Robotic Painting Cells

Robots have been used in painting cells for a number of years. They can be set up to apply paint on automotive parts or bodies as they pass by on a continuous production line. The robots in this application must have a tracking software option so that they can locate the part that they are painting and follow it precisely as the part moves continually along the production line. ill. 1 shows a typical robotic painting cell that uses four robots to paint automobiles as they pass through the cell on a continuous production line.

Above: ill.1: Typical spray-painting application. Several sets of robots are used together to provide a painting cell.

When an automobile body moves into the cell area, the first robot on each side of the painting line detects the body and begins tracking it as it moves through the cell. When the body reaches the correct location, the first robots on each side begin to apply paint. When the body moves far enough into the cell, the second robots on each side begin to track the body and begin to apply paint when the body reaches the correct location. When the body moves far enough through the cell, it will move out of reach for the first set of robots, and they will stop tracking and painting and return to their starting location while they wait for the next body.

The newest painting systems allow the robot to change paint colors quickly so that every other automotive body can be a different color. This technology also allows sensors on the body to indicate to the robots what the color should be.