Dürr Unveils Robotic System that Prints Custom Designs on Vehicle Bodies

Why It Matters

It gives automakers a scalable way to meet rising demand for personalized vehicles while cutting material waste and production time, strengthening competitive positioning in a market driven by customization.

Key Takeaways

• EcoNextJet prints high‑resolution graphics directly onto car bodies.
• Drop‑on‑demand printhead uses 2,000 controllable nozzles.
• Eliminates film‑based decals, reducing waste and labor.
• Two‑color capability enables complex designs without extra steps.
• Partnerships with Axalta and XAAR accelerated system development.

Pulse Analysis

The automotive market has seen a surge in consumer demand for bespoke exterior styling, from subtle lettering to full‑bleed graphics. Traditionally, manufacturers have met this demand with adhesive films or hand‑applied decals, a labor‑intensive approach that generates scrap, creates edge lines, and complicates recycling. As vehicle platforms become more modular and production volumes increase, these manual steps threaten both cost efficiency and brand consistency. Dürr’s EcoNextJet arrives as a direct response, embedding the decorative layer into the existing paint line and turning a bespoke finish into a repeatable, high‑throughput operation.

EcoNextJet leverages drop‑on‑demand technology, mounting a 2,000‑nozzle printhead on a standard painting robot. Each nozzle fires only when required, delivering up to six drops per pixel and achieving up to 720 dpi resolution with a paint film barely five micrometres thick. The two‑channel head can lay down two colours simultaneously, allowing intricate patterns on curved or vertical surfaces without additional masking. Because the same automotive‑grade paint is used for both base coat and graphics, colour matching remains seamless and the clear‑coat protects the design as part of the vehicle’s finish.

The system’s elimination of physical films translates into measurable sustainability gains: less material waste, lower inventory complexity, and reduced energy consumption from fewer handling steps. Dürr’s collaboration with paint specialist Axalta and printhead manufacturer XAAR compressed development time and ensured that the inks meet automotive durability standards. With pilot stations already operating in Germany and Michigan, early adopters can evaluate cost‑per‑vehicle savings and design flexibility. As personalization becomes a core differentiator, EcoNextJet positions manufacturers to offer limitless graphics while preserving lean‑factory principles.