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Unfortunately for some of us, Painting robots aren’t the humanoid drones from Star Wars. In fact, most industrial Painting robots are Articulated robot arms—they appear and work very similarly to human arms. Depending on the model, articulated arms have four to six joints (also called axes), allowing them to extend several feet, move in many directions, and rotate circuitously.
The combination of joints gives Industrial Painting robots impressive range and mobility. Their agility allows them to navigate complex geometries and successfully spray hard-to-reach areas. Equipped with painting guns or spray heads (called end-effectors) at the end of their arms, Industrial Painting robots flawlessly spray paint, primer, sealant, or any other type of coating your products might require.
These robots move at a faster clip (sometimes 30x faster) and produce more consistent results than human painters or traditional painting machines can. Robot painters are compatible with manufacturing settings, as you can integrate them into almost any part of your manufacturing operation. Unlike humans, robots can work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Robot painters’ spray heads contain optics systems, allowing them to “see” what they’re spraying in real time. These optical sensors can easily detect dents, scratches, and other imperfections, often more accurately and precisely than human operators. When the sensors detect defects, they can immediately inform human operators to pull the piece from the line. The optical sensors also determine when the spray gun has applied the proper sealant, paint, or coating to each product. A Painting robot’s ability to correctly discern applied volume nearly eliminates overspray, saving on product spend.
Inside most Painting robots, a bundle of sensors usually monitors product volume, flow rate, pressure, and viscosity. These high-tech sensors can ensure an even and consistent spray, surpassing the ability of humans or traditional painting machinery. If you’re worried about those optical sensors quickly being rendered useless, you’ll be glad to know that many painting robots come equipped with a purge system that shields optical sensors with a protective gas barrier (usually air or nitrogen) when the nozzle is painting. It works a little like swimming goggles over human eyes in a chlorinated pool.
Industrial robot painters’ sophisticated heads can draw different fluids from multiple tanks. A single robotic painter can spray an object with several layers using different products for each layer. For example, a single Industrial Painting robot can apply an anti-rust base layer, a chip-resistant coating, color, and a finishing seal. Painting robots eliminate the downtime caused by cleaning and filling the old manual or human-operated systems.
Before the robot sprays on each coating, it transforms the liquid into a gas in an atomization state change. Most robot painters use one of the three following methods:
How it works: The robot applies air into the liquid, breaking it into smaller droplets.
Advantages: The cheapest atomizer, high durability.
Disadvantages: Not all applications may work with air atomization. The resulting spray is less consistent than the other atomization types. Droplets range from 10 -100 microns, depending on the system.
How it works: A high voltage bolt of DC electricity zaps the liquid, shattering it into a mist.
Advantages: Efficiently breaks down liquids and negatively charges the resulting gas, making it a go-to option for applications that must adhere to positively charged surfaces. Minimal overspray as droplets produced electrostatically average around an exquisitely fine 1 micron.
Disadvantages: Complex design, may require extra programming, and be expensive.
How it works: The robot blasts the liquid with a high-frequency sound wave, creating mist.
Advantages: Produces fine spray patterns with droplets around 1-5 microns, resulting in little to negligible overspray.
Disadvantages: Complex design, may require extra programming, and be expensive.
All atomization processes result in lower volatile organic compound emissions (VOCs). Lower VOC emissions create a safer environment for the Painting robot’s human coworkers.
Atomized paints and sealants tend to finish more durably than liquid ones, adding strength to the end application and drying much faster.
However, which atomization system you choose will ultimately depend on the following:
The surface to which the droplets will stick.
Industrial Painting robots will excel in most applications because of their multiple-axis structure and end-effector versatility. Players in various industries are already harnessing the power of these highly precise and stunningly efficient robots.
Car manufacturers worldwide use robots to color their products and add base primers, sealants, and chip-resistant coating. Multiple-axis arm robots flawlessly spray sealants and coatings to difficult-to-reach, angular locations.
All kinds of high-tech machinery, from commercial airplanes to Mars-bound rovers, require specialized coating to ensure they thrive in extreme environments. Industrial Painting robots are a staple tool in the aerospace industry because they deliver consistent results, keeping products safe from harsh environments—on Earth and beyond.
Gadgets and appliances we use daily, like smartphones, refrigerators, TVs, and computers, were most likely painted, coated, and sealed by a painting robot. A Painting robot may have sprayed a layer of water-resistant, dust-proof sealant on your new iPhone and a coating for semiconductors and wires inside the phone.
These industries are just a tiny fraction of those harnessing Painting robots' efficiency. Heavy industry component makers, furniture manufacturers, shipping container builders, and countless others also utilize industrial Painting robots for their applications.
Implementing an Industrial Painting robot is an endeavor that requires careful planning. You’ll want to note these key considerations:
The potential amount of money to invest in a Painting robot is usually the most crucial consideration to most factory owners. Industrial Painting robots range from $50,000 to $150,000 depending on the following:
These factors can accrue to a substantial investment. Consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) and how long it will take to get a return on your investment (ROI). Positive ROI factors include the obvious increase in productivity and output, the savings in wasted paint, and reduced product defects.
What size is your application, and how much paint is needed to cover it? The answer to this question will help you determine the best location inside your factory for the robot to do its work.
Where you put the robot depends on what stage of the production process requires it. While placing a robot on the floor consumes considerable space, you can easily enclose it with a protective ventilation booth with a ventilation system. This protective equipment removes fumes that may harm workers and effectively filters out anything that could damage the environment.
Mounting a painting robot on walls or ceilings saves a lot of space. Still, it requires human coworkers to exercise greater caution and may require additional safety equipment to be purchased and installed.
You’ll need to determine if you require a particular fixture to hold the object being painted. There are robots available on the market that specialize in this, but you can also use more straightforward mechanical methods or have your human staff manually affix items for the robot to work on.
Finally, Painting robots require maintenance. Their nozzles and hoses will need cleaning, their sensors will need calibrating, and their software will occasionally update. You’ll want to factor the downtime required for routine maintenance tasks into your TCO and ROI calculations.
In most cases, humans work alongside Painting robots. So, you’ll want to ensure you have safety procedures and equipment to keep your team safe when collaborating with their non-carbon-based colleagues.
Safety measures might include placing emergency-stop buttons outside the robot’s range of motion (a work envelope in robotics), training employees to be aware of the dangers of mist, and correctly using personal protective equipment (PPE). Your chosen robot manufacturer will provide operational instructions to those working directly with Painting robots.
While bringing a Painting robot into your production line may seem intimidating initially, with careful planning and guidance, you can quickly accelerate your business output and achieve better client results.
Interested in bringing Robotic Painting to your own business? RO1 by Standard Bots is a great choice for factories large and small:
Speak to our solutions team today to organize a free, 30-day onsite trial and get expert advice on everything you need to deploy your first robot.