Fully Automated Paint Spray Booth Facility

PAC Spray Booths & Ovens successfully won a tender to design, supply, and install a fully automated paint facility for SDC Trailers.

OBJECTIVE

Our client, SDC Trailers, needed to double their production rates. To achieve this, they required a new state-of-the-art paint facility. The new facility had to achieve one trailer chassis being processed every 30 minutes, and it had to fit within the square footage they had available on-site. The new process line had to manoeuvre each chassis using an automated overhead conveyor system, which had to be suitable for all variants of chassis type.

PROCESS

The PAC Spray Booths & Ovens design team, in collaboration with the client, came up with multiple designs and plant layouts. The most suitable design was agreed and the process started with the installation of a new overhead crane with rotation belts. This is used to lift the chassis and rotate it vertically to be placed on the conveyor C hooks, which can be manually adjusted for different variants of chassis.

Once the chassis is loaded, the automated conveyor moves it into a shuttle system. The shuttle system is used to transport the chassis to the primer station, before transferring it to the primer spray booth. Once the chassis has been primed, the shuttle system transports it to the primer oven. The primer oven has the capacity to cure four chassis, manoeuvring them through the oven via overhead rotation tables and index motors.

The chassis then automatically exit the oven into an inspection station. Once satisfied with the primer coat, the chassis is transferred to the top coat booth. After the top coat is applied the chassis moves into the flash-off booth before being transported to a second inspection booth. Once satisfied with the finish, the chassis then enters the top coat oven, which holds seven chassis. Once cured, the chassis exit on to the pipe and wiring line.

To allow for operator fit-out, the chassis automatically lower to 300mm above the shop floor. A second overhead crane is used to lift the chassis, rotate it to road orientation, and set it on the shop floor where the final fit-out will take place.

The new paint facility is controlled via advanced PLC controls and monitored by a SCADA system. The SCADA system allows for all chassis to be monitored throughout the production process. Several remote screens are located around the plant - these indicate to personnel at their particular stations which chassis is due to enter their station next. This process enables painters and fitters to get the correct colours and parts in place, which increases productivity.

OUTCOME

“SDC Trailers appointed PAC Spray Booths & Ovens to design, manufacture, and install a fully-automated paint facility as our production rates had significantly increased. Darren and the team at PAC have been with us right from the beginning. They understood our needs and created a concept that allowed us to deliver trailers at an exceptional rate. The installation was seamless and the team kept us involved throughout the project. The team completed the project in a turnaround time of a challenging 45 weeks. We would highly recommend PAC to anyone looking to automate their current processes.”

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