Dürr is currently constructing two paint shops for Chinese heavy-duty truck manufacturer China National Heavy Duty Truck in Shandong Province, eastern China.

Dürr is currently constructing two paint shops for heavy-duty truck manufacturer China National Heavy Duty Truck in Shandong Province, eastern China. The paint shop is equipped with the most advanced technology and will be used to paint truck cabs and pickup trucks, with a focus on high-quality, responsible use of resources and cost efficiency.

Two painting workshops of Jinan Truck and Jinan Commercial Vehicle, a subsidiary of Sinotruk, are under construction in Laiwu and Zhangqiu. The cabs of various trucks and other commercial vehicles, including flagship models of Yellow River, SITRAK, Howo, etc., will be painted. Sinotruk aims to enter the world-class manufacturer alliance through these models. The Zhangqiu plant will also produce pickup trucks.

Using AGV's flexible conveying technology, Dürr's Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is an important part of realizing a flexible factory layout. EcoProFleet was specially developed for paint shops and is now used in passenger car production. At Sinotruk, this flexible conveyor technology will now be used for the first time in the cab of a transport truck. 

EcoProFleet is designed for an unloaded weight of 850 kg and a maximum load capacity of 1,000 kg. The fleet is intelligently controlled by DXQcontrol software to ensure that all AGVs perform their transportation tasks and move on. The energy concept of supercapacitor technology also contributes: the AGV can be charged in 1.5 minutes, and at the charging point the AGV is stationary anyway to pick up or put down the truck body. 

Energy efficiency in the PT/EC field At the beginning of the coating process, the RoDip rotary dipping process provides the best prerequisites for the subsequent process. The electric model RoDip E allows separate immersion curves for pretreatment (PT) and cathodic electrophoretic coating (EC), thereby optimizing the coating quality of different cab models. In this way, each cab is transported through a complete PT and EC process using a freely programmable trolley. Each trolley has a conveyor drive and a rotary drive, which can independently control the horizontal and rotary movement of each cab. The dipping tank used in the rotating process is smaller than a traditional swing conveyor and requires less energy and chemicals. This saves resources and reduces operating costs.

 Fully automatic and sustainable application in each of the two paint shops, two of Dürr's EcoRS sealing robots seal internal seams, and the other two apply liquid silencer in a fully automatic process. The primer and varnish in each paint shop are sprayed by 19 latest generation EcoRP painting robots equipped with EcoBell3 high-rotation atomizers. This technology enables Sinotruk to achieve the best spray effect in terms of color tone, flow value and uniform layer thickness. Because the electrostatically charged high-rotation atomizer is very efficient in the use of materials, Dürr's application technology has less impact on the environment. With the help of color change technology and EcoBell Cleaner D2 for cleaning the atomizer, the loss of paint and the consumption of rinse agents and solvents (and the resulting VOC emissions) during the color change process are also minimized.

The environmentally friendly paint separation EcoDry X dry separation system does not require water or chemicals. It is another technology used in the new paint shop of Sinotruk. The system uses a cheap cardboard filter box to effectively separate the overspray, and even the saturated filter box can be replaced during the production process.

Automatic and digital quality control At the end of the painting process, the surface of the car body is inspected at the quality control station. In most paint shops, this is done by manual random sampling and data processing. Dürr is installing a fully automatic quality control station for Sinotruk. The robot follows the checkpoints defined on the truck cab and uses sensors to record data about color changes, surface textures and layer thicknesses. Compared with manual measurement, this kind of automation can save time. This data is transferred to the database and digitally visualized for the staff. In this way, workers always pay attention to quality.

In addition to the painting process, the offline testing technology also comes from Dürr. In Laiwu, four x-wheel truck d test benches equipped with high-precision 3D measurement technology are used to measure and adjust the geometry of the vehicle axis. Dürr meets the specific requirements of heavy-duty trucks in terms of load carrying capacity, wheelbase and track width with components specially developed for this application. The truck's safety-related driver assistance system uses Dürr's testing technology for precise adjustments. With the modular test bench concept x-DASalign, the sensor technology of the lane departure warning system and the advanced emergency braking system perfectly match the geometric drive shaft of the corresponding vehicle.

Sinotruk also ordered an additional test bed for another light truck plant built by Dürr in Zhangqiu. The Zhangkui plant will use the x-wheel alignment platform using the latest x-3Dsurface measurement technology and the x-road medium-sized truck, a multifunctional roll, brake, and ABS test platform.

Sinotruk's plants plan to start production in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

When designing the enclosure, climate control issues are often overlooked. However, choosing the right cooling system is critical to maximizing the efficiency, performance and productivity of the equipment.

In addition to the prototype spline inserts, the 3D printed parts also include 4WD starter rods, gaskets and bushings, accelerator and brake pedals, and electronic device mounts.

B9Creations, a global provider of 3D printing solutions, has formed a partnership with the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) team at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology to 3D print for the annual race of off-road vehicles-they placed 10th in the world in the race . 

The Baja SAE team is composed of SD Mines students who design, manufacture, test and race off-road vehicles. Every year, the team competes with universities around the world in the Baja SAE competition, including technical inspections and brake inspections, mobility hill climbing competitions, and four-hour endurance races.

The SD Mines Baja SAE team competed with 62 teams to rank 10th, beating Texas A&M University, Johns Hopkins University and Michigan Technological University. The SD Mines Baja SAE team worked with B9Creations to use the company's Core 5 series XL 3D printer and its Rugged-Nylon 6 3D printing resin to 3D print multiple components of the winning car. 

"B9Creations' 3D printing solution helped our team succeed in this year's competition, not only allowing us to make prototypes of key vehicle components in a cost-effective manner, but also enabling us to create robust end-use components," the project Said one of the students from SD Mines Baja SAE team.

Rugged – Nylon 6 has the characteristics of low modulus, high elongation and high impact strength. It is strong enough to withstand the rigorous test of long-term practical use. It replaces traditional injection molded parts and makes it an ideal material for this project. Rugged and durable-Nylon 6 is very suitable for functional testing. The Baja SAE team uses this material to verify their design of Baja vehicle spline patterns, which require extremely high precision to function properly, and the accuracy reaches the level of the Baja SAE team of the School of Mines Found that it can be achieved using B9Creations' Core series 3D printers.

In addition to the prototype spline inserts, the 3D printed parts of the Baja vehicle also include 4WD starter rods, gaskets and bushings, accelerator and brake pedals, and electronics brackets.

"We are proud to be able to work with the Baja SAE team of the School of Mines in this project and future projects. It is great to see our technology being used in a new way. They used it to design and manufacture their cars in 2010," said Shon Anderson, CEO of B9Creations.

The Baja SAE team of SD Mines has begun to design and manufacture next year's race car, and its parts will be 3D printed on the B9 Core series 3D printer platform. 

The new quality standards have improved the company's performance and opened up new market opportunities.

Accurate Pattern Inc. obtained the ISO 9001: 2015 registration certificate after certifying that its quality management system (QMS) meets the requirements. The scope of the registration includes the design and manufacture of models, tools and measuring tools for various industries, as well as the provision of inspection and processing contract services.

This busy 25-person workshop has two different parts, namely plate making and fixtures.

Polly Sackett, President and CEO of Accurate Pattern, said: "We are fortunate to have a dedicated team of employees who can work on both sides of the operation to get the job done."

Accurate provides CAD design services, manual and CNC machining of up to 5 axes, CMM inspection and certification, as well as welding and painting, as it provides products for automotive, metal casting, marine and other markets nationwide.

"This process actually started before Polly and I bought the company," said Kevin Williams, chief operating officer of Accurate Pattern. "Our quality manager, Kris Bird, is passionate about excellence and he is a key enabler of this work. But all our teams have truly worked together and invested more than 1,500 hours in meetings, documentation, process and program development. ."

Sackt responded to this sentiment. "We worked with Waukesha County Technical College and received their employee training grant, which helped us train the entire team for ISO audits, conducted by American Management Technology Corporation (AMTEC) in Fontana, Wisconsin."

As a result, a series of agreements and documents were developed throughout Accurate's production process, and the certification was successful overnight.  

"We prepared the entire document and provided it to AMTEC on Thursday morning, and we were certified on Friday night," Sackett said.  

The company is expected to explore greater opportunities in its core automotive market, and ISO certification opens up new market opportunities.  

"For Accurate, these are very exciting prospects. We are convinced that this achievement will bring more business to the company. This is the goal set by Kevin and I, despite the challenging times and business conditions. ," Sackett said. 

"This is a combination of customer-driven needs and Kris Bird's enthusiasm, the latter lobbying for ISO certification," Williams said. "We quickly realized the benefits to the company and knew that investing time and resources to achieve this goal was worthwhile."

Williams also stated that the entire Accurate team is responsible for the success of the process, so results can be achieved faster.

 "We have seven or eight people meeting each week to discuss each stage of this work and all the necessary documents," Sackett said. "Because our company has both a metal aspect and a model aspect, it is a challenge to find a solution that fits both departments, but we did it."

"Good voyage, almost no resistance, it is always worth the experience," Williams said.

Another employee expressed satisfaction with the completion of the ISO certification. Armand "Mandi" Lulo, the company's business development director, said: "As soon as we got the certificate, I contacted existing and potential customers to let them know. All of us at Accurate Pattern are very excited and proud of this achievement."

Professional spindle reconstruction personnel who pay attention to details and communicate throughout the process can provide fast, reliable, and lasting reconstruction.

For automobile manufacturers, CNC machine tool spindles are essential for any drilling, milling, boring, grinding, milling, cutting or sawing process. However, when these systems deteriorate and fail due to contaminants, human error, improper maintenance, lubrication issues, or poor spindle design, quality reconstruction is often required.

Although there are automobile spindle retreaders nationwide, not every company can provide the same level of quality. Even if the rebuilder owns the equipment, they may not have the experience, technical knowledge, or attention to detail required to rebuild a spindle that has been operating reliably for many years.

Even reputable rebuilders vary in the scope and quality of initial inspections, the accuracy of quotations, and the level of communication with customers. However, considering the direct correlation between these factors and the final quality and longevity of the reconstruction, most machinists still believe that there is no difference in the store they contacted.

However, in actual practice, the difference may be very large, and it will seriously affect the productivity of the workshop. Therefore, most mechanics can easily tell stories of costly downtime caused by failed spindle repairs.

"After modifying a spindle, I had to shut down the machine for additional repairs within a short period of time," said Tom Collins, maintenance supervisor at Edro's Engineering's Walnut plant in California. Edro Engineering serves North America and Europe and is a one-stop tool solution store for machining services, special materials, custom mold bases, PVD/DLC coatings and additive manufacturing (AM).

“When these CNC machines fail, we spend money, so we never want them to stop,” explains Collins, who is responsible for more than 50 milling, drilling, and surface grinders. "Because we often run our spindles at high speeds, and we surface-grind stainless steel and special materials, frequent rebuilding is necessary-even as expected."

"So if we send out a spindle but it is not properly repaired, it must be removed again for additional repairs, which will make the machine down for longer-it even requires more money," he added .

Morgan Stipp, who is responsible for the grinding operations of Embe Processing, agrees that minimizing downtime is critical.

Stipp oversees approximately 20 precision grinding machines at Embe Processing's 124,000 square foot metal finishing park facility in Santa Ana, California. This includes Studer CNC grinders, Okamoto NC OD grinders, centerless grinders, and other equipment with thread, surface, and super-finish grinding capabilities.

Most part configurations require that the chrome-plated or HVOF surface be ground, polished, honed and deburred after electroplating to achieve the desired surface finish. According to Stipp, these operations are performed to ensure flawless surface finishes with tolerances as low as 50 millionths of an inch.

“We are very picky about precision grinding because it must be inherently perfect for our customers. Without the right equipment and properly maintained spindles, we will not be able to continue business,” Stipp said.

Stipp believes that the thoroughness of the initial inspection performed by the repair/refurbishment workshop will affect the service life of the refurbished spindle and the accuracy of the quotation.

“It might cost us a lot of money to shut down the machine for unexpected additional maintenance because something is missing from the inspection,” Stipp said. "We also don't want any unexpected price increase because the original inspection and quotation were not thorough enough."

When Stipp and Collins contacted MZI Precision in Huntington Beach, California, they both found the precision and attention to detail they needed. MZI Precision is an experienced machine tool spindle rebuilder with a complete process to provide customers Provide a way to quickly restore maximum productivity.

Although most automobile spindle rebuilders only need the least time to wipe the parts before inspection, during the disassembly process, the rebuilders will clean and polish each component with emery cloth to clearly reveal even the smallest defects. Even the nuts are removed, polished, and then tested to ensure proper fit.

The next step is to measure and record each part of the spindle and housing geometry in detail. The micrometer is used for detailed dimensional measurement and a 50 millionth of an inch dial gauge is used to check the runout. Then check whether the bearing shoulder is correct and vertical. Check the size, alignment and shoulder verticality of the bearing housing holes. MZI Precision also shoots videos and then takes digital photos of each part during the disassembly process.

"If there is any problem with our spindle, I will call them before the manufacturer. They will diagnose the spindle free of charge and send me a detailed quotation. All quotations are paid for. I have never received it. Accidental allegations," Stip said.

According to Collins of Edro Engineering, the quality of repairs is also affected by the expertise and communication level of the rebuilder, and he also found these characteristics in MZI Precision.

"Communication is very important, and it's a two-way dialogue," Collins said. "The company wants to know the operating mode, conditions, type of parts manufactured, metal cut, and cutting depth so that it can be customized for my application. Moreover, when I have a question, they will answer it quickly."

Collins also appreciates that spindle rebuilders use only advanced replacement parts and bearings, which helps improve equipment reliability and service life. The reconstructor uses aero-grade bearings with ABEC grade 7 or 9 (the highest grade). Despite the nominal additional cost, depending on the requirements, ceramic bearings are usually recommended because of their service life and higher operating speed.

"I find that their rebuilds are as good as the original equipment manufacturers, and sometimes even better. The spindles work well, so I hope they can be used for a long time," Collins said.

Although the reliability and longevity of spindle reconstruction are critical, fast turnaround is also important because equipment downtime must be minimized. "Our spindle transformation must be turned around in time to keep our production going normally," Collins said.

Although automobile spindle modifications can be obtained from various sources, for manufacturers looking for higher production reliability, uptime and service life of CNC equipment, cooperation with professional spindle experts is usually the best choice.