For immediate release
10 August 1998
NISSAN WOMEN PUT MEN IN THE SHADE
Nissan has found that the human eye is more reliable than technology when it comes to checking colour. Moreover the company has discovered women are significantly better than men.
Getting a perfect colour match between paint finishes on different car body surfaces, such as steel panels and plastic wing mirrors, is very difficult to achieve. Subtle colour variations can even be apparent from differing viewing angles, making the task more challenging still.
Nissan quality engineer, Deborah Quinn has perfect colour vision and is responsible for colour consistency between paint batches delivered to Nissan's Sunderland plant. She commented: "It's amazing to think that with all of the technology and digital precision which goes into building a car, one of the most important final checks has to be carried out by the human eye, to guarantee the perfect paint match."
Nissan now uses a scientific colour vision assessment test to select engineers with the ability to check colour during the manufacturing process. The Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue test involves arranging fine shades of colour in order. On average only 16 per cent of the population are able to complete it. Nissan has discovered the rate is almost 100 per cent among its female engineering staff.
Medical opinion suggests that women are genetically protected from certain types of colour blindness, while men are not.
Colour match is checked at various stages of the car making process; when batches of paint arrive from the supplier, when painted plastic parts such as bumpers and wing mirrors are added to the car, when spot checks are carried out in the final assembly process and when cars are selected at random for Nissan's global vehicle evaluation score (VES).
For more information please contact
Stewart McKee, Manager, Corporate Affairs on 01923 899930
