Dürr Seven-Axis Robots Will Paint Electric Vehicles in China

A seven-axis painting robot will be used to coat electric vehicles in a new Chongqing Sokon Industry Group plant that is scheduled to open later this month in Chongqing, China. This will be the first time that the painting robot, the EcoRP E043i from Dürr’s new generation of robots, will be used in China.

Dürr officials say the robot can paint different sized bodies of the electric SUVs flexibly and without the previously required displacement rail. The complete paint shop also will include a Dürr Ecopure air purification system with heat recovery, allowing the new plant to set standards when it comes to air pollution control, the company says.

Featured Content

Fixing Corrosion Between Anodized Aluminum and Steel

TTX Environmental Solves Customer Issue with Electro-Ceramic Desalination Wastewater Processing

Polishing vs. Buffing: What's the Difference?

The EcoRP E043i is said to be more mobile than six-axis painting robots, with an additional joint that extends its working area and allows painting of hard-to-access areas common to the interiors of automobile bodies. Traditional painting robots often move on rails, but the EcoRP E043i’s seven-axis kinematics eliminates the need for rails, Dürr says. This reduces investment and maintenance costs in the spray booth and enables a better view of the booth.

Sokon is expected to use 60 Ecopaint robots in the primer, topcoat and clear coat lines at the production facility. In addition to the 36 EcoRP E043i painting robots, 16 Scara door openers and six-axis hood openers also are being sent to China. Dürr also is supplying robots and application technology for the sealing stations. The seam sealing and insulation materials will be applied to the automotive bodies by 20 robots from the EcoRSi series, the company says.

The facility also will use the EcoScreen 3D-OnSite 4 universal software package for programming, simulating and optimizing Dürr’s painting and sealing robots. The software supports the new generation of robot controllers, is compatible with the previous version, and all relevant process data can be parameterized. It can be connected online to multiple robot controllers directly via the network so that changes to teach programs and process data can be transferred to the production process in the shortest possible time.

Founded in 1986, Sokon Group’s core businesses are manufacturing engines and new energy vehicles; complete vehicles is its major business line. The Dürr Group was established in the United States in 1970 and employs about 880 people with a validation, testing and training center in Southfield, Michigan.

Visit www.durr-northamerica.com.