Mazda has partnered with Swiss engineering company ABB to implement its RB1000i-S paint atomisers at the Ujina plant in Japan.

Launched recently, the new paint atomiser, mounted on top of the ABB robot, is said to improve transfer efficiency by upwards of 10%.

 It can significantly reduce paint waste by a minimum of 30% along with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared to its predecessor, the RB 1000i, the Swiss company claims.

This collaboration aligns with Mazda's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2035.

The RB1000i-S atomisers feature an efficiency rate of 95-99%, leading to decreased paint usage, lower energy consumption, and reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.

Painting processes currently account for approximately 60% of Mazda’s manufacturing CO2 emissions.

The integration of the RB1000i-S atomisers has already yielded a 17% reduction in paint usage—translating to savings of around 30,000 liters of paint annually.

ABB Robotics managing director Joerg Reger said: “Our new RB1000i-S atomisers achieve up to 95-99% efficiency, while reducing paint usage and costs, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and energy consumption for waste fluid treatment in the paint booth, all supporting CO2 emission reduction.”  

Energy usage and the frequency of maintenance tasks, such as changing out the protective masking that shields equipment from overspray, have both been reduced.

Additionally, during the integration process, the company achieved further cost savings by implementing RB1000i-S atomisers on its existing robots, thereby advancing carbon-neutral operations and contributing to the circular economy.

ABB offers an upgrade kit for the previous RB1000i atomisers to enhance performance and extend equipment lifespan.