Efficiency, precision and Industry 4.0 technology
OMC Axles & Trailers is growing: we have installed a state-of-the-art continuous-cycle painting plant, designed according to the principles of Industry 4.0.
An interconnected and fully automated system that significantly increases our production capacity, enhances process repeatability, and raises our standards of quality and control even further.
The plant is engineered to ensure uniformity, traceability, and optimized processing times, adapting to a wide range of materials — from trailer components to large metal structures.
Structure and capacity
The system features 7 m long, 2.5 m high and 1.2 m deep overhead carriers, each with a load capacity of up to 2,000 kg.
At its core lies a dual-rail overhead conveyor, digitally controlled and fully automated, equipped with 35 interconnected carriers and automatic loading and unloading stations with lifters.
Each phase of the cycle is monitored in real time, ensuring continuous operation, safety, and consistent precision.
Surface preparation
Depending on material type and project requirements, each part can follow one or both surface-preparation routes — sandblasting with automated shot blasting technology and/or four-stage washing — ensuring optimal treatment in any condition.
Shot-blasting Surface Preparation
The process begins with shot-blasting surface preparation using an automated blast-cleaning system, a high-efficiency technology that uses metal shot projected by turbines to remove oxides, mill scale, and old coatings from the metal surface.
Fully managed under a 4.0 control logic, this phase guarantees uniform cleaning and consistent adhesion for the subsequent coating steps.
The system complies with Sa2, Sa2.5, and Sa3 preparation grades, depending on the required level of finish:
- Sa2 (Light Blast Cleaning): surface free of contaminants but non-uniform in color.
- Sa2.5 (Commercial Blast Cleaning): surface completely clean and uniform.
- Sa3 (White Metal Blast Cleaning): perfectly clean surface with uniform metallic sheen, ideal for high-performance coatings.
Shot-blasting takes place inside a fully enclosed automated tunnel with a manual touch-up chamber, combining mechanical precision with human oversight for consistently reliable and traceable results.
Four-Stage Washing Tunnel
As an alternative or in addition to shot-blasting, parts can be processed in a four-stage washing tunnel:
- Hot phospho-degreasing
- Network rinse
- Demineralized rinse
- Passivation stage
A digitally controlled drying oven then ensures precise temperature management, preparing the surface for primer application.
Primer application
The next step takes place in the integral-recovery coating booth, where a protective primer is applied.
Fully interfaced with the plant’s supervisory software, the system automatically adjusts spray parameters and airflow to ensure uniform thickness and optimal adhesion.
The subsequent gelation oven, with a temperature range from 40 °C to 210 °C, ensures perfect primer bonding and prepares the surface for the final powder finish.
Powder coating (Finishing)
The powder-coating phase represents the final finishing stage, where thermosetting powders are applied and cured to form a continuous, solvent-free protective layer.
The coating is applied in a multi-color booth with quick color-change capability, then polymerized in a pre-chamber oven operating between 160 °C and 220 °C.
The result is a uniform, durable, and weather-resistant finish, continuously monitored for temperature and cycle parameters.
All process data are recorded and analyzed in real time, in full Industry 4.0 logic, to ensure maximum efficiency, repeatability, and long-term quality.
Results and Benefits
- Top-level coating quality and durability.
- Complete process traceability and digital monitoring.
- High flexibility for different components and finishes.
- Reduced cycle times and energy consumption.
- Third-party coating service with the same standards applied to our own products.
OMC Axles & Trailers keeps investing in smart technologies and interconnected processes to deliver robust, durable, and precise solutions that meet the most demanding challenges of the modern, sustainable heavy-duty industry.