Dürr is building a turnkey paint shop for Volkswagen Autoeuropa in Palmela, Portugal, while simultaneously deploying a comprehensive software solution that unifies three separate paint shops into a single SCADA system. The project integrates advanced application and drying technologies aimed at maximizing CO2 reduction, supporting the plant's preparation for future model launches.
Key takeaways
- The EcoBell4 Pro Hu with 2x2K technology enables application of both glossy and matte clear coats with one applicator, reducing rinsing agent consumption during product changes.
- High Transfer Efficiency (HTE) principle achieves up to 90% application efficiency, with lower rotational speed, shorter painting distance, and 30% less shaping air consumption, reducing clear coat usage and energy demand for air treatment.
- Electrically heated EcoSmartCure oven with stop-and-go operation provides targeted heating, especially for electric vehicles, and reduces energy via demand-based temperature control, shortening drying times and cutting CO2 emissions.
- DXQcontrol SCADA integrates the new paint shop with two existing buildings—main paint and two-tone roof painting—into one system, migrating third-party software and upgrading outdated systems.
- Project runs in three phases, scheduled for completion by mid-2027, with Dürr as general contractor coordinating all trades.
The integration is complex due to differing technological baselines, but as Felix Losch, senior manager digital products at Dürr, notes, it delivers significant value: one system instead of three, a single user interface, and full process transparency, cutting costs and boosting flexibility. The turnkey scope also includes an offline measurement cell, paint mixing room, work platforms, and internal conveyors. With the launch coinciding with a new model introduction, precise planning is critical, according to Marcus Treppschuh, senior vice president sales and marketing at Dürr, who emphasizes the company's experience in delivering technologically and environmentally advanced paint shops.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2026-06-30 · “Dürr implementing a CO2-efficient paint shop with cross-plant system integration”