Best Painting Robots for Professional Surface Finishing

Back in 2019, art robots made headlines when the robot Ai-Da became the first to hold an exhibition. But most companies and users looking for a painting robot are not concerned with artistic merit. They simply need a reliable device that is easy to program and that delivers the surface quality their product requires. 

Many industrial robots can be used for painting. However, the task can be difficult because of the somewhat complex interaction between different components and the robot's safety requirements. Some robot manufacturers have taken on this challenge with their integrated painting solutions. 

Several features are essential for high-quality robotic painting. They allow the device to paint any object quickly and flexibly with minimal waste:

1. Sufficient degrees of freedom: the more ways a robot can move, the more options it has to approach a given point from different angles. This matters because the painting tool must maintain a precise distance from the surface to ensure even coverage, wherever it is within the robot's workspace. 
2. Sprayer: the core component of any painting tool. It turns liquid paint into a spray or fine mist to apply to the work surface. 
3. Paint pump: moves paint from the storage container to the painting tool. 
4. Color change: some painting robots can quickly switch between different paint colors using this capability. The switching process can cause some waste, since the old color must be flushed out of the sprayer. 
5. Hollow wrists: a distinguishing feature of specialized painting robots is a hollow wrist. This means cables and paint hoses can run through the wrist rather than outside it, which prevents them from getting coated in paint. 
6. Explosion protection: working with flammable liquids such as paint poses a real explosion risk. Specialized painting robots are often built to be explosion-proof, so that they can withstand an explosion should one occur. 
7. Painting software: any robot needs a good programming system. Ideally, you need software that makes it easy to program complex painting paths with minimal coding. 

Different painting systems will require additional fixtures and accessories. However, all of the above are the core features a buyer of such a device will need. Fortunately, not all add-on services have to be purchased separately. Some robot manufacturers have created turnkey painting solutions that include all the functions that may be needed for painting. 

KUKA and Dürr ready2_spray

German company Dürr has long been a market leader in the automotive industry, offering assembly and painting solutions. A few years ago it teamed up with robot maker KUKA to create ready2_spray. The solution is based on the KUKA AGILUS KR 10 R1100 robot and includes all the components needed for a painting robot.

PaintMate from FANUC

Another big name in robotics, FANUC, has created the PaintMate series as a specialized painting solution. It is explosion-proof thanks to compliance with the ATEX directive for equipment used in explosive atmospheres. PaintMate comes in several sizes, each based on one of FANUC's robot models. 

B+M Surface Systems

This German company is a less well-known robot maker than the previous options, but it specializes in surface finishing technologies, ranging from dip coating to robotic painting solutions. 

FlexPainter from ABB

ABB was a pioneer in robotic painting as far back as the late 1960s. Its FlexPainter painting robot continues to innovate with the new ABB Ability Connected Atomizer, described as the "world's first digital automotive robotic painting system." Like other painting robots, FlexPainter has a large working range, allowing it to reach even large workpieces to paint the other side. 

Kawasaki Robotic Painting

Kawasaki offers its own robotic painting solution based on its K-Series robots. Like all robots on this list, they come with a range of peripheral devices that improve painting quality and, importantly, are suitable for operation in the elevated-pressure conditions of a paint booth. 

MPX/MPO from Yaskawa

Yaskawa offers its Motoman MPX/MPO series of robots designed for painting. Like other robots, they can be installed in various configurations (for example, on the ceiling, wall or floor), providing greater flexibility in painting. 

Stäubli Paint Robots

Stäubli's painting robots are based on the company's TX and RX robots. Process parameters are controlled with the dedicated PaintiXen software, which manages parameters such as flow rate, atomization and electrostatic charge. Stäubli claims this software reduces solvent and paint consumption by 30%.