Mahindra & Mahindra installs Dürr’s EcoDry X tech in new paint line at Pune plant

In line with its sustainable strategy for production facilities, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has installed an innovative and environmentally-friendly painting line at its Pune plant. The new line includes the first-time installation of Durr’s EcoDry X cardboard filter box system which ensures cost and energy efficient overspray separation.

Following the start of production in November 2015, the plant was ramped up to its maximum annual capacity of 91,000 units. The scope of supply consisted of a painting line including spray booth, air handling equipment, oven and conveyor. In order to meet M&M’s goals of simplicity, reduction of resources and energy consumption, as well as the reduction of the company’s water footprint and paint sludge, Mahindra set a new standard for the top coat line. This was done by choosing the latest Dürr Eco+Paintshop products such as Eco+Layout, EcoSmart AC and EcoDry X.

With the Eco+Layout, it was possible to create a simplified and more compact building design by placing the spray booth air recirculation unit which is operator-friendly on the ground floor. The add-on of the EcoSmart AC to the regular air-conditioning control system in the spray booth air handling units optimises energy consumption during production, especially in start-up times and extreme weather conditions. The improved control of the process window leads to major energy savings in cooling and heating, including a reduction of CO₂ emissions.

According to Durr, with the selection of the cardboard filter box system EcoDry X from the Dürr dry separation family, M&M avoids all coagulation chemicals and water in overspray separation and resulting paint sludge. EcoDry X is a semi-automatic filter system consisting of a filter trolley equipped with six filter boxes. The disposable cardboard filter boxes can be swiftly replaced with minimum effort using the filter trolleys – even during production, if necessary. The system is simple and robust and can be easily operated.   

With more than one year in operation, the performance of the cardboard filter boxes during their first application has exceeded customer expectations when it comes to handling and filter box consumption. The filter boxes of the EcoDry X set a benchmark in paint separation capacity and filter costs. This efficiency is based on the principle of the technology: No impact separation, but filtering is the order of the day. Further highlights are the EcoClean and the top coat heat exchanger. EcoClean is a feather duster unit at the start of the top coat line for the improvement of the exterior surface cleaning quality. The installed air-to-air heat exchanger at the exhaust duct of the top coat oven preheats, depending demand, the recirculated air to the air supply unit.

As provision for future sustainable technology, Mahindra designed the roof of the building for the installation of a solar-thermal oven pre-heating system. This will help it reduce the heating energy and CO₂ emissions even further.

Due to the energy optimised performance of the new TC-Line, M&M has contracted Dürr to increase the capacity of the line to up to 120,000 units per year.