Turkish EV-manufacturer with extremly modern paint shop
Turkeys first manufacturer of smart and connected electric vehicles is building a new Technology Campus to be one of the most environmentally friendly plants in Europe. Part of this is a brand new highly automated paint shop.
175.000 units smart and connected EVs are to roll off the production line annually at the Gemlik Togg Technology Campus in western Turkey by 2030. The turnkey paint shop project was awarded to Dürr in 2020 and a second order for the final assembly system followed in 2021. Together, they covered all plant engineering, application technology and marriage, including fully automatic screwdriving stations and inspection equipment.
“The pretreatment and cathodic electrocoating systems are already rated for the final expansion stage, while the plans include provision for doubling up of all other power units in the layout. Therefore, Togg can react quickly if the capacity requirements increase, for example, by adding a second oven or an entire line,” explains Bruno Welsch, CEO & President Paint and Final Assembly at Dürr Systems AG. Production started only recently.
Paint shop with less energy and water consumption
Togg initially opted for a lean painting process to minimize energy demand. The base coat and clear coat of the internal and external paint finish are applied in a single topcoat line with integrated primer application, eliminating one drying phase. The solvent-based paints contain 30 to 35 percent more solid content than standard paints to achieve the required layer thicknesses with lower discharge rates. The “EcoDryScrubber” dry separation system concentrates the solvents released into the exhaust air fully automatically and separates the overspray –saving resources in many ways.
The system requires virtually no water and very little energy for air conditioning, which is usually one of the highest energy consumption processes in painting. Spray booth air recirculation of up to 95 % means that heat and electricity consumption is reduced by up to 80 % and 50 %, respectively. This reduction also pays off economically, with energy consumption reduced by up to 60 %. Togg goes well beyond the legal requirements with one additional measure to protect the environment. The “Oxi.X”, a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) that can be operated auto thermally – in other words, without a primary energy supply for the burner – disposes of the booth exhaust air.
High-colour brilliance coating
Togg insists on high standards not only for environmental friendliness but also for coating quality. Next-generation robots apply the paint, including the seven-axis “EcoRP E043i”, which is mobile enough to paint doors from the inside and open tailgates. A unique technical feature is the “EcoBell 3” atomizers equipped with two main needles, which apply coloured clear coats for particularly shiny surfaces. The second main needle eliminates the time-consuming rinse cycles previously required, reducing detergent consumption, and ensuring the fastest colour changes within the required cycle time.
More information: www.duerr.com
