2nd floor pushti complex, Atmajyoti Ashram road Ellora park Vadodara 390 023 L C Code No.

02798

Project Report
A STUDY ON ROBOTIC PAINT APPLICATION PROCESS
Project Report submitted to Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical & Technological Science, Distance education wing, Syndicate house, Manipal - 576 104, India In partially fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Project Guide: Mr. Avijit Sanyal P. Patel Rohitkumar

GM - Operation 511025977 AMW Automotive Component Ltd. 30th June, 2012

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Reg. No.

One of the greatest learning of my life is if you want a new contribution, you have got to make a whole new preparation. The Sikkim Manipal University has enabled me to prepare this project as a part of MBA (Operation Management) curriculum, which has truly served the purpose. I am indebted to the Company Management to allow me to undergo the project A STUDY ON ROBOTIC PAINT APPLICATION PROCESS as a part of MBA (Operation Management) course. My sincere thanks to my guide Shri Avijit Sanyal, GM operation for his valuable guidance and standing beside me through out the project I express my gratitude to Shri S.L.Bapat, Divs Academy, Vadodara for giving very strong support in the process and taking very keen interest in the working students like me. I feel proud to term him as a friend philosopher and guide for his kind efforts during the entire course. Finally I thankfully acknowledge the direct and indirect support given to me by my friends and colleagues for preparing the reports. Rohitkmar P. Patel. Registration No. 511025977
2

LC Code No. 02798

Annexure B I hereby declare that the project report entitled A STUDY ON ROBOTIC PAINT APPLICATION PROCESS submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Business Administration to Sikkim Manipal University, India is my original work and not submitted for the awards of any other degree, diploma, fellowship or any other similar title or prizes.

Place: Vadodara Date: 30/06/2012

Rohitkumar P. Patel Registration No. 511025977

Annexure C The project report of Mr. Rohitkumar P. Patel entitled A STUDY ON ROBOTIC PAINT APPLICATION PROCESS is approved and is acceptable in quality and form.

Internal Examiner

External Examiner

Annexure D

To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN This is to certify that the project report entitled A STUDY ON ROBOTIC PAINT APPLICATION PROCESS submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Business Administration of Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technologies Sciences. Mr. Rohitkumar P. Patel has worked under my supervision and guidance and that no part of this report has been submitted for the award of any other Degree, Diploma, Fellowship or other similar titles or prizes and that the work has not been published in any journal or magazine.

Registration No.: 511025977 CERTIFIED BY (Avijit Sanyal) GM- Operation AMW Automotive Components Ltd.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Sr. No. PARTICULARS 1 Executive Summary Part I: Automobile Industry Introduction Challanges in Indian automotive industry History Industry Defination Industry market analysis PESTL Analysis Porters Five Forces Model SWOT Analysis Factors Contributing to Growth of Indian Auto Future of Indian Auto Industry Part II: Company Profile About AMW Vision & Mission Profile Part III: Project Overview Paint application techniques introduction Transfer efficiency & paint application Convention Air spray HVLP Air spray Low pressure/Low volume Airless spray Electrostatic spray Other methods Overview of application techniques Robotic Paint application History Methodolgy Advantage of automation Conclusion Findings Reccomendation Bibliography Page No. 7 9 10 15 17 19 20 25 31 32 36 38 39 39 49 51 60 62 65 66 71 75 79 84 88 94 104 105 106 107

5 6 7 8

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The robot can be a great tool, but it is only a tool. The most common mistake is assuming that the robot is a paint expert. It is not. The expertise comes from support staff who keep the robot calibrated and at optimum functionality. With the combination of well trained staff and maintained robots, it will be very possible to increase quality and throughput while reducing cost and being a better corporate citizen.

Automotive companies and suppliers were early users of paint robots, and they continue to take advantage of todays more flexible robots to minimize floorspace on paint lines. Use of robotic painting has expanded to Tier 1 automotive suppliers, as well as to general industry. Auto component manufacturers also are turning to paint robots to provide the kind of highquality finishes needed on components. With advanced controls and increased flexibility, modern paint robots are easy to cost-justify for virtually any application.

When robots are used to paint parts, sometimes another robot is used to pretreat the parts with a plasma or flame treatment, which changes the molecular structure of the plastic and enhances adhesion between the paint and the parts.

PART I

AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

Introduction There has been a sudden spurt in the Indian Automobile Industry, especially since last two years when the industry posted double digits growth and turned the heads to the global car makers towards the Indian market. Since that time, there have been some big bets on the Indian Automotive Scenario a decade hence.

Government has lined up some challenges in Automotive Mission Plan (AMP ) 2016 but we have seen major global slowdown in the current financial year, even the largest market of Automobiles, China has posted the lowest ever growth for November 2011 when compared to the last six months figures. Has the global Automobile market slowed down? How much will it affect the Indian Automobile industry? One on side, we can see some major investments happening across the sector by almost every major car maker Ford, PSA & Maruti setting up new plants in Gujarat. Hyundai, VW & Renault building up their capacities to ramp up their production plans for the Indian market. The home made automobile majors including Tatas and Mahindras are launching the new models based on global platforms to keep pace with the foreign car makers and not to lose their pie of market share. On the other side, we have the lowest ever sales in last six months and SIAM revising the targets from earlier 12% to now 2-4%. It was also recently in news that the Industry body, SIAM will again be revising the growth targets after the upcoming 2012 Auto Expo. Now, the biggest question lies in, is this actually the slowdown of the market or is it one back step taken by the bull in order to take a big leap ahead?

10

We will now analyze both sides of the coin. Challenges ahead for the Indian Automotive Industry

Never stopping Interest Rate hikes and Petrol hikes Global Economic Slowdown, with manufacturing contributing almost

80% to Indian IIP

Governments indecisiveness on future Diesel policy clarity Frequent Labour Unrest in Indian automobile industry. Marutis case

has been wide known across the globe. Hyundai too was hit (though mildly) by Labour unrest.

No incentives provided by Indian government for carrying out on emerging technologies

research

Poor Infrastructure to bring in Electric Vehicles in India Huge Supply Demand gap for alternative fuels like CNG, LPG High Tax structure for importing build in Electric Cars Governments frequent policy/tax structure changes. Maharashtra has

been hit majorly due to this

Positive points for Indian Automobile Industry

Huge Investments in process by almost every major car maker. Presence of almost all major automakers in India shows interest &

commitment towards market

Luxury Car market growing by unimaginable 50% growth showing

willingness to spend

Growth in Income amongst the citizens and their capability to spend

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Willingness to accept newer models against earlier philosophy of

sticking to Maruti vehicles

With just 2.5 mn passenger car sales in a year, there lies huge

untapped potential.

The market at present seems to be the strongest growing market among all those automobile market present across the globe. The challenges, if tackled well by the Government, the Indian Automobile Industry will achieve the said AMP 2016 and will be the third largest market by 2020 and will be the worlds largest market by 2050. What is needed is Swift Sales of the vehicles (already happening) along with Rapid decisions on the pending matters from Government end along with the Endeavour to grow within every carmaker.

The automotive industry in India is one of the largest in the world and one of the fastest growing globally. India's passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturing industry is the sixth largest in the world, with an annual production of more than 3.7 million units in 2010.[1]According to recent reports, India is set to overtake Brazil to become the sixth largest passenger vehicle producer in the world, growing 16-18 per cent to sell around three million units in the course of 2011-12.[2] In 2009, India emerged as Asia's fourth largest exporter ofpassenger cars, behind Japan, South Korea, and Thailand.[3] In 2010, India reached as Asia's third largest exporter of passenger cars, behind Japan and South Korea beating Thailand. As of 2010, India is home to 40 million passenger vehicles. More than 3.7 million automotive vehicles were produced in India in 2010 (an increase of 33.9%), making the country the second fastest growing automobile market in
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the world. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, annual vehicle sales are projected to increase to 5 million by 2015 and more than 9 million by 2020.[6] By 2050, the country is expected to top the world in car volumes with approximately 611 million vehicles on the nation's roads.[7] The majority of India's car manufacturing industry is based around three clusters in the south, west and north. The southern cluster near Chennai is the biggest with 40% of the revenue share. The western hub near Maharashtra is 33% of the market. The northern cluster is primarily Haryana with 32%.
[8]

Chennai, is also referred to as the "Detroit of India"[9] with the India

operations of Ford, Hyundai, Renault and Nissan headquartered in the city and BMWhaving an assembly plant on the outskirts. Chennai accounts for 60% of the country's automotive exports.[10] Gurgaon and Manesar in Haryana form the northern cluster where the country's largest car manufacturer, Maruti Suzuki, is based.[11] The Chakan corridor nearPune, Maharashtra is the western cluster with companies like General Motors, Volkswagen,Skoda, Mahindra and Mahindra, Tata Motors, Mercedes Benz, Land Rover, Fiat and Force Motors[12]
[13]

having

assembly

plants

in

the

area. Aurangabad with Audi, Skoda andVolkswagen also forms part of the western cluster. Another emerging cluster is in the state ofGujarat with manufacturing facility of General Motors in Halol and further planned for Tata Nano at Sanand. Ford, Maruti Suzuki and Peugeot-Citroen plants are also set to come up in Gujarat.[14] Kolkatta with Hindustan Motors, Noida with Honda and Bangalore with Toyota are some of the other automotive manufacturing regions around the country.

The Indian Automobile Industry manufactures over 11 million vehicles and exports about 1.5 million each year.[18] The dominant products of the industry
13

are two-wheelers with a market share of over 75% and passenger cars with a market share of about 16%.[18]Commercial vehicles and three-wheelers share about 9% of the market between them. About 91% of the vehicles sold are used by households and only about 9% for commercial purposes. [18] The industry has a turnover of more than USD $35 billion and provides direct and indirect employment to over 13 million people.[18]??? The supply chain is similar to the supply chain of the automotive industry in Europe and America. Interestingly, the level of trade exports in this sector in India has been medium and imports have been low. However, this is rapidly changing and both exports and imports are increasing. The demand determinants of the industry are factors like affordability, product innovation, infrastructure and price of fuel. Also, the basis of competition in the sector is high and increasing, and its life cycle stage is growth. With a rapidly growing middle class, all the advantages of this sector in India are yet to be leveraged. With a high cost of developing production facilities, limited accessibility to new technology, and increasing competition, the barriers to enter the Indian Automotive sector are high. On the other hand, India has a well-developed tax structure. The power to levy taxes and duties is distributed among the three tiers of Government. The cost structure of the industry is fairly traditional, but the profitability of motor vehicle manufacturers has been rising over the past five years. Major players, like Tata Motors and Maruti Suzuki have material cost of about 80% but are recording profits after tax of about 6% to 11%.[18] The level of technology change in the Motor vehicle Industry has been high but, the rate of change in technology has been medium. Investment in the technology by the producers has been high. System-suppliers of integrated components and sub-systems have become the order of the day. However, further investment in new technologies will help the industry be more
14

competitive. Over the past few years, the industry has been volatile. Currently, India's increasing per capita disposable income which is expected to rise by 106% by 2015[18] and growth in exports is playing a major role in the rise and competitiveness of the industry. Tata Motors is leading the commercial vehicle segment with a market share of about 64%.[18] Maruti Suzuki is leading the passenger vehicle segment with a market share of 46%.[18] Hyundai Motor India Limited and Mahindra and Mahindra are focusing expanding their footprint in the overseas market. Hero MotoCorp is occupying over 41% and sharing 26%[18] of the two-wheeler market in India withBajaj Auto. Bajaj Auto in itself is occupying about 58% of the three-wheeler market. Consumers are very important of the survival of the Motor

Vehicle manufacturing industry. In 2008-09, customer sentiment dropped, which burned on the augmentation in demand of cars. Steel is the major input used by manufacturers and the rise in price of steel is putting a cost pressure on manufacturers and cost is getting transferred to the end consumer. The price of oil and petrol affect the driving habits of consumers and the type of car they buy. The key to success in the industry is to improve labour productivity, labour flexibility, and capital efficiency. Having quality manpower,infrastructure improvements, and raw material availability also play a major role. Access to latest and most efficient technology and techniques will bring competitive advantage to the major players. Utilising manufacturing plants to optimum level and understanding implications from the government policies are the essentials in the Automotive Industry of India. Both, Industry and Indian Government are obligated to intervene the Indian Automotive industry. The Indian government should facilitate infrastructure creation, create favourable and predictable business environment, attract
15

investment and promote research and development. The role of Industry will primarily be in designing and manufacturing products of world-class quality establishing cost competitiveness and improving productivity in labour and in capital. With a combined effort, the Indian Automotive industry will emerge as the destination of choice in the world for design and manufacturing of automobiles.

History The first car ran on India's roads in 1897. Until the 1930s, cars were imported directly, but in very small numbers. Embryonic automotive industry emerged in India in the 1940s. Mahindra & Mahindra was established by two brothers as a trading company in 1945, and began assembly of Jeep CJ-3A utility vehicles under license from Willys.[19] The company soon branched out into the manufacture of light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and agricultural tractors.[20] Following the independence, in 1947, the Government of India and the private sector launched efforts to create an automotive component manufacturing industry to supply to the automobile industry. However, the growth was relatively slow in the 1950s and 1960s due tonationalisation and the license raj which hampered the Indian private sector. After 1970, the automotive industry started to grow, but the growth was mainly driven by tractors, commercial vehicles and scooters. Cars were still a major luxury. Japanese manufacturers entered the Indian market ultimately leading to the establishment of Maruti Udyog. A number of foreign firms initiated joint ventures with Indian companies.[21] In the 1980s, a number of Japanese manufacturers launched joint-ventures for building motorcycles and light commercial-vehicles. It was at this time that the
16

Indian government chose Suzuki for its joint-venture to manufacture small cars. Following the economicliberalisation in 1991 and the gradual weakening of the license raj, a number of Indian and multi-national car companies launched operations. Since then, automotive component and automobile manufacturing growth has accelerated to meet domestic and export demands. Following economic liberalization in India in 1991, the Indian automotive industry has demonstrated sustained growth as a result of increased competitiveness and relaxed restrictions. Several Indian automobile manufacturers such as Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki andMahindra and Mahindra, expanded their domestic and international operations. India's robust economic growth led to the further expansion of its domestic automobile market which has attracted significant India-specific investment by multinational automobile manufacturers. In February 2009, monthly sales of passenger cars in India exceeded 100,000 units and has since grown rapidly to a record monthly high of 182,992 units in October 2009. From 2003 to 2010, car sales in India have progressed at a CAGR of 13.7%, and with only 10% of Indian households owning a car in 2009 (whereas this figure reaches 80% in Switzerland for example)this progression is unlikely to stop in the coming decade. Congestion of Indian roads, more than market demand, will likely be the limiting factor. SIAM is the apex industry body representing all the vehicle manufacturers, home-grown and international, in India. Industry Definition This class consists of units mainly engaged in manufacturing motor vehicles or motor vehicle engines. Products and Services The primary activities of this industry are: Motor cars manufacturing Motor vehicle engine manufacturing
17

The major products and services in this industry are: Passenger motor vehicle manufacturing segment (Passenger Cars, Utility Vehicles & Multi Purpose Vehicles) Commercial Vehicles (Medium & Heavy and Light Commercial Vehicles) Two Wheelers Three Wheelers Supply Chain of Automobile Industry The supply chain of automotive industry in India is very similar to the supply chain of the automotive industry in Europe and America. The orders of the industry arise from the bottom of the supply chain i. e., from the consumers and goes through the automakers and climbs up until the third tier suppliers. However the products, as channelled in every traditional automotive industry, flow from the top of the supply chain to reach the consumers. Automakers in India are the key to the supply chain and are responsible for the products and innovation in the industry. The description and the role of each of the contributors to the supply chain are discussed below. Third Tier Suppliers: These companies provide basic products like rubber, glass, steel, plastic and aluminium to the second tier suppliers. Second Tier Suppliers: These companies design vehicle systems or bodies for First Tier Suppliers and OEMs. They work on designs provided by the first tier suppliers or OEMs. They also provide engineering resources for detailed designs. Some of their services may include welding, fabrication, shearing, bending etc. First Tier Suppliers: These companies provide major systems directly to assemblers. These companies have global coverage to follow their customers to various locations around the world. They design and innovate to provide "blackbox" solutions for the requirements of their customers. Black-box solutions are

18

solutions created by suppliers using their own technology to meet the performance and interface requirements set by assemblers. First tier suppliers are responsible not only for the assembly of parts into complete units like dashboard, brakes-axle-suspension, seats, or cockpit but also for the management of second-tier suppliers. Automakers/Vehicle Manufacturers/Original Equipment Manufacturers

(OEMs): After researching consumers' wants and needs, automakers begin designing models which are tailored to consumers' demands. The design process normally takes five years. These companies have manufacturing units where engines are manufactured and parts supplied by first tier suppliers and second tier suppliers are assembled. Automakers are the key to the supply chain of the automotive industry. Examples of these companies are Tata Motors,Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, and Honda. Innovation, design capability and branding are the main focus of these companies. Dealers: Once the vehicles are ready they are shipped to the regional branch and from there, to the authorised dealers of the companies. The dealers then sell the vehicles to the end customers. Parts and Accessory: These companies provide products like tires, windshields, and air bags etc. to automakers and dealers or directly to customers. Service Providers: Some of the services to the customers include servicing of vehicles, repairing parts, or financing of vehicles. Many dealers provide these services but, customers can also choose to go to independent service providers.

19

International Markets Analysis

The Indian automotive industry embarked a new journey in 1991 with delicensing of the sector and subsequent opening up for 100% foreign direct investment (FDI). Since then almost all global majors have set up their facilities in Indian taking the level of production from 2 million in 1991 to over 10 million in recent years.[18] The exports in automotive sector have grown on an average compound annual growth rate of 30% per year for the last seven years. The export earnings from this sector are over USD 6 billion.[18] Even with this rapid growth, the Indian automotive industry's contribution in global terms is very low. This is evident from the fact that even thought passenger and commercial vehicles have crossed the production figures of 2.3 million in the year 2008,[18] yet India's share is about 3.28% of world production of 70.53 million passenger and commercial vehicles. India's automotive exports constitute only about 0.3% of global automotive trade.[18]

(I) PESTL ANALYSIS Political In 2002, the Indian government formulated an auto policy that aimed at promoting integrated, phased, enduring and self-sustained growth of the Indian automotive industry Allows automatic approval for foreign equity investment up to 100% in the automotive sector and does not lay down any minimum investment criteria.

20

 Formulation of an appropriate auto fuel policy to ensure availability of adequate amount of appropriate fuel to meet emission norms Confirms the governments intention on harmonizing the regulatory standards with the rest of the world Indian government auto policy aimed at promoting an integrated, phased and conductive growth of the Indian automobile industry. Allowing automatic approval for foreign equity investment up to 100% with no minimum investment criteria. Establish an international hub for manufacturing small, affordable passenger cars as well as tractor and two wheelers. Ensure a balanced transition to open trade at minimal risk to the Indian economy and local industry. Assist development of vehicle propelled by alternate energy source. Lying emphasis on R&D activities carried out by companies in India by giving a weighted tax deduction of up to 150% for in house research and R&D activities. Plan to have a terminal life policy for CVs along with incentives for replacement for such vehicles. Promoting multi-model transportation and the implementation of mass rapid transport system. Economic The level of inflation Employment level per capita is right. Economic pressures on the industry are causing automobile companies to reorganize the traditional sales process.
21

 Weighted tax deduction of up to 150% for in-house research and R & D activities. Govt. has granted concessions, such as reduced interest rates for export financing. The Indian economy has grown at 8.5% per annum. The manufacturing sector has grown at 8-10 % per annum in the last few years. More than 90% of the CV purchase is on credit. Finance availability to CV buyers has grown in scope during the last few years. The increased enforcement of overloading restrictions has also contributed to an increase in the no. of CVs plying on Indian roads. Several Indian firms have partnered with global players. While some have formed joint ventures with equity participation, other also has entered into technology tie-ups. Establishment of India as a manufacturing hub, for mini, compact cars, OEMs and for auto components.

Social Since changed lifestyle of people, leads to increased purchase of automobiles, so automobile sector have a large customer base to serve.

22

 The average family size is 4, which makes it favorable to buy a four wheeler. Growth in urbanization, 4th largest economy by ppp index. Upward migration of household income levels. 85% of cars are financed in India. Car priced below USD 12000 accounts for nearly 80% of the market. Vehicles priced between USD 7000-12000 form the largest segment in the passenger car market. Indian customers are highly discerning, educated and well informed. They are price sensitive and put a lot of emphasis on value for money. Preference for small and compact cars. They are socially acceptable even amongst the well off. Preference for fuel efficient cars with low running costs.

Technological

More and more emphasis is being laid on R & D activities carried out by companies in India.

Weighted tax deduction of up to 150% for in-house research and R & D activities. The Government of India is promoting National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) to support the growth of the auto industry in India

23

 Technological solutions helps in integrating the supply chain, hence reduce losses and increase profitability. Customized solutions (designer cars, etc) can be provided with the proliferation of technology Internet makes it easy to collect and analyse customer feedback With the entry of global companies into the Indian market, advanced technologies, both in product and production process have developed. With the development or evolution of alternate fuels, hybrid cars have made entry into the market.

Few global companies have setup R & D centres in India. Major global players like Audi, BMW & Hyundai etc have setup their manufacturing units in India.

Environmental

Physical infrastructure such as roads and bridges affect the use of automobiles. If there is good availability of roads or the roads are smooth then it will affect the use of automobiles.

Physical conditions like environmental situation affect the use of automobiles. If the environment is pleasant then it will lead to more use of vehicles. Technological solutions helps in integrating the supply chain, hence reduce losses and increase profitability. With the entry of global companies into the Indian market, advanced technologies, both in product and production process have developed.

24

 With the development or evolution of alternate fuels, hybrid cars have made entry into the market.

Few global companies have setup R & D centres in India. Major global players like Audi, BMW, and Hyundai etc have setup their manufacturing units in India.

Legal Legal provision relating to environmental population by automobiles. Legal provisions relating to safety measures. Confirms the governments intention on harmonizing the regulatory standards with the rest of the world Indian government auto policy aimed at promoting an integrated, phased and conductive growth of the Indian automobile industry. Establish an international hub for manufacturing small, affordable passenger cars as well as tractor and two wheelers. Ensure a balanced transition to open trade at minimal risk to the Indian economy and local industry. Political / Legal - Environmental regulation and protection - Taxation Economic - Economic growth Social - Income distribution Technological - Government spending on research - Government and industry focus on technological effort

- Monetary policy

- Demographics

25

- International trade regulation - Consumer protection - Employment law

- Government spending - Policy towards unemployment - Taxation

- Labor / social mobility - Lifestyle changes

- New discoveries and development - Speed of technology transfer

- Attitudes to - Rates of work and leisure technological obsolescence - Education - Energy use and costs

- Government organization / attitude - Competition regulation

- Exchange rates

- Inflation

- Fashions and fads - Health & welfare

- Changes in material sciences - Impact of changes in Information technology - Internet!

- Stage of the business cycle

- Economic "mood" - consumer confidence

- Living conditions

(II)

PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL

Porters Five Forces of Competition framework views the profitability of an industry as determined by five sources of competitive pressure. These five forces of competition include three sources of horizontal competition: competition from substitutes, competition from entrants, and competition from established rivals; and two sources of vertical competition: the bargaining

26

power of suppliers and buyers. The strength of each of these competitive forces is determined by a number of key structural variables, as shown in Figure 3.3.

FIGURE 3.3 Porters Five Forces of Competition framework

Competition from Substitutes The price customers are willing to pay for a product depends, in part, on the availability of substitute products. The absence of close substitutes for a product, as in the case of automobiles, means that consumers are comparatively insensitive to price (i.e., demand is inelastic with respect to price). The existence of close substitutes means that customers will switch to substitutes in response to price increases for the product (i.e., demand is elastic with respect to price). The extent to which substitutes limit prices and profits depends on the propensity of buyers to substitute between alternatives. This, in turn, is dependent on their price performance characteristics. The more complex the needs being fulfilled by the product and the more difficult it is to discern
27

performance differences, the lower the extent of substitution by customers on the basis of price differences.

FIGURE 3.3. The structural determinants of the Five Forces of Competition

Rivalry between Established Competitors

For most industries, the major determinant of the overall state of competition and the general level of profitability is competition among the firms within the industry. In some industries, firms compete aggressively sometimes to the extent that prices are pushed below the level of costs and industry-wide losses are incurred. In others, price competition is muted and rivalry focuses on advertising, innovation, and other non price dimensions. Six factors play an important role in determining the nature and intensity of competition between

28

established firms: concentration, the diversity of competitors, product differentiation, excess capacity, exit barriers, and cost conditions. Threat of Entry If an industry earns a return on capital in excess of its cost of capital, that industry acts as a magnet to firms outside the industry. Unless the entry of new firms is barred, the rate of profit will fall toward its competitive level. The threat of entry rather than actual entry may be sufficient to ensure that established firms constrain their prices to the competitive level.

Economies of Scale Since Indian automobile market is of order $ 350 billion, the economies of scale are very high. Thus, threat of new entrants is low.

Product Differences Since there is hardly any difference in the offerings of the various providers, so product differentiation is low. So threat of new entrants is high.

Brand Identity Since there is no big Retailer like Amazon.com or WalMart in India. So threat of new entrants is high.

Government Policy Since the Government Policy has been quite restrictive till now with respect to the Retail market & FDI, so threat of new entrants is low.

Capital Requirements The capital requirements for entering in the automobile sector are substantially high (high fixed cost and cost of infrastructure), so only big names can think of venturing into this area so, in that respect threat of new entrants is low.

Access to distribution Since in India there is no well established distribution network. So threat of new entrants is low.
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Bargaining Power of Buyers The firms in an industry operate in two types of markets: in the markets for inputs and the markets for outputs. In input markets firms purchase raw materials, components, and financial and labour services. In the markets for outputs firms sell their goods and services to customers (who may be distributors, consumers, or other manufacturers). In both markets the transactions create value for both buyers and sellers. How this value is shared between them in terms of profitability depends on their relative economic power. The strength of buying power that firms face from their customers depends on two sets of factors: buyers price sensitivity and relative bargaining power.

Product Differences Since there is hardly any difference in the offerings of the various providers, so product differentiation is low. So bargaining power of buyers is high. Buyer Information Todays customers are well educated about the various product offerings in the sector. So bargaining power of buyers is high. Buyer Switching Costs Since customers dont have to pay a fat premium to be registered for provision of services, so bargaining power of buyers is high. Brand Identity High Brand Identity and trustworthiness reduce the bargaining power of buyers but, otherwise the bargaining power of buyers is high.

30

Buyer Profits Since dealers offers discounts and various bundling services like 0% insurance, old car sale, etc, on different items. Hence bargaining power of buyers is high.

Bargaining Power of Suppliers Analysis of the determinants of relative power between the producers in an industry and their suppliers is precisely analogous to analysis of the relationship between producers and their buyers. The only difference is that it is now the firms in the industry that are the buyers and the producers of inputs that are the suppliers. The key issues are the ease with which the firms in the industry can switch between different input suppliers and the relative bargaining power of each party. Product Differences Since there is hardly any difference in the offerings of the various suppliers, so product differentiation is low. So bargaining power of Suppliers is low.

Supplier Information Todays automobile manufacturers are well educated about different Suppliers. So bargaining power of Suppliers is low.

Supplier Switching Costs Since different Suppliers hold resources as per buyers requirements and a large inventory has to be maintained. So bargaining power of Suppliers is low as they would have to incur a huge cost on switching. But if they get automobile manufacturers for similar products who can pay higher Supplier switching cost is low. In such case, bargaining power of Suppliers is high.

31

Brand Identity High Brand Identity and Trustworthiness of a Supplier increases the bargaining power of Suppliers. But, otherwise the bargaining power of suppliers is low.

(III) SWOT ANALYSIS (1) Strengths

Large domestic market. Sustainable labor cost advantage. Government incentives for manufacturing plants. Strong engineering skills in design. Able to achieve significant gains in productivity. (2) Weaknesses

Low labor productivity. High interest costs and high overheads. Rising cost of production. Low investment in Research and Development. (3) Opportunities

Commercial vehicles. Heavy thrust on mining and construction activity. Increase in the income level.
32

Cut in excise duties. Rising rural demand. (4) Threats

Rising interest rates. Cut throat competition. Lack of technology for Indian Companies.

(IV)

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWTH OF INDIAN AUTO SECTOR

The convergence of government policies, economys growth, peoples purchasing power have all contributed to the phenomenal growth of Indian Auto industry. Some of the important growth drivers are explained below: Rise in the industrial and agricultural output indirectly helps Indian Auto industry - Industrial and agricultural output increase has reflected in higher GDP and overall growth of the economy which is about 9% in the last three years. Higher GDP means more purchasing power. Sales of vehicles for domestic and commercial consumption have seen high growth in these three years too. Growth in the road infrastructure increases demand for vehicles. Indian highways and roads have improved a lot in quality and connectivity in the last 20 years. Projects like the Golden Quadrilateral aim to make even remote areas accessible by road. Some of the National Highways are of international standards. This has made road transport a viable, cost effective and speedy option both for goods and passenger traffic.

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 Rise in the Per capita income increases two/four wheeler sales. Industrial growth in the 70s, IT boom in the 1980s and BPO boom in the 1990s have transformed the Indian middle class. The present generation is able to earn the same levels of salary that their parents were earning after years of work. This has pushed up the demand for two and four wheelers. A rise in per capita income is also indirectly responsible for the retail boom and industrial boom for consumer durables. This has pushed up the demand for commercial vehicles to enable efficient distribution. Urbanization changes the face of Indian auto industry. Joint families in towns and villages have given away to migration of the younger generation to cities in search of better opportunities. The new-age educated migrants and nuclear families (many with double income couples) have a higher purchasing power. Presently, the rate of spread of urbanization is 30% which is likely to increase by 40% in 2030 (UN). Urbanization has promoted infrastructural development and it is estimated to spread at a rate of $500 billion in the next 5-6 years. Rising working class and middle class contribute to increased demand of automotives. Post 1980s, a surging economy has created millions of new jobs in the private sector. This has lead to a lot of prosperity in the working class and the middle income households. They are able to provide for food, clothing and education and also are able to think of owning luxuries like vehicles. According to the Planning Commission report, between the year 2003 and 2009, 130 million people would have been added to the working population. According to a finding from McKinsey, the middle income group will grow from 50 million to 550 million by 2025.

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 Exhaustive range of options in price and models of automotives. Indian consumer in 70s and 80s had to choose between and Premier Padmini or an Ambassador. Now there are at least 123 different models of cars from 30 odd manufacturers available. The prices of the compact cars like Tatas Nano have made the world sit up and take note of the truly unbeatable price points. Attractive Finance Schemes for purchase of automotives. Most nationalized and foreign banks have very tempting finance options and low interest rates for purchase of cars and two wheelers. There are specialized companies that finance the commercial vehicles. All this has made the dream of owning a vehicle an easy reality. Favorable Government Policies for the auto sector. Apart from a healthy growing economy, Indian auto industry has a lot to thank the government for the amazing growth rates. The Indian government has introduced several industry specific programs.

(A) Government support

Current Industrial Policy: The New Industrial Policy of 1991

delicensed the Automobile Industry in India, but passenger car was delicensed in 1993. Now, no license is required for setting up of any unit for manufacture of Automobiles except in some special cases. Further, 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is permissible under automatic route in this sector including passenger card segment. The import of technology or technological upgradation on the royalty payment of 5 per cent without any duration limit and lump sum payment of US $ 2 million is also allowed under automatics route in this sector. This liberalization has helped this sector to restructure itself, absorb
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newer technologies, and keep pace with the global developments realizing its full potential.

Exim Policy: Removal of Quantitative Restrictions (QRs) from April 1, 2001 has allowed the import of vehicle, including passenger car segment freely subject to certain conditions notified by DGFT. To protect India from becoming a dumping ground for old and used vehicles produced abroad, the custom duty on the import of second hand vehicles including passenger cars has been raised to 105 per cent. The custom duty rate on new Completely Built Units (CBUs) has also been increased to a level of 60 per cent to allow Indian countries to a fully competitive environment.

(B) Recent policy initiatives In order to develop and realize the growth potential of this sector both at domestic and global level, and to optimize its contribution to the national economy, the Department of Heavy Industry has decided to draw up a 10 year Mission Plan for the development of Indian Automotive Sector and creation of global hub. To put Indian Auto Industry at the global map, National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) at the total cost of Rs. 1718 crore has been initiated. This project principally aims to: create critically needed automotive testing infrastructure to enable the government in ushering in global vehicular safety, emission and performance standard, _ deepen manufacturing in India, promote larger value addition and performance standards and facilitates convergence of India's strength and IT and electronics with automotive engineering.
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 enhance India's abysmally low global outreach in this sector by debottlenecking exports, and provide basic product testing, validation and development infrastructure so that Indian automotive sector would not face any export obstacle in the foreign market In the Union Budget 2007-08, import duty on raw material had been reduced to 5-7.5 per cent from the earlier 10 per cent.

(V) THE FUTURE OF INDIAN AUTO INDUSTRY

According to a report from United Nations Industrial Development Organizations (UNIDO) in International Yearbook of Industrial Statistics 2008, India enjoys 12th position amongst top 15 automakers in the world. India is at the 4th position amongst the auto makers of developing countries. By 2016 the size of the Indian automobile industry is expected to grow by 13%, to reach a mark of US$ 120-159 billion. Presently, India is the 2nd largest two wheeler market in the world and fourth largest commercial vehicle market worldwide. With allies in a strong economy, rising demand and financial backing, Indian auto industry is standing at the threshold of success. The four wheeler segment comprises of the passenger vehicles, utility vehicles and multi-purpose vehicles. India is the 11th largest passenger car market in the world and prominently features on the major automobile players road map. The passenger cars segment is has the largest share in the domestic passenger vehicles industry. It contributes to a total volume of 78% and the rest of the share is enjoyed by utility and sports vehicles. Some of the key players in the market are Maruti Udyog Ltd. Tata Motors Ltd., Hyundai, Toyota, Honda,

37

Ford and GM. The newer entrants are the marquee brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen.

PART II

COMPANY PROFILE

38

About AMW

Innovation and customer satisfaction are at the core of everything we do at AMW. Behind our Global Truck, is relentless passion for engineering, technological proficiency and people who are committed to delivering value. From heavy trucks to specialized application vehicles, AMW has constantly delivered products that increase productivity and profits for its customers. Our trucks offer dependability, low cost of operation, unsurpassed handling, panoramic visibility, high driver comfort and ease of maintenance. And much more. We aim to enhance the overall efficiency and profitability of our patrons business. At our sprawling complex in Bhuj, in Gujarat, Western India, we also manufacture
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components for the automotive and general engineering industries. We are the largest single location plant for wheel rims in Asia and supply pressed metal components to some of the worlds most renowned automobile companies.

VISION To be recognized and respected as the market leader, delivering value to our customers by providing comprehensive transportation solutions through innovation, passion and energy of our people.

MISSION Our Mission is to develop, manufacture and market best in class products and services leading to total customer satisfaction and enhanced value for our stakeholders. We shall achieve this through a corporate culture that nurtures employee development, engineering excellence, best in class product quality and world class business systems and processes. Profile AMWs plant at Bhuj is equipped with design labs, testing labs, assembly lines and finishing shops. This enables us to provide complete solutions from design to delivery, to our customers complete satisfaction. The facility also ensures that the output is economical and meets market demands in minimum time. AMW ensures that its systems and processes match the highest standards by being TS16949-ready. The quest for excellence does not stop at manufacture. AMW ensures on-road
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excellence by subjecting every truck to a battery of quality tests, in collaboration with VRDE, Ahmednagar. By building a strong after-sales network to provide servicing and genuine spare parts, AMW ensures that its trucks continue to deliver. THE EPICENTER OF ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE The 515 acre plant at Bhuj, Gujarat forms the backbone of the companys truck manufacturing operations in India. State-of-the-art plants, assembly lines, specially designed frame shop; a completely automated paint shop, in-house R & D facilities, and a modern warehouse ensure that only trucks of International quality roll out from these premises. Truck Assembly plant has an Installed Capacity 50,000 vehicles per year Frame Shop

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AMW builds robust chassis systems, specially designed for Indian roads. The rock-sturdy in-frame chassis is a fine example. The unique, in-frame structure of each truck chassis improves vehicle balance, handling, ride characteristics, and maneuverability. Assembly Line

AMW takes pride in providing high quality and value at every stage of the manufacturing process. After pre-assembly, carriages, bodies, engines and other parts are assembled on a semi-automated modern assembly line, where the bare chassis is brought in and leaves as a fully integrated AMW world-class truck.

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Cab Weld Shop

The automated cab welding facility manufactures a wide range of cabs for different trucks. With the focus on increased productivity and quality, the cab welding shop is an integral part of AMWs truck manufacturing facility. Fully Automated Paint Shop

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A fully automated paint shop, designed by Durr, Germany offers superior coating and finish properties. The paint shop has state-of-the-art coating lines for cabs, with advanced equipment and coating technology. Quality The quest for excellence does not stop at manufacture. AMW ensures on-road excellence by subjecting every truck to a battery of quality tests, in collaboration with VRDE, Ahmednagar. By building a strong after-sales network to provide servicing and genuine spare parts, AMW ensures that its trucks continue to deliver.

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AMW prides itself on employing only world-class technologies and manufacturing practices. At AMW, meeting and exceeding the expectations of valued customers remains the prime focus at all times. Quality assurance teams conduct simulated and field trials on every product. AMW has set the highest standards for quality with TS 16949 ready systems and processes. Research & Development

Research and Development has always played a key role in the AMW success story. The research brief here is simple: Create the next revolution. This can be seen in AMWs wide array of innovative products and solutions. R&D teams are constantly working closely with the marketing and manufacturing divisions, in
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order to improve and expand product offerings. AMWs 200-seat research center focuses on research and development of new products and technologies that impact performance characteristics, safety, environment and comfort. This means that designers are constantly working on simulation models and testing aggregates as well as finished assemblies. All steps are taken to ensure that AMW products meet the durability and usability requirements of long-haul trucking operations, while dramatically cutting emissions and fuel costs. Engineers are constantly seeking new means to improve carrying capacity, performance and levels of operating efficiency. GREATER REACH - After Sales Service, Spare Parts

AMWs strong dealership network, authorized service centers and spare parts outlets ensure that vehicles run with maximum up-time and minimum stoppage of work. AMWs dealer network is one of the fastest growing networks, spread
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across the length and breadth of the country. Its authorized service centers and spare parts outlets are strategically placed in almost every city to provide customers sales, service and spare parts support anywhere, anytime. Rapid Response Van, 24 x 7 all India emergency break down service

AWARDS

Customer satisfaction is the highest award. Yet, it is satisfying to be recognized by industry experts and peers. Voted Truck of the year for 2008 by NDTV, AMW leads the way, offering pride of ownership with unmatched commercial value. AMW also won the Innovation of the year award in 2010. AMW CV Applications has recently bagged the Truck Application Builder award in 2011

AMW Trucks Transport solutions for now and tomorrow From heavy trucks to specialized application vehicles, AMW has constantly delivered products that increase productivity and profits for its customers.Our trucks offer dependability, low cost of operation, unsurpassed handling, panoramic visibility, high driver comfort and ease of maintenance. And much more. We aim to enhance the overall efficiency and profitability of our patron's business.

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Tippers High-performance tipper trucks of various sizes for mining, quarrying, infrastructure and construction industries.

Tractors High-endurance tractor trucks of large sizes for transportation of large loads.

Haulage High-endurance trucks of small and medium tonnage for transportation on all roads.

Transit Mixers Versatile and resilient transit mixers for applications in the infrastructure and construction industries.
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Concrete Pumps High-performance trucks for the infrastructure & construction industries.

Fully Built Vehicles High-endurance fully-built vehicles for different kinds of loads including containers, bulk goods, pallets, tankers, steel coils etc.

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PART III PROJECT OVERVIEW

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Paint Application Techniques Brief Introduction Various application methods are available to coat metal, the most common being spray painting and electrodeposition. Coatings also can be applied by dipping parts into tanks filled with paint and then allowing the excess paint to drain off, or by direct application methods such as roller coating and flow coating. This chapter provides information on: conventional air-spray guns; high-volume/low-pressure spray guns; airless spray guns; electrostatic spray guns; electrodeposition; roll coating; flow coating; and plural component systems. Which paint application process is chosen depends on the type of substrate to be coated, the type of coating, and the size and shape of the surface General Description of Spray Systems Paints and coatings can be applied to surfaces in a number of ways. Industrial coatings often are applied on a production line using spray application techniques. Curing is done usually by an accelerated curing operation involving heat, surface catalysts or radiation. In general, spray methods use specially designed guns to atomize paint into a fine spray. For industrial applications, the paint is typically contained in a pressure vessel and fed to the spray gun using compressed air. Traditionally, hand-held or automated guns (mounted on a mechanical control arm) have been used to apply liquid paints to metal substrates. Although spray systems are easy to operate and have low equipment costs, they have a certain amount of overspray and rebound from the sprayed surface and, therefore, are unable to transfer a substantial portion of the paint to the part.

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Spray booths with an open front and exhaust at the rear are generally used to remove the overspray as it is generated Pollution Problem During conventional spray painting, some of the paint is deposited on the surface being painted; while much of it, in the form of overspray, is sprayed into the air. As the paint dries, the solvent evaporates into the air in the form of VOCs. Often exhaust from paint booths is run through dry filters to capture the particulates. Though it can be run through a water scrubber that separates the paint from the air, scrubber water is normally recycled, and paint solids are concentrated in the scrubber sump. When the sump fills with paint sludge, it is removed and put in drums for disposal. Paint sludge that fails the TCLP test must be disposed of as a hazardous waste. General P2 Options Emissions of VOCs from coatings application can be significantly reduced by substituting a paint with a lower solvent content (e.g., high-solids, waterborne or powder), and by increasing transfer efficiency. The type of coating and the application method selected can have a significant effect on transfer efficiency. For more information on alternatives to solvent-borne coating formulations, see chapter 6. Whatever type of paint and application method is chosen, the best environmental solution may be to redesign the product to eliminate unnecessary coating. This is a P2 option known as surface-free coating. Many of the resins used in alternative paints are made from regulated chemicals, and surface-free coating can eliminate the use of these substances. A number of other P2 techniques in coating applications also are available. For coating operations that involve manual spray application, for example, training operators to practice proper spray techniques is a cost-effective method for
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reducing VOC emissions and other wastes. Wastes generated during the application of paints and coatings (as well as during surface preparation and equipment cleaning) can also be reduced by adopting improved housekeeping, maintenance and operating practices. Additional P2 options include: installing a paint heater to reduce the need for paint thinning with solvents, and setting application standards to avoid unnecessary coating. Each of these options is discussed below. Transfer Efficiency and Paint Application Improvements in transfer efficiency can lead to less paint waste and lower emissions of VOCs. Transfer efficiency depends on a large number of parameters. Some of these parameters are under the control of the operator, while others are not. Important parameters that should be considered when optimizing spray gun application include:

Spray application technique. Target configuration and size. Higher transfer efficiency rates are easier to obtain on large flat objects than on small complex parts. Spray booth configuration. Stray crossdrafts and downdrafts may reduce transfer efficiency by deflecting the paint away from the target. Temperature control and humidity control in a facility can significantly affect the transfer efficiency of electrostatic systems. Paint characteristics. Paint/air flow rates. Spray guns are designed to operate at maximum optimum flow rates. Exceeding these flow rates can reduce transfer efficiency by increasing the amount of blowback (paint bouncing off part) and overshoot. Excessive air pressure can also lead to premature drying of the paint before it reaches the target (paint fog).
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Spray gun distance from part. When the gun is placed too close to the part, bounceback increases and can result in poor finish quality (i.e., sags and runs). Too much distance results in overshoot and paint fog. Operator error.

By definition, transfer efficiency is the amount of paint solids deposited on an object, divided by the amount of paint solids sprayed at the object, multiplied by 100%. The definition of transfer efficiency does omit some related factors for optimum material use. Minimizing waste is not necessarily achieved by simply using the application technique that has the highest rated transfer efficiency. "Real" transfer efficiency depends on a number of other factors including:

Quality of finish. The quality of the finish generally improves as the size of spray particles is reduced. Unfortunately, as the size of spray particles decreases, transfer efficiency also decreases. Some of the finest particle sizes are achieved with conventional LVHP air spray; however, this is the least efficient means of applying paint. To meet finish requirements, a compromise must be reached between transfer efficiency and quality. Production rate. A desired production rate should be established before determining the transfer efficiency of the coating system, especially if coating is being done on a conveyorized system that includes other operations. This is because the efficiency of spray devices will vary with the rate of application. Desired film thickness. To determine real transfer efficiency, the thickness of the applied film versus the thickness desired should be established. For example, if a 1-mil-thick film is specified, but the spray method can only deliver a quality film of 2 mils or greater, then at least 50% of the paint is wasted. Even if all of the paint used is applied to the workpiece, the real transfer efficiency is only 50%.
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Uniformity of applied film thickness. A flat, fan-shaped spray pattern can hold film thickness variations to within 10% of the ideal in a wellengineered painting system. However, a round doughnut-shaped pattern is used in some spray systems. This type of pattern delivers a film thickness variation of approximately 1 mil. In other words, if the desired film thickness is 1 mil, the coating can have areas that are 2 mils thick. Even when all the paint is applied, 25% is wasted. Therefore, at best the real transfer efficiency is 75%. Edge buildup. In electrostatic painting, edges of parts can attract paint spray that would normally pass by the workpiece. Paint builds up on the edges, which represents wasted paint even though the paint is transferred to the workpiece. This buildup may have to be sanded down and the edges may have to be touched up manually. Need for manual touchup/Faraday cage effects (in electrostatic spraying). In addition, in electrostatic painting, the electrostatic field force can prevent paint particles from reaching recessed areas. To coat these areas completely, overpainting or manual touchup of the nonrecessed areas often is required. In this situation, real transfer efficiency is less than the quoted transfer efficiency.

In summary, real transfer efficiency depends on the particular coating situation. Replacing a system (manual or automatic) will not reduce VOC emissions by improving transfer efficiency alone, hence another step must be taken to use less paint. This may require changing the flow rates, triggering times, and/or spray tip sizes. For instance, electrostatic can be added to increase transfer efficiency, but if nothing else is changed, VOC emissions will stay the same and paint thickness on the part will increase. A study by the Research Triangle Institute found that real transfer efficiency depends heavily on solids content, wet film thickness, application equipment and operator experience. Therefore, if
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a firm is considering a change in paint application methods to improve transfer efficiency, careful testing should be done to ensure that paint and solvent waste are truly being minimized. When comparing application techniques for possible use in a particular plant, spray efficiency and the above factors should all be considered (VT DEC). Strategies to Improve Transfer Efficiency Following are methods that facilities can use to increase their transfer efficiencies:

Stand closer to the workpiece. A typical gun-target distance is 8 to 12 inches. In general, as the distance increases, transfer efficiency diminishes. As the distance decreases, however, the operator needs to reduce the fluid and/or air pressure to avoid applying too much coating to the part. Optimize fan size. The operator must appropriately size the fan for the workpiece on a regular basis. A spray painter uses a fan size of 6 to 8 inches when painting small- or narrow-shaped parts such as metal tubing or angle brackets. Adjusting fan size is not a major problem for operators who work on production lines that coat one type of part or work in long production runs. For those facilities whose parts continuously change size, the most practical strategy is to purchase a cap that the operator can change quickly and easily. Because not all spray guns can be fitted with adjustable caps, facilities may need to contact a variety of vendors to locate this equipment. Reduce atomizing air pressure (where applicable). In HVLP,

conventional air atomizing, and electrostatic guns reduce air pressure to the lowest possible levels, which results in marked improvements in

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transfer efficiency rates. For airless, and in some cases, air-assisted airless guns, using a smaller orifice can achieve the same atomizing results.

Reduce fluid pressure. If the fluid pressure and corresponding fluid flow rate are high, the stream of paint emerging from the spray gun travels a relatively long distance before bending and falling to the ground. Such a flow rate has a very short residence time within the spray gun and requires a large amount of energy for atomization. As fluid pressure decreases, the stream emerging from the spray gun shortens and less energy is needed for atomization. Longer residence times lead to more efficient atomization, which in turn leads to higher transfer efficiencies. Many spray painters argue that lowering fluid delivery rates slows down production speed and raises the cost of painting. This argument is true only for a very small percentage of facilities that have already optimized their fluid delivery rates. At most facilities, fluid delivery rates are considerably higher than the job requires. Space workpieces closer together. Many facilities that use conveyor systems suspend parts on hooks that are spaced 18 to 24 inches apart. This spacing is appropriate for medium or large parts but reduces transfer efficiency on small parts. Facilities should try to use hooks and racks specifically designed for the parts they are coating. This will result in increased transfer efficiency and an optimized speed for the process line.

Reduce air turbulence in spray booth. Paint facilities that use several spray booths that all pull from one air make-up system may experience violently turbulent air velocities that change direction from one second to the next. Correcting this problem can be difficult and often requires air conditioning and air ventilation consultants. While this remedy can be costly, having a uniform, laminar air flow through a spray booth
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improves transfer efficiency and significantly reduces overspray and booth maintenance.

Reduce the air velocity in the spray booth (not below recommended OSHA limits). OSHA requires a minimum air velocity of 100 to 120 feet per minute through spray booths in which operators use manual spray guns (the automated electrostatic gun's minimum air velocity is 60 feet per minute). Many paint facilities inadvertently run their booths at velocities well above the limit because they are unaware of the effect this can have on transfer efficiency. Lower air velocities are especially important in electrostatic operations because too high a velocity can prevent the coating from wrapping the parts. Reduce leading and trailing edges. In cases where a high-quality finish is required, trailing edges are needed to ensure that there are no fat edges. In many cases, however, operators set the spray guns so that they trigger sooner than is necessary, and/or cease too long after the part has passed. When painting small- or medium-sized parts, even a small decrease in leading and trailing edges results in significant improvements in transfer efficiency. Select the most efficient spray gun for the intended application. Selecting a spray gun that meets finish requirements and has the highest transfer efficiency is important in optimizing the efficiency of a coating system.

Before deciding whether an operation can improve transfer efficiency, determine the current transfer efficiency rates. Appendix G provides information on how to estimate current transfer efficiency. Table 01 provides an overview of the relative costs and benefits of the different spray application methods relative to conventional air spray guns.

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Table 01. Cost/Benefit Summary for Spray Application Methods Method of Applic ation HVLP Spray Air-Assisted Airless Spray Electrostatic Spray Powder Coating Medium Medium Low Low Low Medium Capital Cost Process Compl exity Low Low Medium Waste and Emissi ons Medium/High Medium/High Medium Only conductive parts can be painted Extensive parts washing and a curing oven are required NOTE: Capital cost refers to the cost of the system in comparison to conventional air spray. The higher the process complexity, the higher the associated costs (i.e., training for employees and maintenance) Set Application Standards The monitoring of applied film thickness is critical to ensure that a uniform and consistent coating of paint is being applied. Too thin a coat will result in premature failure in the field, while too thick a coat represents excess cost and waste. Other standards that should be established include the levels of crosshatch adhesion, film hardness and solvent resistance. Specification of and adherence to standards can do much to minimize the level of rejects and ease troubleshooting when problems arise (Freeman, p. 487). Different tests have been used over the years for liquid and cured paints. A consistent system should be used for evaluating coating properties. The American Society for Testing
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Additional Conside rations

Materials (ASTM) standards has developed many useful standards; see appendix E for more information Adopt Proper Manual Spray Techniques Untrained and hurried workers using poorly maintained equipment can contribute to the need to rework products and to clean up and dispose of wasted coatings, thereby increasing costs. A well-trained operator is far more important than the type of gun used. By training operators on proper equipment setup, application techniques and maintenance, companies can reduce the use of materials by 20 to 40% (Callahan). These savings will depend on the parts coated, material sprayed, and operator technique and experience level (MnTAPd). The fundamentals of effective spray technique that operators can follow are:

Proper gun setup. Use the paint gun manufacturer's suggested air cap and fluid tip combination for the viscosity of the product being sprayed. Check the spray gun to see that it produces a proper spray pattern, and keep the air and fluid pressures at the lowest possible settings. Spray distance and angle. Keep the distance between the gun and the part being sprayed as close as possible to the manufacturer's recommendations at all times (e.g., 6 to 8 inches for conventional spraying, 12 to 15 inches for airless spraying, and 10 to 12 inches for electrostatic spraying). Move the spray gun parallel to the work, keeping the gun at a right angle. Triggering and overlap. Overlap each successive stroke (e.g., 50% for conventional spraying or 25% for airless spraying), using a crosshatch overlap when required. Trigger the spray gun at the beginning and end of each stroke, making sure that the gun is in motion before triggering. In so doing, operators can minimize the lead (i.e., the distance between where the gun is triggered and the point where the gun pattern hits the part) and
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the lag (i.e., the distance between the point where the pattern leaves the part and the point where the gun is untriggered), thereby reducing overspray. Whenever helping companies adjust the spray technique of operators, technical assistance providers should keep in mind that, over a period of time, the firm may have selected a coating and application equipment to conform to an incorrect technique. Equipment settings and materials might need to be changed to conform to an improved technique (De Vilbiss). Improve Current Operating Practices Improving operating practices is another cost-effective pollution prevention method for reducing the amount of wastes generated. The following methods require minimal capital outlays, and can be very effective :

Segregate waste streams to prevent mixing of hazardous and nonhazardous waste Perform preventative maintenance for quality control of finishes Improve materials handling and storage to avoid spills Practice emergency preparedness to minimize loss during accidents Schedule jobs to maximize color runs Implement strict inventory control by purchasing only the amount of paint required Standardize paints and colors to minimize the number of different types of paint used Return expired materials to suppliers for reblending

The following sections provide more detailed information on specific application equipment and on methods to optimize their performance.

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Conventional Air Spray (LVHP) General Description Conventional air spray technology, which has been the standard for the past 40 years, uses a specially designed gun and air at high pressures (i.e., 40 to 90 psi) to atomize a liquid stream of paint into a fine spray. This technology is known as low-volume/high-pressure (LVHP) but is commonly referred to as conventional air spray. Air is usually supplied to the LVHP gun by an air compressor, and paint is supplied via a pressure feed system (siphon and gravity systems are also used). A typical picture of an air spray gun features clouds of overspray around the part. Conventional air spray produces a smooth finish, and can be used on many surfaces. It offers the best control of spray pattern and the best degree of atomization. This system produces the finest atomization and, therefore, the finest finishes. It also sprays the widest range of coating materials (CAGE). However, this technology produces a great deal of overspray, resulting in low transfer efficiencies (i.e., 30 to 60%) and uses large amounts of compressed air (7 to 35 cfm at 100 psi). In addition, because the solvent in the paint is highly atomized along with the paint solids, transfer efficiency is low and VOC emissions are high. The essential components of an air atomizing system are gun body, fluid inlet, fluid nozzle, fluid needle assembly, fluid control assembly, air inlet, air nozzle, air valve, fan control and trigger. Other parts of the spray coating system may include a compressed air supply, fluid supply and paint heater. Recirculation booths are often used with these systems. These booths are designed to reduce process exhaust volumes while maintaining minimum ventilation flow rates in order to lower operating costs for both emission control systems and the facility
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in general (e.g., heating, ventilation and air conditioning). These systems have built-in safety limits that are based on the concentration of hazardous constituents present in the recirculated stream. Advantages and Disadvantages The main advantages of conventional air spray systems are the high level of control that the operator has of the gun and the versatility of the systems. Disadvantages of this system include high air emissions, low transfer efficiencies and high compressed air use. However, using proper training and setting the gun at low pressure (20 psi), transfer rates similar to HVLP can be achieved (Eck). Costs The capital investment for a new conventional air spray system that includes spray gun, two-gallon pressure pot, hoses and fittings can range from $500 to $1,500. Safety Painters are required to wear respirators to prevent inhalation of overspray, hazardous vapors and toxic fumes. Depending on the noise level in the spray booth, ear protection may also be required.

Alternative Methods

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There are a number of alternative spray gun systems, including highvolume/low-pressure (HVLP) air spray, airless spray, and electrostatic spray. There are also variations on each of these techniques. Of the many available methods, electrostatic air-assisted airless spray is considered to have the best transfer efficiency. Other available paint application methods include electrodeposition, and dip, roll and flow coating. High-Volume/Low-Pressure (HVLP) Air Spray General Description As the name suggests, this technology uses a high-volume of air at low pressures (i.e., 0.1 to 10 psi) to atomize paint. This technology reduces overspray and improves transfer efficiency. HVLP guns have nozzles with larger diameter openings than LVHP guns for atomizing air. They can be bleeder (i.e., controls only the fluid flow to the gun) or non-bleeder (i.e., controls air flow and fluid flow to the gun by use of a trigger) types, and may require airflows of 10 to 30 cubic feet per minute. Air can be supplied to the sprayer by turbine air blowers or conventional shop compressors (KSBEAP, 13). Typical transfer efficiencies with HVLP systems are 65 to 75%. Figure 5 shows a typical configuration for a HVLP system. Figure 5. HVLP System (VT DEC) Advantages and Disadvantages An HVLP gun is portable and easy to clean, and has a lower risk of blowback to the worker. In many cases, HVLP guns are mandated to comply with state air regulations (KSBEAP, p. 14). However, the atomization of HVLP guns might not be good enough for fine finishes, and production rates might not be as high as with conventional LVHP spray. Generally, fluid delivery rates of up to 10
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ounces per minute with low viscosity paints work best with HVLP guns (MnTAP, p. 3). For more information on other advantages and disadvantages of HVLP, see table 29. Advantages and Disadvantages of HVLP Spray Guns Advantages

Disadvantages

Reduces overspray Increases transfer efficiency Reduces paint waste Lowers booth cleanup costs Reduces filter replacement costs Decreases waterwash reservoir treatment costs Reduces emissions VOC and HAP

Has atomization that may not be sufficient for fine finishes

May not be able to operate with high production rates

Is portable and easy to clean Sprays well into recesses and cavities

Reduces blowback

worker

exposure

to

Types of HVLP Systems Several different configurations of HVLP systems are available. The specific air supply (i.e., turbine or compressor) and fluid delivery system (described below) will affect the efficiency, ease of use, cost and versatility of the particular system (KSBEAP, p. 13).

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In a siphon-fed system, air pressure to the sprayer is used to pull paint from a cup located below the gun, producing a fully atomized pattern for even surface coverage. The simple design of siphon-fed guns has made it possible to buy conversion kits for conventional siphon sprayers, making HVLP technology very affordable for small shop owners (KSBEAP, p. 13). Gravity-fed systems are well adapted to high viscosity paints such as clears, water-based paints, high-solids paints and epoxy primers because of the design of the system. The cup, located on top of the gun, allows paint to completely drain, minimizing paint waste (KSBEAP, p. 13). The pressure assist cup system uses a cup that is mounted beneath the gun with a separately regulated air line to feed paint to the gun. This design increases transfer efficiency and makes it possible for the operator to spray evenly while the gun is inverted, offering maximum flexibility in application techniques Although covering every aspect of equipment selection is not possible in this manual, see appendix D for a list of some of the more important points to consider when evaluating HVLP spray equipment. Cost and Implementation Issues HVLP paint spray systems can be used in a variety of painting applications. The finer atomization of HVLP systems produce smoother finishes. There are many paint gun models with a variety of tip sizes to accommodate most coatings including solvent-based paints, water-based coatings, fine finish metallic, highsolids polyurethane, contact adhesives, varnish, top coats, lacquer, enamel primer, latex primer, epoxy and vinyl fluids. The efficiency of these systems is greatly reduced if the painting is done in an exposed area.

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LVHP systems can be easily converted to HVLP by retrofitting the air gun and installing the appropriate diameter air hoses (5/16 in. I.D.); however, the air supply system must be able to deliver 10 to 30 cubic feet per minute of airflow at 10 psi or lower. If a firm has a large investment in high-pressure air compressors, conversion air systems (CAS) can be used. The CAS reduces high-pressure compressed air in two ways: 1) by using an air-restricted HVLP gun that is specially equipped to restrict air pressure within the gun body, and 2) by using a small air conversion unit that takes in high-pressure compressed air and restricts its flow, delivering low-pressure air to the HVLP gun (CC and Binksd). Costs can vary depending on specific applications, painting/coating type, paint volume, workpiece specifications and technique. Generally, costs for HVLP paint-spray system equipment range from $500 to $1,500 for a gun, hose and paint pot. Safety Painters are required to wear respirators to prevent inhalation of overspray, hazardous vapors and toxic fumes when using HVLP equipment. Depending on the noise level in the spray booth, ear protection may also be required.

Low-Pressure/Low-Volume General Description Low-pressure/low-volume paint spraying, which is similar to air-assisted airless, is a relatively new development. Paint and air separately exit through the spray nozzle into a secondary fluid tip assembly. The exiting paint stream is of low pressure (less than 100 psig), flattened by the spray nozzle, but unatomized. Atomization occurs by impinging low amounts of compressed air (5-35 psig) from two small holes in the fluid tip assembly into the flattened paint stream.
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Table 30 presents an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of LPLV Systems. Advantages and Disadvantages of LPLV Spray Guns Advantages

Disadvantages

Reduces overspray Increases transfer efficiency Reduces paint waste Lowers booth cleanup costs Reduces filter replacement costs Decreases waterwash reservoir treatment costs Reduces emissions VOC and HAP

Does not have a proven track record

Sprays well into recesses and cavities Has moderate capital cost Low operating costs

Airless Spray General Description Airless spray does not use compressed air. Instead, paint is pumped at increased fluid pressures (500 to 6,500 psi) through a small opening at the tip of the spray gun to achieve atomization. Pressure is generally supplied to the gun by an airdriven reciprocating fluid pump (KSBEAP, p. 16). When the pressurized paint enters the low pressure region in front of the gun, the sudden drop in pressure

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causes the paint to atomize. Airless systems are most widely used by painting contractors and maintenance painters (Binksc). Advantages and Disadvantages Airless spraying has several distinct advantages over air spray methods. This method is more efficient than the air spray because the airless spray is softer and less turbulent, thus less paint is lost in bounce back. The droplets formed are generally larger than conventional spray guns and produce a heavier paint coat in a single pass. This system is also more portable. Production rates are nearly double, and transfer efficiencies are usually greater (65 to 70%). Other advantages include the ability to utilize high-viscosity coatings (without thinning with solvents) and its ability to have good penetration in recessed areas of a workpiece. The major disadvantage of the airless spray is that the quality of the applied coating is not as good as conventional coatings, unless a thicker coating is required. Airless spray is limited to painting large areas and requires a different nozzle on the spray gun to change spray patterns. In addition, the nozzle tends to clog and can be dangerous to use or clean because of the high pressures involved (IHWRICb). For more information on other advantages and disadvantages of airless spray, Advantages and Disadvantages of Airless Spray Systems Advantages

Disadvantages

Has high rates of paint flow Has relatively high transfer efficiency

Has relatively poor atomization Has an expensive nozzle Reduces fan pattern control Has coatings limitations Has a tendency for tip plugging
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Has versatile gun handling (no air hose)

Has ability viscous fluids

to

apply

highly

Has a skin injection danger Requires training increased operator

Requires increased maintenance

Application Considerations Small fluid nozzle orifices limit the coating materials that can be sprayed with airless systems to those that are finely ground. This rules out fiber-filled and heavily pigmented materials. In addition, airless spraying lacks the feather capability that air guns have. This can result in flooding of the surface and sags or runs if gun movement is too slow. The high pressures used with airless spray deliver a high rate of paint flow through the nozzle, tending to enlarge the orifice, increase flow rates and change spray pattern characteristics. This is especially true at very high pressures and with paints containing high amounts of pigments or abrasive pigments. Strict maintenance is required for this system. Foreign objects in the fluid that are larger than the nozzle tips can block or shut off the system. Equipment maintenance on pumps is high because of the high pressures used (CAGE).

Economics The capital investment required for a new airless spray system consisting of an airless spray gun, carted mount pump, hoses, and fittings, can range from $3,500 to $7,500.

Safety
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The high velocity of the fluid stream and spray pattern as it exits the gun and hose is a potential hazard. Operators should never allow any part of their body to come into contact with this high-pressure material. Failure to keep several inches away from the coating as it exits the gun will result in serious injury. As with other spray systems, respirators are required, and hearing protection may be required as well. Types of Airless Systems Air-assisted airless systems are a variation of airless spraying. These systems use supplemental air jets to guide the paint spray and to boost the level of atomization. Approximately 150 to 800 psi of fluid pressure and 5 to 30 psi of air pressure are used. Air-assisted airless spray systems atomize paint well, although not as well as air spray methods. The use of air-assisted airless systems improves the quality of the finish, presumably because finer paint particles are formed. The transfer efficiency of the airless, air-assisted spray gun is greater in comparison to airless, and with proper operator training, the manufacturer can obtain finishes comparable to conventional guns (Batelle, p. III-5). This system has the same dangers as airless spraying, but it also requires more maintenance and operator training and has a higher capital cost (IHWRICb). The major difference in gun construction between an air-assisted airless gun and an air-atomized gun is found in the atomizing tip. The air-atomized tip incorporates a fluid nozzle and an air nozzle. The fluid orifice in the center of the tip is surrounded by a concentric atomizing ring of air. The air-assisted tip delivers a flat fan spray of partially atomized paint. Jets of atomizing air, exiting from ports in small projections on each side of the tip impacts at a 90 degree angle into the spray. The air jets break up the large droplets and complete the atomization, assisting the airless spray process.

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Economics The capital investment required for a new air-assisted airless spray system, including an air-assisted airless spray gun, 10:1 ratio carted mount pump, hoses and fittings, can range from $2,500 to $5,000. Advantages

Low equipment maintenance. The reduced fluid pressures in comparison with airless spray cut down on pump and fluid nozzle wear. Good atomization. The atomization quality of an air-assisted airless gun is rated as superior compared to an airless gun but it is not nearly as good as with an air-atomized gun. Low bounceback. The extremely low atomizing air pressure allows airassisted airless guns to spray into corners and hard-to-reach areas better than with air-atomized spray. Varied fluid delivery. The paint flow rates can vary considerably from about 5 to 50 ounces per minuts. High paint transfer efficiency. With a low-end delivery rate of 5 ounces per minute versus 25 ounces for airless, air-assited transfer efficiency is even hight than airless.

Table (above) presents an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of airless spray systems. Air and air-assisted electrostatic spray guns resemble nonelectrostatic guns. An electrostatic gun has a wire charging electrode positioned in front to ionize the air. The ionized air passes its charge to the paint particles exiting the gun. Some guns have no external electrode. Instead, an internal electrode located inside the gun barrel is used to charge the paint. In another variation, a metal electrode is situated in the paint tank, and the paint is delivered to the gun already charged.
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Cost and Implementation Issues LVHP systems cannot be converted to airless systems. Therefore, the capital cost for implementing airless spray is usually high. However, this cost might be offset by the number of advantages that airless spray provides. Electrostatic Spray General Description This spray method is based on the principle that negatively charged objects are attracted to positively charged objects. Atomized paint droplets are charged at the tip of the spray gun by a charged eletrode; the electrode runs 30 to 140 kV through the paint at 0 to 225 microamperes (CAGE). Paint can be atomized using conventional air, airless, or rotary systems. The electrical force needed to guide paint particles to the workpiece is 8,000 to 10,000 volts per inch of air between the gun and its workpiece. The part to be painted, which is attached to a grounded conveyor, is electrically neutral, and the charged paint droplets are attracted to that part. If the charge difference is strong enough, the paint particles normally fly past the part and reverse direction, coating the edges and back of the part. This effect is called "wraparound" and increases transfer efficiency (KSBEAP, p. 15). Electrostatic spray is used by most appliance manufacturers (Binksc). Advantages and Disadvantages The major advantage of using electrostatic spraying is that it saves in material costs and labor. The labor savings is often associated with a changeover to automated lines, although labor savings for cleanup is significantly reduced in either automated or manual lines. Another benefit of electrostatic is its ability to completely cover an object with a uniform thickness, including areas that are
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normallyinaccessible. The initial capital investment for electrostatic systems is high. In addition, electrostatic systems must be properly grounded at all stages of paint delivery in order to reduce injuries and fire hazards that can result from shorting or sparking . Another problem with electrostatic spray is that the paint is attracted to all grounded objects, including the conveyor and conveyor protection systems in assembly line painting, the paint booth ceiling, the spray gun and the spray gun handler. Work has been done on developing an electrically charged paint repelling panel to protect against stray paint. Such repelling panels are not 100% effective, but they can cut down on problems from stray paint (IHWRICb). For more information on other advantages/disadvantages of electrostatic spray,. Advantages and Disadvantages of Electrostatic Spray Guns Advantages

Disadvantages

Has high transfer efficiency Has good edge cover Has good wraparound Has uniform film thickness

Has guns that tend to be bulky and delicate Requires extra cleanliness Creates Faraday cage effect Can be safety/fire hazard Requires all parts to be conductive (however, precoatings special on conductive nonconductive

workpieces can be used to permit electrostatic spray)

Has

high

equipment

and

maintenance cost
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Types of Electrostatic Systems Rotary atomization is a variation of electrostatic spraying that uses centrifugal force generated by discs or bells to atomize paint, which drives it from the nozzle. The atomization of this method is excellent as is the transfer efficiency. This method also can be used with paints of different viscosity. However, the equipment needed for this type of application is very specialized and usually requires a major conversion of a painting line. Typical costs for a new rotary atomization system consisting of a rotary atomizer, 2-gallon pressure-pot, and hoses and fittings may range from $5,000 to $7,500 .

Implementation Issues An LVHP air spray system can be converted to an electrostatic system. In most cases, however, airless, air-assisted airless, or rotary atomization is used with electrostatic spray. This is because LVHP air-atomized electrostatic spray has a transfer efficiency of only 60 to 70%. Airless, however, runs from 70 to 95%, and rotary runs from 80 to 90% . Part and gun cleanliness are essential for efficient electrostatic operation. Dirt or oversprayed paint can form on a conductive track on the plastic gun tip and short out the system. For top efficiency, the part to be coated should be the closest grounded object to the charging needle on the spray gun. The charged paint particles are attracted to the nearest electrically grounded item; the larger the item, the greater the attraction. Ungrounded objects in the vicinity of the charged gun electrode can pick up a considerable electrical charge. The charge buildup can arc over or spark if a

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grounded object is brought near. The intense heat of the arc may be sufficient to ignite the solvent-laden atmosphere typically found in a paint booth. Paint buildup on hooks or hangers can act as an insulator and block the flow of electric current in the electrostatic circuit. Hangers and hooks should be regularly stripped or otherwise cleaned of paint buildup to maintain good grounding contact between the parts and the conveyor. Because of high transfer efficiencies, air velocity in spray booths may be reduced from 100 to 60 feet/minute. This results in a 40% reduction in make-up air costs and reduces emissions. Safety In 1995, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) rewrote the NFPA 33 Standard to require fast-acting flame detectors for all automatic electrostatic liquid painting applications. These are also required for automatic electrostatic powder coating applications. All electrically conductive materials near the spray area such as material supply, containers and spray equipment should be grounded as well. Cost The capital investment for a new liquid electrostatic spray system consisting of an electrostatic spray gun, 2-gallon pressure pot, and hoses and fittings can range from $4,900 to $7,500. The capital investment required for a new electrostatic powder coating spray system, including powder application equipment, powder booth, cleaning system and bake oven, may range from $75,000 to $1,000,000. (CAGE).

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Other Methods This section presents brief descriptions of a variety of other paint application methods, including electrodeposition, various dip processes, and direct application methods such as roller and flow coating. Electrodeposition/Electrocoating (E-coat). This process applies paint in a method that is similar to electroplating. In the E-coat process, a paint film from a waterborne solution is electrically deposited onto a part. Parts are usually made primarily of steel. An E-coat bath contains resin, pigment (unless it is a clearcoat), solvent (water and a cosolvent) and additives. The most commonly used resins in this process are epoxies and acrylics. These systems have no or low VOC emissions and produce little toxic waste. The liquid is a very dilute emulsion of waterborne paint. Reactions between the paint particles and certain bath components cause the resin to be ionic. The electric current causes the paint particles to migrate to the metal surface. As more and more particles collect, water is squeezed out and cross linking of the resin particles occurs. The transfer efficiency of electrodeposition is greater than 90%. High production rates are possible, and production can be automated. However, this method is costly and requires a lot of energy. Also, employees need a high level of training to use this system (IHWRICc). E-coat is extremely efficient, depositing a mostly uniform coating on all surfaces that can be reached by electricity. Waterborne electrocoating systems may be used to apply uniform, pinhole-free coatings. For films that require high appearance standards, E-coat uses acrylic resins. Electrocoatings are resistant to attack by UV light and have good weatherability. Typical applications include truck beds, engine blocks, water coolers, microwave ovens, dryer drums, compressors, furnace parts, housings for the automotive industry, shelving,
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washers, air conditioners, file cabinets, switch boxes, refrigerators, transmission housings, lighting fixtures, farm machinery, and fasteners.

One drawback to the electrocoating system is that it is limited to one color at a time. Each color requires its own tank.

Table 33. Advantages and Disadvantages of E-Coat Systems Advantages

Disadvantages percent of

Utilizes over 90 coating material

Has substrate limitation Requires separate lines for each color Requires high cost to install Has masking problems Requires maintenance sophisticated

Has very thick, uniform coating on all surfaces that can be reached by electricity Has high production rates Produces coating Has low corrosion-resistant

Has air-entrapment pockets Has difficulty coating bulky, small parts

VOC

and

HAP

emissions

Can be fully automated Can apply second coat on

Requires equipment

corrosions-resistant

uncured electrocoat

Requires de-ionized water Has difficulty sanding/stripping Has high energy demands Is restricted to large volume finishing Has coating thickness limitation Requires high level of training for employees
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Autodeposition. Autodeposition is a process used to deposit organic paint films onto iron-, steel-, zinc- and zinc alloy-plated substrates. Autodeposition is typically an 6-step process, including alkaline cleaning, rinsing with plant water and deionized water, autodeposition (immersion), immersion sealing rinse and curing. The part is immersed into a solution containing paint compounds, usually a vinyl emulsion, hydrofluoric acid and hydrogen peroxide. When the part is submersed, the paint compound precipitates out of the solution and coats the part. The part is then removed from the tank, rinsed and cured. Autodeposition is an effective method for achieving corrosion resistance and coverage of objects. Autodeposited films also provide extremely uniform thicknesses, typically 13 to 30 micrometers (0.6 to 1.2 mils). These resins also have excellent hardness, formability and adhesion characteristics. Two other advantages of autodeposition are that organic solvents are not needed, and little or no VOCs are emitted. Autodeposited films have high transfer efficiencies (approximately 95%), further reducing environmental impacts. This system also does not have fire hazards. However, autodeposition produces a dull or low gloss finish and has few available colors (IHWRICc). The largest application for autodeposition coatings have been for nonappearance and under-hood parts in cars and trucks due to their excellent anticorrosion properties. It is also used on drawer slides for office furniture, replacing zinc-plating. Table 34. Advantages and Disadvantages of Autodeposition System Advantages

Disadvantages excellent anticorrosion

Has

Has dull or low gloss appearance Has few colors available

properties (no phosphate coating required)

Wets 100% coverage of surfaces (no Faraday cage areas)

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Uses waterborne material Requires no external source of electricity

Transfer Efficiencies of Various Application Technologies Transfer Technology Conventional Air Spray HVLP Spray LPLV Spray Airless Spray Electrostatic Efficie ncy 30 to 60% 50 to 90% 60 to 80% 65 to 70% Low Finish Qualit y High Good Good Good Good Poor NA Recess Covera ge

Operating Cost

Low High Low Unknown Medium/high Low Medium/high Low NA NA

65 to 95% Spray Electrodeposition 90 to 99% NA=notapplicable

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Overview of Application Technologies Pollution Prevention Benefits

Technology HVLP Spray

Reported Application

Operational Benefits

Limitations

Reduces overspray, increasing transfer efficiency Reduces VOC and HAP emissions

Can be used on many surfaces

Is protable and easy to clean

Has production rates that are not as high as conventional air spray

Allows operator to vary the air pressure, air volume, paint pressure and spray pattern

Lowers risk of blowback to the worker Has a high transfer efficiency rate Has low operating costs

LPLV Spray

Is not widely used

Has capital cost

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Airless Spray

Has a transfer efficiency of 65 to 70%

Hydraulic atomization used most widely by painting contractors and maintenance painters

Is twice as fast as air spray and produces a higher film build; is more portable than air spray

Is limited to painting large areas, requires a different nozzle to change spray patterns; nozzle tends to clog and can be dangerous to use or clean because of the high pressures involved

Cuts overspray by more than half, and is cleaner and more economical

Heated atomization used by furniture manufacturers and industrial finishers Used by furniture and industrial finishers

Air-Assisted Airless Spray

Has higher transfer efficiency and lower chance of blowback

Has material savings that are 50% better than air spray

Has same dangers as airless, but requires more maintenance and operator training, and has a higher initial capital cost

Has higher film build per pass than air spray Can be used with paints of different

Rotary Atomization

Has excellent efficiency

Requires high degree of cleanliness

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Electrostatic Spray

Has high transfer efficiency

Is good for painting oddly shaped objects

viscosity Produces a uniform coat because the paint itself acts as an insulator

Has limited coverage with complicated parts because of Faraday cage effects Can paint only conductive parts Presents a possible shock hazard Is limited to only one coat Is more expensive, slower and has higher maintenance costs than air spray Is limited to chargeable paints

Produces little overspray and uses relatively little paint

Is used by most appliance manufacturers

Surface of the object

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Autodeposition

Uses water-borne paints

Is limited to iron, steel, zinc and zinc-alloy plated materials

Is effective for anti-corrosion properties and coverage of the objects

must be extremely clean Is limited to dull or low gloss finish; few available colors

Uses no electricity Can accommodate high production rates; production can be automated

Electrodeposition

Has transfer efficiency of more than 90%

Is limited to metallic or other electrically conductive objects (e.g., autobody coating)

Requires that objects be metallic or electrically conductive Is costly and requires a lot of energy Requires that employees receive high level training to use this system
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Robotic Paint Application

History How did we get to this point? When paintshop robots were in their infancy, much of the focus was on making the robot manipulators perform robustly. Early hydraulic robot applications suffered from lower than desired uptime, limited motion accuracy and repeatability and high maintenance requirements. Hydraulic robots were applied in many automotive manufacturing facilities for painting both vehicle interiors and exteriors. This initial application phase was instrumental in further quantifying the capability and benefits of using robots for vehicle painting. It also provided a better understanding of the areas of improvement required for paint robots to make them more cost-effective for manufacturing. The introduction of the first electric painting robot with a hollow wrist in 1985 provided significant improvements in the areas of limitation identified in previous robots. From the mid-80s through the mid-90s, paintshop robot system design was focused on making the robot manipulator operate at acceptable performance and uptime levels. In addition to a standard robot for painting vehicle exteriors, six- and seven-axis robots were used with various hood, decklid and door opening devices to paint exterior and interior cut-in areas, with the target of a 100% robotic paint application. Through this phase, the focus was on increasing system uptime, improving the user interface, making programming easier and successfully applying robots to moving-line interior and exterior painting processes. Additional effort was devoted to effectively adapting generic paint fluid delivery equipment, color changers and spray applicators to the standard robot. Introduction of the electric painting robot and other incremental improvements significantly advanced overall system uptime and paint quality. Some key
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improvements still needed were to reduce paint waste in color change and application and to improve the reliability of the paint application equipment adapted to the robot. The first painting robot to have integrated paint process equipment was introduced in 1996. The ABB P-200 was the first robot designed around the painting equipment. For example, to minimize paint waste, color changers were mounted on the arm of the robot as close as possible to the spray applicator. Also, the paint fluid supply lines were routed through the center of the robot base, enabling the robot to rotate around the paint lines as opposed to having them managed through external means. This new robot design approach and hose management technique improved paint line reliability. In addition, the control software was designed so that the most critical painting processes (such as gun trigger control) were given high priority in the software code. This change allowed for more precise (< four millisecond) trigger control to reduce paint waste. In summary, the enhancements of this phase provided significant improvements in application efficiency, system uptime and overall duty cycle of the equipment, along with reducing operating and capital equipment costs. Robot Optimization In the late 1990s and the first part of this decade, the focus was on the optimization of two application areas: 100% robot-applied electrostatic rotary atomizer (or bell) exterior painting, and robotically applied interior vehicle bell painting for door interiors, engine compartments, deck lids and so on. For exteriors, 100% bell application was enabled by improvements in bell design and paint materials. These advances combined to enable metallic paints to be applied by bells with acceptable color and appearance levels. Previously, to achieve acceptable appearance, vehicle exteriors were painted with air-atomized
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spray guns for at least one of the two coats of metallic basecoats. This bell-bell process significantly reduced paint usage (2040%) over previous processes. By the early 2000s, interior painting matured as early problems with the coordination and robustness of the opening devices were resolved. Also, in many installations, the more efficient bell applicators replaced spray guns for interior painting. A key enabler of using bells for interior painting was optimization of the focused or vortex spray pattern, which allowed bells to achieve uniform film thickness on areas with many edges and different surface orientations (such as the hinge area of a door jamb). Today, 100% of the vehicle interior and exterior painting applications can use robotics, achieving excellent paint transfer efficiency. Also, from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, the applicator mix between spray guns and bells on robots for automotive applications shifted from approximately 85% guns and 15% bells in 1995, to 85% bells and 15% guns. Variations on a Theme Throughout the first two decades of paint robot development, robot manufacturers promoted a common robot and paint application system for all applications. While some robot variations existed in terms of different arm lengths, the basic design consisted of a six-axis robot, sometimes adapted to a seventh axis linear rail to increase the work envelope along the direction of the conveyor. Basically, robot and application equipment was common between interior and exterior painting applications. Also, the robot paint equipment was considered to be the robot manipulator, the fluid delivery equipment and the spray applicator. During system assembly, each robot or set of robot paint equipment was connected to other equipment such as the pneumatic controls, seventh-axis linear rail, air preparation panels, operator panel and cell control PLC through various means.
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In a typical installation, the equipment was assembled on the robot manufacturers floor, debugged, loaded with preliminary programs and cycled through a test run (typically 20 hrs) for system performance verification. The system was then disassembled, packaged, shipped to the customer and reassembled. After installation, it was debugged and installation-specific items for example, setting the pneumatic delay required for valve actuation based on the location of the solenoid, or calibrating a closed-loop air flow meter system were addressed. In general, deliverables consisted of the paint robot equipment and the system elements such as controls, pneumatics and so on. Robot suppliers integrated the two parts and provided the integrated system to the end-user. Systems provided in the early 2000s were highly effective and efficient painting systems with high uptime. Paint robot application technology had matured to the point where all major automotive manufacturers almost unilaterally considered it the application method of choice. Given this, there was not an obvious next step defining what could be done to make an incremental improvement for paint robot applications. However, from a high-level perspective, several questions were raised regarding potential limitations of the existing approach. These included: Is having a common robot for both interior and exterior applications the best approach? If not, are there unique advantages if the application focus was more refined?
Are there elements in the robot design that can change to make the

overall system more effective or easier to implement?

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 What is the right definition of the product? Is it a painting robot, a

painting robot with application equipment, a painting system?

For deliverables to the end-user, which components should be considered

product and which should be considered system?

Methodology
This system provides increased spray performance compared with traditional robot applications, reduces end-user capital and operating costs, and can be installed and commissioned very rapidly. It differed from previous robot generations in that it included elements that were not traditionally associated with robotic paint systems. Previously, the product scope was limited to robot manipulators and fluid delivery/spray application equipment, and did not limit the scope of the target application. This new definition refined the process by limiting applications to exterior vehicle painting and broadened it by adding the element of rapid, lowcost installation, commissioning and operation. This new definition clearly described what the end-user was purchasing and provided additional focus for product design rationalization. Other capabilities that differentiated this robot from previous generations were its small footprint and its application flexibility. It was designed to paint in smaller spray booths, reducing both capital and operating costs, while still maintaining flexibility to accommodate a range of vehicle sizes without compromise. Also, this robot could handle waterborne paint formulations as simply and efficiently as solvent-borne materials. Up to this point, most application
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equipment used for waterborne paint suffered from either decreased performance (in the form of increased material usage and maintenance of external-charge bells) or was relatively complex, such as the many different versions of direct-charge systems with canister exchange or docking stations. The design of this robot cleaned up the floor space outside the booth by eliminating equipment not required immediately outside the spray booth in the aisle way. It also addressed the issue of blocked the visibility of the painting process from the operators of the equipment. This product has exceeded expected performance targets, and has changed the automotive industrys approach to exterior vehicle painting by popularizing the use of rail-mounted robots elevated from floor level. Since July 2003, hundreds of ABB P-500iA paint robots have been installed in many customer sites around the world. The design spawned innovative thinking which generated multiple patents and patent applications in areas relating to robot design, process equipment installation. System Benefits The P-500 system provides best-in-class uniformity and spray process efficiency. Patented process approaches and optimized application equipment design minimize the amount of overspray produced during painting. Direct capital cost to customers was significantly reduced in two areas: (1) the price of the robot system has been reduced; and (2) the robot system design fits in a much smaller footprint. In some cases, the space required was reduced by over 40%. This significantly reduces spray booth construction costs. High efficiency combined with reduced booth operating costs and reduced maintenance has provided over a 20% operating cost reduction compared to previous robot systems in many cases. Systems have been installed and
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design,

product

maintenance,

programming

methods,

and

commissioned in less than one week to support limited downtime at end-user facilities. For waterborne electrostatic bell painting, the system provides a highly efficient direct-charge application without external docking or canister exchange systems. This new method significantly increases application efficiency for waterborne systems, reduces material usage and significantly cuts associated complexity and maintenance costs. Revised and simplified controls architecture reduces the number of control panels required, freeing up aisle space outside the booth. Also, the robots are typically elevated to approximately seven feet in the air, providing a clear process viewing window for the operators and also allowing placement of access doors directly beneath the robots.

Robotic painting systems

provide

multiple

advantages

over manual painting processes. If you're on the fence about whether or not to convert to painting with robots, consider these benefits: First and most important, paint robots dramatically improve quality. Paint is applied evenly every time. Drips and overspray concerns are eliminated. Robots have slim, flexible arms, which makes it easier for them to reach narrow areas. Second, when you use a robotic system for painting, it automatically makes the work environment safer. Workers no longer have to endure harmful fumes or repetitive, tedious labor. Third, you'll be putting money back in your pocket. Robots save a considerable amount of paint. With no mistakes or overspray, robots conserve materials and product. Robotic painting systems don't take lunch breaks, vacations, or sick leave, so you don't use uptime/money that way either.

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Fourth, robotic painting systems let you play with your floorplan. When mounted to a wall, ceiling, or rail, robots provide increased flexibility and a compact footprint. Painting robots and industrial robots in general have a reputation of only being affordable to the largest and most technologically adept companies. Todays reality, however, is far different as robots of all kinds are now highly viable for a full range of smaller, general industrial markets and applications. Robots, like other computer based equipment, become more affordable as the installed base grows. And with todays industrial employee base having at least a working knowledge of graphical user interface (GUI), the ability to program and control robots has become more intuitive and user friendly for the novice programmer. The 6-axis robot is a mature, stable product, the primary R&D costs of which have been well absorbed by the manufacturers and early adopters. Painting and coating robots are now positioned to help general industrial users increase competitiveness, product quality and workman safety, all while reducing the environmental impact associated with spraying many coating materials. This article will help answer: What is a painting and coating robot? Is your factory a good candidate for robotic paint automation? If so, what advantages will automation bring to your operation?
What is a painting and coating robot?

Painting Robot is an industry term for a robot that has two major differences from all other standard industrial robots:
1) Explosion proof arms. Paint robots are built with

explosion proof robot arms, meaning that they are

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manufactured in such a way that they can safely spray coatings that create combustible gasses. Usually these coatings are solvent based paints which, when applied, create an environment that must be monitored for fire safety. There are several ways robot and applicator manufacturers maintain spark proof integrity in the spray environment. Positive pressure and intrinsically safe electronics are the two most common. Terms such as explosion proof can be a little startling to a paint robot novice. But, as an example of how safe automated paint systems are, all production model cars are painted with robotic automation! For more specific information defining explosion proof environments see National Fire Protection Association code NFPA 33.
2) Self-contained paint systems. When paint robots were first designed, they only

had one function to work safely in a volatile environment. As acceptance and use expanded, painting robots grew into a unique subset of industrial robots, not just a traditional robot with explosion proof options. Painting robots now have the ability to control all aspects of spray parameters. Fan air, atomization air, fluid flow, voltage, etc, can all be controlled by the robot control system. factory a good candidate for robotic paint automation There are several limiting factors to robotic painting: Part presentation Amount of dissimilar parts Size and shape of the parts
Part presentation: Robotic coating does not require the highly accurate part

presentation as more technical robotic applications such as arc welding and machining. Painting applicators usually require a tip to part distance of 10 to 14 inches. The more accurately a production conveyance presents a part to the robot, the more benefit of quality and material savings can be achieved. An industry standard request of part presentation can be assumed at 0.25 to 0.5 inches. The importance of tolerance will vary depending on the quality of finish
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required and cost of coating (material savings). For most standard applications a simple two hook part placement versus a single point hook provides enough stability to make robotic paint automation accurate and affordable.
Amount of dissimilar parts: Robots are very effective in a variety of painting

systems; from those that involve only few parts to those that involve many hundreds of different parts. The primary environment where robots are not effective is in job shop applications. An engineered piece that will be manufactured one time and never again is not a good candidate. Parts that will be manufactured over and over, even with major time gaps (months/years) between runs can be easily coated with todays robotic technology. The robot memory will store part specific programs indefinitely and call for them when required.
Size and shape of the parts: A good rule of thumb is that if a man can paint a part

there is a robot that can reach the same area. In certain applications, however, the size or shape of part is so unique that both man and robot may struggle to reach all surface areas. Other Limiting factors include: Very small parts: often the work is too fine to be done by hand or robot; some other process such as dipping will be more effective. Very large parts: the robot will need to be moved by additional track systems and extensions to reach all areas; often not viable for a smaller industrial operation.

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Advantages of automation Quality and paint savings: Increased and more consistent product quality are the most widely regarded advantages gained by robotic automation of all types. For painting and coating robots the most complete analysis must dig deeper as the quality improvement cascades through the entire production system. An industry standard assumption is that a paint savings of 15 to 30% is achieved when manual painters are replaced by automation. This savings is achieved in two primary areas: Film thickness tolerances of 0.2 mils are common with robotics. If a substrate requires 2 mils 0.2 and is regularly produced by hand at 3 mils a paint loss of 50% can hit the producer with no knowledge of the additional expense. If the manual sprayer applies below minimum (e.g. 1.6 mils) the part will need to go through the system again or be scrapped. It is much more common to see the overspray situation because that will make it through inspection and need no rework. Trigger accuracy is the other major quality and savings impact. Industry standards of less than 200 ms trigger time are common. This allows the user to only apply paint to the part. When the applicator is repositioning the paint supply trigger is off, minimizing paint loss due to paint sprayed randomly into the air. Savings achieved through film thickness tolerance control and trigger accuracy will relate directly to many other savings: Exhaust: Tolerance control/trigger accuracy directly reduces stack volatile organic compounds (VOC) volumes. Overspray: Reductions go directly to less filter usage or chemical usage with water wash booth. Reduced rework: Problems such as sags and modeling should be reduced. Reduced scrap: Less material to landfill.

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GREEN is good: Paint robots have always been environmentally friendly. It is

becoming obvious that carbon footprint impact will soon be the baseline for a good community employer, if not legally measured. When using robots there are the environmental savings already discussed, plus additional energy savings that are to be gained.
Example: a 10x10 spray booth at 120 FPM air flow is using 12,000 cfm to

provide a safe work space for manual sprayers. If a robot is installed and air flow is reduced to 60 fpm, to maintain legal lower explosive limits (LEL), the user can immediately see a 6000 CFM savings. Again the savings start to cascade - a softer spray pattern using less paint flow volume is possible because of the lower air flow velocity, equaling more paint savings, less VOC exhaust, etc.
People first:

All savings aside, many paint spray environments are very

unfriendly to the workmen who occupy them. Chemicals such as Zylene, Toluene, and Diisocyanates are extremely unhealthy. Spraying the same product over and over can also result in a repetitive stress injury. Many employees initially see robots as a threat to their employment. In the case of many spray chemistry situations, the benefits of moving the robot in and the person out far outstrip the disadvantages. In most cases the employee is moved to a safer, more rewarding position.
Ballpark

While it is difficult to completely assess the installed cost for all industrial painting situations, as an example, a single ABB robot painting system can be purchased, installed and be fully operational for $100,000 to $150,000. The cost range is dependent on the size of the robot needed. Depending on paint usage, labor savings and increased quality/less waste, the full investment can be paid back between four months and one year. A well maintained paint robot can last for a long time, delivering savings that cover the cost of the system many times over!
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Manufacturers looking to improve painting operations for parts of all sizes and shapes are turning to advanced robotic technology. Modern robots can increase finishing quality, consistency and throughput, while dramatically lowering operating costs and decreasing wasted material and hazardous environments for human workers. Easy to install and program, robots are fast and reliable and can apply the same high-quality finish time after time without tiring. Robotic painting provides an estimated 25 to 30% paint savings over a manual process, offering a quick return on investment (ROI). Paint robots improve safety by reducing the exposure of human workers to paint fumes and other environmental risks, as well as by reducing repetitive motion injuries. Other advantages of robotic painting include less maintenance and cleanup, lower filter/water wash chemical costs and reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. Robots can be used for primer, basecoat, finish coat, clearcoat and spray dispensing using water-based, solvent-based, powder, glaze, and glue/adhesive materials. Todays flexible, high-performance paint robots can efficiently coat intricate parts with recesses, curved and contoured surfaces, and even pictureframe-like shapes. A robot can be programmed to use a complex spray path to apply coating materials to different areas of the part to various film thicknesses - without runs or sags. Application-Specific Robots In addition to traditional paint robots that use external hoses and cabling to feed the paint gun, robot manufacturers now offer application-specific robots designed to optimize finishing operations. These hollow-arm models feature integrated cabling and paint hoses through the upper arm to make programming easier and also improve access into tight spaces that otherwise could not be paintedrobotically.
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Various types of robot wrists are available, and each is designed to facilitate the painting of specific types of parts. The three main wrist types are:

Three-roll wrist - provides three axes of motion (roll, bend, twist,

or RBT axes) in a compact wrist assembly. A three-roll wrist is well suited for painting complex contours, such as car body interiors and the insides of box-shaped objects and other enclosures.

Lemma wrist - also provides three axes of motion but has slightly

less flexibility to maneuver in tight spots. A Lemma wrist is well suited for high-speed painting or coating of less complex part shapes in horizontal and vertical planes, such as a frame or the outside of a cabinet.

Hollow wrist - has the same type of movement as a three-roll wrist

but includes a large opening through the robot base, arm and wrist for hoses, cables and the direct connection of various spray application devices to the robot wrist. With a hollow wrist, interference between the hoses and parts/fixtures is avoided, ensuring optimum cycle time and robot reach/access. Programming also is simplified without hose interference worries. However, hollow wrists cost approximately 10 to 15% more than nonhollow models. Some robot manufacturers offer a variety of fully integrated spray gun options for these different wrist types, including traditional air spray guns, electrostatic guns and high-speed bell applicators, as well as powder coating applicators. Common Options for Paint Robots Paint robots often are equipped with closed-loop fluid control, such as flushable gear pumps or air operated pressure regulators (AOPRs) with flow meters. Closed-loop fluid control guarantees the amount of fluid dispensed, which affects paint quality and film thickness. With a manual application, the worker
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adjusts the path used to paint a part to accommodate changes in viscosity, etc. However, a robot is blind, so closed-loop fluid control is critical to monitor the actual paint fluid delivery output. Most robot manufacturers offer a built-in (external axis) servo motor that can be used to drive the flushable gear pumps. This type of servo motor option is managed by the robot controller, which provides better control of fluid delivery, as well as the capability to control paint operations through the robot teach pendant. Color change valves (a type of air pilot valve) often are used when painting multiple colors. Mounted on the upper arm of the robot, these valves allow automatic color changes in as little as 15 to 30 seconds. Solenoid valves also can be mounted on the upper arms of some of the larger, floor-mounted painting robots to provide a faster response time for color change or fluid delivery control. Solenoid valves convert electrical signals from the PLC or robot to air pilot (pneumatic) signals. Some applications use disposable paint robot covers to protect the manipulator from material overspray and allow easier cleanup. Some paint robots now include a Teflon coating inside and outside the hollow upper arm casting and wrist to reduce hose wear and maintenance. Special Controllers Robots are ideal for liquid painting operations where fumes might be hazardous to human workers. Generally, robots used for liquid painting operations are required to have a Factory Mutual (FM) Class 1, Division 1 intrinsically safe
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(explosion-proof) rating. To reduce the risk of explosion, air purge is used to pressurize the robot positively and keep flammable vapors away from the electrical motors. Powder coatings usually are not flammable like liquid coatings; however, the intrinsically safe paint robots and controllers might still be required in some cases due to the explosion risk of powder coating materials. Some advanced controllers for paint robots feature programming pendants with built-in menus specific to painting that include functions such as gun on/gun off, color change, and paint condition files that control the fluid, fan air, atomizing air, electrostatic high voltage, bell speed and shaping air. (Shaping air is used to control the size of the pattern created by the painting bell as it spins. More shaping air provides a narrower paint pattern, while less shaping air provides a wider paint pattern.)

Vision Systems Vision systems are becoming more affordable and are being used more often in painting applications or closely related tasks. For example, one automotive supplier uses a laser in conjunction with high-end cameras to inspect automotive body panels prior to painting operations to detect dings or other flaws. To determine defects, the vision system matches the laser scan and camera images of the auto body panel with a computer model and confirms that the part is within tolerance. Another manufacturer that runs more than 70 different part families uses bar code readers and vision systems to read part tags and automatically tell their painting robots which spray pattern program to run. If no bar code read is detected, the robot uses a generic program that will cover most parts. The results are dramatic - material savings alone can easily
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pay for a robot system in just a few short months, depending on product volumes and system complexity. The manufacturer in the bar code reader example achieved payback in only seven months.

COLOR CHANGE A color change is the purging of one color from the paint applicator and the loading of a second color. Sometimes, it includes a paint push out. Color changes affect quality, throughput, waste, and maintenance and can have a severe impact on the overall productivity of paint processes. Whether you have a manual color change or an automatic color change, you may find the discussion below useful to both operator and maintenance personnel and as an aid to management in making the right decisions . North American Paint Applications is the world leader in implementation of efficient color changes for every type of application. Duration When changing colors, the equipment is not painting. It follows then that the longer the duration to complete the color change process, the lower the part throughput of the system. Long color changes often have a negative impact on productivity. As an estimate in automated systems, typical color change times are one second per foot of paint hose from the color valve stack to the applicator. Manual systems vary widely. With efficient design, faster color change times can be easily achieved. An integrated color change and cap clean that begins at the last trigger off can save 5 to 10 seconds of cycle time.

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Repeatability Automated color changes ought to be designed to purge and load the lines efficiently, repeatably, and with sufficient flexibility to make allowances for all purging and loading variations among the different materials. For example, it is common that white may be more difficult to purge than black and may take longer to load. The system ought to be flexible enough to support this. Problems such as color carryover, insufficient paint load, sputtering, and overspray contamination should never occur when equipment is functioning as designed. The system should be repeatable for any combination. Waste Unless a paint push out is incorporated, all material used during a color change is waste and must be disposed of. In automatic color changes, it is normally collected via piping direct to waste storage. Only a minimal amount of waste material required to clean the bell or gun is normally sprayed into the booth. The amount of material used for color change depends on many factors, including paint line length and size, paint and solvent chemistry, equipment, and method of implementation. Paint is the most expensive material of the waste and the amount used should never be greater than 120% of the internal volume of the piping system from the color valve stack to the applicator, and less if a paint push out is used. For solvent, a good benchmark would be less than one cup per 5 feet of paint line. Paint Push Out Paint push out refers to the process of 'pushing' paint out of the lines and onto the part prior to a color change. This is usually done with solvent. In

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this way, less paint is wasted during a color change and color change times are shortened.

Advanced PC-Based Software When planning a robotic painting system, finishing operations can use PCbased simulation to select the robot model and wrist type, and optimize cell layout by determining the best placement of the robot(s) in relation to conveyors and spray booth walls to eliminate potential interference. Users then can simulate part and conveyor movements, as well as the actual spray process, to determine the best coating pattern that delivers the required finish with the least waste of materials and fastest throughput time.

Simulation programs allow manufacturers to develop robot programs offline on a PC and download them directly to the robot. This capability reduces or eliminates the downtime required for point-to-point robot programming.

New Approaches New robot designs are starting to change paint lines in automotive exterior paint applications. Manipulator arms are narrower and feature hollow wrists, providing better part access. Previously, paint robots were nearly always floor103

mounted, which created a limited working area due to interference between the robot, applicator and car body coming down the line. Newer paint robots can be shelf- or overhead-mounted, which offers significant advantages by expanding the effective work envelope and decreasing potential interference. One automotive company has been able to reduce the width of its paint booth by 25%, from approximately 20 to 15 ft (6,000 to 4,500 mm).

Overhead robot layouts reduce floorspace requirements, thereby providing additional cost savings. Overhead mounting configurations also provide less contamination from paint overspray onto the robots and base risers, which decreases maintenance requirements.

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Conclusion

The "what you see is what you paint" approach has proven to be a promising alternative to conventional teach in and OLP based programming and has shown feasible especially for high variant, low volume parts. However, highly complex shaped, non separated and oscillating parts cause incomplete data (by occlusion) and disturbances. As pointed out incomplete surface models hinder the paint planner to generate paint strokes resulting in a more predicable paint coating thickness. Furthermore, collision free motion planning requires some safety distance from incomplete objects preventing the system to paint more concave shaped objects. Robust 3D object recognition and pose estimation contributes to the realization of small lotsize robotic painting applications if part or scene complexity is very high.

Future work will focus on increasing the robustness of the recognition algorithm against cluttered sensor data.

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Findings
Part Shape. Complex parts with recesses, curved surfaces and picture-frame-like

qualities are great candidates for a robot. Others, such as flat sheet panels or those having simple geometry are handled easily with less expensive mechanisms. If keeping the spray gun normal to the part surface requires a great deal of articulation, then a robot is a consideration.
Part Variety. The variety of part shapes and sizes bears greatly on how best to

paint them. A low-volume job shop where no two painted parts are the same would be a poor location for a robot. Hard automation is a good solution for painting smaller sets of similar parts. A good illustration is an application where a small adjustment can allow a few fixed guns to spray both 15- and 16-inch diameter aluminum wheels. By adding upstream sensing equipment, hard automation accommodates a mixture of parts at a relatively low cost
Cycle Time. A robot's quickness can be misleading. Since a robot moves faster

than a gun applies paint, it is the painting speed that is the most significant factor. While robots can be outfitted with only one or two spray guns, it is common to have many spray guns in a hard automation system, allowing more paint to be applied in less time.

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Reccomondation Robot Safety. Robots, driven by powerful electric motors, have caused injuries and even deaths. To prevent accidents, spray booth doors should have safety interlocks to stop the robot whenever the booth door is opened.

The choice of technology for painting parts depends upon a number of technical and economic factors. A broad range of solutions from manual spray stations to multi-robot installations is available. Using sophisticated interfaces and fast, precise motion systems, hard automation and robotics provide significant advantages for many spray paint jobs. Sometimes the best solution is a combination of technologies. There is no substitute for putting together a knowledgeable team from the start. This team should include the paint supplier, application equipment supplier and a turnkey systems house familiar with all aspects of integrating a painting robot into a complete finishing system. When robots are used, careful thought should be given to the overall system design to accommodate and maximize the robot's benefits. Part fixturing, conveyor design, system PLC selection, spray booth design, programming tools and safety systems should all be engineered with the robot in mind

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. google.com 2. Paints & coating technology. 3. www.abb.co.in. 4. AMWs official website.www.amwasia.com

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