Advantage powder technology – maintenance expenditure reduced, capacity reserves increased

Test Center trials at Bietigheim-
Bissingen, Germany.

Truck manufacturer Scania has introduced Dürr EcoBell2 Powder high speed rotating atomizers at its Oskarshamn facility in Sweden. The results of this move have proven so convincing that more re-equipment measures are now imminent.

At Oskarshamn Scania produces truck cabs made of galvanized steel sheet. This material provides high corrosion resistance and thus makes it possible to eliminate the cathodic dip painting stage usually included for steel. After pre-treatment, a specially developed powder primer is applied as a first paint coat, one that also provides effective stone chip protection. Due to their high susceptibility to failure, the components previously used for powder supply and application caused extensive maintenance work and had a negative influence on productivity.

As a result, Scania decided at the end of 2004 to carry out coating trials at Dürr’s Bietigheim-Bissingen Test Center using the latest generation of Dürr high speed rotating atomizers and powder supply systems. The target was to identify reliable components for powder supply and application and to integrate these step by step into the existing installation. The trials were successful and the existing six atomizers on a roof machine were replaced by Dürr EcoBell2 Powder high speed rotating atomizers early in 2005. The main needle valve ensures loss-free connection and disconnection of powder flow at the beginning of the application, for instance, in the window area or when the roof machine changes orientation. This also relieves the strain the recycling circuit. EcoPump Powder 0.3 and 3.0  DDF (digital dense flow) pumps were installed for powder paint application and supply.

After 2 years of production operation, the introduction of the new equipment is considered a complete success: Today, despite processing strongly abrasive powder paint, the application pumps need preventive maintenance only once every 5 months. Prior to conversion maintenance had to be carried out on a weekly basis. Currently, the pumps operate at approx. 65% of their maximum performance, so there is sufficient reserve capacity to handle increases in supply volume.

New steps in the conversion project are imminent. There are plans to replace the guns on three robots with high speed rotation atomizers and to convert the powder supply pumps. The robots in question are responsible for painting parts of the interior and of the underbody, the door cut ins and the back wall of the cab. The trials relating to painting of these areas indicated potential material savings, in comparison with current production figures, of 40-50 %.

Your contact:

Hans Georg Fritz - hans-georg.fritz(at)durr.com