4. Cost trends

Painting is a costly business, especially when aesthetic and environmental requirements are at stake. A significant part of the cost is due to the downtime of the painting stations. This time is largely determined by paint drying time. One solution is to apply the wet-on-wet technique in a controlled manner. On the other hand, some of the paint does not reach its target, which is a cost that depends heavily on the installation.

In order to achieve a more homogeneous color match on a complex set of substrates, it would be necessary to paint in-line, as in the automotive industry, for example. This attractive approach must take into account the restrictive parameters of :

• restricting the choice of materials suitable for inline painting often leads to a higher cost price for bare parts. The financial advantage of inline...