Dürr was recognized for the EcoDryScrubber. Top of the list amongst today’s global megatrends is the battle to reduce the impact of rising energy costs along with the green initiative to conserve natural resources, recycle waste steams and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Dürr’s innovative EcoDryScrubber was developed as an enabler to allow automotive and tier paint finishers to specifically address these megatrends.
This novel paint overspray separation technology eliminates the need for water, water treatment and detackifier chemicals that currently exist for the automotive and tier suppliers. Furthermore, the EcoDryScrubber provides HEPA filtration performance with particulate emissions levels of less than 0.1 mg/m³, which allows for direct re-circulation of the spray booth air flow within the coating application process. Direct recirculation of the filtered exhaust reduces the spraybooth energy usage by approximately 60% and overall paint shop energy usage by up to 30%. Additionally, included in these energy savings is a significant reduction in natural gas usage with leads to reductions in facility CO2 and NOX emissions associated with the combustion of natural gas.”
As conditions continue to force the industry to change and embrace sustainable, green and lean manufacturing, the EcoDryScrubber provides proven, affordable, and beneficial technology that allows the industry to meet these challenges. The consumer is the ultimate beneficiary of the kind of sustainable, high quality automotive coating process that is realized by EcoDryScrubber technology, both in terms of greater affordability in vehicles and the improvement in the environmental footprint of the manufacturing process.
To date, 25 EcoDryScrubber systems have been sold to OEM’s in Europe, China and North America. The topcoat line of the new Volkswagen Chattanooga facility, scheduled for launch in late 2010 with a capacity of 150,000 UPY, will be the first full car body spray booth in North America equipped with the EcoDryScrubber.
According to Jim Pakkala, Engineer Manager at Dürr, “The EcoDryScrubber is a game-changing technology which we feel is going to erase a 50 year paradigm held within our industry, and allow for a sustainable paint process with drastic reductions in environmental footprint and energy usage – all while lowering operating costs. It is an honor that the types of benefits offered by the EcoDryScrubber have been recognized for this prestigious award.”
The 16th annual PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers’ Contribution to Excellence) Award was presented by Automotive News, Ernst & Young LLP and Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC Inc.). The competition was open to suppliers “Globally” who contribute products, processes, materials or services directly to the manufacture of cars or trucks. The Automotive News PACE Award is accepted around the world as the industry symbol of innovation.
The EcoDryScrubber won in the Manufacturing Process and Capital Equipment category which recognizes:
Innovations involving game-changing processes (manufacturing or business) or innovative capital equipment that support the automotive supply chain or manufacturing processes.
Dürr earned an Automotive News PACE Award following an extensive review by an independent panel of judges including a comprehensive written application and a site visit. For complete details of the Automotive News PACE Award, visit http://www.autonews.com.
