Technology has revolutionized the way vehicles are assembled, the components that are installed, and even the way they navigate. 25 years ago, few would have thought that the future would include self-parking capabilities, motorway lane sensors, automatic-braking and even the sophisticated mapping technology that are now employed.
Now there is breakthrough technology in auto curing. US AutoCure in Phoenix has developed a gas-catalytic medium-wave infrared curing system. It is the only fully-autonomous industrial curing system on the market. The advanced technology increases throughput while not requiring additional floor space in the shop’s building footprint.
The benefits will capture the attention of any auto body business owner. By increasing throughput, owners can complete more repair orders per day. Increasing by just one car per day can produce an additional $23,000 per month for body shop owners.
Besides increasing throughout, the system is also more energy-efficient and safer than similar auto curing systems. It is also designed and assembled in the United States and includes local tech support.
“We removed the paint booth as a bottleneck to the shop, all while not taking up any additional floor space,” said Mickey Meyer, a managing partner at the company and the lead engineer on the project. “The machines can be installed in existing paint booths and reduce gas and electrical energy use.”
System at a glance
Traditional spray booths require long curing cycles. Even at full cure, most vehicles are less than 50 percent cured, increasing the potential for rework and warranty claims. Curing, the last step in the lengthy painting process, helps the paint bond together and strengthens the molecules.
Curing shifted from placing cars in giant ovens for curing to infrared lamps, which ramps up chemical reactions and pushes out solvents. The lamps save energy, cures quickly and evenly, and saves energy because heat is applied only to painted panels. The process is also less costly than previous curing systems.
US AutoCure takes curing to the next level. The gas-catalytic system results in even shorter cure cycles and smaller floor space requirements. Designed by engineers and automotive body and paint specialists, the system provides complete vehicles and part coverage. The system can accommodate cars, trucks and even buses.
The fully-digital robotic system does not require precise center alignment of material, and is in full compliance with fire codes in the United States and Canada. Paint shop fires are serious concern, as the highly flammable elements tend to burn violently and escalate quickly. In 2018, Tesla came under criticism after at least four fires were reported in its automotive paint shop.
“This is the only fully autonomous industrial curing system on the market,” Meyer said. “Similar products are not Class 1 Division 2 certified (a standard established by Underwriters Laboratories for safety in electrical, mechanical and chemical products). That puts the shop owner at risk of insurance or local fire regulation shut down. The design also meets National Fire Protection Association 79 regulations.”
Complex automation
US AutoCure has two systems. The Phoenix has 13 axes of motion, while The Eagle has 11. A curtain in the machine travels vertically to follow the contour of the vehicles, and two cable chains are used to guide communication and power cable movement. The chains also support the absorption of torsional cable twist at the top as the curtain rotates a full 180° in movement. “We needed a solution that would support the rotational movement of braided gas lines, machine tool wire and cables,” Meyer said.
The critical components in the system are manufactured by igus, which is based in Germany. The company produces high-tech, cost-down motion plastic components that help generate movement in everything from bicycles to heavy-duty cranes. Designers at US AutoCure needed a system that protected lines from pinching and heat sources without limiting the multiple axes of motion.
The linchpin in the unit is a long-travel energy chain that holds power connections. “As the machine carriage traverses up and down rails within a shop, a large horizontal chain is required to carry up to 65 feet of service cable, high voltage, low voltage, communication and LPG gas lines,” Meyer said. “We were having major issues on being able to segregate low voltage circuits from our high voltage circuits over 65 feet. igus dividers provided ample partitioning in a single energy chain.”
Additional cable chains support highly-sensitive cameras and shutters. For the camera, scanned data is essential to the machine’s autonomous movements and cable support is critical during movement so as not to delay or resist the speed of sensors. Horizontal shutters travel in opposing directions, and the chains protect the power, communication and gas line while supporting their weight horizontally.
The solution saves space, money and time, and the chain runs quietly and is easy to fill with the necessary cables. Perhaps more importantly, the igus components stand up in an environment that includes heat, dust, chemicals and gas and electrical lines. “Due to the hazardous location environment, any solution needed to meet UL and ISO standards. Each axis required a unique solution,” Meyer said.
Winning team
Meyer managed the business side and race operations for an open-wheel team, but his primary background is in aerospace engineering. That aligned nicely with auto body veterans Tim Beal and Byron Davis in designing US AutoCure’s technology.
The team developed its first patents in 2015, but the system started to take its finished shape when igus rep Justin Lamphier helped them identify the right components for the application. “We tried competitor products but had issues with durability, links coming apart, poor connection joints and long lead times,” Meyer said.
US AutoCure systems have been installed in California, Oregon, Mississippi, Utah, North Carolina and other states. The technology is fascinating. The potential for increased profits, however, is what is driving auto body shop owners to embrace the product.
“We had experience with the existing infrared curing systems available for body shops,” Beal said. “Generally speaking, we had mixed results. In order to achieve the results we needed, we had to build our own machine. The Phoenix has allowed our shop to see the finish quality we need while increasing our throughput without expanding our shop or adding technicians.”
