PaintExpo 2024: Exhibitors optimize painting processes of the future
The numerous new technological developments presented by the exhibitors at PaintExpo 2024 demonstrate this: The industrial painting technology sector is increasingly focusing on sustainable and energy-efficient processes and offering solutions for the future.
At the upcoming PaintExpo 2024 from April 9 to 12 in Karlsruhe, application manufacturers and system manufacturers, for example, will be showcasing innovative solutions and products for greater sustainability and energy efficiency. With energy-saving system concepts, resource-saving applications and modern software, among other things, companies consume less energy and can thus save valuable resources in painting processes in the long term. Exhibitors at the world's leading trade fair for industrial painting technology will be focusing on different approaches, but all with the same goal: to design optimum painting processes with lower energy consumption and thus protect the environment.
Biological exhaust air purification system with low energy consumption
With "Afotek Clean", plant manufacturer Afotek from Bad Hersfeld is presenting a biological exhaust air purification system at PaintExpo 2024. "Thermal post-combustion systems, which are usually heated with gas, are currently predominant on the market. Our patented product offers a counterpart that requires hardly any energy to break down pollutants such as solvent-contaminated exhaust air. With Afotek Clean, the degradation takes place exclusively through biological oxidation," says Kai Sinning, member of the Afotek management team.
The main components of the biological exhaust air purification system are two cylindrical reactor towers, which are filled with a special carrier material. This is exposed to a humidifying agent enriched with nutrients. The mechanism of action is based on the use of aerobic microorganisms, which biochemically convert the gaseous, organic pollutants into harmless or odourless products by oxidizing them to carbon dioxide and water. In contrast to conventional solutions for cleaning the exhaust air, this purely biological-chemical process requires very little external heat or heating energy, so that exhaust air flows contaminated with solvents can be cleaned cost-effectively without concentration. In the case of hot exhaust air streams, heat recovery measures can be installed upstream of the process so that the excess heat can be used to feed other processes.
Energy optimization of existing systems
Eisenmann is observing a shift from greenfield to brownfield projects among customers in Europe. These are investments in the modernization and energy optimization of systems, some of which are 25 to 30 years old, in order to save materials and emissions, which is understandable due to rising prices in the energy-intensive painting industry and the desire for economic value retention. To this end, Eisenmann develops individual solutions that enable customers to save valuable resources with innovative products in various areas. One example of this is the further development of conveyor technology, which represents an important step towards a skidless and therefore more energy-efficient paint shop. Following on from this success, the driverless transport system for the entire process in the vehicle paint shop, the VarioMover, was developed.
With the E-Cube, Eisenmann offers the optimum technology for efficient dry separation and thus a response to the increased demand for alternative systems to the previously widespread wet separation. This offers great potential for energy savings, which can also be achieved by converting paint booths from supply/exhaust air operation to recirculated air operation. The SmartOven from Eisenmann achieves an excellent energy balance in the drying process while maintaining high painting quality. It can be heated with electricity, gas, thermal oil and hydrogen and, thanks to the choice of energy sources used, guarantees an important economic margin.
Sustainable heat sources and modern software
Swiss plant manufacturer e. Luterbach is presenting various ideas for greater sustainability in painting and plant technology at PaintExpo 2024. For dryers and curing ovens, Fabian Luccarini, CEO and co-owner, sees the renaissance of old heating media: "There is a lot of talk about hydrogen as a heating medium. However, existing ovens and systems cannot be converted due to physical parameters. But with thermal oil, district heating can be transported from a central heat source to the places of use at a high level. Such developments are now being driven forward."
Further developments for more sustainability and predictive maintenance can be found at e. Luterbach in the area of software and IT. For example, the IoT portal has been further expanded and alerts those responsible in the event of irregularities with predefined phone calls and voice messages. Real-time networking is simply linked to the PLC on site. The data is stored as an MQTT protocol for up to two weeks and is not lost even in the event of internet outages or power cuts.
The PinCH software has also been continuously developed. "Pinch analysis can be used to determine the optimum links between the various energy flows with the aim of minimizing the total amount of investment and energy costs. From this, measures for heat recovery for improved energy supply are derived in a strategic planning process. The potential for reducing primary energy requirements through a pinch analysis is up to 40 percent," says Fabian Luccarini, explaining the advantages of this system-oriented method.
Efficient and environmentally friendly painting processes
Sehon Innovative Lackieranlagen offers a wide range of products and services for sustainable, environmentally friendly and efficient painting processes. When building new paint stores or modernizing existing ones, Sehon is regularly commissioned to make the entire operation future-proof and sustainable in terms of energy. As a result, paint stores require only a fraction of the previous energy requirement or even become energy self-sufficient. Tiemo Sehon (CEO): "Environmental protection, energy saving and sustainability have been part of our product and corporate philosophy for over 40 years. We communicate the positive effects of sustainability measures to our customers in writing with precise figures, data and facts even before the order is placed, so we don't just leave it at theoretical goals. This means that every planned investment in sustainability can be precisely calculated with us and can be provided with maximum state funding. It's always worth talking to us when planning new construction, conversion or modernization measures for paint shop technology, painting processes or the entire company."
Sehon will also be showcasing its innovative solutions for energy, quality, effectiveness and efficiency in paint stores at PaintExpo 2024.
Lower material consumption and optimized processes
At PaintExpo 2024, J. Wagner will be presenting a wide range of wet paint and powder solutions. In wet paint application, the focus is on sustainability and saving solvents, materials and energy. In addition, the products and systems increase productivity in the coating process through ease of operation and optimized process control. The large variety of manual and automatic Airless, AirCoat and Airspray guns is characterized above all by high application efficiency and economical use of materials. The new generation of high-rotation atomizers for solvent-based and water-based paints plays a major role in the implementation of highly automated wet paint systems and robot solutions, which also focus on saving resources. This development is supported by updates in control technology.
Wagner has significantly improved the flushability of its wet paint pumps. For example, the Cobra high-pressure double diaphragm pump has been optimized so that the required volume of flushing agent and thus the time required for a colour change has been significantly reduced. With their highly efficient processes, the Wagner 2K systems also help to reduce the ecological footprint of the coating process. Wagner supports its customers in system design and project planning in order to find the ideal system for a coating task in a holistic approach and thus optimize the surface quality on the one hand and the use of resources on the other. (OM-12/23)
► You can find out more about PaintExpo in our PaintExpo 2024 trade fair special (topics, exhibitor news and further information)