First contract for Durr's Automation and Conveyor Techniques Division

Citation

(1999), "First contract for Durr's Automation and Conveyor Techniques Division", Assembly Automation, Vol. 19 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.1999.03319aab.004

First contract for Durr's Automation and Conveyor Techniques Division

First contract for Durr's Automation and Conveyor Techniques Division

The newly-formed Automation and Conveyor Techniques Division of Durr UK Limited has secured its first major contract to supply the conveyor installations for the new pretreatment and electro-coat facilities at the Jaguar Cars Body plant in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham. Durr has already installed new primer and colour paint systems and final finishing processes at the plant under the first phase of a £multi-million contract to replace the paintshop facilities. Work on the second phase, to install the pre-treatment and electro-coat facilities is now under way for completion in June 1999.

The conveyor systems will be manufactured in France by Durr's subsidiary Sietam AutoMotion. The efficiency of bodywork pre-treatment operations is crucial to the car manufacturer's quality and the confidence needed to back up extended warranties.

In commenting on the new order, Durr UK general manager for the Automation and Conveyor Techniques Division, Martin Vollmer, paid tribute to the excellent working relationship and co-operation with the company's French associates at Sietam AutoMotion, saying: "AirBiDip has provided the right solution for Jaguar to achieve the higher through-put capacity which was a specific requirement of the paintshop renewal programme. While this will be the first AirBiDip installation in the UK, the system is tried and tested and it is currently in service with Renault and PSA in Europe, as well as Chrysler and other large scale plants worldwide.

Designed specifically for pre-treatment and electro-coat paint dipping operations, AirBiDip introduces a number of innovative concepts to reduce space and improve reliability and product quality. The system incorporates an automatic method for attaching the earthing links and will operate at throughput rates in excess of 100 bodies an hour. Space is saved by using a shorter tank and dipping at a steeper angle than conventional systems. The conveyor configuration does not intrude over the tank and the design also features an air-shrouded chain to prevent any risk of contamination to either the car body or the tank contents.

In operation car bodies are mounted on to skids, which are suspended from a twin overhead conveyor, to carry the car bodies through the pre-treatment, cleaning, phosphate and electro-coat dipping operations. The skids return to roller beds to move the car body through the curing ovens, seam sealing and under-body treatment lines and transfer to the final paint finishing operations.

For further information contact: Paul Massey, Automation and Conveyor. Techniques Division, Durr Limited, Broxell Close, Warwick CV34 5QF. Tel: +44 (0) 1926 418800; Fax: +44 (0)1926 400679.