SATA moves into automation: CurveRobot partnership and "jetstream"

SATA, whose products we distribute, has taken a stake in the robotics start-up CurveRobot to accelerate automation in paint application. The two companies are pooling their development and sales expertise under SATA Automation GmbH, and their first product is a painting robot built for bodyshops: "jetstream".

What the partnership brings together

Rising cost pressure and a shortage of skilled painters are making automation essential for bodyshops in the medium term. SATA Automation combines two areas of expertise: CurveRobot's proven work in robotics and SATA's century of experience in nozzle technology and paint application. The new company handles distribution as well as development, holding exclusive sales rights for Europe and North America.

The robot supports the painter, it does not replace them

Mike Wolf, Managing Director at SATA, is explicit about the intent:

Our robotics solutions are designed to support painters, not replace them. Human expertise continues to be indispensable, both in operating the equipment and in subsequent process steps — from colour matching and mixing through to preparation and finishing.

According to Wolf, "jetstream" can already handle up to 35% of painting jobs to the highest standard. While the robot paints one vehicle, the painter can work on another or carry out other productive tasks. The range of applications keeps expanding on the same hardware, and SATA states that for many bodyshops the investment pays for itself in less than three years.

What it means on the shop floor

• Surface quality. Combined with the SATA automatic spray gun and jet X nozzle technology, the system delivers exceptionally fine, uniform atomisation. The spray pattern is even and material distribution is precise and reproducible, which reduces the need for rework.
• Material consumption. The system calculates the required amount of material far more accurately, significantly reducing safety margins. Precise guidance of the spray gun also lowers consumption during application: paint use is both lower and entirely predictable, and layer thicknesses stay constant.
• Joint programmes with paint brands. SATA develops dedicated programmes with paint manufacturers for their product ranges. The BOYA paint shop in Hanover, part of the Aribos Group, already uses "jetstream" in daily operations, running a dedicated programme developed with SATA for BASF's Line 100.

SATA has launched sata-automation.com for interested companies. Alongside general information and contact details, bodyshops will soon be able to enter their own figures to calculate the return on investment and payback period for "jetstream".

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