Error-prone and difficult to document, high wax and energy consumption without targeted application options – manual cavity preservation of vehicles and components such as doors and tailgates by applying waxes or flooding cavities in wax baths is outdated. Polyplan's turnkey, robot-guided cavity preservation systems offer a better and more sustainable solution.
A further advantage is that only minimal amounts of wax are needed for complete corrosion prevention. The precise dosing prevents wax runoff from cavities and wax carryover, which would otherwise cause significant cleaning efforts on the production line.
A Key Element of Sustainable Vehicle Production
The system solution – from industrial robots to wax dosing and measurement and safety technology – is tailored to the specific requirements of the vehicle and its components. It is then integrated into the production environment according to the customer's standards and specifications. Polyplan's AirLess and AirMix application technologies ensure cycle-time-, material-, and energy-efficient sealing of corrosion-prone and often hard-to-reach weld points and seams. Thus, robotic cavity preservation of vehicle doors and tailgates by Polyplan fully meets the requirements for sustainable automotive manufacturing.
Corrosion Protection: A Key Step in Automated Vehicle Manufacturing
Polyplan-GmbH Polyurethan-Maschinen, a Pepperl+Fuchs Group company with extensive expertise in automated automotive manufacturing, provides cavity preservation systems that ensure reliable corrosion prevention for vehicle doors and tailgates. Unlike manual wax application or cavity flooding, Polyplan's systems execute these processes with maximum availability and complete documentation. Protective wax is applied precisely and sparingly only to the necessary areas, minimizing wax and energy consumption compared to other common spray methods. Weighing the dosing quantity and measuring the dispensing jet ensure maximum process reliability and resource efficiency.
High Precision, Minimal Quantities, Emission-Free – Sustainable Wax Dosing by Robot
Polyplan's automated systems for corrosion prevention in vehicle components consist of an industrial robot from a renowned manufacturer, a specially developed robotic hose package, a wax dosing unit with a wax jet dosing valve, and an application lance with an integrated nozzle, calibration tip, and laser sensor for position correction. If no central wax supply is available, an optional container station with drum feed ensures a constant supply of conservation wax, which can be tempered and homogenized if needed.
Before application, a laser sensor measures the 3D position of the component to ensure precise and collision-free robotic movement to the weld points and seams. At the same time, the tool reference point is corrected, and the nozzle position and orientation are verified. Depending on the desired application, the wax jet orientation is checked for precise AirLess application, or the spray cone geometry is defined for the patented AirMix process. The system allows seamless switching between these methods, with stepless dosage adjustment and drip-free activation and deactivation. The dosing unit features a self-calibrating scale that accurately measures the wax quantity, recording target, measured, and weighed amounts at different discharge rates. The robot then precisely inserts the application lance and applies wax to the designated areas. This can be done from a distance of 500 mm with an accuracy of ± 1 mm, using as little as 1 gram per meter of seam length, ensuring high-quality, long-term corrosion prevention with minimal wax consumption. Since no aerosols are generated during application, costly and time-consuming extraction systems are unnecessary, leading to cost savings and shorter cycle times.
Cost-Efficient Processes, Future-Proof System Technology
No material waste due to efficient application methods, no expensive tool changes when switching application strategies, no contamination of the production environment from overspray and wax carryover, no aerosol extraction required, and no complex system maintenance – Polyplan's robot-guided corrosion protection systems for vehicle doors and tailgates ensure cost-efficient processes in every aspect. And from the very beginning: In Polyplan's in-house robotics lab and process center, applications and possible system configurations can be tested at an early stage for feasibility, such as application strategies or the suitability of specific conservation media. Before delivery, each system is pre-assembled at Polyplan for joint commissioning with the customer, significantly reducing project risks and ensuring minimal installation and startup times at the final production site. In operation, the system solutions stand out for their sustainability, scalability, and easy adaptability to new component types, ensuring high investment and future security. They are also suitable for other applications requiring precise dispensing of small amounts of liquid media.
Figures, Data, and Facts on Minimal-Quantity Corrosion Prevention for Vehicle Doors and Tailgates
+Resource-efficient application of conservation agents in selected cavities of vehicle bodies and components – highly precise, sustainable, and future-proof
+Robot-guided nozzle and precision application methods ensure accessibility even in hard-to-reach areas
+Variable liquid discharge from 300 to 3,000 mg/s
+Smallest shot size of 12 ms allows precise minimal dosing
+Suitable for both 100% wax and water-based protective waxes
+Two available and switchable application methods: AirLess (spray-free) for precise spot or seam application; AirMix (with spray air) for surface and contour coating
+Both methods can be switched on and off drip-free
+Spray air pressure in AirMix mode adjustable between 6 and 12 bar
+Application distances from 5 mm to 500 mm – further distances available on request
+Full system functionality is integrated turnkey into the production environment according to applicable plant standards and process specifications, without interface risks
+Global reference of over 20 installed systems in the automotive industry
Press contact
Polyplan-GmbH Polyurethane Machines
Head of Sales, Aftersales and Marketing
Mr Jan Jacobi
Mitterstrassweg 23
D-82064 Strasslach
Phone: +49 (0)8170 - 9305 - 48
Fax: +49 (0)8170 - 9305 - 55
Email: jan.jacobi[at]polyplangmbh.de
Internet: www.polyplangmbh.de