Conveyor System for the Paint Shop and New Paint Booth

Project description

The line is designed as a combination of manual, gravity, and continuous overhead conveyor systems with continuous movement, gravity buffers, and next-generation ITS automatic stop stations. The solution includes an automatic loop with a drag chain and the very first implementation of a new type of transfer unit on the conveyor system. The project also involved the development of a new ITS pusher design and a proprietary rotating mechanism for handling hangers and painted parts. A technologically interesting feature is the use of gravity conveyor sections and automatic “pushers,” which ensure smooth and efficient movement of hangers without operator intervention.

The pass-through wet paint booth is equipped with a high-performance air handling module, hot-water heating coils, and a warm air recirculation system for the drying process. Thanks to up to 90% air recirculation, the system achieves significant energy savings – approximately 80% reduction in heating medium consumption and up to 50% savings in electrical energy during the drying phase. The entire solution was designed for the application of water-based paints without electrostatic spraying and for a production capacity of up to 540 parts per shift. The result is a modern, energy-efficient painting line with a high level of automation, improved operational efficiency, and significantly simplified operation.

Project Benefits in Figures

• Increased conveyor system capacity by replacing manual handling with 7 carts by an overhead conveyor system with 70 carriers, a 72 m automatic loop, and continuous conveying.
• Higher paint shop productivity thanks to a unified material flow and automatic passage through the drying oven. The conveyor is designed for a throughput of one carrier per minute, enabling production throughput to increase by approximately 20–40% compared to the previous manual handling process.
• Lower handling costs by eliminating repeated transfer of parts between carts, the paint booth, and the drying oven. The automated material flow can reduce handling time by 30–50%.
• Increased drying capacity thanks to a continuous conveyor with a buffer for 52 carriers, eliminating waiting times for dryer availability and stabilising production throughput.
• Improved coating quality thanks to a fully automated spray booth with controlled temperature, air filtration, and 1,200 lux lighting, ensuring stable conditions for coating application.
• Increased buffer capacity and smoother product flow thanks to two parallel unloading tracks, reducing waiting times and improving the continuity of the reconditioning process. The expected throughput increase in this section of the line is approximately 10–20%.