Industries
Explosion protection in automotive manufacturing
In automotive manufacturing the explosion hazard shows up in two distinct areas. In the paint shop the risk comes from the vapours of solvent-based paints, while in battery and electric-vehicle production it is hydrogen and electrolyte solvents that are hazardous. Both areas change constantly as models and lines change over. The explosion protection documentation has to keep pace with those changes.
Industry experience
Sound familiar?
A new model or line starts up with a different paint or solvent, but nobody reassesses the zone classification of the paint shop.
Hydrogen is released in the battery charging room, yet the classification does not treat it as gas group IIC.
A new electric-vehicle line brings in electrolyte solvents, and the documentation does not follow the change.
In the robotic, automated paint cells you cannot see which Ex device is coming up for inspection.
Ahead of an audit you spend days looking for the zone drawings, the equipment list and the inspection certificates.
If any of these situations sounds familiar, another document is not what you need. What you need is a dependable system that tracks and documents the changes precisely.
Hazards
Typical explosion hazards in automotive manufacturing
Automotive manufacturing runs two separate centres of hazard, often within the same plant:
| Hazard source | Where typical | Typical zone |
|---|---|---|
| Solvent vapour (paints, thinners, cleaning agents) | paint shop, paint mixing room, drying ovens, solvent cleaning | gas zone (1/2) |
| Hydrogen (IIC) | battery charging rooms, battery formation and testing | gas zone (1/2), IIC |
| Electrolyte solvents | electrode coating and drying, cell manufacturing | gas zone (1/2) |
| Metal dust (aluminium) | body sanding, machining, extraction | dust zone (21/22) |
| Electrostatic charging | electrostatic spray guns, paint mist, plastic components | an ignition source in every zone |
Paint shops have always been ATEX risk areas. Electric vehicle production, however, has created a new source of hazard. Automated robotic paint cells pack a great many Ex devices into a confined space, while even a model changeover can alter the classification of the hazardous zones.
The conductive metal dust produced by machining aluminium also poses a different risk from the solvent vapours of the paint shop. The two sources of hazard therefore have to be handled separately, with the appropriate technical and documentary measures.
When we help
Typical situations when it’s worth talking
The paint shop and battery production are two different explosive areas within one plant.
Many plants run traditional painting and new battery production side by side. The two areas follow a different logic, but the documentation has to handle them consistently.
The paint shop handles solvent vapours. Gas zones form around the spray booths and the mixing room; the main challenge is tracking zones that shift with model changeovers.
Battery production brings in hydrogen and electrolyte solvents. Hydrogen’s IIC gas group demands the strictest protection, and the classification has to reflect that.
Robotic automation concentrates a great many Ex devices. The register has to track every device, with its marking and its inspection record.
Model and line changeovers are frequent. Wire explosion protection into management of change, so the classification is updated along with the technology.
The solution
How EPDS helps in automotive manufacturing
EPDS brings explosion protection documentation into one system, from the paint shop through to battery production:
Substance and equipment register in one place.
EPDS records every Ex device with its marking, gas group and temperature class, and makes it searchable.
Management of change.
The software traces the effect of a model or line changeover through the zones and the equipment list.
Documentation that is always current.
You can look up at any time who changed what, and when.
No more overdue inspections.
The system gives notice of every inspection as it falls due, and records the ones completed.
An audit-ready report in one click.
EPDS assembles the report of zones, equipment and inspections, per site if you need it.
Several sites, one piece of software.
A single method across the whole production network.
Knowledge hub
Before you decide, get informed.
Our expert knowledge base explains the concepts of explosion protection clearly.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why is hydrogen gas group IIC, and why does it matter in the charging room?
Hydrogen falls into the gas group demanding the strictest protection, because it passes through even the smallest gaps. Battery charging generates hydrogen continuously, so the charging room has to be designed for gas group IIC — the less strict IIB is not enough.
What new explosion hazards come with electric vehicle production?
Electrode coating and drying use electrolyte solvents, and cell formation and testing can generate hydrogen. These bring zones and equipment requirements that differ from traditional painting, so they call for a separate assessment.
How far does the zone extend in the paint shop?
Around the spray booth and the mixing room, the extent of the zone is set by the source of release, the substance and the ventilation. The classification is done to standard (MSZ EN 60079-10-1), and electrostatic charging is addressed as well.
When does the zone classification have to be redone?
At every change that affects the explosion hazard: a new model or line, a change of paint or solvent, new battery technology, or a modification to the ventilation or the extraction. In EPDS this is part of management of change.
Does a car plant need explosion protection documentation?
Yes. Wherever a flammable vapour, gas or dust can create an explosive atmosphere, the documentation is mandatory under decree 3/2003. (III. 11.), and it has to be kept current.
Let’s talk it through — free consultation
In a short, free conversation we show you the EPDS system mapped onto your processes, and review where your documentation stands today.