche vehicles on account of the curvature of the body. Determined by the increases in production new premises were required over time, which led to the construction of a new building in 1969, the paint shop or building 40. In 1975, Porsche was the first manufacturer to introduce hot-dip galvanized steel for the entire body. This considerably improved corrosion protection. From 1980, painting of aluminum parts (hood, fender and doors) was added for the Porsche 928. In February 1986, a new body paint shop (in building 40A) was brought into operation with the first coating procedure in the cathodic dip tank (KTL). It was subsequently brought up to the stage in July 1986 where it was capable of handling production quantities. The old paint complex for painting plastic add-on parts was used until 1992.

The new paint shop brought a number of benefits with it:

• Improvement of corrosion protection by means of cathodic dip painting
• Restriction of the solvent emissions by means of an exhaust air decontamination system
• Use of robots for applying the underbody protection
• Increase of the potential daily number of items to 140 bodies
• Heat recovery via a countercurrent heat exchanger

From 1993 to 1995 the level of automation was increased further. Robots used for sealing purposes contributed to the increase in efficiency and at the same time humanization of the work place. Environmental issues, in particular, gained in significance. From 1992, Porsche embraced water-based paint technology. Since 1997 water-based filler has been in use. In 1995, continuous solvent emission monitoring was introduced and a contract under public law regarding long-term control of maximum emission and noise levels was concluded with the city of Stuttgart.

Next chapter: Engine assembly