At BMW, robots now paint cars with pinpoint accuracy

BMW is testing a new painting process in which robots apply paint to cars with almost no loss. The technology is reminiscent of inkjet printing and saves costs and materials.

When painting cars in multiple colors or applying patterns, it has so far hardly been possible without so-called masking, i.e. masking off parts of the car, or the time-consuming application of the paint by hand. That should change now. BMW is now testing a new, so-called overspray-free painting process that is reminiscent of the procedure used by inkjet printers. BMW relies on the Ecopaintjet Pro system developed by Dürr.

Up to now, paint in car production has been atomized with a rotating bell at 35,000 to 55,000 revolutions per minute. In which new procedures robots apply the paint via an applicator via a nozzle plate. This allows the color to be applied with sharp edges, like BMW notifies. The variable painting width is between one and about 50 millimeters. The result: This enables two-tone paintwork as well as the application of stripes and patterns.

“In perspective, the new painting process will succeed in painting every component in the vehicle exterior and offering the customer the option of customization on the inside with almost no restrictions,” says the car manufacturer. The technology is being used for the first time in 19 BMW M4 Coupés at the Dingolfing plant – on a trial basis. According to the group, the series use of the piloted painting process is planned from 2022.

The BMW M4 Coupés are currently being equipped with an individual bicolor paintwork and an M4 marking on the bonnet and tailgate. So far, such special productions could only be realized by manual masking, so-called masking. The material and personnel costs required for this are omitted. That means: lower costs. There is also no need to dispose of excess paint particles and energy consumption is reduced.

Overall, the new process should lead to energy savings of more than 6,000 megawatt hours. BMW has reckoned with around 7,000 operating hours. The so-called CO2 footprint is to be reduced by almost 2,000 tons per year.