Robotisation and automation of the painting process

Robotisation and automation of the painting process

Intelligent coating plant – Robotisation and automation of the painting process

Intelligent coating plant – Robotisation and automation of the painting process at Blender

Client profile: A series manufacturer striving for Industry 4.0 standards.

Blender is a renowned manufacturer of grills, fire pits, and fireplaces, based in Ostróda. In an era of growing competition, the company has identified automation as a key development direction. To meet market requirements – such as short turnaround times, high-quality coatings, and energy efficiency – Blender entrusted the modernisation of its coating plant to Ecoline. They chose a Polish manufacturer with 25 years of experience, capable of designing a tailor-made installation.

Strategic goals: Technological leap and production independence

The main goal of the investment was to replace manual work with an automated solution that would allow the process to be adapted to the company’s specific, evolving needs.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) for the investment:

  • Process robotisation: Replacing manual painting with the precise work of a top-of-the-line painting robot.
  • Increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness: Eliminating bottlenecks while reducing unit costs.
  • Quality guarantee: Achieving a consistent coating of optimal thickness and reducing edge imperfections.
  • Intelligent management: Implementation of a real-time process data collection system.

Challenge: Exhausted technology is a barrier to development

Blender’s existing coating plant (manual system with automatic feeder) no longer met the increasing quality and efficiency standards. High failure rates resulted in costly downtime, and minimal paint recovery generated unnecessary material losses. Low process repeatability resulted in the need for rework, which was unacceptable from a business perspective for large-scale production.

Ecoline solution: Dedicated intelligent coating system

The Ecoline team conducted a thorough needs analysis, creating a coating plant concept based on a number of patented and innovative solutions.

1. Advanced surface preparation (phosphating)

The spray tunnel and tubs are made entirely of stainless steel, with modular panels ensuring complete sealing. The dual-bath system allows for individual preparation process selection for selected batches of parts. Consistent bath quality is guaranteed by an automatic ingredient dosing system, additional filtration, and an oil separator integrated with the main line management software.

2. Energy-saving polymerisation and cooling

Parts are fed into a forced-air circulation furnace (top-blown). A precise digital probe controls the burner power, ensuring ideal paint firing conditions. The system is complemented by a cooling tunnel that effectively lowers the temperature of the parts as they exit the oven, preparing them for rapid unloading.

3. Robotic painting station

The heart of the line is a 6-axis painting robot made of lightweight aluminium (ATEX-rated). Thanks to the self-learning system, the operator can program the painting of complex shapes in just a few hours. The robot automatically controls time, pressure, and spray width, reducing paint consumption and achieving perfect process repeatability.

4. Dielectric Sandwich booth and digital control

The booth is designed based on aerodynamic principles, facilitating automatic cleaning and quick colour changes. The manipulators are equipped with a digital system that controls the working stroke with an accuracy of 1 cm. The entire system is managed by a touchscreen panel with graphical process visualisation, alarm logging, and temperature curve archiving.

Measurable investment results

Increased production profitability:

Thanks to paint recovery and automation, the plant is characterised by high labour efficiency.

Elimination of paint rework:

Robotisation ensures consistently high quality, impossible to achieve with manual painting.

Intuitive management:

The new line operates almost without operator involvement, enabling quick adaptation to small product batches.

Effective technology transfer:

Comprehensive staff training allowed Blender to fully utilise the potential of its intelligent plant from the very first days of implementation.

“Modern automation is practically a necessity to compete with the best. The new Ecoline line guarantees us the reliable operation and high efficiency we were looking for. We appreciate the technical and advisory support at every stage of the project – Ecoline is a professional partner whom we wholeheartedly recommend.”


Owner of Blender

Summary: Intelligence and precision at the service of business

The implementation at Blender proves that combining the expertise of Ecoline specialists with the latest technology allows us to create the “paint shop of the future.” The robotic station and intelligent control systems not only reduced employee workload but also laid the foundation for the company’s continued dynamic growth in the international market.