Coating cells, installed by crews who stood in them.

Check booth ventilation, the explosion-proof systems, air supply and power. Power on the controller and wait for the self-check to finish. Inspect the gun and lines for blockages and confirm paint supply and pressure. Load the program on the operator panel, run a test spray to verify atomisation, then place the workpiece and start production.

No model-specific program change is required. Radar and 3D cameras scan and model the vehicle in real time, so the path is generated for the car in front of the robot.

Six modules: start-up self-check, program selection, teach programming, parameter adjustment, automatic spraying, and shutdown and maintenance. An illustrated operating manual ships with the cell; installation and operation training videos are recorded by Sowell’s engineers for the customer.

About 1,050 kg for the complete system: frame, spray gun, paint supply and control cabinet. An earlier six-column package was listed at about 3,050 kg. Final weight follows the configuration and the technical quotation.

Yes. Spray areas are defined per job and a separate repair path can be set for scratches or damaged panels, which is what insurance and partial refinishing work needs.

No. The robot sprays; it does not mix. Paint is measured, mixed and stirred by hand to the colour code, then loaded into the gun cup supplied with the system.

Yes. Solid colours, metallic, pearl or mica and clear coat are all supported; flow rate and atomisation are trimmed to each coating’s characteristics.

Robot spraying time for a complete vehicle is 3–6 hours depending on the number of coats, or about 30 minutes per coat. Total turnaround also includes primer drying, baking, cooling and downstream steps.

Yes. A new vehicle at the working position must be scanned before spraying. Scan time depends on the area: one component typically takes 3–5 minutes.

No. The robot performs the spray operation only. Dents, scratches and uneven areas must be repaired, sanded and levelled first; the substrate has to pass before the finish will.

Individual components take 2–5 minutes per coat; a complete vehicle takes about 30 minutes per coat. The real figure follows part size, coat count and the required film build.

Both. Most repair shops run it on used-vehicle refurbishment and accident repair; it also does new-vehicle full-body spraying and component coating.

Most commercially available automotive coatings are compatible: waterborne, solventborne, metallic, pearl and clear coat. Special or heavily customised coatings need their properties confirmed before the order.

The standard configuration includes spraying and automatic gun changing. Gun cleaning and cup changing are available as options.

The area being sprayed can show an interruption or a visible line and may need local sanding and respray. After power is restored the system is set up again. The exact recovery depends on site conditions and the fault.

The standard robot suits a booth of about 7 × 4 × 2.8 m inside; other sizes are customised. Space must meet the operating envelope and the floor must carry the load. Explosion-proof rating, ventilation and exhaust must meet robotic spraying safety requirements, and power and air connections must be reserved. Sowell engineers issue a modification checklist from the booth drawings.

The gun body is cleaned by hand, or a second gun is swapped in to cut changeover time. On the high configuration, colour change is quoted at five minutes or less with no residue.

No. Each part is scanned at the working position, so no model or data change is needed between parts of different shapes.

Remote diagnosis and video guidance come first. If a fault cannot be resolved remotely, an overseas engineer can attend on site, subject to travel coordination and the terms of the contract.

The six-axis arm runs on a heavy linear track above the work area, giving nine linked axes. The frame bolts to the floor; the arm travels to the work rather than the work travelling to it.