RoDip Ezy replaces the RoDip E, but remains loyal to the tried-and-tested rotational dip process for pretreatment and cathodic electrocoating. At the same time, central components – from the trolley to the rail system to the energy transmission and control system – have been redesigned. The result is a compact system that is not only easy to maintain and install but also increases flexibility when it comes to plant planning. The rotating drive uses a compact cycloidal gearbox that has long proven itself in Dürr’s robots on an industrial scale. RoDip Ezy guarantees a standardized trolley concept for different weight classes, ranging from passenger cars to vans.
Turntable replaced by a curved route
Another key innovation is the curved line route. While RoDip E uses turntables for direction changes, the trolleys in RoDip Ezy can navigate right-hand and left-hand curves. Technically complex turntables are no longer necessary. This reduces plant complexity and allows a more flexible process line. In addition to the classic two-loop system with separate trolleys for pretreatment and cathodic electrocoating, it is also possible to implement a shared loop (one-loop system) with the same trolleys for both pretreatment and cathodic electrocoating. This configuration requires less external conveyor technology as well as fewer rails and trolleys. “RoDip Ezy is suitable for both new plants and for modernizing existing factories,” says Klaus Heinsohn, product manager at Dürr. “Since RoDip Ezy can navigate curves of 180 degrees or more, it means we can adapt the routing to challenging spatial conditions or different distances between the process steps as required.”
Lightweight aluminum profiles
The new rail system is made of standardized aluminum profiles already used by Dürr elsewhere, such as in final assembly. Because the elements are lighter, they are easier to integrate and can be assembled more quickly. Extensive adjustment work, as was required with the previous steel elements, is no longer necessary.
More than 100 million vehicles worldwide have been protected against corrosion using RoDip. The system is regarded as the benchmark for the rotational dip process. The space-saving and resource-efficient method turns bodies around their own axis, and therefore only needs short immersion tanks for immersion, flooding, and draining. In addition to the mechanically robust RoDip M, the flexibly programmable RoDip Ezy adds a new variant to the lineup that enables a high degree of flexibility when planning plant layouts.
