International. Dürr presented a technology that eliminates emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during washing and color changes in the automotive painting process.
This solution allows for the first time to integrate the application of two-component (2C) varnishes directly into the return system inside the atomizer, virtually eliminating VOC emissions during the painting process.
The new technology has been successfully implemented for more than a year on two paint finishing lines of a leading automaker, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing emissions and improving operational efficiency.
Elimination of VOC emissions
In conventional processes, colour changes with 2C varnishes generated high levels of VOCs, contaminating more than 70% of the air in the paint booth. The EcoBell PurgeBox solution, which uses special filters, had already managed to reduce this figure by 60%. However, Dürr's new technology further reduces the release of VOCs to just 5%, by allowing the return of uncured 2C varnishes, similar to the traditional process with 1C varnishes. This innovation employs a proprietary process sequence that optimizes the mix of materials efficiently.
In addition to the environmental benefits, Dürr's technology also promises a significant improvement in production times. Now, the cleaning process of the bell disc and atomizer in the EcoBell Cleaner D2 is done in just 15 seconds, which halves the time required to change color and allows for greater production capacity. This opens up new opportunities to use special finishes, such as inked varnishes, without affecting the cycle time.
With the EcoBell4 Pro, car manufacturers can integrate up to two 2C material return systems into a single robotic arm, enabling the simultaneous preparation of different types of primer and catalysts. Even when chemically incompatible materials are used, the technology allows their interference-free application. This, together with the ability to check varnish compatibility at the Dürr test center, offers unprecedented flexibility in the industry.
The mixed material return system not only reduces emissions, but also significantly decreases operating costs. By eliminating the need for additional funnels and units like the EcoBell PurgeBox, investment costs are considerably lower. This technology is available for the EcoBell4 Pro systems in 2x2C and 1x2C variants, and the EcoBell3 can be equipped with the 1x2C return system.
