Project Background:
As several Japanese cities advance the beautification and upgrading of their transportation infrastructure, a well-known urban facility manufacturer in the country planned to upgrade its guardrail surface treatment process to meet increasingly stringent requirements for corrosion resistance, coating uniformity, and environmental emissions. The client's original semi-automatic coating system could no longer meet demands for high efficiency and multi-batch delivery. In response, our company custom-developed and built a fully automated powder coating line designed to process metal crash barriers used for highways, subway entrances, and pedestrian isolation zones.
Project Overview:
Commissioning Time: October 2023
Total Line Length: Approx. 63 meters
Occupied Area: Approx. 580㎡
Annual Designed Capacity: Approx. 24,000 sets of guardrail modules (each module includes one 2-meter horizontal beam and one post)
Client Priorities: High corrosion resistance, color consistency, equipment durability, and low-noise, eco-friendly operation
Process Flow and Key System Configurations:
Automatic Powder Spray Booth System
Configuration: Dual-row 8 automatic electrostatic spray guns with multi-angle tracking compensation
Structure: Anti-static coated interior + sealed air duct to reduce powder overflow
Manual Station: Includes manual repair spraying area for touch-up on welded or irregular parts
Control System: PLC-integrated recipe library supporting one-click switching of guardrail models and color parameter
Primary Cyclone + Secondary Powder Recovery System
Primary Recovery: Stainless steel cyclone separator with a stable air volume of 8500 m³/h
Secondary Recovery: Triple-filter cartridge structure with automatic pulse cleaning
Monitoring Features: Real-time powder concentration monitoring, over-limit alarm, full-process powder consumption statistics
Recovery Efficiency: Overall powder recovery rate >95%
Tunnel-Type Energy-Efficient Curing Oven
Size: 14.5 meters effective heating length, divided into four independently controlled temperature zones
Temperature Range: 180–210°C, with automatic curing time adjustment (12–15 minutes) based on workpiece
Thermal Efficiency: Hot air recirculation + eco-friendly thermal insulation cotton reduces surface heat radiation and improves energy utilization by approximately 18%
C-Type Automatic Conveyor System
Structure: Closed-loop C-track design with chain drive, synchronized speed control
Flexibility: Adjustable hanger spacing (800–1600mm) to accommodate various guardrail components
Control Mode: Touchscreen visual interface with early warning prompts and fault self-diagnosis
Project Outcomes:
Coating uniformity significantly improved, with dry film thickness deviation controlled within ±7μm
Energy consumption reduced by approx. 22%, powder utilization efficiency increased by 1.8 times compared to the old line
Daily production capacity increased from 180 sets to 320 sets, meeting large-scale export demand
Noise control meets standards, with average operating noise under 65dB in both spraying and conveying segments
This production line has been in continuous operation for over 12 months, with all guardrail products used in several new traffic isolation projects in the Kanto region completed on this line. The client has designated it as the core of their "Smart Factory Demonstration Project" and is now planning a second phase of capacity expansion.
