In the coating systems industry, process efficiency is now an increasingly strategic priority, both from an economic standpoint and in terms of sustainability. Managing paint consumption is one of the most critical aspects, as it directly affects operating costs, the quality of the final result, and the environmental impact of the entire process.

In this article, we at Cefla Finishing provide an overview of overspray and the latest solutions for improving the performance of coating systems and reducing waste.

What is overspray in coating systems and how does it affect performance?

In coating systems, overspray refers to the portion of the coating material that, during the spraying phase, fails to adhere properly to the surface of the workpiece and is dispersed within the booth or the exhaust system. 

From a physical standpoint, this phenomenon is linked to the dynamics of atomized particles: the paint is sprayed in droplets of varying sizes which, due to the exit velocity, air turbulence, and the distance between the spray gun and the surface, may deviate from the ideal trajectory and fail to reach the target.

Among the main factors contributing to overspray formation are excessive atomization energy, suboptimal airflow distribution within the system, and application parameters that are not perfectly balanced with respect to the type of paint and the workpiece being treated. The result is a reduction in transfer efficiency – that is, the amount of paint actually transferred to the substrate – which directly impacts system performance in terms of material consumption, finish quality, and process stability.

For this reason, overspray control is a key factor in the design and optimization of industrial coating systems.

Overspray control system: the solution from Cefla Finishing

In coating plants, overspray control also involves the use of systems designed to effectively manage the behavior of the coating material during the spraying phase.

This is where the “Airsphere” air diffusion plenum comes in, a solution developed and patented by us at Cefla Finishing to optimize operating conditions inside the machine. The system is designed to ensure uniform and controlled air distribution, reducing turbulence and creating a stable environment for paint application. This improves spray quality, promotes more uniform coating on the workpiece, and increases transfer efficiency.

Integrating such solutions into coating systems therefore allows for a structural approach to addressing overspray, improving overall process performance and reducing material waste.

How to reduce overspray: some operational tips

In addition to implementing advanced equipment solutions, reducing overspray also requires proper management of application parameters and operating conditions. In fact, certain measures can help optimize the spraying process and improve overall efficiency:

• Selecting the nozzle size: it is essential to choose the most appropriate size based on the type of paint and the desired application result. In many cases, a larger nozzle size allows for operation at lower working pressures, thereby reducing product waste.
• Adjusting the atomizing air flow: keeping the atomizing air flow at the minimum necessary level helps limit the energy imparted to the paint particles, thereby reducing the risk of them veering off course and minimizing overspray.
• Optimization of ventilation parameters: it is recommended to minimize the plenum and exhaust air flow rates to prevent excessive turbulence inside the cabin.
• Setting the spray area: it is important to configure the spray area precisely via the machine’s display, limiting it to only what is strictly necessary for the part being painted to avoid unnecessary overspray.
• Spray gun positioning: keeping the spray guns as close as possible to the surface of the workpiece improves paint transfer and reduces the amount of paint lost to the environment.
• Spray mode: whenever possible, it is preferable to use the “all” mode (back-and-forth) rather than the “front” mode (one-way), as it ensures more uniform distribution and greater control over the deposit.

Conclusion and Cefla Finishing's key role

Reducing overspray is now a key strategy for improving the efficiency of coating systems, optimizing material consumption, and ensuring consistently high quality standards over time. Addressing this issue involves not only adjusting process parameters but also adopting advanced technological solutions and an integrated design approach capable of balancing all the factors that influence the application phase.

This is precisely the direction we at Cefla Finishing are taking, designing and manufacturing turnkey coating and finishing systems for the international market, with customized solutions that combine technological innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. 

Contact us to find out how to optimize your coating system!

Painting car components requires machines and procedures able to combine innovation, efficiency and precision. Plastic parts are increasingly popular in the automotive industry and the finishing process should not only improve their perceived quality but also guarantee their durability over time. In this regard, being able to control the processing parameters with extreme precision and to perform completely automatic paint finishing is essential to optimise end results, regardless of whether the parts are inside or outside the passenger compartment.

What are the available coating techniques for automotive parts?

Usually, finishing of car parts and components is done by spray coating on overhead lines. However, there are also systems that allow parts to be processed at ground level, inside painting booths with horizontal air flow integrated with chain conveyors and anthropomorphic robots with point-to-point programming.

Then there are finishing lines known as flatbed lines. These use a different approach: parts placed on supporting jigs (which are not fixed to the line in the solution designed by Cefla) that lie on a horizontal conveyor while being painted.

Thanks to a conveyor belt and a vertical air flow blowing from top to bottom, this solution drastically improves end product quality. The machines of the most advanced lines are also able to detect the shape and position of the parts and, consequently, process them without requiring any specific programming.

Importance of lacquer and paint quality

Vertical spray coating lines are best suited to larger parts, such as bumpers. 
Smaller parts - generally used in the passenger compartment and therefore requiring flawless precision and quality - are instead ideally processed on flatbed lines. In addition to ensuring greater productivity, flatbed lines also allow output efficiency to be improved - thanks to the machinery's ability to minimise defects caused by overspray, as the special machine architecture allows any overspray to be removed from the bottom.

The flatbed line proposed by Cefla Finishing, for instance, ensures up to 20% more productivity than other solutions, guaranteeing an excellent quality glossy piano black finish, ideal for parts designed for key dashboard sections and for the internal finishing of car doors.

This kind of performance is also achieved through partnerships that Cefla has initiated with several paint suppliers: in-depth knowledge of the technical characteristics of the best products available on the market allows production lines to be configured with the greatest precision, so as to optimise the consumption and efficiency of all the paint types used.

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The steps required to paint automotive parts

It is thanks to this approach that the benefits we offer to customers in terms of quality, productivity and cost-effectiveness are easily measurable throughout the value chain. For each type of processing, Cefla Finishing develops bespoke techniques, solutions and processes.

When it comes to coating car components, a high efficiency line should include, based on our expertise, the following steps:

• Surface preparation: automatic cleaning with carbon dioxide snow and deionisation with our Mito oscillating spray coater.
• First coat application: Parts are fed through a digital 2D or 3D reading barrier to the iBotic Cartesian spraying robot for (usually black) paint coating.
• First drying: the painted parts are moved to the Omnidry vertical oven for a 20-30 minutes' hold time.
• Second coat application: a new coat of clear lacquer is applied, possibly double-cured using UV rays, again by a iBotic Cartesian spraying robot.
• Final drying: Omnidry oven hold time of 45 minutes at 70°C then UV oven (UV-R M2) drying to increase the surface hardness of the paint coat.

Painting of internal parts

Any solutions should be adapted to the type of product to be painted. When it comes to a car’s internal components (listed below), the main priority is to obtain a finish that ensures the best result in terms of aesthetics and excellent durability of the materials.

• control panel
• dashboard
• air vents
• central console
• door panels and controls
• car seat upholstery
• boot bottom panel (highly resistant coating)

Coating of external parts

As for external parts, quality coating must guarantee, in addition to a pleasant surface feel, a layer of protection against weathering and minor impacts.

• door protector strips
• wheel rims
• wheel covers
• brake shoes and brake pads (adhesive coating)
• radiator grille
• window frames
• side view mirrors
• headlamps: transparent scratch-resistant coating
• fuel tank door
• parking sensors
• spoilers
• bumpers
• side skirts
• engine gaskets (special coating)

Automation in the paint finishing process for automotive parts

The painting process of parts and components in the automotive sector is particularly effective when integrated and automated lines are used. We are referring to complete, turnkey solutions, which in addition to robots and drying ovens also include, for example, dry ice cleaning equipment, capable of minimising the environmental impact.

Automation is also essential for smart, efficient handling of parts that require multiple coats of paint. To rise to this challenge, users can now rely on specially designed line software such as cTracker, a line monitoring tool developed by Cefla Finishing that automatically regulates painting operations and sets the correct temperatures for the drying phase. Each component can thus receive the most suitable treatment without any need to slow down or stop production.

The platform also monitors the parts on the line, records data and analyses performance in terms of productivity. Thanks to these advanced features, it is possible to implement production changes without having to empty the line, tracking and managing individual parts and adjusting all the machines from a single control point.

The adoption of integrated lines, especially of the flatbed type, ultimately represents a strategic choice for companies aiming to position themselves on the automotive market as cutting-edge players, achieving a competitive edge thanks to superior production performance and excellent quality levels.  

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Entirely free from size constraints

OMNIDRY, the final frontier in vertical drying oven design, provides the revolutionary capability for fully automatic management of piece height, while retaining all the outstanding characteristics of a standard Cefla vertical oven. It can carry out all three stages (flash off, drying and cooling), even for coatings that need longer drying times, while minimising the use of floor space. The number of trays can be varied from 16 to 168.

Flexibility and productivity

FLEXPRO (patented), is the revolutionary feature of the new vertical drying oven Omnidry, which allows you to manage the loading thickness completely automatically. It represents the perfect compromise between productivity and flexibility. Thanks to FLEXPRO, the system recognizes inbound objects, independently adjusting the load height. The oven handles the entire cycle without operator intervention and never stops the production. This innovative solution is perfect for robotic applications that allow the finishing of pieces with different sizes.

Cefla’s expertise enables us to take another major step forward: the new generation of
Omnidry vertical drying ovens provides automatic management of piece variation.

Flexible system layout

Belt or rack trays can be incorporated facilitating the handling of workpieces entering and exiting the oven: a roller conveyor combined with rack trays or a belt conveyor using motor-driven belt trays.

Horizontal upgrade

Not all coating robots are the same. Achieving uniform, high-quality results while maximising productivity and minimising downtime means implementing overhead lines equipped with high-performance anthropomorphic robotic systems.

Oscillating spray coaters are not always capable of properly finishing complex three-dimensional objects, despite their high efficiency rates. In these cases, the solution offered by an overhead line equipped with an anthropomorphic robot makes it possible to achieve high performance, excellent quality, and a wide range of options and customisations.

The advantages of automatic coating plants

Let’s start with the most obvious considerations, derived from comparing automatic coating plants with traditional coating processes.

Operators are well aware that a manual approach does not allow full control over the paint application process and production capacity. Above all, for a number of reasons largely linked to the human factor, this philosophy does not guarantee consistent quality.

Using a coating robot for window frames, doors or complex three-dimensional objects instead allows you to promptly meet the four main needs of those who own and manage a finishing plant:

• Save time when switching from one operation to another
• Improve coating quality, even along complex trajectories
• Reduce material and energy consumption
• Increase productivity

An anthropomorphic coating robot does not completely replace human activity. In the coating process of windows, doors and three-dimensional objects such as disassembled chairs or musical instruments, for example, the coating robot still requires an operator to manage and monitor the various stages of the process. Moreover, the heaviest and most repetitive work is entirely handled by the machines.

Thanks to software developed by Cefla, the machine performs (automatically and repeatedly, based on the programme launched) all trajectories required to carry out coating operations with extreme precision. This, essentially, is what makes it possible to reduce manual activities that limit production efficiency.

In other words, a high-performance anthropomorphic coating robot eliminates at the root problems related to time loss, paint waste, and inconsistent quality and productivity levels. And by optimising process flows, it also helps to reduce energy consumption.

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Robotic systems for automatic finishing: advantages and technologies

Robotic systems therefore represent a fundamental evolution in finishing processes. They can guarantee precision, uniformity and repeatability in complex applications, in different use cases and regardless of the size of the plants in which they operate.

Based on digital technologies, standard components and integrated, modular solutions, robotic coating lines are also distinguished by another great advantage: they can be designed, installed and modified with a modular and flexible approach. This allows production schemes to be optimised dynamically, meeting the personalisation needs of both large and small customers.

Automatic coating plants: customised solutions for every requirement

Naturally, when we talk about customisation, we do not refer only to customers’ preferences. Manufacturers themselves increasingly need automatic systems capable of adapting to new use cases and to the constant drive for innovation, which today mainly focuses on efficiency and sustainability.

In this regard, overhead coating lines equipped with anthropomorphic robots are the ideal choice for building multifunctional systems that can be quickly reconfigured to seize new business opportunities or enter high-potential niche markets. The ability to differentiate one’s offering is indeed becoming a critical success factor in an increasingly challenging competitive environment. 

iGiotto: the highest coating quality without manual programming

Let us now go into greater detail and highlight how anthropomorphic coating robots differ from traditional automation solutions.

Automatic coating plants generally require manual programming. In the presence of complex geometric shapes, the machine must be manually programmed to ensure that its spraying axes move correctly around the workpieces. This means that the coating robot – which “learns” to move by replicating the gestures (and related inaccuracies) dictated by manual programming piece by piece – cannot always achieve the optimal result.

There are also automatic coating plants that allow point-to-point programming via dedicated software. This helps reduce the margin of error but still requires skilled users to handle robot programming. Yet we are still far from the optimum when it comes to guaranteeing quality finishes on complex 3D objects.

Therefore, if the goal is to combine high repeatability, low paint consumption and reduced application times without ever compromising on a flawless result, a self-generating anthropomorphic coating robot represents a strategic choice. Furthermore, it allows the carbon footprint to be reduced through lower energy consumption and the use of eco-friendly materials.

Industrial coating plants: energy saving and productivity

Investing in a next-generation robotic plant guarantees immediate and incremental advantages compared to the use of more traditional techniques (even automated ones), and certainly in comparison with manual spray coating of complex 3D objects or frames. Consider the following aspects regarding programming, precision and flexibility.

1. PROGRAMMING. Some automation solutions allow the robot to be programmed manually, physically guiding the spray arms around the complex geometric shape. In this way, the machine learns to move and replicates the movements piece by piece. It is also possible to program point-to-point trajectories using offline software, but for each batch it will be necessary to manually enter the data into the software to obtain the required parameters.
2. PRECISION. In addition to the cost of a specialised operator, the manual spraying of window frames often produces fluctuating performance and uneven paint thickness. Paint consumption frequently exceeds the optimal quantity by 15–30%, leading to frequent filter replacements and high disposal costs.
3. FLEXIBILITY. Production batches are often small in size or require significant customisation. Operators must therefore stop the line for colour changes or to reprogram the trajectories. All this negatively affects production efficiency and causes costly downtime.
   

Anthropomorphic coating robot and cVision 3D reading barrier: the winning combination

Overcoming these limits means adopting a solution such as iGiotto by Cefla Finishing. But what exactly is iGiotto? How does it work?

We are talking about an automatic spray coating plant for water-based and solvent-based products — a true ecosystem built around an anthropomorphic coating robot designed to process both large wooden objects, such as doors and frames, and complex-shaped workpieces made from materials other than wood.

The products travel along the overhead lines, exiting the spraying area to enter a drying tunnel before being divided into batches. The constant speed and distance between the guns and the product optimise paint consumption and guarantee uniform coating.

From an environmental point of view, this translates into a significant improvement in sustainability KPIs, with reduced consumption and less waste.

This is also thanks to the integration with cVision, the 3D reading barrier (also developed by Cefla Finishing), capable of automatically generating trajectories for complex shapes. The combination of iGiotto and cVision enables a fully automated coating process even in the presence of objects with complex geometries. It improves finishing quality and consistency, reduces consumable material usage, and increases overall plant efficiency.

In particular, thanks to a next-generation scanning system, cVision can acquire the positions, dimensions and shapes of items in transit with unprecedented precision. The software then processes the 3D image of the workpiece to be coated and determines the best trajectories.

The combined action of this ultra-high-resolution reading system allows iGiotto to automatically generate precise working programmes based on the “families” of objects organised in its database. cVision therefore eliminates the need to manually set up an anthropomorphic coating robot. There is no longer any need to define trajectories by hand, as everything is automated. This results in considerable time savings (at least 50%) and ensures optimal parameters and consistent coating quality from the first to the last piece.

The iGiotto coating robot, for its part, takes advantage of the accuracy of predefined trajectories to optimise spraying using a dual-gun wrist. This provides significant paint savings while guaranteeing the best possible quality and consistency. Colour changes also take place without ever stopping the equipment, even when switching between different products, thereby eliminating downtime. Finally, when new workpieces enter the overhead line, the software ensures that iGiotto can move from one item to another and from one colour to another without interrupting production.

Optimising door coating with a three-gun wrist

The use of a three-gun wrist (optional) is a recently introduced approach and is proving particularly effective in door coating operations. The system improves production efficiency compared to the traditional two-gun wrist: for spraying the front side of the door, only a single pass is required. This avoids crossover trajectories, enabling lines equipped with anthropomorphic robots such as iGiotto to save approximately 40% in processing time.

Low-consumption coating lines: a sustainable future

Modern coating lines are revolutionising the production process through the integration of advanced technologies that significantly reduce paint waste and energy consumption.

Thanks to the use of automated systems and real-time trajectory monitoring, as we have seen, these lines optimise paint application, ensuring precise colour mixing and minimal overspray.

However, even more can be done to further reduce the environmental impact of coating lines equipped with anthropomorphic robots. Closed-cycle systems, for example, reuse excess paint, while intelligent sensors adjust energy output based on actual production requirements, avoiding unnecessary power consumption.

Moreover, the use of water-based formulations and coatings with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content not only enhances environmental safety but also helps to reduce energy requirements during drying and curing processes.

Adopted within an integrated approach, all these solutions help to reduce the impact of finishing operations and represent a significant step towards ever-greater sustainability in the coating sector. With its innovations, Cefla Finishing stands alongside companies seeking to lead this transformation.

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Spray coating for small to medium-sized businesses

First of all, small to medium-sized businesses who manufacture items in wood or derivatives of wood. This may include kitchen furniture, doors, chairs and general furniture components. Until now, they probably relied on third-party companies to complete the finishing procedure of their semi-finished products, but today they are planning to handle this process internally. Turning away from outsourcing, they will need to turn to spray-coating experts for some fundamental advice and guidance.

Some of these smaller outfits will possibly have experience in manual spraying, but are looking to improve quality, efficiency and productivity with a first step into the world of automatic spray coating.

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Spray coating for a third-part company

Second on our list of three, you will find the company which just performs spray coating, the third-party company our first category was outsourcing to. They have a broad experience and in a fast-moving market need to grab business opportunities, especially if competition is alive and kicking. They may handle countless different products, so we may be addressing the need to look at different spray-coating techniques and certainly they have experience and in-depth knowledge of spray coating technologies. We can help these companies in their quest to become more competitive. They will undoubtedly be looking for solutions enabling cost-savings, greater efficiency and, above all, maximum flexibility. This last aspect is key when you need to switch from one job to another with as little downtime as possible and broadens your business opportunities on the market.

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Spray coating for large companies

Our third category is made of large companies which already handle both manufacturing and finishing in an integrated process. Such companies can be market leaders in their sector and rely on consistent production volumes to stay profitable and maintain their market status. With a frequent need to improve productivity, achieving as much uptime as possible with production lines handling large volumes, these companies regularly face the need to invest in new high-performance equipment, exploiting automated systems as much as possible as well as digitalised data to optimise efficiency, plan maintenance and prevent downtimes. This is where our vast experience across many industries will help target an effective solution tailored to each scenario, basing our advice on similar cases and on the dedicated tests we run in our LAB, the world’s largest finishing laboratory at our facilities in Italy.