For its brand-new electric vehicle paint shop, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has included ABB’s cutting-edge PixelPaint technology. Serial production of the technology, which has a paint head with high precision similar to an inkjet printer, will start in 2025.
ABB Robotics Automotive Business Line Managing Director Joerg Reger highlighted the potential of their PixelPaint technology, highlighting its accuracy in painting vast color areas and detailed accents without requiring manual labor, hence preventing production holdups. He added that Mahindra’s facility will expedite the application of distinctive roof and pillar finishes on its new electric vehicle line thanks to PixelPaint robots stationed in specific cells.
PixelPaint is a robotic paint head placed on an ABB robot, such as the IRB 5500 series, that has over 1,000 tiny, independently controlled nozzles. The RobotStudio software, in conjunction with ABB’s 3D vision system, guarantees accurate paint application directly on the vehicle body, preventing overspray and misting in the air. With the use of this technology, tedious manual masking tasks are no longer necessary, and repetitive painting operations are avoided, resulting in zero waste and precise detail replication.
In response to the growing demand for car customisation, M&M becomes the first Indian OEM to use PixelPaint technology. This invention is a component of Mahindra’s larger plan to transform the passenger car industry in India, where sales of the product hit a record 4.2 million in.
Furthermore, 42 IRB 5500 robots are being used as part of the ABB and Mahindra partnership, which represents a major technological development in the painting of contrasting pillars and roofs.
In addition to handling intricate jobs like interior painting and sealing, ABB’s automated systems optimize paint usage with digital technologies like the RB1000i paint atomizers, which increase productivity and save waste.
M&M is still focused on growing its global presence even as it gets ready to introduce new models under its BE (Born Electric) sub-brand and launch its EV range, which will begin with the XUV.e8 by the end of CY2024. By utilizing innovations like as ABB’s PixelPaint, the future all-electric SUV series hopes to appeal to a worldwide audience through performance, innovation, and easily accessible technology.
