Patent ID: 7250464

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a line of paint products from a limited set of prepaints comprising: providing a set of different but mutually compatible prepaints, sufficient to form at least one paint line, which set comprises: (1) at least one fluid white opacifying pigment prepaint, (2) at least one fluid extender pigment prepaint that has a pigment volume concentration of from about 40 to 100%, and a volume solids of from about 35 to about 65%, and (3) at least one fluid polymeric binder prepaint; receiving each of said fluid prepaints at one of several inputs of a fluid component mixing system; mixing said fluid prepaints in said mixing system to prepare a first base paint, wherein said prepaints are mixed according to a first prepaint ratio; collecting said first base paint at an output of said mixing system; mixing said fluid prepaints in said mixing system to prepare a second base paint; wherein said prepaints are mixed according to a second prepaint ratio; collecting said second base paint at an output of said mixing system; wherein said first prepaint ratio and said second prepaint ratio are determined at a computer system; and wherein said first prepaint ratio is different from said second prepaint ratio.