Compressed Air in the Automotive Industry

Surface treatment

There are different surface treatments during the vehicle manufacture process, such as plasma activation, ionisation, sand blasting, shot blasting and painting. Compressed air is required in all these applications and it is an important integral element for the production process for high-quality products.

The various applications create different requirements for the compressed air. The quality of the compressed air is very important for colour application with compressed air in spray booths or with spray guns. Particles, oil-aerosols and vapour, silicone-containing fluids as well as condensate are the main causes for faults in the paint shop. These applications must guarantee a lack of paint-wetting impairment substances (PWIS).

Dry and dust-free compressed air is required for ionisation. These requirements are also specified for non-contact surface cleaning systems for the manufacture of high-performance electronics. The compressed air must also still be absolutely oil free.

Reliable compressed air processing and treatment in order to comply with the compressed air quality can prevent faulty production and therefore minimise product rejection. For example, a reduction in throughput times with multi-layered colour structure can be achieved during painting because heated up compressed air can reduce drying times when using water-based colours.

Car body

The blank chassis is created with the help of various joining processes, such as laser welding, spot welding, plasma welding, crimping or clinching. Compressed air can be necessary for all these methods e.g. as a pneumatic drive unit technology, dust protection and sealing air. Compressed air is also required for many additional points for pneumatic clamping elements, pneumatic swivel and linear axes, compressed air supply systems for pins, rivets, bolts and screws.

Many of the applications only need the compressed air as a drive unit. This does not require high compressed air quality, the installation of a refrigeration dryer and filter is often sufficient. The correct design for the processing and treatment is however important, otherwise unnecessary energy costs will result.

A small part of the compressed air is required directly in the process e.g. for laser welding. In one laser welding method, the scanner welding, the laser beam guidance is executed via a mirror, whereby a scattering of the beam reduces the performance of the plant. In order to guarantee a clean, not fogged mirror and to prevent a scattering of the CO2 laser, the laser channel must be charged with processed and depressurised compressed air.