Advanced Painting Portal for High-Quality Coating Systems

RECO-PAINTER REVOLUTIONISES TRAILER COATING
The Schwarzmüller Group, one of Europe's largest providers of towed commercial vehicles, has installed an automatic wet coating line for walking floor trailers from SLF Oberflächentechnik GmbH at its headquarters in Freinberg, Austria. The system includes the 'ReCo-Painter,' an automated painting portal specifically designed for wet coating large, rectangular components. It can be integrated into nearly any paint booth. Depending on its configuration, it achieves surface capacities of 3 to 8 m²/min, with a consistent coating thickness ensured by a laser-based surface scanning system. With a premium focus, Schwarzmüller sets industry benchmarks and is a specialist in custom transport solutions for demanding sectors, backed by over 140 years of expertise. Under the Schwarzmüller and Hüffermann brands, the company supplies vehicles to the construction industry, infrastructure companies, the raw materials and recycling industries, as well as long-haul transport firms.
NEW SURFACE CENTER
At Schwarzmüller, the 'ReCo-Painter' is now used for coating walking floor trailers. The 13-meter-long and up to 4-meter-high aluminum components are automatically coated with a two- or three-layer paint structure tailored to customer requirements. For this purpose, a new surface center dedicated to walking floor trailers was established, featuring three inline booths with a total length of approximately 52 meters.
Each of the three booths is equipped with a central ventilation unit featuring integrated heat recovery (cross-flow heat exchangers). The preparation booth operates with 30,000 m³/h of fresh and exhaust air, while the two combined painting and drying booths each handle 50,000 m³/h of air. These booths are fitted with an automatic personnel detection system combined with the established SLF sectional control system.
All exhaust airflows are directed via a central exhaust air deflector hood on the roof. For ergonomic work during chassis coating in the central booth, electrically operated chain hoists are integrated into the booth’s steel structure. These hoists, controlled via remote, allow the trailer to be raised approximately 1.5 meters for manual painting tasks. All work areas are separated by electrically operated roller doors and equipped with wall-guided elevating work platforms. Foldable rail sections near the roller doors enable workers to move seamlessly between booths while ensuring continuous workflow.
At Schwarzmüller, the "ReCo-Painter" is used for coating walking floor trailers. The manufacturer automates the coating of 13-meter-long and up to 4-meter-high aluminum components according to customer requirements.
SEPARATE AND ECONOMICAL SMALL PARTS PAINTING
A small parts painting area has been set up parallel to the wagon painting booth. Small parts can be painted independently of the vehicle painting system in a combined spray and drying booth. Here, the heavy-duty impact separators embedded in the floor are also used. For economic reasons, sectional ventilation was implemented in this booth, and the 7.0 x 6.0 m space is divided into two manually selectable sections. However, the ventilation system is designed to ventilate the entire painting area if needed.
The heating for both systems is supplied by a district heating transfer station, ensuring the conditioning in the painting process and an air temperature of up to 60°C during drying. The entire system and ventilation technology, including heat recovery via rotary heat exchangers with an efficiency of 65%, was installed in the basement directly beneath the painting booths. The energy-efficient system concept is rounded off with frequency-controlled fan motors, an intuitive user interface via touch panels, a fire alarm system, and remote maintenance by SLF technicians from the headquarters in Greven. In addition to the large project at Siemens AG in Vienna, the new surface center at the main workshop of Wiener Linien is also one of the modern systems for rail vehicle painting by SLF Oberflächentechnik GmbH.
FACT CHECK
- Walking Floor Coating Line (Cabins 1-3)
- Cabin Dimensions (Total): 52 m x 6 m x 5.5 m
- Total Electrical Connection Power: 175 kW
- Total Heating Capacity: 1500 kW
Automatic Cabin (Cabin 3)
- Dimensions: 18 m x 6 m x 5.5 m
- Connection Power incl. "ReCo-Painter": approx. 75 kW
- Maximum Heating Capacity: 675 kW
- Airflow (Supply and Exhaust): 50,000 m³/h
- Sectional Control: 4 Zones
- Application System: Low Pressure (HVLP)
ADVANTAGES OF THE RECO-PAINTER
- Significant reduction in coating times by up to 70%
- High coating quality with reproducibly consistent layer thickness
- Reproducibility of coating quality
- Reduction in paint consumption due to better application efficiency
- Efficient use of personnel
- Short setup times – quick color changes possible
PARTNERING WITH SMS
Specialist Machinery Sales (SMS) is a complete system and solution provider. SMS proudly offers the complete material handling to meet our client's material flow pain points and challenges; thus, innovating the traditional material flow of a fabricator's workshop- fabrication/assembly and welding out prior to shot blasting and painting. We are proud to be the only partner in Australia and New Zealand who can provide a complete system and integrate these machines from steel processing for all steel profiles and plate. We partner with only the best and superior machine tool builders that have been market leaders of innovation and automation to the steel industry. We strongly believe that the future for our clients and the steel industry is to link the various machines and technologies, software, material handling, and automation together. This is now possible with a mix of new and pre-loved machines that can be integrated into the material handling ecosystem and footprint available when partnering with SMS.

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