In context
In 2025, automotive manufacturers were under mounting pressure to decarbonize production while managing increasing model variety. Paint shops, among the most energy-intensive parts of a vehicle plant, became a key focus for efficiency gains. Dürr's project at Volkswagen's Puebla facility exemplified how turnkey automation could address both sustainability and flexibility.
What was reported
Dürr completed a turnkey paint shop at Volkswagen's Puebla, Mexico plant, inaugurated in January 2025. The facility features two identical painting lines with 170 sealing and painting robots, capable of painting 90 vehicle bodies per hour across different models. The project, awarded in 2022, is designed to accommodate future models and technologies.
Central to the design is Dürr's “Paint Shop of the Future” concept, which uses a high-bay warehouse and EcoProFleet driverless transport systems (AGVs) controlled by DXQ software. This setup decouples rigid production lines, allowing bodies to be sorted predictively and delivered to the right work deck, tailoring process times to each vehicle and reducing overall CO2 emissions.
To cut emissions, the shop uses the EcoInCure electric drying system, which heats bodies from the inside out, cutting heating times by 30%. Combined with an Oxi.X.RV electric exhaust air purification system, the ovens run on regenerative energy, reducing CO2 emissions by about 40% compared to natural-gas-based systems. The EcoDryScrubber dry separation system uses limestone powder to capture overspray, cutting paint booth energy consumption by over 60% versus wet scrubbing.
“This was one of the reasons why Volkswagen opted for the EcoInCure electric drying system.”
Why it mattered
This project demonstrated that large-scale automotive painting can achieve significant CO2 reductions while maintaining high throughput and flexibility. The integration of AGVs, AI-driven software, and electric process technology set a benchmark for sustainable, adaptive manufacturing, likely influencing future paint shop designs across the industry.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2025-09-02 · “Dürr builds automotive paint shop for Volkswagen plant in Mexico”