The new paint shop for electric vehicles of Stellantis will also be equipped with the EcoInCure electric ovens from Dürr.
The German engineering company Dürr has recently announced that it has built a new turnkey paint shop for the electric vehicles manufacturing facility of Stellantis in Kenitra (Morocco) equipped with repurposed robots and the EcoInCure electric oven, which is expected to double the overall site capacity: the newly-designed paint shop will in fact handle thirty car bodies per hour.
The advanced production technology of the new plant ensures environmentally friendly and energy-saving high-quality coating operations. As a matter of fact, the site is intended to be a model for energy optimisation while simultaneously significantly increasing the production capacity of Stellantis regarding battery-powered vehicles and hybrid models across the Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat brands.
The Dürr equipment in the new Stellantis Paint Shop
For the pre-treatment phase and the cathodic electrocoating operations, the company has selected the patented RoDip® rotational dip technology from Dürr, a new process that rotates the car bodies around their axis in order to provide exceptional corrosion protection – since the dip curves can be individually adapted to different body types, optimising the immersion, flooding and draining process.
The RoDip system consumes much less water, fewer chemicals and less heating energy than other technical solutions, because the conveyor system eliminates the need for inclined tank entrances and exits – shortening the immersion tank length by up to six meters and reducing tank volume. Furthermore, lower energy and material consumption also reduces operating and unit costs.
In addition to electrocoating, the Stellantis Group will also debut the EcoInCure electric oven featuring innovative air flow conduction that heats and cools car bodies evenly from the inside out: the unique design reduces thermal-structural stresses and lowers car body heating time by up to 30%, thus reducing emissions by 40%.
Finally, the car manufacturer will also enhance the efficiency of its coating operation by adopting a wet-on-wet technology that allows it to save both time and energy: the extensive process, which includes two-tone painting across three exterior stations, employs robots with the EcoBell2 applicators (that can be seamlessly integrated with other devices) and application technologies from already-existing Italian plants. In addition, technical equipment such as air supply units, heaters and conveyors are being transported from Europe to the Moroccan site.
“Repurposing production technology from other plants is a sustainable approach that maximises resources. In addition, repurposing is a suitable building block for constructing a paint shop within challenging time and cost constraints, all without compromising coating quality and performance,” has stated Jochen Weyrauch, the Chief Operating Officer of Dürr Systems AG.