Recently, PPG has developed a low-energy spraying process for automotive original equipment suppliers (OEMs), which can effectively save 39%.
PPG said it introduced the low-energy spray process to automotive OEMs at the SURCAR North America Conference on June 13-14. SURCAR is one of a series of regional technical conferences in the automotive coating industry, with participants including automotive OEMs, spray materials and equipment manufacturers.
A representative of PPG introduced the low-energy spray system developed by the LEAPP project, which is designed to help automotive OEMs worldwide reduce the capital and operating costs of their coating plants. Currently, 70% of the energy consumption of a car assembly plant comes from the paint shop.
The new spray process, developed by PPG and Dürr Systems, achieves energy savings of 39% with lower cure temperatures and faster flash and drying times. The process features PPG's next-generation water-based adhesive chemical process with a cure temperature of only 80 degrees Celsius (currently the coating system cures at 140 degrees Celsius), which reduces the flash and drying time of each car by several minutes.
The new system requires less furnaces and lower curing temperatures, thus saving OEMs the floor space of the paint shop. In addition, the process can cover the characteristics of heat sensitive parts such as metal and plastic, composite materials, etc., which can greatly simplify the manufacturing process.
David Fenn, PPG Automotive OEM Coatings Development Manager, said: “The LEAPP project focuses on innovative technology development that can revolutionize the operation, sustainability and vehicle appearance of the paint shop. We are eager to share the project with our peers at the SURCAR conference. Results, and began the commercial operation of the technology."
