Energy-flexible automotive drying systems

Dürr has unveiled a new energy-flexible oven concept for automotive paint shops that decouples the drying oven from its primary heat source. The system combines centralized heating technology with a modular energy supply architecture, allowing manufacturers to switch between natural gas, electricity and potentially hydrogen without structural modifications to the oven itself.

The technology is designed for automotive manufacturing environments facing volatile energy prices, tightening CO₂ reduction targets and increasing pressure to improve production resilience. The new approach applies to Dürr’s EcoInCure and EcoSmartCure oven systems and supports both new installations and modernization projects in existing paint shops.

Centralized heating architecture enables energy flexibility
Conventional automotive drying ovens are typically designed around a fixed heating method, limiting operational flexibility when energy costs or supply conditions change. Dürr’s Qflex technology replaces this approach with a centralized heating module that distributes thermal energy through a variable heating circuit to individual oven zones.

The standalone heating module can operate using different energy sources, including natural gas and electricity, while remaining compatible with future hydrogen integration. If operators later transition to renewable electricity or onsite energy generation such as solar power systems, modifications are limited to the heating module rather than the oven structure itself.

According to Dr. Heiko Dieter, product manager at Dürr, the concept is intended to reduce operational risks associated with energy supply interruptions and fluctuating energy markets. The architecture also supports hybrid energy configurations capable of automatically selecting the most economical energy source depending on time-of-day pricing.

The Qflex platform additionally supports integration of electric high-temperature energy storage systems that can store thermal energy for later production use.

EcoSmartCure introduces stop-and-go thermal control
Dürr is positioning two energy-flexible oven systems for future deployment: the EcoInCure transverse oven and the newly introduced EcoSmartCure longitudinal oven.

The EcoInCure system has already been implemented in more than 30 automotive paint shops worldwide and is designed for high process reliability, rapid thermal response and paint quality consistency.

The EcoSmartCure introduces a modified longitudinal process configuration based on a stop-and-go operating principle. Instead of continuously moving vehicle bodies through the oven while applying heat broadly across the structure, the process incorporates defined stationary heating phases with more targeted thermal application.

This operating method allows more precise temperature management and reduces unnecessary thermal exposure. Dürr states that the approach is particularly beneficial for thicker vehicle structures such as electric vehicle sills, where uneven heating can affect coating quality and material stress.

By concentrating heat only where required, the system reduces thermal stress on the body structure while improving coating consistency in automotive paint applications.

Compact design supports brownfield modernization projects
Both oven systems use a compact single-level configuration that eliminates the need for additional power-unit floors. The reduced installation footprint simplifies integration into existing production facilities and lowers infrastructure requirements during modernization projects.

Dürr positions the systems as suitable for brownfield automotive manufacturing upgrades, addressing both capital expenditure and operational expenditure optimization goals. The compact layout is intended to minimize disruption during retrofit projects while improving long-term energy efficiency and process flexibility.

The EcoSmartCure system is currently undergoing industrial validation testing. According to Dürr, two customer projects are already in progress, indicating early adoption interest from automotive manufacturers seeking more adaptable paint shop infrastructure.

Additional Context: This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original product announcement
Automotive paint drying systems are increasingly evolving toward electrified and energy-flexible architectures as manufacturers attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower dependence on fossil-fuel-based thermal systems. Traditional gas-fired curing ovens remain common in automotive paint shops because of their high thermal efficiency and established infrastructure, but electrification initiatives are accelerating across the sector.

Comparable technologies are available from suppliers including Eisenmann, Geico and Saima Meccanica, which also provide modular curing and drying systems for automotive coating lines. Benchmarking criteria for industrial paint curing systems typically include energy consumption per body unit, thermal uniformity, curing precision, footprint efficiency, operational flexibility and compatibility with low-carbon energy sources.

The stop-and-go thermal control strategy used in the EcoSmartCure differs from conventional continuous-flow curing systems by enabling more localized and controlled heat application. Similar precision-heating approaches are increasingly being evaluated for electric vehicle production, where mixed-material body structures and thicker battery-related components create additional thermal management challenges during curing processes.

Energy-flexible industrial ovens are also becoming more relevant as automotive manufacturers align paint shop operations with digital energy management systems and smart factory infrastructure designed to optimize energy consumption according to real-time market pricing and renewable energy availability.

Edited by Sucithra Mani, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

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