The vehicle personalization trend shows no signs of slowing down. Until now, the process involved manually gluing on elaborate patterns or lettering – often multi-layered, difficult-to-recycle films with noticeable edges and limited adhesion. EcoNextJet automates this labor-intensive step, transforming creative design into a serial process. “The lines printed by EcoNextJet are as fine as a human hair. Regardless of the geometry or alignment of the body, detailed designs with high surface quality are possible in almost any location. Once the graphic has been clear coated, you can’t feel it anymore,” says Timo Beyl, Manager New Technologies at Dürr.
Drop-on-demand: Painting at the highest resolution
EcoNextJet is based on drop-on-demand technology. This involves attaching a printhead with 2,000 individually controllable nozzles to a painting robot. Each nozzle dispenses paint only when needed. Up to six drops can be dispensed per pixel. As the drops fly through the air, they merge into one larger drop before reaching the surface of the vehicle body. This technology allows size and speed to be controlled with a very high degree of precision. Pixel by pixel, a paper-thin image is produced, with approximately five micrometers of paint film thickness and resolution up to 720 dpi. The two-channel printhead can dispense two colors simultaneously. A software program, specially developed by Dürr, controls the robot’s path and calculates the point of impact for each drop – even on convex or vertical surfaces. Importantly, the same paint is used for all surfaces, simplifying the process and ensuring consistent finish quality.
Partnership as the key to innovation
EcoNextJet was developed through close partnerships: Dürr handled process integration, robotics, and software for the painting process; paint manufacturer Axalta developed the appropriate paints; and printhead manufacturer XAAR provided the printhead. “Our customers want their designers to have more freedom, especially when it comes to high-resolution graphics. The partnership with Axalta and XAAR significantly shortened the development time and made it possible to offer a complete system that meets the automotive industry’s requirements,” says Frank Herre, Director Automotive (Paint Shop) at Dürr.
Ready for practical use
EcoNextJet is available for initial testing in Dürr’s test centers in Bietigheim, Germany, and Southfield, Michigan, USA. At these facilities, manufacturers can observe how graphics and patterns are produced in an automated painting process that uses no films, reduces waste, and saves labor time. At the same time, the high resolution opens up new design possibilities. EcoNextJet is thus not only a technological innovation, but also a means of more efficient and more sustainable processes in vehicle production.
