Innovative applications and technologies within all disciplines of surface technology are honored: In the early afternoon, the Stuttgart Surface Technology Award "DIE OBERFLÄCHE" was presented at the "SurfaceTechnology GERMANY" trade fair.
In fact, surface technology is often significantly involved in the degree of innovation and progress of numerous industries without this being known to the general public. "The Stuttgart Surface Technology Award THE SURFACE therefore aims to recognize this ubiquitous and yet often overlooked cross-sectional and pacemaker technology and to promote novel applications from this field," says Martin Metzner. He heads the Electroplating Technology department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA and established the award in 2012. He is still a member of the interdisciplinary jury that awards the prize every two years.
This afternoon it was time again: at the SurfaceTechnology GERMANY specialist forum, three companies were awarded the Stuttgart Surface Technology Prize DIE OBERFLÄCHE.
1st place - DÜRR Systems AG - "Overspray-free paint application with EcoPaintJet Pro"
The invention of the spray gun more than 100 years ago has significantly increased the efficiency of painting. However, its biggest disadvantage is the so-called overspray, a mist of paint that is not deposited on the object to be painted. For a century, engineers and technicians have repeatedly tried to eliminate overspray. With "EcoPaintJet Pro", DÜRR Systems AG from Bietigheim-Bissingen has now succeeded. "With great perseverance and together with partners from the paint and automotive industry, the company has brought the idea of completely overspray-free wet painting to fruition, potentially creating a disruptive innovation," praised jury member Michael Hilt, Managing Director of the Research Association for Pigments and Coatings.
To date, the paint shop has been one of the biggest energy consumers in automotive production. The high consumption is largely due to paint drying and overspray. However, if no paint mist is produced at all, this leads to energy savings of around 30 percent across the entire painting line. EcoPaintJet Pro also makes it possible for the first time to combine customized product design and automated production in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.
"In times when energy consumption and CO2 emissions are more important than ever, EcoPaintJet Pro offers significantly more potential than contrasting colors or optical elements on car bodies - namely the entry into a low-emission and thus energy-optimized paint shop. The EcoPaintJet Pro process from DÜRR Systems AG is therefore the worthy winner of SURFACE 2022," said Hilt in his laudatory speech.
2nd place - ASIS GmbH - "Automatic finish"
The inclusion of particles repeatedly causes visible defects during the painting process. Until now, the affected areas had to be touched up by hand in an energy- and labor-intensive process - with varying results depending on the skill and daily form of the personnel. However, ASIS GmbH from Landshut has now developed a precise and repeatable solution for the inspection and removal of defects with the automatic finish. Industrial robots assess each defect individually and process it exactly as required. This fully automated finishing process saves time and material and ensures consistent quality.
"The system has proven its industrial maturity through its use at an original equipment manufacturer and is now to be rolled out in other industries. We are delighted to be able to present ASIS GmbH with the SURFACE 2022 silver award for this development," said Katja Feige from Fraunhofer IPA in her laudatory speech. Although Feige is not on the jury herself, she represented juror Martin Metzner at the award ceremony.
3rd place - Molecular Plasma Group S.A. - "Molecular Plasma"
Molecular Plasma Group S.A. from the small Luxembourg town of Fötz has developed a technology that enables surface functionalization by covalently binding organic substances to any substrate using a cold atmospheric plasma. The nanocoating created by the one-step, dry and solvent-free process gives the surface a clearly defined and permanent function - from improving the adhesion of inert materials and bioactive surfaces to hydrophobic, hydrophilic or even non-stick properties.
"This innovative application of plasma surface technology significantly expands the possibilities of surface functionalization," praised jury member Martin Riester, Head of the Surface Technology Department at the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). "This innovative strength, coupled with the wide range of possible applications across many target industries, was the decisive factor for the jury in awarding the company the bronze prize for THE SURFACE 2022."
Two other companies were nominated
BMF GmbH from Chemnitz and Dörken Coatings GmbH & Co. KG from Herdecke were also nominated for the Stuttgart surface technology prize DIE OBERFLÄCHE. BMF has created an automatic blasting process that produces reproducible, homogeneous and pre-definable surfaces. This avoids rework and rejects. In collaboration with another company, Dörken has developed an automatic spray gun which, in conjunction with a robot, can partially coat components with virtually no spray mist. Costly and time-consuming masking is no longer necessary.
