1. Robotic Spray Coating for high mix / low volume production environments

2. Background:
Today, spray coating of high mix/low volume products at SMEs:
requires labour-intensive manual processes (preparation, planning, painting, …),
involves dirty, dull and strenuous tasks requiring protective clothing and mask, for which hardly skilled workers can be found
is heavily based on experience, lacking:
part specific work instructions,
control over thickness and process parameters (consistency),
quality control and assurance.
the planning, grouping of parts or individual part preparation is done ad-hoc,
by the same team who carries out the spray coating process,
based on personal experience and preference,
hardly integrated within the overall production system, lacking insight on:
the timing and outcome of previous production steps,
the impact on post-processing and subsequent production steps.
mainly oriented at maximizing spray coating efficiency, does not lead to optimal solutions for overall efficiency & quality

3. Need.
Automated spray coating is technically feasible/applied for high volume series,
but practical shortcomings make automation economically uninteresting in a high mix/low volume production environment
Multiple challenges to overcome:
Programming systems avoiding manual programming of the robotic system (i.e. automatic scanning/programming, learning/demonstrating, part recognition and rules, offline based on virtual model, …),
increase consistency over the process and assure first time right quality,
a planning integrated within the overall production system,
adaptive process control (parameters for optimal quality – min. energy, …)
combination with automated pretreatment and curing depending on requested coatings
efficient coating product switch for small series and parameter optimization for first time right
Links to the SMART roadmap, i.e.:
Intelligent and adaptive manufacturing systems, for producing an increasing diversity of parts, merging virtual and real manufacturing.
Efficient automated painting control, with integrated quality measurement and control

4. PROPOSAL INTRODUCTION (I)
Vision:
Flexible robotic spray coating economically affordable for high mix / low volume production environments
Motivation:
Keep customised painting of components in Europe
Economic affordable painting
Assured and consistent quality, “first time right”
Eliminate dirty/strenuous tasks
Content:
Concept development of intelligent and adaptive manufacturing system, for painting an increasing diversity of parts, merging virtual and real manufacturing.
Develop / integrate technologies:
programming systems
Adaptive control & efficient automated painting control, with integrated quality assurance and control (e.g. thickness)

5. PROPOSAL INTRODUCTION (II)
Expected outcome:
Economic affordable, automated painting of individual components:
batch size 1,
consistent “first time right” quality,
health: eliminating strenuous tasks, protect operators against the influence of chemical agents
Optimized planning within overall production system:
avoiding reconfiguration / set-up times,
from “experience based” to “operator support”
Reduced environmental impact
Impacts: what will be the expected market impact of the project
Affordable coating of customized products in Europe
Increased production output/throughput (without extra operators)
Reduced production cost
Reduction of environmental impact:
paint use (~20%)
energy consumption (~15%)

6. ORGANISATION PROFILE Sirris 150 engineers
Mission: Support technological industry in bringing innovation into practice
Sirris – Advanced Manufacturing
40 engineers
Mission: Applied research on machining, automation, production organization, coatings & additive manufacturing

7. PARTNERS
Current Consortium: list of partners already involved in the project
Sirris:
identification of challenges to industrialization (linked to SME requiring high mix/low volume production)
building working proof of concept
knowledge and infrastructure regarding robotic spray coating and 3D scanning
Partner search:
Manufacturing companies with high mix / low volume spray coating, SML enterprise,
Integrators, technology providers and manufacturers of production equipment for coating/painting, SML enterprise & research institutes

8. CONTACT INFO
Contact info: of the person coordinating the project proposal
Pieter Kesteloot
Mobile:
Jan Kempeneers
Mobile: