BRAND-NEW
ABB PixelPaint Has Won the lnnovation and Entrepreneurship Award ABB’s PixelPaint robotic painting technology for the automotive industry has won the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award.
A
BB’s PixelPaint robotic non-overspray painting solution won the
the masks once the second colour has also been applied. In addition,
2021 edition of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics
the process causes significant waste and high costs for the recycling
& Automation (IERA) award for its innovative value and ecological
and purchase of the paint, since it allows only about 75% of the paint to
benefits in the commercialising of innovative robotics and automation
be applied to the surface of the bodywork.
technologies.
PixelPaint offers a faster, more accurate and more sustainable solution
PixelPaint, available from 2020, uses inkjet heads to apply high
for customised painting, thanks to a high DPI inkjet head, two IRB 5500
resolution, two-tone or personalised designs directly to a car body in
painting robot, dosing control package, and RobotStudio® programming
a single pass. This technology allows vehicle manufacturers to meet
software for two tone and decorative painting applications that allows
the growing demand for
you to solve the problems
customised paintings,
listed above.
while eliminating wasteful
The jury, composed by the
overspray.
International Federation
“We are delighted that
of Robotics (IFR) and the
our PixelPaint solution
Institute of Electrical and
has been recognized for
Electronics Engineers (IEEE),
its innovative, sustainable
has therefore decided to
technology that helps
reward the combination
our customers respond
of greater efficiency,
to consumer requests
flexibility and environmental
for more personalized
performance offered by
design. With PixelPaint,
PixelPaint.
100 percent of the paint
“The jury is pleased to
can now be applied in half
honour ABB’s PixelPaint
the time compared to the
technology, with the
previous method used for custom paint jobs, with a
17th IERA Award. The innovative solution for
© ABB
much better finish quality.
automated car painting
For our customers, this provides the triple bonus of saving millions of
combines more flexibility and customization with reduced wasted paint
dollars per year through reduced paint consumption, improved efficiency
for the wellness of the environment,” said Rob Ambrose, Jury Chair.
and improved environmental performance through reduced VOC and
The IERA Award highlights the innovators who generate ideas with
CO2 emissions, while meeting their customer needs,” stated Joerg Reger,
added value and the entrepreneurs who transform them into world-
Managing Director of ABB Robotics Auto OEM Business Line.
class products. IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE / RAS)
Traditionally, in order to apply a two-tone paint or a custom pattern
and IFR jointly sponsor the award, underlining their commitment
onto a bodywork, it was necessary to put the vehicle through a painting
to fostering greater collaboration between science and industry in
line twice: once for the first layer and then for the second colour, after
robotics.
that the already painted areas had been masked. This masking job usually requires 10 to 20 operators per shift, plus two more to remove
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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
For further information: https://global.abb/group/en
