Land Rover orders robot paint line

Citation

(1998), "Land Rover orders robot paint line", Industrial Robot, Vol. 25 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.1998.04925dab.010

Land Rover orders robot paint line

Land Rover orders robot paint line

Keywords FANUC, Land Rover, Paints, Robots

The largest order for FANUC Robotics' paint robots in the UK has been placed by Land Rover. The two-line system will be capable of painting more than 70 vehicles an hour.

The installation for 20 rail-mounted robots will represent the latest state-of-the-art for automated paint spraying. It will be produced in conjunction with Haden Drysys International, a company that supplies and integrates paint systems throughout Europe.

The most outstanding feature of the system is that it offers total flexibility. All vehicles in the Land Rover range, The Defender, Discovery and the Range Rover can be handled. These may be sent down the lines in a random mix of vehicles, then painted in different colours.

The P-155 electric paint robots used throughout the lines will apply waterborne basecoat and solvent clear coat paint. Where appropriate, the robots are fitted with pegs on the arms so that doors, boots and bonnets can be opened by the robots to spray inside sills etc.

Each robot is mounted on a rail that runs parallel to the main paint line. Bodies progress down the line on carriers. For each robot there is an assigned area to spray on the vehicle. The robot keeps pace with the cartier that holds the body as it moves past its work station. When its task is completed it will return to the start position to pick up the next vehicle in the line.

Each vehicle is given an identification code "log book" that identifies vehicle model, type and colour. There is a Premid card that is fixed to the cartier. Infra-red readers at the start of the lines scan the card to program the robots down the line for model and colour. Three vehicles can be in the paint zone of each line at any one time.

Maurice Hanley, Sales Manager at FANUC Robotics UK, commenting on the order said "he expects Rover to realise significant quality improvements with the robotic solution, as well as material and labour savings.

"FANUC Robotics has extensive experience in all areas of automotive painting and sealing," he said. "Our automated solutions help companies like Land Rover meet critical quality goals, reduce costs and comply with today's strict emission control laws."

Contact: Maurice Hanley, FANUC Robotics (UK) Limited, Seven Stars Industrial Estate, Wheler Road, Coventry CV3 4LB. Tel: 01203 639669; Fax: 01203 304333.