Our Paint Shop Department at Brussels
Production
Paint is hightech.
Ultra-thin, ultra-sparkle - our paint shop at Audi Brussels uses the very latest technologies. At just one tenth of a millimeter, the paint on an Audi is no thicker than a human hair. Despite this, car paint must be resistant to environmental influences and wear – and remain so for decades. “Car paint is an advanced technology”, explains Martin Kiesbauer, Head of the Paint Shop Department.
The painting process is long and complex. Before any paint is applied, the vehicle body must first be cleaned and phosphatised. This is necessary to ensure flawless adhesion of the paint later in the process. This layer – the first of four – protects against corrosion and guarantees durability. This involves “cathodic dip painting” (CDC).
Since 2016, we have been using a brand new RODIP pre-treatment/CDC system. The process for coating delicate areas between the individual body parts with PVC is fully automatic. This also protects the vehicle body from stone chips and corrosion. This is followed by the application of the second layer, the “surface”, which evens out any remaining blemishes. Next, the base coat is sprayed on, and it is this coat that gives the vehicle its colour. The modern application systems use special environmentally friendly technologies to conserve resources. Ergonomically designed workstations alleviate the strain on employees. Finally, the body receives the “clear coat”, which protects against UV rays and the effects of the weather but is primarily intended to give the body its shine. The paintwork is then burned in at 140 degrees in the dry coat dryer, ensuring the car has a long and lustrous life.
Our Paint Shop employs around 230 people, who work in two shifts and who are getting supported by 48 paint robots. The Paint Shop department has implemented energy saving measures such as a waste air purification system and a heat pump. These significantly reduce the quantity of resources used and helps decreasing the heat energy and water consumption per car by 20%.
