Paint shop- Taller de Pintura

A new paintshop for plastic parts at VWs

Wolfsburg plant

Converting or repurposing a paintshop a cost-

effective solution

SPECIAL REPORTSPorsche Leipzig

improving energy & production efficiencies

OEM FOCUSQoros building a state-

of-the -art paintshopat Changshu

ANALYSIS New paint processes

environmental & technical developments

www.automotivemanufacturingsolutions.com an ULTIMAMEDIA publication

APS Automotive Paintshop Solutions2014a supplement to magazine

Compress the process Innovative painting systems for BMWs MINI & Fords Transit

Throughout the automotive sector ABBs extensive portfolio of drives, motors, PLCsand robots provides the perfect combination to enhance productivity levels, while economically using energy. Whatever the application, whether for powertrain assembly, body-in-white, paint processes, press automation or automotive components, ABBhelps manufacturers improve productivity, product quality, energy efficiency and worker safety. To discover more, visit www.abb.com/automotive

Efficient body building without the stress and strain.

Editor Mike Farish

Editor AMS magazine Nick Holt [email protected]

Deputy Editor AMS magazine Joanne Perry [email protected]

Design Director Matt Crane [email protected]

Senior Designer Kim Man [email protected]

Designer Steven Singh Bains [email protected]

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Advertising Sales Support Kate German [email protected]

Head of Marketing Mali Cook [email protected]

Publisher Andrew Fallon [email protected]

Finance Manager Piers Marshall [email protected]

Managing Director Karen Parks [email protected]

Chairman Simon Timm [email protected]

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APS a supplement to magazineeditors note

2014 | APS 03

More from less those seem to the watchwords for the design, construction and deployment of paintshop systems in the automotive OEM world today. Much more performance is being sought, in terms of resilience and appearance of painted surfaces, and even more in terms of savings in energy and water usage including reducing emissions of CO

2 and VOCs. All this

from less in terms of actual paint operations as carmakers and paint system suppliers develop and implement compact processes.

The most common way to accomplish this is through the integration of primer and basecoat layers. To be more precise what is involved is the complete removal of any requirement for a primer layer through the provision in the basecoat layer not just of colour but also of the anti-corrosion properties that are the primary purpose of a dedicated primer layer. But the really important thing about this technique is not so much that it saves materials as that it removes the need for the subsequent energy-intensive oven-bake session that a primer layer requires.

In itself this is not a new technique. It was introduced at the BMW Mini plant in Oxford in the UK, for instance, in 2006, but it does now appear that this approach to automotive painting is becoming a de facto standard throughout the car making industry worldwide. It is also the basis of the painting process at the plant in China of Qoros Automotive, in this instance not just one of the newest car making factories the world but also one of the newest companies.

The Qoros plant, though, is not just interesting in its own right it is, arguably, emblematic in that apart from a witty technique to reduce contamination of painting booth structures none of the processes it contains are absolutely new. Instead its innovation derives from its configuration in other words the selection and integration of the individual processes it deploys. Similarly Fords Kansas City plant takes what appears to be a radically different approach to the implementation of compact processes for painting Transit vans. Here the layers that have been integrated are basecoat and clearcoat, but as Ford admits that is actually an old technique. What is new in this case is that the approach has been reengineered to meet modern standards of process efficiency and customer expectation.

In other words, as this issue of Automotive Paintshop Solutions shows though there is little that is radically new in the individual processes automotive paintshops are currently deploying, there is a remorseless refinement of their capabilities and genuine innovation in the way theyre configured together. The consequence is levels of performance in all aspects of performance efficiency that are unprecedented.

Mike Farish Editor

Automotive Paintshop Solutions

Companies in this issueAudi 06

BASF 06, 08

BMW 03, 08, 16

Chemetall 06

CRC Industries 28

Drr 06, 26

Eisenmann 20

Ford 12

Geico 28

Henkel 06

Jiangling Motors Co. 12

Kremlin Rexson 34

Living Solids 32

Mercedes-Benz 20

Porsche 26

PPG 08

Qoros 28

Renault 34

Sames 34

Sprimag 06

Supacat 30

Taikisha 28

Volkswagen 06, 24

APS Automotive Paintshop Solutions 2014

NEWS AND INNOVATIONS

OEM FOCUS

ANALYSIS

SPECIAL REPORTS

06

08 Paintshop benchmarks APS looks at the implementation of new paint processes and the environmental and technical drivers for paintshop development

12 Ford: compressed paint process Application of innovative paintshop processes at the companys Kansas City plant has delivered significant improvements in efficiency, savings in materials and reduction of waste

16 Integrated paint process Mike Farish looks at the integrated paint process BMW has employed for MINI production at its plant in Oxford, UK

24 Think Blue to go green APS reports on a new paintshop for plastic parts at VWs Wolfsburg plant, which exemplifies the companys drive to reduce the environmental impact of vehicle production

30 Painting Jackals, Coyotes & other big beasts Specialist vehicle manufacturer Supacat discusses the coatings it uses for harsh environments

20 Adjust to fit Converting or repurposing a paintshop can be a more cost-effective solution than simply building a new one, as this example at Mercedes-Benz of Brazil illustrates

26 Painting the Macan Porsches new paintshop at Leipzig features new technologies to improve both energy and production efficiencies

28 Paintshop partnership Working in close partnership with its OEM client, paintshop builder Geico Taikisha has designed and constructed a state-of the-art paintshop facility for Qoros

32 Sealing software Livingsolids discusses the development of software to allow accurate automated application of sealant to body-in-white structures

34 Smart solution Kremlin Rexson and Sames Technologies, combined their know-how and experience to propose a global solution for painting Renaults third generation Twingo

Contents

04 APS | 2014

www.durr-paint.com

Drrs engineering excellence and extensive product line focuses on all aspects consistent with a sustainable, environmentally conscious business model. Representing the highest quality, our substantially reduces your energy, material and unit costs.

Sprimag has introduced the latest version of its Pico Electronic screen printing system for coating engine pistons with anti-friction lacquers, which act to protect the piston surfaces when the oil film breaks own. The update includes the Simotion drive system which enables the use of a synchronous rotary table for pistons with the horizontal screen movement underneath the fixed squeegee

section. The two squeegees that actually apply the lacquer one each for the top land and the piston shaft are designed with new Festo slides and can now be adapted to different piston types without a tool.

The company says pressures in the squeegee cylinders are set reproducibly with proportional valves, while the management system for recipes can save

the parameters of up to 150 different aluminium pistons with diameters in the range 53-150mm. Reinforced bearings have been developed to cope with steel pistons and can support pistons weighing up to 5kg. Loading takes place either manually or automatically via a robot. www.sprimag.com

A new automotive coatings plant has been opened in China by BASF Shanghai Coatings, a joint venture between BASF Group and Shanghai Huayi Fine Chemical Company. The plant at the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park represents an investment of around 50m. It has been specially designed to have closed handling of ingredients, as well as state-of-the-art ventilation and off-gas treatment. The new automotive coatings plant is located next to another new BASF resin and electrocoat plant which will start operation in the second half of 2015.

It is intended that the close proximity of these two plants with access to facilities of BASF Caojing site and the

Shanghai Chemical Industry Park will allow greater synergies and operational efficiency. Commenting on the opening of the new facility Dr. Albert Heuser, president and chairman greater China for BASF said: We plan our investments according to the anticipated

market development and customer demands. We will continue to invest in strengthening our local production in China and Asia to respond even faster to our customers.www.basf.com

Anti-friction lacquers

New automotive coatings plant for Shanghai

Painting system supplier Drr is now building what it claims will be one of the worlds most environmentally friendly paintshops in San Jos Chiapa, Mexico, for Audi. The facility will rely heavily on Drr technologies including the Ecopaint RoDip rotational dip painting system during pretreatment and EC, while underbody and seam sealing will be accomplished by ten EcoRS16 robots. Further down the line 36 EcoRP L133 robots using EcoBell3 high-speed rotary atomizers will be responsible for the fully-automated interior and exterior primer and topcoat painting.

A feature of the atomizers is their rapid colour change capability less than ten seconds, claims Drr. Overspray will be separated using the companys water-free EcoDryScrubber system. Meanwhile the ovens have been specifically designed for complex car body structures with considerable aluminium add-ons. Energy saving will involve their exhaust air streams being subject to heat recovery and used again for heating. Production is scheduled to start in mid-2016.www.durr.com

New Audi paintshop in Mexico

News

06 APS | 2014

New cleaner for uncured paints

Paintshop for VW productionin Poland

www.eisenmann.com

... whatever your challenge, we have the answer. Complete paint shops Body shop conveyors and final assembly lines Factory planning Production control systems Solar thermal solutions Environmental technology

End-to-end solutions.

From body shop to coating and final assembly

body shopt coatin

p

News

Drr is to build a complete new paintshop for Volkswagen in Wreznia, Poland, to support production of the successor to the VW Crafter commercial vehicle. The project, which Drr says will be one of the biggest it has ever tackled, will involve the company providing the equipment and also overseeing construction of the building.

Altogether Drr will be providing the dip tanks for the pre-treatment and electro-deposiiton area as well as a primer line, two basecoat and two topcoat lines with the associated spray booths, ovens, conveyor systems, exhaust air purification and work stations.

Automation levels will be heavy with 18

EcoRS16robots performing underbody coating and seam sealing while 36 EcoRP E and EcoRP L robots carrying out interior and exterior painting further down the line. In addition eight EcoRP L053 swingarm robots will paint the interior of the cargo space to help increase the flexibility of the production line. The whole facility is expected to start production in the second half of 2016.www.durr.com

Henkel says Bonderite C-MC 21130 is an environmentally sound cleaner for all uncured paints, and offers a 50% reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOC) compared to solvent-based cleaners.

Henkel claims this product dissolves both aqueous and solvent-containing paints, lacquers, varnishes, latex, rubber, resins, and electrophoretic deposits (EPD). It will also remove adhesives such as cyanoacrylates, silicones and other bi-component polyurethanes, provided they have not completely dried.www.henkel.com

Whatever the new technologies or processes that enter the world of automotive paint application five basic benchmarks remain fixed. These are:s4HEFINALAPPEARANCEOFTHEPAINTED

surfaces#OSTPERUNITFORTHEPAINTINGPROCESSs&IRSTTIMECAPABILITYnINOTHER

words ease of processing in a plant to facilitate high throughput with no re-runss2EGULATORYCOMPLIANCEs0ERFORMANCEINUSEnWILLTHEPAINTED

surface continue to look brand new for a decade or more after the vehicle FIRSTLEAVESTHEFACTORY

4HATLISTISPROVIDEDBY$ENNIS4ALJANglobal director of automotive coatings TECHNOLOGYFORPAINTSYSTEMSSUPPLIER00'4HEYAREHESAYSEMPHATICALLYh4HEMAINDRIVERSOFTHELASTYEARSANDWILLBEFORTHENEXTASWELLv4HISWILLBEAGAINSTABACKGROUNDINWHICHABASIC@FIVELAYERSYSTEMFORCOATINGVEHICLEPARTSHASBECOMEFIRMLYESTABLISHEDOVERFOURDECADESOFINTENSIVEDEVELOPMENTANDWHICHHASPROVENITSELFASHEPUTSIThAWESOMEvATPROVIDINGHIGHQUALITYDURABLEAUTOMOTIVEPAINTSYSTEMS4HISFIVELAYERSYSTEMCOMPRISESs0RETREATMENTUSUALLYWITHZINCPHOSPHATEs!NTICORROSIVEELECTROCOATINGs0RIMERs"ASECOATTHATACTUALLYPROVIDESTHECOLOURs#LEARCOAT

Market demands & technical performance The continuing challenge for vehicle OEMS and their

SUPPLIERSSAYS4ALJANISTOACHIEVETHERIGHTBALANCEBETWEENTHOSEBASICBENCHMARKSTOSATISFYCURRENTMARKETDEMANDSWHILECONSTANTLYSEEKINGTOIMPROVETHETECHNICALPERFORMANCEOFTHEACTUALCOATINGLAYERSINTERMSOFTHEAMOUNTOFMATERIALUSEDANDTHETIMEANDENERGYREQUIREDTOAPPLYIT(ECITESDEVELOPMENTSOVERTHEPASTFIVETOSEVENYEARSINELECTROCOATINGMATERIALSASACASEINPOINTWITH00'SOWN(YPERTHROWPRODUCTASASPECIFICEXAMPLE)Nthis instance the crucial factor is that the material has what HEDESCRIBESASAhSELFINSULATINGvCAPABILITYWHICHMEANSthat it permeates all the crevices in the surface of the metal without the need for excessive material to be added to its own outer surface. 4HECONSEQUENCESOFTHATFAIRLYSTRAIGHTFORWARDPROPERTYTHOUGHAREMULTIFARIOUS)TPRODUCESEFFICIENCIESNOTJUSTINIMMEDIATEMATERIALUSAGEBUTALSOINTHEREQUIREMENTFOR

Mike Farish looks at the implementation of new paint processes and the environmental and technical drivers for paintshop development

Analysis

08 APS | 2014

Paintshop benchmarks

WATERFORPOSTPROCESSOPERATIONS4HELATTERSTATES4ALJANISINCREASINGLYAMAJORDRIVEROFPROCESSIMPROVEMENT)NDEEDHESTATESTHATTHEABILITYTOSAVEWATERINMANUFACTURINGPROCESSESISBECOMINGJUSTASIMPORTANTMAYBEEVENMOREIMPORTANTTHANTHEABILITYTOCUT#/ emissions.

Compact processes Meanwhile another trend of fundamental importance is the MOVETOWARDSTHEIMPLEMENTATIONOF@COMPACTPROCESSESINWHICHAPREVIOUSREQUIREMENTFORATLEASTONEBAKINGCYCLEISCOMPLETELYOBVIATED!S4ALJANEXPLAINSWHENTHATOBJECTIVEISACHIEVEDTHENWHATISNEGATEDISTHENEEDFORANOPERATIONTHATINVOLVEDADEDICATEDOVENSYSTEMhTHELENGTHOFAFOOTBALLFIELDv4HATPROCESSSTEPHASBEENREMOVEDFORINSTANCEBYTHEADVENTOF@#"OPERATIONSINWHICHPRIMERBASECOATANDCLEARCOATAREAPPLIEDINAWETONWETONWETSEQUENCEWITHOUTANYINTERVENINGBAKINGCYCLE4ALJANDOESSTRESSTHOUGHTHATDEVELOPMENTSINPRIMERFORMULATIONINPARTICULARHAVEMADETHISPOSSIBLE)NSUCHCASESTHATLAYERISNOWTYPICALLYHESAYSONLYAROUNDMICRONSINTHICKNESSnABOUTHALFOFWHATWASPREVIOUSLYTHECASEnBUTWITHNODIMINUTIONINITSEFFECTIVENESS$IFFERENTCOMPANIESNOTES4ALJANHAVEDIFFERENTNAMESFORTHEPROCESSANDMAYALSODIFFERINDETAILSOFTHEIRPROCESSPROCEDURESACCORDINGTOTHETYPEOFVEHICLEINVOLVEDBUTthe essential elements remain the same. What also remains CONSTANTINSUCHASCENARIOHEADDSARETHEBENEFITSnREDUCTIONSIN#/EMISSIONSANDBOTHENERGYANDSPACEREQUIREMENTSWHENTHEAPPROACHISRETROFITTEDTOANEXISTINGoperation and much lower costs right from the start for a COMPLETELYNEWONE

Waterborne vs. solventborne Meanwhile another trend with origins that go back to the EARLYSCONTINUESTODEVELOP4HISMOVETOREPLACESOLVENTBORNEPAINTSWITHWATERBORNECOUNTERPARTSISLARGELYONACCOUNTOFTHEMUCHREDUCEDWASTEHANDLINGTASKTHEYREQUIREnATLEASTFORPRIMERANDBASECOATAPPLICATIONS!S4ALJANPOINTSOUTAWATERBORNECLEARCOATTECHNOLOGYhSIMPLYDOESNOTEXISTv2IGHTNOWSTATES4ALJANTHESPLITBETWEENTHEuse of waterborne and solventborne paints throughout the GLOBALINDUSTRYISPROBABLYINTHEORDEROF(EPOINTSOUTTHOUGHTHATTHEREASONSWHYONETYPEOFMATERIALORTHEOTHERMAYBEUSEDINAPARTICULARCIRCUMSTANCEMAYNOTNECESSARILYBECONCERNEDWITHTHEPARTICULARVEHICLEINVOLVEDORTHEIMMEDIATEENVIRONMENTALEFFICIENCYOFTHEprocess. )NSTEADAMUCHMOREINFLUENTIALFACTORISLIKELYTOBETHELOCALENVIRONMENTINTHEMOSTLITERALSENSEnHOWHOTANDMOREIMPORTANTLYHUMIDITIS!S4ALJANEXPLAINSTHEuse of waterborne materials in a humid environment is IMPRACTICABLEBECAUSEOFTHEENSUINGDIFFICULTYOFREMOVINGthe water from the paint after it has been applied. The SOLUTIONTOTHEPROBLEMISOFCOURSEEASYENOUGHTOIDENTIFYnTHECREATIONOFANAPPROPRIATECONTROLLEDENVIRONMENTONTHEPAINTINGLINEITSELF"UTAS4ALJANPOINTSOUTBOTHTHECOSTANDTHEEXTRA#/ emissions involved in doing so might negate other potential benefits on both economic

ANDENVIRONMENTALGROUNDS!SHEPUTSITh!IRCONDITIONINGNORTHERN'ERMANYISALOTEASIERTHANAIRCONDITIONING)NDIAv!NEXTERNALFACTORTHATMAKESTHESITUATIONRATHERMORECOMPLEXTHOUGHISLEGISLATIVEDIKTAT)N#HINAFOREXAMPLEthere has been increasing official pressure for the last three YEARSTHATALLNEWCARPAINTINGLINESSHOULDUSEWATERBORNEMATERIALS!SYETTHATREQUIREMENTHASNOTBEENIMPOSEDRETROSPECTIVELYTHOUGH4ALJANINDICATESTHATHEWOULDNOTBEsurprised to see the introduction of measures to encourage the conversion of existing solventborne installations to waterborne materials in the future. !LITTLEIRONICALLYTHEREFORE4ALJANALSOSAYSTHATRISINGCUSTOMEREXPECTATIONSIN#HINACONCERNINGBOTHTHERESILIENCEANDAESTHETICQUALITIESOFVEHICLEAPPEARANCEMEANthat clearcoat materials are a particular area of focus for a PAINTRELATEDRESEARCHANDDEVELOPMENTCENTRETHAT00'OPENEDIN4IANJININTHECOUNTRYJUSTLASTYEAR!PPEARANCESTANDARDSIN#HINATODAYHESTATESEMPHATICALLYhARETHESAMEASTHOSEINWESTERN%UROPEv

Holistic approach -EANWHILEACCORDINGTO$R#HRISTOPHER(ILGERPRODUCTMANAGERBASECOATSANDTECHNOLOGYWITH'ERMANBASEDPAINTINGMATERIALSANDTECHNOLOGIESSUPPLIER"!3&ANABSOLUTELYESSENTIALCHARACTERISTICOFANAUTOMOTIVEPAINTSYSTEMISTHATITISJUSTTHATnASYSTEMTHATHASTOBETHOUGHTOFINANAPPROPRIATELYhHOLISTICvMANNERh4HELAYERSDONOTWORKINDEPENDENTLYOFEACHOTHERvHEEXPLAINS!S$R(ILGEROBSERVESCUSTOMERSTENDTOTHINKINTHATWAYQUITENATURALLY4HEYWANTTHEVISIBLESURFACEOFAVEHICLETHEYBUYTOPROVIDEACOMBINATIONOFCHARACTERISTICSnSOMEPURELYAESTHETICSOMEMOREOBJECTIVELYVERIFIABLEnhCORROSIONRESISTANCERESILIENCEAGAINSTCHIPPINGGOODCOLOURHIGHGLOSSv&ORVEHICLE/%-STHOUGHAGREATDRIVEROF

implementation practice at the moment is achieving all THOSEPERFORMANCEOBJECTIVESWITHAREDUCEDNUMBEROFPAINTINGLAYERSANDHENCEOFAPPLICATIONPROCESSESnMAKINGLESSTHANFIVELAYERSPROVIDEALLTHEFUNCTIONALITYOFTHE

A basic five-layer system for coating vehicle parts has become firmly established over four decades of intensive development

Analysis

2014 | APS 09

CLASSICFIVELAYERMODELDESCRIBEDBY$ENNIS4ALJAN4OTHISEND"!3&ITSELFISNOWPROMOTINGAPAINTINGCONCEPTITTERMS@INTEGRATEDPROCESS))OR@)0))FORSHORT!COREDISTINGUISHINGFEATUREOFTHISPROCESSEXPLAINS$R(ILGERISTHATITINTEGRATESTHEFUNCTIONALITYPROVIDEDBYSEPARATECONVENTIONALPRIMERANDBASECOATLAYERSINTOASINGLEEFFECTIVELYDUALPURPOSEWATERBORNEBASECOAT!SSUCHTHEGREATADVANTAGE)0))OFFERSFORTHE/%-ISTHATABOLISHESTHEPREVIOUSREQUIREMENTFORANEXTENDEDENERGYINTENSIVE@OVENBAKESESSIONAFTERTHEAPPLICATIONOFTHEPRIMER4HEPRECEDING@)0)BYTHEWAYWHICHWASDEVELOPEDBACKINTHESWASANINTERMEDIATEPROCESSTHATRETAINED

ADISTINCTPRIMERLAYERBUTREQUIREDTHATITBESUBSEQUENTLYSUBJECTEDONLYTOARELATIVELYBRIEF@FLASHOFF )0))WASdeveloped over the first half of the last decade and made its DEBUTINAREALINDUSTRIALCONTEXTATTHE"-7/XFORDPLANTIN

Open process "UT$R(ILGERALSOCONFIRMSANOTHEROFTHETRAITSOFTHEAUTOMOTIVESECTORnTHEFACTTHATITSPAINTINGPROCESSESTHOUGHHIGHLYSPECIALISEDAREALSO@OPENINTHESENSETHATTHEIRFUNDAMENTALCHARACTERISTICSARENOTSUBJECTTOANYform of intellectual protection and can therefore be adopted BYANYCOMPANYTHATSOWISHESh4HEREISNOINTELLECTUALCOPYRIGHTONTHEPROCESSITSELFvHESTATESOF)0))THOUGHHEadds that more microscopic details such as the chemical COMPOSITIONOFAPARTICULARLAYERMAYBEPROTECTEDINTHATWAY7HYTHISSHOULDBETHECASESEEMSTODERIVEINPARTFROMTHEAUTOMOTIVE/%-SFREQUENTPREFERENCEFORWORKINGWITHMORETHANONEPAINTINGSYSTEMSUPPLIERINTHESAMEPROJECTWHICHWASTHECASEAT"-7/XFORDANDWHICHOBVIOUSLYMILITATESAGAINSTAPARTICULARPROCESSBECOMINGTHEINTELLECTUALPROPERTYOFASINGLESUPPLIER4HEREALITYTHEREFOREISTHATTHEREISNOSINGLESTANDARDISED)0))PROCESSBUTASERIESOFVARIATIONSTHATMAYBEDICTATEDBYANUMBEROFFACTORSBUTWHICHULTIMATELYDERIVEFROMCUSTOMERPREFERENCE4HATISWHY$R(ILGERNOTESTHEMOREGENERICSOUNDINGTERM@COMPACTPROCESSISOFTENEMPLOYED"UTIFTHEDEFININGFEATUREOF)0))ISITSDUALPURPOSEBASECOATTHEREARESTILLSOMESPECIFICREQUIREMENTSMADEOFOTHERPARTSOFTHEOVERALLPAINTINGSYSTEM$R(ILGERSTATESFORINSTANCETHATTHOUGH)0))MAKESNOPARTICULARdemands as far as the chemical composition of the e-coat is

CONCERNEDITDOESREQUIRETHATTHEECOATBESMOOTHERTHANINACONVENTIONALLAYERSYSTEM)NADDITIONTHEACTUALSTEELOFTHEVEHICLEBODYALSONEEDSTOMEETANAPPROPRIATEQUALITYLEVEL4HEACTUALAPPLICATIONPROCESSITSELFTHOUGHREMAINSUNCHANGEDnANIMPORTANTIMPLICATIONOFTHATFACTISTHATwhere an existing paintshop might undergo conversion TO)0))ITSINITIALECOATINGEQUIPMENTANDINFRASTRUCTURESHOULDREQUIRELITTLEMODIFICATION!SFORTHEBASECOATLAYERITSELF$R(ILGERCONFIRMSTHATASFARAS"!3&ISCONCERNEDITISANESSENTIALFEATUREOF)0))THATTHATLAYERISAWATERBORNEMATERIALh)NOURTERMINOLOGYTHATISTHECASEvHESTATES.EVERTHELESSTHEREARECERTAINLYALSOcompact processes that use solventborne basecoat materials. $R(ILGERSTATESUNEQUIVOCALLYTHATSOLVENTBORNEMATERIALSCANCERTAINLYALSOBEUSEDINANECOEFFICIENTMANNER"UTWHICHTYPEOFMATERIALWILLBEUSEDINAPARTICULARINSTANCEWILLULTIMATELYBEAMATTEROF/%-PREFERENCETHOUGHTHEREARECERTAINLYPARTSOFTHEWORLDn#HINAMOSTOBVIOUSLYnWHEREREGULATORYPRESSURETOREDUCE6/#EMISSIONSISMILITATINGVERYSTRONGLYONFAVOUROFWATERBORNEMATERIALS

Co-operative research -EANWHILEnASWITHTHEECOATn)0))ALSOMAKESSOMEDEMANDSOFTHEFINALCLEARCOATLAYERh7EDEFINITELYPREFERTHEUSEOFTWOCOMPONENTCLEARCOATSFORBOTHTECHNOLOGYREASONSANDAPPEARANCEvSTATES$R(ILGER!KEYREASONHEINDICATESISTOENSUREAPPROPRIATECOMPATIBILITYWITHTHEBASECOATWHICHINAN)0))PROCESSWILLBEABIThWETTERv

than it would be otherwise. The benefits of all this seem INCONTROVERTIBLE"!3&HASPUBLISHEDAN%CO%FFICIENCY!NALYSISnPERHAPSARAREEXAMPLEOFDIRECTCOOPERATIONBETWEENDIFFERENTPAINTINGSYSTEMSUPPLIERSSINCETHERESEARCHWASCARRIEDOUTJOINTLYWITHFELLOW'ERMANCOMPANY$RRnTHATENUMERATESTHELIKELYADVANTAGESQUITEPRECISELY4HESTUDYSHOWEDTHATCOMPAREDTOCONVENTIONALPROCESSES)0))COUNTERPARTSARECLEARLYMOREEFFICIENTINTERMSOFENERGYCONSUMPTION#/BALANCEAND6/#EMISSIONS%NERGYCONSUMPTIONAND#/FIGURESFORINSTANCEAREEACHREDUCEDBYASMUCHAS)NABSOLUTENUMERICALTERMS$R(ILGERRECKONSTHATTHEREARECURRENTLYABOUTAUTOMOTIVEPAINTINGLINESINTHEWORLDTHATCONFORMTOTHE)0))FORMAT"UTHEADDSTHATthat number is bound to increase as it can be assumed that almost all new automotive painting lines worldwide will use SOMESORTOFCOMPACTPROCESSANDTHAT)0))REPRESENTSADEfacto standard for such processes.

10 APS | 2014

Analysis

The advantage IPII offers is that it abolishes the requirement for an extended oven-bake session following primer application

We definitely prefer the use of two-component clearcoats for both technology

reasons and appearance Dr Christopher Hilger, BASF

From pump to applicator

Innovative robotic system

Heavy duty pumping technology

Experts in Finishing & Dispensing Solutions

Contact: [email protected]

Paint atomizer Sealant / AdhesiveShotmeter

Sealant / LASD / Adhesive / PaintPumps

LASD SOLUTIONS

SEALING SOLUTIONS

POWERTRAINGASKETING SOLUTIONS

BONDING& ANTIFLUTTER SOLUTIONS

PAINT FINISHING SOLUTIONS

April this year saw the start of production of the new Ford Transit van at the companys Kansas City Assembly Plant. As far their paint finishes are concerned most of them will look pretty much as such vans normally do about 80-90% of them will be white all over, the colour scheme that commercial vehicle users overwhelmingly prefer.

But the way those paint schemes will be applied and the formulation of the paint materials involved, are not at all conventional. The paintshop contains, for example, an ingenious new way of handling vehicle bodies that slashes the length of the phosphating and e-coating section by as much as 320ft. But even more dramatically the painting process itself is claimed by Ford to be a world-first for the company a two-wet monocoat procedure in which a single coat combining both basecoat and clearcoat properties is applied to a primer that has undergone just a few minutes of air-drying. Hence it is another form of compressed process, which dispenses with both a layer

of material and an oven-bake procedure that would be involved in a conventional painting procedure. Back-to-the-future Nevertheless both the paintshop and the process it contains also have a back-to-the-future element about them. That much is confirmed by Dennis Havlin, global paint engineering development and launch supervisor for Ford. On the first of those counts, says Havlin, the paintshop building at Kansas is not new though what it contains certainly is. We have stripped out all the old booths and so it is a brand new line, he confirms.

But it is on the second that the really revolutionary and

12 APS | 2014

Ford Kansas City OEM focus

Ford: compressed paint process Application of innovative paintshop processes at the

companys Kansas City plant has delivered significant improvements in efficiency, savings in materials and reduction of waste. Report by Mike Farish

yet in one way slightly retrospective character of the installation is most marked. As Havlin concedes there is nothing particularly new about the idea of a monocoat automotive paint that combines basecoat and clearcoat properties. Ford has used the approach in the past.

But previously the technique has essentially involved a basecoat with some clearcoat properties which, in effect, meant that though initial colour quality might be good the paint finish lacked resilience and was subject to quite rapid degradation.

In this case, though, that previous combination of properties has been inverted so that the coating applied to the primer is essentially a clearcoat type of material but one that also provides the required colour to the vehicle surface. The consequence of that, Havlin states, is that the coating will still retain 90% of its gloss after four years of service. We dont have the sort of drop-off that you saw in the past, he confirms.

Solvent-borne materials An obvious concomitant of that fact is that the crucial colour-carrying clearcoat layer is a solvent-borne and not water-borne material the same also being true for the primer coating as well. Havlin indicates that this is very much the result of a distinct indeed distinctive Ford policy in favour of solvent-borne materials wherever possible.

Havlin explains that some ten years ago Ford carried out a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of current and near-future painting technologies in the context of a range of different factors including existing infrastructure, costs, quality and environmental impact. Altogether 51 different scenarios were evaluated and the continuing commitment to solvent-borne materials was a fundamental consequence. We found that the best overall solution was to stay with solvent-borne materials, he confirms. He adds that a crucial factor in Fords thinking that has been continuous since then has been to take into account not just the performance of individual layers but the synergy between the primer and succeeding layers.

Innovative transport But despite the fact that, as Havlin confirms, the chemical processes used for the initial phosphating and e-coating procedures at Kansas are entirely conventional those preliminary sections of the painting line are nevertheless still highly innovative. In this case it is the way that the physical transport of the truck bodies is effected that is unprecedented. A key innovation is that the truck body is fitted to a skid that remains fastened to it right throughout the painting process and which provides the attachment points that enable it to be lowered into and then retrieved from each of the immersion baths involved by four pendulums. Everything that happens at this point in the process, notes Havlin, is fully automated so that all of the manual chaining and dechaining operations that previously characterised such procedures have been entirely obviated.

But the most significant benefit derives from the fact that this handling methodology enables the angles at which the bodies are lowered and retrieved to be much steeper than previously. In fact in each case, reports Havlin, this seemingly simple expedient enables the footprint of each bath to be reduced by between 48 to 60ft. In consequence this enables the overall length of the phosphating and e-coating line to be reduced by as much as 320ft, though since the line is U-shaped the corresponding requirement for the dimensions of the surrounding building are reduced proportionately rather than by the same absolute amount.

The painting sequence that follows involves first of all a single primer application in a continuously flowing booth, followed by a sequence of three further stop-station booths which may or may not apply paint to vehicle body according to requirements. Basically, says Havlin, the options are either that the bodies are painted with the new monocoat in a single booth or are painted with a conventional basecoat and clearcoat in order to provide metallic finishes in succession in the two other booths. He also notes that Fords commitment to solvent-borne materials is essential to the short air-drying period that is all the primer requires before the monocoat is applied. Total process time from the point a vehicle body enters the paintshop to start phosphating and e-coating until it exits after the final oven-bake is, Havlin reports, about four hours.

Colour options At present the overwhelming market demand for just one colour white means that is the only one available in the monocoat format. Developing new colours is, Havlin notes, is always an expensive business and in this instance simply would not be economically feasible given the likely low demand. But at the same time he indicates that in technical terms there would be no particular problems involved in producing other monocoat hues if there were sufficient demand. There would be nothing involved that we wouldnt go through with a normal colour development, he states.

But technical rather than economic factors do militate against the process being used to produce metallic finishes. Havlin explains that in a conventional basecoat-clearcoat sequence the inclusions used to provide the required

Two-wet monocoat process applied to Fords new Transit van

2014 | APS 13


appearance are confined to the basecoat so that there is no danger of them protruding from the clearcoat and thereby compromising surface finish quality. But this would not be the case with just the single layer of the monocoat and hence the technique is not used to produce such finishes. Having metallic flake in a clearcoat might be challenging from an appearance standpoint, he observes.

Colour options This pragmatic approach on Fords part is also evident in Havlins explanation of why the technique was developed in the first place. He says simply that Ford saw it as a logical progression from its previous three-wet compact process and that the complete refurbishment of the Kansas paintshop for the new Transit offered an appropriate opportunity. We saw the opportunity and we took it, he states. An interesting point, though, and one that appears to be common amongst practitioners of compact painting processes is that the specific procedure involved is not patented or subject to any other form intellectual property protection, though Havlin is emphatic that Ford is currently the only practitioner of the technique. Nevertheless this is the result of a deliberate policy on the car-makers part. Havlin explains that the process at the plant was developed by Ford in cooperation with three major painting system suppliers simultaneously though only one of them is involved at Kansas. The new paintshop is single sourced, he confirms. But, he adds, the great advantage for Ford of having such a range of potential suppliers is that the company has the ability to expand its use of the procedure on a global basis as required.

Moreover that global applicability of the process is further enhanced by the fact that there is nothing about the process that makes it more difficult to apply than more conventional counterparts. When asked if the process requires any more stringent levels of control either of application techniques or immediate environmental conditions Havlins answer is straight to the point: No.

In fact that wider applicability of the process is already being demonstrated in the most direct fashion. In parallel with Kansas Ford has implemented two-wet monocoat painting at Jiangling Motors Co. in Jiangxi, China, a joint venture that is also producing Transit vehicles. A point to note in that instance is that it has done so despite the

Chinese governments now quite explicit preference for new automotive painting plants to use water-borne materials. On that count Havlin says that the facility was planned and approved before Chinese policy adopted its present stance.

As far as the future is concerned Havlin indicates that there are no obvious limitations to the further implementation of the process other than its unsuitability for metallic finishes though he does caution that it is perhaps less suitable for retrofitting than to a paintshop that is specifically designed to house it. But, he states emphatically, the process meets all our requirements for appearance, performance and durability.

In fact, Havlin continues, from a manufacturing standpoint the process has not only met expectations but also generated at least one unforeseen benefit. This concerns the buffing process involving sanding and polishing that is sometimes required to rectify minor blemishes that are discovered on inspection after the final oven-bake. He explains that with a conventional basecoat-clearcoat combination there is a possibility that this apparently minor operation can compromise the paint finish by entirely removing the clearcoat from an affected area thereby exposing the underlying basecoat. But with the new process this danger is nullified by the fact that the monocoat is in effect a monolithic clearcoat. It gives you a lot more flexibility to sand and polish without having to do a spot repair, he confirms.

At a more general level Ford is also keen to stress that compared with conventional counterparts the new paint process uses less energy and water and also reduces carbon dioxide and particulate emissions. The figures involved are certainly enticing to look at. The official Ford figures are a 44% reduction in CO2 emissions, 75% in water consumption and 99% in particulate emissions. Admittedly Havlin adds the rider that those are estimates extrapolated from the ramp-up period for the process rather than precise figures derived from continuous production but he gives no indication that Ford expects reality to differ much from them.

Saving water The savings for water consumption, by the way, are in large part a consequence of the fact that the Kansas paintshop also uses dry scrubbing rather than a water-based technique. Though not new in global automotive terms its use by Ford in this instance is, Havlin confirms, a first for the company. The paintbooths themselves, he says, are entirely water-free. The actual amounts of emissions saved should therefore be in the order of 9,500 tons of CO2 and 35 tons of particulates particulate emissions on an annual basis. Water consumption on the same basis should be 10.5 million gallons less than it would have been otherwise. Meanwhile overall energy savings should amount to 48,000 megawatt hours of electrical power. Overall, therefore, it seems more than likely that the ability to implement the system wherever it wants in the world that was a fundamental principle in its development is one that Ford will seek to exercise wherever it sees an opportunity.

14 APS | 2014


Using this two-wet monocoat process will deliver reductions in CO2 and particulate emissions, and water usage)

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Since its debut back in the 1960s the Mini has been regarded as an iconic and quintessentially British car. Although rebranded as the MINI, and now part of the German-owned BMW Group, the car is still manufactured in the UK, an operation that involves three of the companys sites in the country. These are Swindon where most of the cars body pressings and sub-assemblies are made, the Hams Hall engine plant in Birmingham and Oxford, where painting and then final assembly take place.

Production of the new 2014 MINI, which effectively got underway late last year with a potential capacity of 900 vehicles a day, is taking place in the context of a 750m investment programme spread across all three sites but concentrated mainly on Swindon and Oxford. One of the major themes of that investment is automation there are, for instance, no less than 1,000 new robots in the body shop at Oxford.

Another is environmental efficiency and this is where the paintshop boasts some impressive statistics. Enhanced control of airflow through the facility is claimed to save 730 tonnes of CO2 produced a year as a consequence of

diminished gas usage, whilst an even greater reduction 1,130 tonnes results from reduced electricity consumption. Similar close attention to the humidity in the paintshop is yielding annual savings of 420 tonnes of CO2. Integrated Paint Process But the paintshop at Oxford is not just an example of localised environmental efficiency the painting process it houses is also highly innovative. Known within the company as the Integrated Paint Process (IPP) it is an early example of the increasing trend within the automotive industry to find ways of compressing the established multi-layer model of painting procedures. In this instance a crucial factor and arguably the most striking is the elimination from the whole process of the application of a primer layer, and as a consequence the associated oven-based drying operation is also removed.

Oxford was the pioneering plant for the IPP within the whole of the BMW Group worldwide. It was introduced there back in 2005. But BMW says that the paintshop at Oxford has now received additional enhancements to help

Mike Farish looks at the innovative painting process BMW has employed at its plant in Oxford, UK

BMW Mini Oxford OEM focus

16 APS | 2014

Integrated paint process

support production of the new MINI models. One involves further automation of the seam-sealing process for welded joints in the cars interior, engine bay, roof and tailgate aperture so that a flexible mastic material is now applied by a set of twelve robots. Another involves further robotisation of the painting process itself.

Innovation along the line But BMW claims innovation all along the line quite literally for the modernised paintshop. At the start there is now a new electro-coating facility that it describes as particularly ingenious. In contrast to the previous system, which featured a three-stage bath, the new set-up quadruples the number of separate operations in a 12-stage bath system that applies the e-coat paint to each area of the body with high precision. BMW says that this approach allows the process to cater more exactly for the different shapes of each MINI body variant of which there are five respectively the Hatch, Convertible, Clubman, Coup and Roadster models.

Someone who watches over this and all the other processes on the painting line at Oxford is paintshop planner Ian Whiting, whose own association with the site goes back three decades. He confirms that bodies-in-white arrive at the site from Swindon and go straight onto the painting line for e-coating. The multiple processes involved include initial cleaning and phosphating. An interesting point is that the vehicles are delivered and go though painting with their doors and other closures attached though the doors are removed when the vehicle shells reach the assembly stage in order to facilitate ease-of-access to the interiors for assembly before final reattachment.

Another point of note is that though all vehicles produced at Oxford are made to order a specific customer order number is only assigned to a particular vehicle at the assembly stage. Before then each assembly has only a notional customer. As Whiting observes: We need to know if it has to be white with a red roof. But he also makes the point that the assigned colours be changed even after an assembly has started down the painting line right up to topcoat application, in fact.

Dealing with the options In practice, therefore, what happens is that as far as possible assemblies are sent down the painting line in batches to receive identical paint treatments before customisation to meet a particular order occurs at assembly stage. Currently available options comprise 14 body colours and four roof colours. Batch sizes are variable and may be as high as eleven or twelve vehicles, though Whiting indicates that a lower figure tends to be the norm. Nevertheless the painting process is flexible enough to handle a batch-of-one or smart painting as it is termed within the plant.

The transport system through the line is by means of a floor-level conveyor. Each car body, says Whiting, is mated with a bodybar at the body-in-white stage, which remains attached to it all the way through the paintshop, and is only removed during final assembly. That bodybar then provides the means by which the body is attached to skids that that carry it through the paintshop and from which it may be removed as required.

No faults forward ethos But before any colours are applied the cars go through a PVC sealing line that is highly automated. Robots apply sealing material in turn to the front end, main exterior and then back end of each car. Then, though, they pass through a manned section of the line where some manual finessing of the previous process is carried out if it is required, as Whiting cautions. The personnel on the line, he says, make the necessary evaluation of whether any such work is needed. In fact, he adds, they are empowered to stop the line if need be. The fundamental ethos is no faults forward. The opportunity is also taken at this stage to insert some acoustic pads into the assemblies as well.

After this there is an oven-bake to cure the PVC and then the start of painting, which takes place quite literally at a different level one floor above. Before any paint is applied, though, the vehicle assemblies go through a two-stage cleaning process to removed any dust or other particles that may have settled on their surfaces as they have made their way along the line. The first is a de-ionised air blow. The second is a side and roof roller system made from female

A crucial factor of the IPP process is the elimination of applying a primer layer

Each car body is mated with a 'bodybar' at the body-in-white

stage


2014 | APS 17

ostrich feathers (their gender-specific nature determined by the fact that male equivalents would very likely be damaged and therefore possibly abrasive because of their tendency to fight each other) though it is referred to as the emu.

From this point also the car bodies are in a controlled environment that is effectively sealed off from the general factory area, as are the personnel located along one side of the painting line who monitor its operation. Like the car bodies they also go through a clean-down procedure before getting to the work locations. The other side of the line, though, is outside of the controlled environment and is available for general observation of operations.

Given that there is no primer coat all involved in the process painting proceeds straight away to basecoat application to a thickness of 25 microns. As Whiting explains one or two coats will be applied depending on whether or not a metallic finish is involved. If not then the whole coating will be applied in a single layer. If so then there will be two layers the first the colour layer of 15 microns and the second that containing the metallic particles which

impart the required finish of ten microns. If that metallic layer is required it is applied in a separate application area immediately after the main basecoat application area. There is also a third application booth if it is necessary to create one of the contrast roofs that provide one of the distinctive features of the MINI family.

The water-borne paint itself is all stored in reservoirs below the line and each robot is fed by a collection of feeder tubes, each of which is dedicated to a specific colour. Colour change takes place within the robots as close as possible to the point of application, notes Whiting and requires absolutely no manual intervention. Then follows a flash-off

bake at 180C to get rid of the water content in the paint and clearcoat application.

The latter, obviously, remains a solvent-borne process. On that score BMWs basic premise is that IPP is a high tech paint system with high environmental resistance properties that are only achievable with 2K solvent-borne clearcoat. Nor is there any possibility that this situation might change in the foreseeable future. The company says that there is simply no available waterborne clearcoat which fulfils current levels of customer expectation for appearance and durability. Nevertheless it also emphasises that in order to avoid solvent emissions all IPP paint lines are equipped with appropriate incineration technologies.

Meanwhile one thing that is certain across the whole of the BMW Group is that the IPP represents the future of the organisations painting processes worldwide. That much is confirmed by Alwin Giftthaler, head of decorative material and process planning. Gifthaler says that the IPP is currently in use in four of the organisations plants Oxford, Spartanburg in the US, Tiexi in China and Dingolfing in Germany. In the latter case the use of the IPP has only just got underway on a single line but it is intended that the whole plant will be converted during 2016.

Apart from the five MINI variants at Oxford, therefore, the full list of BMW vehicles likely to be painted using the IPP by then will be:s3PARTANBURG"-78"-78"-78"-78s4IEXI"-78"-73ERIES,ONG7HEELBASEAND

Sedans$INGOLFING"-73ERIES'RAN4URISMO"-7

Series Gran Coup, BMW 5-Series Sedan, Touring and Gran Turismo, BMW 6-Series Coup, Convertible and Gran Coup, BMW 7-Series Sedan, Active Hybrid, Long Wheelbase and High Security

Moreover this number will certainly continue to grow. All new BMW plants and major refurbishments will use the IPP, Giftthaler confirms. It is a universally applicable painting technology with no restrictions.

Giftthaler indicates that BMW itself was very much to the forefront in the inception of the whole process, though other parties have been involved in its development. IPP development was intensively driven by BMW Group in cooperation with the paint suppliers PPG and BASF, he states.

Moreover Giftthaler also makes it clear that BMW regards the process as setting the current benchmark for OEM automotive painting. BMW Group has set some major standards in this technology, he says. The parallel development of other compact processes of other OEMs did not turn out to be the future technology standard. Interestingly Giftthaler reveals that nothing about the process is any way confined to BMW alone no aspects of it are patented and so any other OEM would be free to implement an identical process if they chose to do so. IPP is an open painting technology with no patent restrictions, he states. BMW Group envisages IPP become the world wide painting standard process for OEM car painting and is actively supporting IPP technology in the OEM market.

Before any paint is applied the vehicle assemblies go through a two-stage cleaning process

All new BMW plants and major refurbishments will use the IPPIt is a

universally applicable painting technology with no restrictions Alwin Giftthaler,

BMW


18 APS | 2014

Andrew Fallon, Publisher +44 1634 362826 [email protected]

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A new paintshop need not necessarily be totally new. That is the case, for instance, at the Juiz de Fora production plant operated by Mercedes-Benz of Brazil. Since the first half of last year the site has been painting truck cabs for its Actros MP3 and Accelo vehicles in what is an unprecedented facility the first ever paintshop for large commercial vehicles to be converted from its previous use for painting passenger cars.

Ordinarily converting a paintshop for new vehicle models is a routine undertaking at least when the vehicles involved are roughly comparable in size and shape. But a radical change in requirements, most obviously a significant change in the size of the vehicles, has previously made it necessary to build a completely new plant. While this can have an upside in that it can create an opportunity to utilise new technologies it can also entail substantial disadvantages, such as an average project duration of three years and high costs.

Meeting demandIn Brazil, demand for trucks is rising all the time. So in order to meet this burgeoning demand faster and more fully, Mercedes-Benz decided to adapt an existing passenger car

paintshop at its Juiz de Fora production plant in the Federal State of Minas Gerais , rather than build a new one. The carmaker chose Eisenmann of Brazil to convert the plant to truck cabs.

The decision is explained by Fabio Dalla, manager production planning, for Mercedes-Benz of Brazil. He says: We analysed many scenarios before making the decision considering costs, implementation time, quality targets and technology level and the best option from a cost x benefits point of view.

According to Dalla the original installation began operation in 1996 and continued in production for 14 years until December 2010. During that time the installation produced vehicles in A Class, C Class and in the last years CLC.

Continuing investmentDalla says that the the chosen strategy enabled the conversion of the Juiz de Fora plant to be carried out in a time of just 22 months. He explains that Brazil is one of the most important sales markets for Mercedes-Benz Trucks, and that parent company Daimler Trucks has a continuing programme of investment in its Brazilian facilities. In fact around one billion Brazilian real (roughly 300m) is scheduled for investment in the country over the period 2014-15. The money is targeted at research and development of new products and innovative technologies, as well as in process optimisation and modernisation of its two production plants So Bernardo do Camp in the Federal State of So Paulo and Juiz de Fora.

20 APS | 2014

Mercedes-Benz Brazil EisenmannSpecial report

Adjust to fit Converting or repurposing a paintshop can be a more cost-effective solution than simply building a new one, as this example at Mercedes-Benz of Brazil illustrates

But the task that faced Eisenmann was far from straightforward for two major reasons. Firstly truck cabs have substantially different dimensions and shapes to those of passenger car bodies. Secondly they come in a huge number of variants.

As a core element of its solution Eisenmann therefore devised a versatile conveyor system featuring the use of standard skids in combination with crossbeams. Dalla says that in contrast to conventional systems a key element of this new implementation is that the supports for the truck cabs are not mounted on the skids themselves but on the crossbeams. In consequence a standard skid can be used for all the various types of cab. Moreover a data chip on every cross beam contains information on what models it can carry.

This approach makes it possible to transport all truck bodies through the painting line without any requirement for the usual skid changes. In turn that means that when a new model is introduced, all that is required is the introduction of a new crossbeam. Just as importantly and cleverly cross beams can be used for other components such as doors, hoods, bumpers and fuel caps, enabling them to be incorporated into the material flow. In total, says Dalla, there are currently five beam types for truck cab and six for spare parts.

Different approach to conveyingDalla says that the established approach is to use skids to carry a car body through the paint processes and that each different type of car body will have its own dedicated type of skid. In this instance, though, five different types of car body were involved and therefore without a change of thinking the company would have needed five types of skids with a consequent maximisation of the space requirements

for their storage and management. Moroever, adds Dalla, without this innovation the operation would have faced additional difficulties reconciling this number of variants with the fixturing in the shuttle car of the conveyor system.

So in order to solve these two problems Dalla says that Eisenmann came with up with the idea of a system

involving a new element the crossbeam that is dedicated to a specific car body type and which can only be fixed in one way onto shuttle car. These crossbeams are stored and managed in a special conveyor system, known as VarioLoc, but the fundamental fact is that in this set-up the

skids become a simple frame to carry the set car body and crossbeam. The different elements are mated together one step before the transfer station of car body from body shop to paint shop.

Optimising material flowNevertheless a number of changes had to be made to the building to optimise the flow of materials. Dalla says that those involving a central area spread over six levels were particularly important. He explains that this central area is linked via three bridges directly to the bodyshop, paintshop and trim line buildings respectively. Crossbeams are stored in this area and managed by Eisenmanns VarioLoc system, which was originally developed to integrate production processes and for buffer and storage zones.

In detail the VarioLoc shuttle moves along a rail installed at floor level, with fixtures at each side of the rail to support the various types of crossbeam. Interestingly the rail has no control components only the shuttle unit is equipped with a travel drive and lifting element. Dalla explains that this reduction in the number of mechanical and control components minimises maintenance and downtime. Moreover the buffer zone can be flexibly adapted to cope with varying throughputs.

The initial step in the whole process is for the bodyshop to request a crossbeam something it does five workpieces in advance. The VarioLoc shuttle then transports the correct crossbeam for the vehicle model involved from the central area to the transfer point between the body shop and paint shop where the truck bodies are then loaded on to the crossbeams.

Vehicle data & pretreatmentIn addition at the point when the VarioLoc system takes over handling of the truck bodies a set of corresponding vehicle data are entered on the cross beams data chip. Dalla says these include production number, truck cab model and cab colour, though other relevant data used by automated system are loaded as well.

The next step is for the mated assemblies to be transferred

The VarioLoc system enables the buffer zone between the paint shop and body shop to be adapted to varying throughputs

2014 | APS 21

Mercedes-Benz Brazil Eisenmann Special report

We analysed many scenarios before making the decision considering costs,

implementation time, quality targets and technology level and the best option from

a cost x benefits point of view Fabio Dalla, Mercedes-Benz of Brazil

to the pretreatment line where the body is removed from its skid in order to prevent the skids from being contaminated. As Dalla explains the cross beam continues on its way and is collected by an Eisenmann E-Shuttle 300 specially modified for commercial vehicles. In fact, this is the very first practical application of this modified version.

Each shuttle features three freely programmable axes (horizontal, vertical and rotational) and its own separate control unit. The movement of each axis can be programmed very quickly and easily. As a result, dip curves and process time can be individually defined and monitored for each body type. Furthermore a combination of lifting and rotation allows any conceivable position to be realized, including full vertical. Movement sequences tailored to each individual body geometry ensure easy access to model-specific details such as cavities and indentations. In addition, drip and flow-off is faster and more efficient than with facilities that use conventional, rigid pendulum conveyors. Dalla says that the advantages that accrue include a perfectly even coating with few inclusions, less force exerted on the bonded surfaces and minimisation of carry-over.

The fixed installations at this front-end of the line are also, for the most part, new, though some older equipment has been retained. Dalla says that the previous pre-treatment and e-coat lines were completely disassembled and new ones installed in their place. Nevertheless he adds that the pre-treatment process and e-coat oven are similar to those used on the previous car line, the main difference being the length of the tanks used in pre-treatment. He explains that the rotational conveyor system of the E-Shuttle means they can be more compact. But a new A-lock oven was installed to dry the workpieces after electrocoating, while primer and top coat dryers were equipped with new tunnels. Nevertheless the electrocoat oven is also very similar to the previous one and, in fact, uses the same gas-powered heating system. One piece of equipment that has been carried over from the old installation to the new one is the thermal oxidizer, which has remained in place.

Special hangerFollowing electrocoating, the cross beam is again placed on

a skid and transported through the geometrically modified PVC line to the underbody sealing line. A special hanger removes the body from the cross beam, holding it at the front and back via four process holes in the cab through the hanger. As a result, the underbody is totally exposed and easily accessible both to robots and for manual application of coatings. The hanger then replaces the truck cabs on the cross beam.

At a more general level Dalla says that the width and zone layout of the existing spray booths were adapted to the new workpieces. Trucks come in a huge variety of colors and this made it necessary to implement a new paint supply system to support new solvent born paint material, he confirms. A decision was made to employ the standard system for six high-runners and install three separate painting systems for special colors. The painting robots and application equipment were also replaced in their entirety. He adds that a further element of the conversion project involved a major refurbishment of the waste water treatment equipment though without any modification to its chemical process.

In addition to the conversion project, Mercedes-Benz has contracted Eisenmann of Brazil to provide technical maintenance and process cleaning services for the paintshop. One reason for doing so was that Eisenmann operates and maintains two other paintshops in the country and so has an appropriate depth of expertise. The services involved encompass preventive and corrective maintenance and production monitoring.

Cost effective conversionIn conclusion, says Dalla, the plant has been effectively converted from painting one type of vehicle body to a completely different type in a highly economical fashion through a targeted mixing of new and existing facilities. As he explains: We installed a complete new pretreatment line, electrocoat line and ovens tunnels as well as the paint machines for the paint robots. At the same time all working decks, paint booths and air houses were retained.

22 APS | 2014

Mercedes-Benz Brazil EisenmannSpecial report

The skids are removed before the pretreatment line to prevent them being contaminated

The crossbeams can be adapted to hold attachment parts such as doors. This makes it easy to include these components in the flow of workpieces

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Henkel solutions for the automotive industry

As a global leader in automotive adhesive, sealant and functional coating solutions, Henkel can be everywhere in car manufacturing. Our innovative technologies create competitive advantage for all leading automotive brands across the entire value chain.

Our experts collaborate closely with you, worldwide. We partner with engineers and designers from car design over manufacturing until after sales service.

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CUSTOMERSACHIEVECOSTEFFECTIVEANDenvironmentally friendly production processes.

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reduce total costs per body up to a quarter WITHOURCOMBINEDSOLUTIONSnFROMCHASSISPOWERTRAINANDBODYINWHITETOELECTRICALELECTRONICS(6!#EXTERIORANDinterior.

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Henkel AG & Co. KGaA

Henkelstrasse 67 D-40589 Duesseldorf Germany

Tel: +49 211 797 2998

e-mail: transport_and_metal @henkel.com

www.henkel.com/automotive

Friction and wear reduction in powertrains with Loctite Electro Ceramic Coatings

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Teroson Sprayable Sound Deadener solution replacing bitumen pads enabling automated application, reducing weight and lowering VOC levels

Enabling Lightweight CFK design with paintable surface in automated serial production. Loctite Max 3 Composite Matrix Resin in roof segment of the Roding Roadster R1

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ols3DCAD India Pvt Ltdwww.3dcad-global.com

see profile page 35

Aamstech Solutionswww.aamstech.com

AB Precision (Poole) Ltdwww.abprecision.co.uk

ABB Inc.www.abb.com

ABB Roboticswww.abb.com/roboticssee profile page 30

ACRO Automation Systems, Inc.www.acro.com

Adept Technology Incwww.adept.com

Advanced Production System www.aps-plus.com

Aerotech Incwww.aerotech.com

AP&T AB, Automation, Press and Toolingwww.aptgroup.comsee profile page 68

Applied Robotics Inc.www.arobotics.com

ArcelorMittalwww.arcelormittal.comsee profile page 48

ASA GmbH Anlagen- und System-Automationwww.asa-gmbh.de

Atlas Technologieswww.atlastechnologies.com

ATS www.atsautomation.com

Beckhoffwww.beckhoff.co.uk

Belcom Cables Ltdwww.belcom.co.uk

BOCwww.boconline.co.uk

Bosch Rexroth Corporationwww.boschrexroth-us.com

Bosch Rexroth Ltdwww.boschrexroth.co.uk

Cal-Comp USAwww.calcompusa.com/

Cellbond Composites Ltdwww.cellbond.com

Cincinnati Machine Limited & Lamb Technicon Limitedwww.cincinnatimachines.com

CNC Engineering, Inc.www.cnc1.com

CogniTenswww.cognitens.com

Coherix, Inc.

www.coherix.com

COMAU S.p.A.www.comau.com

CRFwww.crf.it

D&D Automation Inc.www.ddauto.com

Danaher Motionwww.danahermotion.com

Dengensha America Corporationwww.dengensha.com

Die Media GmbH Stuttgartwww.die-media.de

Drr Systems GmbHwww.durr.comsee profile page 60

Dynalog, Inc.www.dynalog-us.com

Eaton www.moeller.netsee profile page 19

EDS Technologies Pvt Ltdwww.edstechnologies.com

EISENMANNwww.eisenmann.de

EMCC DR. RASEKwww.emcc.de

Emuge-Frankenwww.emuge-franken.com

Epson Deutschland GmbHwww.epson.de

Euchner GmbH + Co. KGwww.euchner.com

Factory Automation Systemswww.factoryautomation.com

FATA Automationwww.fataautomation.it

Festo AG & Co. KGwww.festo.com

Festo Corporationwww.festo.com/usa

Fraunhofer IOSBwww.iosb.fraunhofer.de

FRIMO Group GmbHwww.frimo.com

Gracowww.graco.com

HighTech Gertebau GmbHwww.htg-gmbh.de

Hirtenberger Automotive Safetywww.hirtenberger.at/automotive

Identec Solutionswww.identecsolutions.com

igus UKwww.igus.eu

Industrial Technology Systems Limited (ITS)www.its-ltd.co.uk

Ingemat, S.A.www.ingemat.com

ISRA VISION AGwww.isravision.com

Keyence Corporation of Americawww.Keyence.com

KMT Groupwww.kmtgroup.com/

KUKA Systemswww.kuka-systems.comsee profile page 18

Leica Geosystems AG, Metrology Divisionwww.metrology.leica-geosystems.com

MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltdwww.mhaltd.co.uk

Magna International Inc.www.magna.com

Marketing Midwest Incwww.marketingmidwest.com

Maschinenfabrik Spaichingen GmbHwww.ms-spaichingen.de

microsyst Systemelectronic GmbHwww.microsyst.de

Mitsubishi Electric EUROPE B.V.www.mitsubishi-automation.comsee profile page 22

MLR System GmbHwww.mlr.de

Motoman Inc.www.motoman.com

Norstat, Inc.www.norstat.com

Omni ID www.omni-id.comsee profile page 20

Omron Europe B.V.www.omron.eu

Omron Scientific Technologies, Incwww.sti.com

Oraclewww.oracle.com

Oxford Vision & Sensor Technology ltd www.oxfordvst.com/

Parker Hannifinwww.parker.com

Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc.www.am.pepperl-fuchs.com

PHD, Incwww.phdinc.com

Pilz Automation Technologywww.pilz.co.uksee profile page 26

Pilz GmbH & Co. KGwww.pilz.com

Plakoni Engineering nv www.plakoni.be

Precision Varionics Internationalwww.pvi.co.uk

Proceco Ltd.www.proceco.co

ProMation Engineering Ltd.www.promation.com

ProSoft Technologywww.prosoft-technology.com

Prudhomme Tranmissionswww.prudhomme-trans.com

PSM Instrumetation Ltdwww.psmmarine.com

RadTech - The Association for UV & EB Curingwww.radtech.org

RAMPF Group, Incwww.rampf-group.com

Ranal Engineering Services Pvt Ltdwww.ranal.com

Rockwell Automation www.rockwellautomation.comsee profile page 21

SailRail Automated Systems Inc.www.sailrail.com

Schneider Electricwww.schneider-electric.com

Schuler www.schulergroup.com/automation

SCHUNK GmbH & Co. KGwww.schunk.com

Sensor Developments Inc.www.sendev.com

Sensor Products LLC USAwww.sensorprod.com

Sick AGwww.sick.com

SICK, Incwww.sickusa.com

Siemens AG Automation & Driveswww.industry.siemens.comsee profile page 24

SMSI Internationalwww.smsinternational.com

Sturm Gruppewww.sturm-gruppe.com

Supremesoft Corporationwww.supremesoft.ca

TAL Manufacturing Solutions Limitedwww.tal.co.in

TATA Consultancy Serviceswww.tcs.com

Thermotek International Incwww.thermatek.com

ThyysenKrupp Drauz Nothelfer GmbHwww.drauznothelfer.co.uk

TMS Transport- und Montagesysteme GmbHwww.tms-at.com


The commitment of Volkswagen to improving the environmental efficiency of its manufacturing processes is enshrined in a global initiative it calls Think Blue. Factory. The fundamental objective is to reduce the environmental impact of each of its vehicles and associated production processes by 25% over the period 2010-2018.

In August last year the company opened a new facility that it regards as a major milestone along the way to achieving that objective one that reduces energy consumption by 50% compared with previous similar operations and emissions, specifically particulates and VOCs, by a massive 90%. The facility in question is a paintshop for plastic parts at its plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, in which 120 employees are now involved in producing 4,000 bumpers each day for the Golf 7 vehicle as well as various other smaller parts and attachments. Process effectiveness The basic facts and figures for the facility, which took 18 months to construct, are certainly impressive. The new paintshop is spread over four levels and covers an area of 36x120m (4,320m). The application level itself is equipped

with a total of 24 robots. But as Thomas Hegel Gunter, head of VWs plastics business unit, confirms, the company sees the real significance of the facility as the way it has brought together painting technologies from different Volkswagen plants and developed them to set new benchmarks in terms of procedures and process effectiveness. "The operation of the new paintshop combines advanced processes with low environmental impact and high efficiency," he states.

Nevertheless the new paintshop at Wolfsburg is still just one element within a much wider corporate strategy. Gunter points out that in March 2012 Volkswagen gave the go-ahead for a fundamental environmental transformation of the entire Group. In total the company committed itself to invest 84.2 billion in its Automotive Division in pursuit of this objective. Moreover more than two thirds of the total investment is slated to be used to develop more efficient vehicles, powertrains and technologies, as well as eco-friendly production processes.

In the case of the Wolfsburg plastics paintshop the facilitys key characteristic, says Gunter, is that it applies newly developed advanced processes to conventional materials. At present, he confirms, conventional plastics suitable for injection molding are used. But in contrast the painting

Mike Farish reports on a new paintshop for plastic parts at VWs Wolfsburg plant, which exemplifies the companys drive to reduce the environmental impact of vehicle production

Volkswagen Wolfsburg OEM focus

24 APS | 2014

Think Blue to go green

process is a future-oriented process. A crucial factor underpinning this claim, for instance, is

that that facility does not use water for parts cleaning but instead employs carbon dioxide. As Gunter explains: This is a byproduct from various manufacturing processes and therefore helps in conserving resources. Meanwhile another contributory factor is the use of new spray heads which ensure highly efficient application of the paint and therefore avoid excessive paint use.

The innovatory aspects of the facility, though, start appropriately right at the beginning of the process in that initial part cleaning procedure. At this first stage the plastic parts are cleaned using dry ice in other words CO2 snow blasting and compressed air. The cleaned surfaces are then activated by flaming to ensure better paint absorption. After that the parts are primed using a two-component water-based paint. The subsequent basecoat consists of a single-component water-based paint, which is followed by a two-component solvent-based clearcoat. Gunter confirms that as far as Volkswagen is concerned this is a new painting process.

Moreover greatly diminished use of water is also a major element in the overall environmental efficiency of the installation. A key enabling factor in this respect is the use of a stone material to capture overspray. As Gunter explains: The stone powder functions as a natural binder for the paint residues created in the painting process and the saturated stone powder can then be recycled and reused. In addition, the use of stone powder means that no water is needed for binding the paint. He adds that this extraction process is also used at the Groups new vehicle plants.

The context for all this, of course, is the Think Blue. Factory. Initiative. Gunter provides reminder that the targets set for 2018 involve five key environmental indicators energy use, water consumption, waste production and CO2 and solvent emissions and are global in their ambition. They apply to all the Volkswagen brands plants throughout the world. Nevertheless another essential point about the specific technologies that Volkswagen is employing in the facility is that they have a mutually reinforcing effect on each other in order to maximise overall efficiencies. As Gunter notes: CO2 snow blasting is a water-free, chemical-free cleaning method that only uses carbon dioxide gas and compressed air. As liquid CO2 is produced as a byproduct of chemical manufacturing processes, the use of the substance has no environmental impact. Moreover a separate dryer is not needed during the process, which means that energy can be saved.

But in addition, states Gunter, the use of a heat pump and the fact that gas heating is not required for the cold intermediate drying process also allow energy to be saved. Nor do the beneficial consequences stop there. With dry extraction, water is not needed and direct recirculation of the painting cabin air is therefore possible as no moisture is accumulated, he explains. Air recirculation also considerably reduces the energy demand for air treatment compared with conventional painting cabins.

Gunter adds that another factor in the equation is the implementation of continuous on-line measurements of temperature, humidity and other values ensures reliable parameters for the painting process. In turn this means that ventilation systems can also be operated in line with demand, which once again reduces energy consumption.

More fundamentally Gunter also makes it clear that though the new Wolfsburg facility is currently leading the way in terms of environmental efficiency with the Volkswagen Group, the company has no intention that it should be an isolated showpiece. Instead the objective is very much that it should become a benchmark-setting example to be followed. He states emphatically that the targeted selection of plant systems, for instance the application and spent air treatment systems, and the use of low-emission

materials, most obviously water-based paints, have now become basic requirements for all projects involving the construction of new paintshops or the modification of existing paintshops within the Group.

Gunter does not, though, forget the people element. He says that relevant employee development started in May 2011 and continued for well over two years up to the start of operations for new paintshop. It involved a variety of seminars, information events and workshops, which aimed to ensure that the employees concerned received systematic training and were familiarised with the new equipment.

All the work and investment, though, is now paying off. Gunter states unambiguously: The quality level that has been reached at Wolfsburg is exemplary in the field of plastics paintshops within the Volkswagen Group. For the implementation of new projects, the Wolfsburg plastics paintshop will be taken as a benchmark as this facility uses the greatest number of innovative technologies.

The cleaned surfaces are activated by flaming to ensure better paint absorption

Volkswagen Wolfsburg OEM focus

2014 | APS 25

The Wolfsburg plastics paintshop will be taken as a benchmark as this facility uses the greatest number of innovative technologies Thomas Hegel Gunter,

Volkswagen

Speed is something strongly associated with Porsche. So its perhaps appropriate that one of the notable features of the new paintshop (built for production of the companys Macan SUV at its Leipzig plant) is the speed with which it has come into existence. The order to supply it was signed in March 2012 and by the middle of this year it was well down the ramp up track towards full production.

That rate of progression, reports Dirk Gorges, derived directly from Porsches decision to give all responsibility for the design and kitting out of the facility to just one major supplier Drr. Gorges is senior vice-president sales and marketing with the paint system supplier. He explains that it enabled decision making to take place within a highly compact team using a single project information tool.

But Gorges also says that the whole facility is significant for more than just the speed with which it progressed from concept to reality. It has also provided the opportunity for Drr to introduce several innovations of its own in particular its highly compact and modular EcoReBooth painting booth and the EcoBell3 Ci painting bell, both of which were only formally unveiled to the wider world as recently as May this year. As such, says Gorges, the combination of the rapidity with which the 60,000m2 facility has been commissioned and the level of automation involved represents a benchmark for the automotive industry.

Energy efficiencyThe facility also boasts a number of other world-class levels of performance. Porsche, in fact, claims that the facility is one of the most energy-efficient in the world. For instance 80% of its heat requirements are met by a biomass power plant located nearby. In addition it uses 90% re-circulated air through its employment of Drrs EcoDryScrubber dry separation technique, which utilises limestone powder instead of water to bind with excess paint particles. Elsewhere the light tunnel uses LEDs which are both more effective for defect detection and 30% more energy-efficient than neon tubes.

At first sight the sequence of operations in the facility seems fairly conventional. When they reach the entry to the paintshop, the Macan bodies pass through two stations in which the door hinges, engine bonnet and boot lid are securely fixed in place. They are also transferred from bodyshop skids to cathodic dip coating counterparts known as KTL skids from the German name for the process Kathodische Tauchlackieurung. The bodies then undergo a pretreatment in a dipping tank heated to 60C to remove grease from the presses, welding dust and other contaminants. This is followed by zinc phosphating to ensure optimal adhesion for a later corrosion protection coating in which the bodies are dipped but also rotated through 360 so that all cavities are flooded.

26 APS | 2014

Porsche DurrSpecial report

Painting the MacanPorsches new paintshop at Leipzig features new technologies to improve both energy and production efficiencies. Report by Mike Farish

Immersive experienceThe cathodic dip coating itself involves immersion in a primer at 33C with the paint solids evenly deposited via electrophoresis. Up to four bodies can be immersed at any one time, rotating both as they move along to ensure good coverage and again as they are lifted out of the tank so that excess fluid drains away before the next phase.

Then after travelling for 280 metres during this initial phase, the bodies are turned to progress back down the 360-metre length of the hall for a drying sequence in which the first of four dryers they encounter is the cathodic dip coating dryer, which reaches a peak temperature of 185C.

Automated sealingNext comes the automated sealing of the seams and flanges and the application of underbody protection with PVC materials. During this procedure the body is temporarily placed on a hanger before being returned to a skid for the robotic application of the primer, basecoat and clearcoat using electrostatic paint charging. But though the paintshop has 81 robots, the first station is a manual wiping shop where workers clean the bodies with cloths taking around six minutes per vehicle and focusing on specific areas such as the doors.

The bodies then progress through an air gate to blow off any remaining particles before reaching the first robot station, where Drr robots with saturated brush heads

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