Test Lab Painting

ABB Inc. Posted 04/21/2008

Problem:
Robotic painting using direct charge electrostatic high transfer efficiency paint for test panels.

Description of Process or Solution:
Paint test lab is developing new materials and testing paint to meet Automotive Standards. The IRB 5400 robot along with the standard ABB Cartridge Bell System can produce an easy and cost effective way to accomplish high transfer efficiency of paint onto a surface while improving productivity and sustaining the environment.  The IRB 5400 robot equuipped with the S4P+ controller can be used as a 6,7, or 8 axes robot in a variety of mounting configurations.

The concept is simple.  Instead of pumping paint through paint hoses from a pumping system to the end of a paint robot, paint is filled into cartridges which are handled bya simple 3-axis robot ( the ABB Cartridge Bell Handler) which prepares and fills paint cartridges and moves them into position to be inserted into the IRB 5400 robot paint applicator.

Justification Statement:
The ABB Cartridge Bell System provides two important benefits.  The paint is isloated into cartridges and waterborne paint can be direclty charged with electrosttics which creates a higher transfer efficiency of paint being applied to a vehicle.  Each cartridge is dedicated per color and is refilled and reused many times.

Another important benefit of paint cartridges is that they eliminate the need for paint hoses.  This improves the color change process and eliminates the need to flush agents to clean the hoses thereby reducing the amount of paint wasted.

These benefits can ultimately be translated into huge cost savings in terms of the purchasing, disposing and ahandling of paints and reduces the enfironmental emissions of paint chemicals.

Justification Drivers

Quality:  Yes
Manufacturing Tolerances:  Yes
Throughput & Waste Reduction:  Yes
ANSI/RIA R15.06-1992:  Yes
Risk Assessment:  Yes
Total Robots Installed:  One
Key Peripherals Installed:  ABB Cartridge Bell System