Page 52 - ETP-April-May2020

COATING TECHNOLOGY

More efficient and effective

Japanese automotive major Toyota has developed a new paint atomizer – which it
claims – has over 95 percent coating efficiency.

oyota Motor Corporation
(Toyota) has developed a
new type of paint atom-
Tizer (airless paint atomizer)
that uses static electricity instead of
air, to replace the conventional air
paint atomizers used in the vehicle
body painting process. The newly
developed airless painter, the first
of its kind in the world*, achieves | Conventional Air Paint Atomizer | New Airless Paint Atomizer
over 95 percent coating efficiency Features of airless paint other instruments that spray fine
(the amount of paint sprayed versus atomizer amounts of liquid; here, we ap-
the amount that actually adheres Conventional air paint atomizer plied it to vehicle body paint-
onto the vehicle body), the highest sprayed paint primarily using aero- ing. Specifically, the tip of the
in the world*, from conventional ef- dynamic force, then paint the vehi- paint sprayer is cylindrical. Ap-
ficiency of approximately 60 to 70 cle body with the atomized particles proximately 600 special grooves
percent. using an air paint atomizer. For this are inserted into the tip, which
By deploying the airless paint reason, paint particles are scattered is rotated to create a centrifugal
atomizer in Toyota Group’s paint- by the air ricocheting off the vehicle force, inducing the paint to flow
ing process, it is expected that the body, resulting in a coating efficiency into the grooves and atomize
Group can reduce its CO2 emissions of approximately 60 to 70 percent. through static electricity. In this
by about seven percent. In addition, By comparison, the new airless paint way, we developed the world’s
the collection device situated at the atomizer uses electricity to spray the first technology that paints ve-
bottom of the paint booth (the area paint (electrostatic atomization), and hicle bodies with atomized paint
where paint is sprayed) can be made the statically charged particles coat particles using static electricity.
more compact. Therefore, it is able in such a way that they gravitate to- 2. Highly accurate current control
to make painting production lines ward the vehicle body (electrostatic that makes close-range painting
more compact for the future. painting). Electrostatic atomization possible: The unevenness of the
Toyota is advancing initiatives and electrostatic painting technolo- vehicle body causes the distance
to achieve its Plant Zero CO2 Emis- gies greatly reduce the number of at- between the cylindrical head and
sions Challenge, one of the targets omized particles that scatter, thereby the vehicle body to fluctuate, mak-
included in the Toyota Environ- achieving a higher coating efficiency. ing the electrical current unstable.
The Economic Times POLYMERS | April-May 2020
mental Challenge 2050 announced However, the airless paint atom-
in 2015. As part of this effort, it New technologies that izer constantly monitors the varia-
developed the airless paint atomizer achieve high coating tions in current and automatically
and deployed it at both Takaoka and efficiency controls the voltage, maintaining
Tsutsumi Plants. Gradual deploy- 1. The tip of the airless paint atom- a distance of approximately 10
ment at other plants is planned as izer features a rotating cylindrical centimeters between the cylin-
well as consideration of deployment head that optimize the amount drical head and the vehicle body.
among other Toyota Group compa- of paint sprayed: Electrostatic Hence, electrostatic atomization
nies and licensing the technology to atomization technology is used and electrostatic painting under a
other companies. in beauty treatment devices and fixed current is rendered possible,
in turn preventing variation in the
“BY DEPLOYING THE AIRLESS PAINT ATOMIZER IN size of the paint particles–the re-
TOYOTA GROUP’S PAINTING PROCESS, IT IS EXPECTED sult is high-quality painting.
THAT THE GROUP CAN REDUCE ITS CO2 EMISSIONS Source: Toyota
BY ABOUT SEVEN PERCENT.” *As of March 2020, according to Toyota
Motor Corporation.

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