The new world of painting

Over four days, in different time zones and languages, Dürr presented product innovations at the 12th Open House, with which large volume manufacturers as well as small e-car start-ups can produce more efficiently, conserve resources and be more profitable. For the first time, the tradition-rich innovation show took place completely virtually, with a mix of presentations, interviews and technical demonstrations. The focus was on real solutions that point beyond the current line concept in automotive production. Dürr's "paint shop of the future" concept breaks away from the traditional line layout and, for the first time, divides industrial automotive painting into boxes or short process sections.

"Flexibility, cost efficiency and sustainability are the most important requirements that manufacturers place on the painting process today. We meet this with our concept of the paint shop of the future by overcoming the limitations of the rigid production line. The approximately 120 work steps run in scalable modules or small sections - in parallel and precisely timed to meet the needs of the individual car body," explained Jochen Weyrauch, CEO of Dürr Systems AG. This means that capacities can be easily expanded and different vehicle variants can be passed through the painting process - ideally even individual pieces within the ongoing production. Dürr used its product innovations to show how the variable layout from pretreatment to seam sealing and paint application can be achieved.

Individual stations are precisely loaded using the EcoProFleet driverless transport system, the first AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) developed specifically for paint shops. In combination with a high-bay warehouse, the AGV enables intelligent material flow control along the entire process. The DXQcontrol software intelligently controls each AGV so that all modules are always efficiently utilized - right from pretreatment.

The new modular plant design of EcoProWet PT is based on standardized chambers instead of dip tanks lined up in a row. This is not only more flexible, but also saves a lot of space. Dürr automates the subsequently required seam sealing with the new EcoSealJet Pro applicator and the artificial intelligence (AI)-based DXQequipment.analytics software. The applicator makes manual work largely superfluous, even in hard-to-reach places. This not only saves time and material, but also ensures high precision and consistent quality.

During the coating process itself, the booth layout combines the application of the primer and basecoat layers - the inside and the two outside coats - in just one booth.

This means that the EcoProBooth spray booth eliminates two of the three conveying processes that were previously common. In addition, as a standard booth with the same robotic equipment, it can be used for both basecoat and clearcoat. All models, from compact cars to pickups, can be processed.

The EcoPaintJet Pro overspray-free painting system now also applies two-component (2K) paints fully automatically. In addition to two-tone lines for body roofs, color changes, vertical surfaces and decorative paintwork are now also possible. In addition to high coating quality, the latest EcoBell4 atomizer generation also offers shorter color change times and, thanks to aautomated atomizer cleaning, more units can be painted in the same time.

A big plus: the low paint and solvent consumption reduces VOC emissions in terms of sustainable production. With the integrated RFID technology, the lifetime of the components can be optimally utilized and the first-run rate increased.

The software products from Dürr's DXQ family are available for the smooth interaction of the individual processes in the modular concept. They turn box painting into a smart factory. An important tool here is DXQplant.analytics, which uses AI algorithms and machine learning modules to provide and specifically evaluate sensor data, messages and information. This supports those responsible for quality in recognizing correlations at an early stage in order to avoid errors and increase the first-run rate. Thanks to a feedback function, the algorithm is constantly learning, so that predictions about maintenance requirements (predictive maintenance) or quality status (quality prediction) become increasingly precise.

"The well over 1,000 participants from all over the world and many enthusiastic responses show us that we presented solutions for the most pressing issues at the first virtual open house. The concept of our paint shop of the future is a complete success - it meets the needs of the manufacturers exactly," is the positive conclusion of Dr. Jochen Weyrauch.

Dürr Systems AG
www.durr.com