Air Quality Control for the Automotive Painting Process

Once contaminated air particles cause a defect on a freshly painted surface, a Loss of Control Event is reached. This is the point at which costly rework is unavoidable.

There are significant costs associated with managing risks and detecting defects. Even when the most comprehensive precautions are taken, failures occur. Actual detection efficiency rates of trained human operators range from 80% to 90%. When robots are used to fill the role of human operators, detection efficiency rates increase to approximately 96%.

Potential Causes of Defects Leading to Rework:

• Ambient dust or process dust
• Human hair
• Textile fibres
• Contaminants, such as silicone or PVC particles
• Human error
• Process error

Required rework causes productivity to suffer:

• Longer production schedules
• Loss of profits due to add-on-processing
• Negative impact on Key Performance Indicators
• Increased operating costs for paint line

Managing air quality for painting processes is critical to maintaining a fluid supply chain. Eliminating airborne dust contamination is essential to preventing failures which halt production, affecting both the upstream and downstream supply chain.

The first step in controlling air quality is installation of appropriate filters for all stages of the paint process. Early detection and effective management of contamination risks are key to minimizing production disturbances and reducing costs.

The paint shop is the most energy intensive step of car manufacturing. A full 75% of the total energy required for the process is used in the operation of the paint shop’s ovens and spray booths. To achieve the air quality required for optimal surface treatment results, large quantities of air are temperature treated and moved.

Paint shop operation teams need the support of a trusted on-site advisor who can perform air filtration audits, diagnostics, and continuous improvement to ensure the most optimal effective solution for cost savings and risk reduction.

We do this by providing a consultative and technical approach to understanding your complete air filtration needs, application, and business goals, to optimize your performance and lower your total cost of ownership.