Always the right type at hand

Watching the driverless transport vehicles maneuver around the paint shop feels like you’re in a science fiction movie. The smallest of the fleet are only slightly wider than a toboggan and are so flat that they drive under a car body, lift it up and move it to the next workstation. “The small vehicles carry loads of up to one ton,” says Stefano Bell. The product manager is responsible for driverless transport systems at Dürr — the fleet of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) is called ProFleet. 

The rolling power packs replace rigid conveyor technology. It is replaced by total flexibility: An AGV always drives to the painting box that is free, ready for operation, and suitable for the next work step. The control system complements and changes the route plan as required. So, if one workstation suddenly fails, the other stations can continue their work undisturbed. The AGV simply moves to the next available box. “This increases flexibility in production tremendously,” says Bell.  

In order to prevent accidents, the AGV is equipped with sensors. Laser scanners immediately detect obstacles. If necessary, it brakes or drives around the obstacle. Charging also takes place automatically — the AGVs use the transfers at the stations and recharge their energy storage independently. This means that they can be used almost non-stop. 

The driverless transporters can be used not only in the paint shop, but also in the final assembly of cars. Here, they transport a vehicle including wheels, engine, and battery from one workstation to the next. Of course, finished cars are much heavier. This is why a different version of the AGV fleet is used here. One that can carry up to six tons. Talk about strong!

Robots have to apply the paint evenly and precisely to the car body. This is particularly important for multi-colored cars — for example, if the roof is to have a different color. 

What is visually striking in road traffic is a laborious process in conventional production: First, the car body passes through the painting line. “When it is dry, employees apply a protective film and leave only the desired areas exposed,” explains Dürr painting expert Timo Beyl. The vehicle is then painted in a second painting process. A lot of effort when you consider that hundreds of car bodies are painted in several colors every day in a car factory. 

With the EcoPaintJet Pro, this work can be simplified. A nozzle plate attached to the robot’s applicator works so precisely that the painting paths can be applied without missing a single drop. Masking is no longer necessary. This saves material, time, and energy. 

Before the robots begin their work, optical sensors measure the entire car body. Software compares the real car body with a model stored in virtual form and corrects the painting paths accordingly. “Even car bodies for the same vehicle type have differences that could lead to painting errors without this correction process,” says Beyl. Only when it is clear how all deviations can be compensated for does the robot guide the applicator over the car body with high precision. The permitted tolerance for the paint application corresponds to approximately 0.1 millimeters. 

Vibrations in the vicinity of the system must be avoided at all costs. Therefore, the conveyor technology and the rails on which the robots move must be carefully matched to the system environment. Only then can the EcoPaintJet Pro make full use of its precision. 

Diabetes is a widespread disease of our time. Almost half a billion people are affected by the condition. They have to measure their blood sugar level regularly. Medical technology offers various possibilities of doing this. For example, a small device with a built-in cartridge containing ten tests. Those affected simply have to press a button with their finger. The device then pricks the fingertip, draws a tiny amount of blood, and displays the result shortly afterwards. 

The cartridge is the heart of the device and consists of micro components. The ten tests included are arranged in a circle and resemble the drum of a revolver. They consist of a mechanism, a spring, an ultra-thin needle, and a reagent paper. The production of the tiny cartridges is highly complex. The manufacturing process must be fast. The product must function with absolute reliability and has to be produced in huge quantities.

Kahle Automation, a Dürr Group subsidiary that will operate under the name of BBS Automation from June 2025, specializes in machines and systems that meet these requirements. The customer of the Italian company comes from the pharmaceutical industry and receives production technology tailored precisely to its needs. “All our machines and systems are unique,” explains product manager Marco De Priori. 

The system designed for producing the cartridges consists of three machines that share a total of 30 work steps. In the process, the micro components are precisely assembled, inspected, and moved further along. In each step, each machine processes up to 30 parts at the same time. This is the only way to keep up the pace: The system produces around 45 cartridges per minute, each one consisting of 10 sub-assemblies. That adds up to around 450 parts per minute. Meanwhile, cameras check the quality of the work at every stage. Workpieces with even the slightest deviations are ejected from the production process. Because ultimately, only the parts that meet the high safety requirements should find their way to the patient.