Dürr introduces EcoPaintJet Pro for well-defined, overspray-free paint application on structurally complex surfaces

Suitable for one- and two-pack paint spraying in automotive construction

EcoPaintJet's overspray-free technology enables the automotive industry to achieve fully automatic roof overcoating for the first time
.
Now, EcoPaintJet has been further upgraded to EcoPaintJet Pro, and the function has been enhanced again.
The robot can fully automatically realize the painting of custom design elements on very complex body surfaces (such as vertical surfaces or A-pillars, C-pillars) without masking the body
.
The precise collaboration between high-tech spray application components, robots and software ensures high precision and significantly increases energy efficiency in terms of resources, while reducing material consumption
.
EcoPaintJet Pro is suitable for solvent-based and water-based one- and two-pack paints and will be put into production in early 2022 on a range of vehicle models
.

From applying overlays on the roof surface, A-pillars or C-pillars, to applying more complex elements such as stripes or letters, the design requirements for overlays in automotive manufacturing continue to grow, and at the same time automakers are increasingly demanding paint shops The system also has higher expectations: to achieve the flexibility to apply various colors and types of paint on a variety of complex surfaces, including vertical surfaces, without changing the body design structure and without hindering production, while reducing manufacturing costs as much as possible.
environmental costs
.

To overcome the challenge of fully automatic spraying of all types of paints on register lines without overspray, Dürr introduced an enhanced version of the EcoPaintJet system - the unique EcoPaintJet Pro spray system
.
The EcoPaintJet Pro comes with no overspray spray application and all components including an improved paint supply to meet exacting spray requirements
.
In addition to the innovative cleaning process, the system can automatically check the spray pattern, use camera sensors to measure the body, use a variety of software to control the robot, generate robot programs, and adjust the spray program to the actual vehicle conditions with an accuracy of up to ten one-third of a millimeter
.

Using innovative technology, the design is more diverse

The heart of the system is the EcoPaintJet Pro spray unit
.
Unlike rotary atomizers, this sprayer is equipped with an intricate nozzle plate with dozens of nearly invisible holes, about 0.
1 mm in diameter, through which the paint passes at a distance of 25 mm Sprayed parallel to the body
.
Because the paint can be sprayed all over the body surface, overcoating can be done faster, with less paint waste, or even without masking
.

At the same time, the opening and closing of the nozzle can be done independently in a split second, opening up entirely new possibilities for car design
.
In addition, based on the new spraying principle, design elements such as decorative stripes or register colors can be sprayed automatically
.
The EcoPaintJet Pro can be used for both large-area painting and pattern painting, and can be switched directly between the two when painting
.

Quick color change, completely eliminate waste

Dürr designed the EcoPaintJet Pro with the ability to easily change colors from the very beginning
.
This design avoids paint build-up, resulting in less loss when changing paint quickly
.

This feature is also critical when spraying two-pack coatings as they cure quickly
.
At the same time, the tiny holes in the nozzle plate are so tiny that even a tiny amount of residue after rinsing can clog
.
However, the EcoPaintJet cleaner integrates the cleaning and rinsing process in a closed system and does not discharge waste solvents into the spray booth
.
Because of this, there will be no overspray and no need for a paint slag separation system!

Fully automated personalization

The complex geometry of the body parts to be painted presents a huge challenge to the 3D measurement and programming of the robot's spraying path
.
Equipped with DXQ3D.
onsite software, EcoPaintJet Pro helps the operator configure process parameters by automatically calculating the paint path of the paint application device over the body surface
.
The first measurement automatically records and compensates for deviations from the conveyor and the body-in-white
.
Another sensor mounted on the robot will measure the change between the painted body and the reference model
.
The robot controller will adjust the spraying path in real time and control the speed and tilt angle of the spraying application device to ensure that the paint is sprayed evenly and without overspray
.
Corresponding software development will also be an ongoing process, and we will make regular additions and improvements
.

Bring flexibility to a complete process layout

With EcoPaintJet Pro, automakers can integrate overspray-free applications not only into new plants, but also into existing plants
.
The wide variety of paint processes makes it possible to integrate it in different locations in the paint shop
.
For example, the register can be sprayed over the base paint after it has been dewatered and dried, or as a single coat over a cured varnish
.
With the EcoPaintJet Pro, overcoating can be done without masking, and requires much less space and energy than similar traditional production lines, and it is calculated to save 32% (based on the entire painting line), which is equivalent to every painting of one vehicle.
Reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 33 kg
.

Dürr's new EcoPaintJet Pro offers huge advantages in terms of manufacturing costs and environmental compatibility
.
No overspray means that there is no need for an additional paint slag separation system for overspray, and other parts of the body no longer need to be covered with film, which greatly reduces waste
.
In addition, paint shop utilization will increase
.
Dr.
Lars Friedrich, President and CEO of Dürr Systems AG's Applied Technology Division, is convinced that "printing instead of conventional spraying is the future of automotive spraying", he says: "Our spraying process is free of overspray and no masking, even for The same goes for vertical body surfaces
.
Dürr is taking another step in the right direction with the introduction of the EcoPaintJet when it comes to improving cost-efficiency and sustainability
.
” An automaker is currently integrating the EcoPaintJet into the factory, which is expected to be It will be put into use in the second half of 2022
.

Figure 1: The EcoPaintJet Pro can even paint vertical body surfaces without masking and without overspray

Figure 2: EcoPaintJet cleaners integrate cleaning and rinsing in a closed system

Figure 3: The core component of the EcoPaintJet Pro is the application device, which sprays through a precision nozzle plate

About Dürr

Since the Dürr Group entered the Chinese market in 1985, it currently has about 2,400 employees in China
.
Dürr Paint Systems Engineering (Shanghai) Co.
, Ltd.
designs and builds paint shops, final assembly shops and exhaust gas purification systems
.
Its products also include energy efficiency technologies
.
Shanghai Shenke Machinery Co.
, Ltd.
focuses on the production, sales and service of dynamic balancing, testing and filling technologies
.
Himile Group produces woodworking industry related machinery and equipment, has a production site in Shanghai (Holdermei Machinery Shanghai Co.
, Ltd.
), and has a sales and service organization in Hong Kong, Jintian Himile Wood Machinery Co.
, Ltd.
through Hong Kong to provide sales and services
.

The Dürr Group is a world-leading mechanical and plant engineering company with extensive expertise in automation and digitalization/Industry 4.
0, offering products, systems and services that enable efficient and resource-saving manufacturing processes in a variety of industries
.
The Dürr Group serves industries such as the automotive industry, mechanical engineering, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, medical technology and wood processing
.
Group sales in 2020 reached EUR 3.
32 billion
.
The group employs more than 17,500 people in 120 business locations in 33 countries around the world
.
Since February 2021, Dürr's majority-owned automation specialist Teamtechnik is part of the group
.
The Group operates in the market through five business groups under the three brands Dürr, Schenck and Halma:

● Painting and final assembly systems: paint shops for the automotive industry as well as final assembly, inspection and filling technologies

technology, assembly and inspection systems for medical devices

● Application technology: robotics for automatic application of paints, sealants and adhesives

● Clean technology systems: air pollution control systems, noise reduction systems and battery coating lines

● Measuring and assembly systems: balancing equipment and diagnostic techniques

● Woodworking machinery and systems: equipment for the woodworking industry