ABB’s innovative PixelPaint technology has been selected by leading Indian SUV manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) for its new electric vehicle painting facility. The technology, which uses award-winning paint heads similar to those used in inkjet printers, is due to go into series production in 2025.
“Our innovative PixelPaint technology can apply uniform colour over large areas and with perfect precision in every detail, without slowing down the production line or requiring manual intervention,” said Joerg Reger, managing director of ABB Robotics’ Automotive business unit. “By deploying PixelPaint-equipped robots in dedicated cells, Mahindra’s paint shop will be able to apply finishes such as contrast treatments on the roof and pillars of its new EV line in a fully automated process.”
PixelPaint consists of a paint head with more than 1,000 tiny, individually controlled nozzles mounted on an ABB robot, such as the IRB 5500 paint series. Combined with ABB’s 3D vision system and coordinated by ABB’s RobotStudio® planning and programming software, the head moves very close to the car body, ensuring 100% of the paint is applied to the car and that no paint splashes or gets lost in the air. This eliminates the need for time-consuming masking and repeated trips to the paint shop, eliminating waste and ensuring precise detail is faithfully reproduced.
Demand for personalisation options has increased in recent years and PixelPaint is just one example of how ABB’s innovative technology is helping establish Mahindra’s products in the premium car segment.
Building on ABB’s existing relationship with Mahindra, the deployment also includes 42 robots of the IRB 5500 family, making M&M the first OEM in India to adopt PixelPaint technology for its robots. Painting Contrasting roofs and pillars.
Complex and time-consuming tasks such as painting and sealing interiors can now be done fully autonomously with the precision of ABB’s systems, painting only exactly where it’s needed, eliminating the need to manually mask areas and saving time and materials. Similarly, ABB’s RB1000i digitally-enabled paint atomizer transfer It increases efficiency by 10 percent, reduces waste by more than 30 percent and reduces the amount of paint lost into the air.
For more information about ABB’s PixelPaint, please see below. https://new.abb.com/products/robotics/functional-modules/pixelpaint For more information, please click here
ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation enabling a more sustainable, resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions combine engineering know-how with software to optimize the way goods are made, moved, powered and operated. Built on more than 140 years of excellence, ABB’s more than 105,000 employees are driven by innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. Click here for details
ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation is the world’s leading robotics and machine automation supplier, and is the only company with a comprehensive and integrated portfolio covering robots, autonomous mobile robots and machine automation solutions. These portfolios are designed and orchestrated by our value creation software. We help companies of all sizes and sectors, from automotive to electronics to logistics, become more resilient, flexible and efficient. ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation supports customers in the transition to the connected factory of the future. This business area employs around 11,000 people at more than 100 locations in around 53 countries. Robotics
