AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings has launched its MIXIT digital colour-retrieval system for the aerospace sector, targeting one of the industry's most pressing challenges: getting aircraft repairs completed faster and back into service.

 

Unveiled at MRO Europe in October 2026, MIXIT is designed to help maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers, airline paint facilities and distributors retrieve approved coating colour formulas and prepare paint on site, reducing delays when aircraft availability is critical.

 

The cloud-based application gives users access to a digital database of colour formulas through desktop computers, tablets and mobile devices. Where a required formula is unknown, a connected spectrophotometer can scan the aircraft surface and identify the closest available colour match.

 

Once the correct formula is identified, technicians can use a colour mixing wall and precision scales to prepare the coating on site, incorporating the required tints, hardeners and thinners.

 

The aim is to streamline the process from colour identification to paint preparation, allowing repair facilities to respond faster to damage and unscheduled maintenance without unnecessary delays.

 

The technology was demonstrated at AkzoNobel's display at MRO Europe, where visitors saw a spectrophotometer scan actual panels and connect to a touchscreen interface. A real-time video demonstration highlighted how quickly MIXIT could retrieve a colour formula and guide the preparation process.

 

Graham Lambourne, AkzoNobel’s Aerospace Color Manager, said the system addresses the urgent demands of aircraft-on-ground situations.

 

“From unscheduled maintenance on an interior panel to damage to a nacelle, aircraft-on-ground situations demand a fast, practical response. So MIXIT has been designed to help approved paint facilities, or their distributors, retrieve the required color and prepare the coating on site, giving them greater speed and more control during the repair process,” explains Graham.

 

“It allows them to make the coating repair immediately rather than having to make temporary fixes until repairs can be scheduled.”

 

MIXIT's aerospace launch builds on the success of AkzoNobel's established digital colour-retrieval application, which has been used in automotive refinishing for the past 10 years.

 

The aerospace rollout will take place in phases. Initially, the platform will provide access to more than 2,700 formulas covering the most frequently requested tints for AkzoNobel's Topcoat FR2-55, used for aircraft cabin interiors.

 

The company plans to expand the database to include exterior coating formulas in 2027. Additional digital capabilities are also under consideration for the same year, including stock management, e-commerce, reporting and the ability for customers to store their own generated formulas.

 

With the introduction of MIXIT, AkzoNobel is bringing digital colour identification and on-site coating preparation closer together, aiming to give aerospace repair facilities greater control over turnaround times and a faster route from damage assessment to completed repairs.