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Surface preparation for aerospace bonding and coating operations are still largely manual processes which frequently include some combination of solvent wiping and abrasion. These processes can be very effective if implemented with proper process control feedbacks. However, recent experience with bonding and coating operations across a range of industries has revealed that processes that were successfully demonstrated in a materials and process laboratory don't always translate into reliable and repeatable processes in manufacturing. Root cause analysis has shown that this usually stems directly from a lack of knowledge of all of the variables that can affect the success of a surface preparation process. Process variables that are not identified cannot be measured and controlled. This paper presents a compendium of variables that have been uncovered during failure analysis of aerospace bonding operations, and shows how awareness of these variables permits implementation of simple process control steps that significantly increase bond reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]