Mahindra deploys ABB’s PixelPaint at its new electric vehicle paint facility
Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) will deploy ABB Robotics’ PixelPaint to deliver personalisation options for its new electric vehicle paint facility. The technology, which uses an award-winning paint head similar to an inkjet printer, will begin serial production in 2025, a statement issued by ABB said.
“Our revolutionary PixelPaint technology can apply large areas of uniform color as well as the tiniest details with complete accuracy, without delaying the production line or the need for manual intervention,” said Joerg Reger, Managing Director of ABB Robotics Automotive Business Line. “By deploying PixelPaint-equipped robots in dedicated cells, Mahindra’s paint shop will be able to apply finishes such as contrasting roof and pillar treatments on its new line of EVs in a completely automated process.”
PixelPaint consists of a paint head with more than 1,000 tiny, individually controlled nozzles, mounted on an ABB robot such as the IRB 5500 paint series. Combined with ABB’s 3D vision system and coordinated by ABB’s RobotStudio planning and programming software, the head tracks very closely to the vehicle body to ensure that 100 percent of the paint is applied to the car with no overspray or airborne misting. This eliminates the need for labor-intensive masking and repeat trips through the paint shop, resulting in zero waste while ensuring faithful reproduction of precise details.
The deployment also includes 42 robots from the IRB 5500 family making M&M the first OEM in India to use PixelPaint technology for the painting of contrasting roofs and pillars.
