REBOOT THE PAINTER
Robots are used in many industries to improve efficiency, from agriculture to surgery and from logistics to food manufacturing. And now robots have been designed specifically to paint vehicles in accident repair centres.
It might sound like the stuff of fantasy but a robot painter in the body shop is now a reality. The PaintGo PG-90E Intelligent Spray-Painting Robot can operate continuously over extended periods and achieves consistent, high-quality refinishing which match or surpass the most experienced refinisher’s capability. It is already used by many body shops around the world including Australia, America, China, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. And now it is available in the UK, with the first one installed and in operation at Parkway Prestige, who won Fastest Growing Single Site in the ABP Bodyshop Excellence Awards.
The spray-painting PaintGo PG-90E Intelligent Robot has been specifically designed for body repair centres and replicates human paint spraying techniques with AI and machine vision bringing automation and precision into the body shop for the first time. It can scan and spray whole vehicles, tall vehicles, such as a Ford Transit, SUVs, vans and car roofs as well as disassembled parts. Workshop productivity is increased by around 50% because the robot can complete more jobs per day than a human and consumable waste is reduced. It saves 25-30% on primer and around 35% for clearcoat. Not only that but the finish is to OEM standard every time which eliminates customer complaints and costly re-works.
The robot is designed to work with any paint system so there is no need for a body shop owner to change paint brands, and the quick-change spraygun, either customised SATA, 3M PSG2 or Anest Iwata on the robot, enables the painter to easily switch to the next job or paint colour change. Installation requires minimal floor space, concrete or grid floor, in a standard-size UK spraybooth. The robot travels on rails around the vehicle powered by a 48V 60Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate ATEX certified battery pack, that can run for more than 15 hours and is then simply re-charged at the end of the working day. The painter controls the robot from a laptop connected to Wi-Fi outside the spraybooth. A schematic diagram shows the model selected and the painter will click on the panels or whole vehicle to be painted. The programme will also show the estimated weight of paint as it tells the painter precisely how much material will be required for the job. There are six stations within the guide rails to enable batch painting on individual vehicle body parts.
“A whole car in the spray and bake cycle can be finished in 1.3 hours, so the robot can easily manage a throughput of six vehicles per day,” said Tom Chen, Director, PaintGo UK. “From bonnet to quarter panel, the results speak for themselves – flawless colour transition, reduced material waste, and unmatched repeatability.
“The maximum number of panels painters can paint is usually around 100 a month,” added Tom. “With our machine working continuously it could achieve 500. Panels such as doors take just two minutes to paint and the side of a car just four minutes and 30 seconds. It’s not just the speed at which the robot can paint that makes it attractive, but the consistent quality it achieves. These figures are based on real time analysis in body shops. We store all the job history and that information is helpful to the body shop owner, to analyse which cars and panels they repair most, how much paint has been used for each job and predict how much paint they are going to use per month.”
With skilled spray painters a scarce and expensive resource, the robot could help solve the skills shortage. It can work 24 hours, seven days a week, if need be, with no holidays or sick days to accommodate! It also brings health benefits to the painter as they are no longer holding a spraygun at the end of their arm which can be heavy and tiring, bending down or reaching up to difficult areas – and are not exposed to any fumes.
“We strive to support painters in maintaining better health and avoiding occupational illnesses, while helping body shops achieve more consistent, high-quality spray finishes,” said Chen. “This approach enhances efficiency and reduces material waste – empowering painters rather than replacing them.”
The robot was invented by Wuhan ONEW Technology in China. Established in 2012, the company employs 150 people and specialises in developing and manufacturing skill training simulators, such as welding and medical training simulators. Their products are sold to over 30 countries around the world including Europe. The first PaintGo PG-90E was launched in 2018. Now in its third generation, the PaintGo PG-90E can also do blends between panels on a vehicle.
The PaintGo PG-90E Intelligent Robot is certified to ATEX safety standards and has won several accolades this year for its innovation including Awards ZE in France and Equip Auto. Installation usually takes less than a day and staff can be trained to use it to optimum effect in just two to three days. Ideally, the spraybooth floor should be flat but installation on a sloping floor can be managed.
Body shops can buy the PaintGo PG-90E Intelligent Robot outright, lease or rent it. If renting, they have the option to buy it at a later date at a reduced price. Aftermarket sales back-up is on hand 24/7 with a guaranteed response within 20 minutes.
PaintGo PG-90E highlights
Flawless finish to OEM standard every time
25-30% paint savings
Increases in. productivity, reduces material usage
Eliminates errors
Improved worker health and safety, reduced chemical exposure
Helps solve skills shortage as there is less reliance on experienced painters.
There is a video on LinkedIn where the PG-90E Robot demonstrates its blending technique on a Volkswagen Golf – delivering an OEM-grade finish that seamlessly merges repaired and original panels.
