Shifting gears to paint cars more sustainably

Web Story

5min

2025-05-12

The colour of your car can be more than just a preference for a particular shade. For some it is an expression of individuality – even a style statement. More significantly, it could even be an eco-conscious option, thanks to a revolutionary vehicle painting process developed by ABB in Japan.

The RB 1000i-S paint atomizer ensures more paint reaches the car body, with less waste

Our award-winning PixelPaint system uses robotic automation and RobotStudio® software to apply materials more efficiently, meaning the painting stage of vehicle manufacture can now play a significant part in helping auto makers achieve their sustainability targets – while also allowing previously unimaginable possibilities for customized design.

PixelPaint offers almost limitless customization options

Using the principles of an inkjet printer

PixelPaint, which uses a paint head similar to an inkjet printer, was developed by the ABB Technical Center in Shimada, Shizuoka – our R&D and manufacturing site for atomizer and paint technology.

The PixelPaint head contains more than 1,000 individually controlled nozzles

The non-spray process uses ABB's 3D vision system, in combination with RobotStudio® software, to allow the paint head, which contains more than 1,000 individually controlled nozzles, to track the vehicle body closely, thus eliminating airborne mist and ensuring 100 percent transfer efficiency.

It reduces emissions and conserves water and energy by eliminating the need for masking materials and extra ventilation, making manufacturing more sustainable.

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Production times for two-tone paint processes can be halved, with costs reduced by up to 60 percent.

PixelPaint was developed in parallel with efforts to improve the efficiency of atomizer-type paint application for ABB products such as our RB1000i-S high-transfer efficiency paint atomizers

Mazda finds efficiency gains with ABB paint atomizers

Japan’s Mazda Motor Corporation began using the RB1000i-S last year at its Ujina plant No.1 in Hiroshima, having installed multiple units to help it accelerate efforts to achieve carbon neutrality in global production facilities by 2035.

Mazda uses ABB RB1000i-S atomizers in their Ujina plant (no.1)

Less paint, less waste, less energy used

Mazda estimates 60 percent of manufacturing CO2 emissions come from painting, highlighting the significance of the process to carbon neutrality. Our RB1000i-S atomizers achieve up to 95-99 percent efficiency, reducing paint usage, waste, energy consumption and emissions.

Reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and energy consumption for waste fluid treatment in the paint booth further support CO2 emission reduction.

The digitally enabled atomizers reduce paint usage by increasing paint transfer to the vehicle body with less overspray. Together with reductions in compressed air consumption and paint wastage during colour changes, the atomizers are helping to reduce emissions in the paint process itself and in related paint booth equipment.

Mazda, which manufactures the CX-5 and MX-5 models at its Ujina plant, has reported a 17 percent reduction in paint usage since installing our atomizers – equivalent to a saving of approximately 30,000 liters of paint annually*.

Energy consumption and maintenance frequency, such as replacing the protective masking that prevents overspray from affecting the equipment, have also decreased.

Mazda achieved additional cost reductions during the integration by deploying the RB1000i-S atomizers on existing robots, supporting carbon neutral operations as well as the circular economy.

Our RB1000i-S atomizers can be retrofitted to ABB and non-ABB robots, highlighting our efforts to deliver smart and sustainable solutions for the automotive industry, fully in line with our Circularity Approach.

* Estimate based on annual production of 170,000 units and 1 liter of paint applied per vehicle by the upgraded equipment.