The aerospace company Turkish Aerospace is currently building one of the most high-tech production facilities in the aerospace industry. Sixteen robots from will coat more than 50 different components in two highly automated paint facilities. Dürr developed a new solution for this which, for the first time, enables both water-based and solvent-based 2C and 3C paints to be metered and mixed directly in the robot.
The range of main colors, hardeners, and thinners stipulated by Turkish Aerospace is extensive, and requires a complicated color supply system. To meet these challenges, Dürr took its tried-and-tested system for water-based and solvent-based 2C paints out of its standard automotive painting setting and enhanced it. The system at Turkish Aerospace meters and mixes all three of the necessary components so that the incompatible water-based and solvent-based paints can be processed directly in the robot without coming into contact with each other. This is the first time that such a complicated metering and mixing technology has been mounted so close to the atomizers. This minimizes paint and solvent losses when changing color and also saves time. The “EcoGun” spray guns used are extremely precise and, with their excellent area performance, perfect for painting large components like fuselage sections or wing components up to 10 meters in length. This is faster than manual coating processes and produces a higher-quality result and less overspray. Recirculated air can be used in the fully automated paint booths, saving the energy that would otherwise be needed to condition the fresh air. The sixteen “EcoRP E133” painting robots will be installed in two new buildings on Turkish Aerospace’s site in Ankara. They are programmed using “DXQ3D.onsite”, a software that is the universal toolbox that enables operators to configure the process parameters and robot paths of the application robots. Specific consumption data for paints, solvents, energy, and air will also be recorded so that Turkish Aerospace can match them to the individual components in the future. This data will make it possible to optimize manufacturing processes. The data acquisition is also important in meeting the high safety standards in the aviation industry. The general contractor for the construction of the two paint shops is the Turkish plant manufacturer VIG Makina.
Further information: www.durr.com
3D simulation: In future, the painting robots will automatically paint more than 50 different aircraft components at Turkish Aerospace. Image: VIG Makina.