Automotive Wheel Hub Powder Coating Line
Summary
A dedicated wheel-hub powder coating line for an automotive wheel supplier in Turkey that supplies Renault Turkey, Ford Otosan and other regional OEMs, built for 2 million hubs a year at 12 seconds per hub and IATF 16949 process requirements. Hubs rotate 360° on fixtures past 18 guns (12 circumferential, 4 side, 2 face) and cure at 200 °C, film build is 70 ± 10 μm, and the line runs fully automatic loading, spraying and curing at 6,000 hubs per day on two shifts. The line ramped to full capacity in six months and passed the OEM audit at the first attempt, as reported after commissioning in 2024.
Project Background
The client is a known automotive wheel hub supplier in Turkey, supplying Renault Turkey, Ford Otosan, and other regional OEMs. Their new factory required high cycle (annual 2 million pieces) and high quality (IATF 16949 compliance).
The Challenge
Auto wheel hubs have complex structure (spokes, rim, decorative face) with many spray dead zones. 2-million-piece annual capacity means cycle time must be controlled within 12 seconds/piece.
MUSI's Solution
MUSI designed a dedicated wheel hub coating line: load → rotating fixture → 12 circumferential guns + 4 side guns + 2 face guns → 200 °C cure. Workpieces rotate 360° during spray for uniform coverage.
Equipment Configuration
| Line type | Overhead chain wheel hub coating |
|---|---|
| Fixture | 360° rotating workpiece fixture |
| Spray gun layout | Circumferential 12 + side 4 + face 2 = 18 guns |
| Cycle time | 12 sec/piece |
| Daily capacity | 6,000 pieces (2 shifts) |
| Annual capacity | 2 million pieces |
| Film thickness | 70±10 μm |
| Automation | Full auto load/spray/cure |
Equipment used on this line
- Automatic spray coating lines — overhead chain, floor belt and robotic flexible lines
Implementation
100-day delivery. During construction, MUSI engineers stayed on-site to assist new factory's coating workshop layout — including pits, structural steel, electrical coordination.
Results
After commissioning, the line ramped to full capacity in 6 months. OEM audit passed first attempt. The client gained 2 new OEM clients in the same year, doubling annual revenue.
Client Feedback
"MUSI provided more than equipment — they participated in our entire factory planning. This 'one-stop' service saved us from many detours."
— Project Manager, Client Side
Selection logic: why this configuration
A rotating-fixture line with fixed guns was chosen over robots because a wheel hub is round and repeatable, so 18 guns around a spinning hub coat spokes, rim and face in 12 seconds without programming per SKU. Powder was chosen over liquid because the OEM specification is met in one coat with no VOC plant in a new factory. Circumferential, side and face gun groups were specified separately so film on the decorative face can be tuned without affecting the rim.
Scope of supply and key components
| Item | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead chain conveyor | 12 s cycle, 6,000 hubs/day | Automatic load and unload |
| Rotating fixtures | 360° rotation through the booth | |
| Powder booth | 18 guns: 12 circumferential, 4 side, 2 face | Film 70 ± 10 μm |
| Curing oven | Gas convection, 200 °C | |
| Pretreatment | Spray tunnel for aluminium hubs | |
| Plant layout support | Pits, steel structure and electrical coordination | MUSI engineers on site during construction |
Key components
Key components are available from international brands, configurable per customer specification, so that spare parts can be sourced locally over the life of the line. Brand names below are the usual options for this type of equipment; the brands actually fitted are fixed in the contract specification.
| Component | Brands available on request |
|---|---|
| Automatic powder guns and powder feed | International tier-one powder spray gun brands |
| Oven and dryer gas burners | Riello RS series, Weishaupt monarch WM-G, Baltur TBG, Honeywell Maxon OVENPAK, Eclipse |
| PLC and HMI | Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500, Mitsubishi Electric MELSEC iQ-R, Schneider Electric Modicon, OMRON NX, Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley |
| Variable-frequency drives | ABB ACS580, Siemens SINAMICS G120, Danfoss VLT, Schneider Electric Altivar, Yaskawa, Mitsubishi Electric |
| Conveyor gear motors | SEW-EURODRIVE, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, Bonfiglioli, Siemens, Sumitomo Drive Technologies |
| Pretreatment pumps and chemistry | Grundfos CR, KSB Etanorm, Xylem; Henkel BONDERITE, Chemetall Gardobond, PPG Zircobond, Nippon Paint |
| Dust collector filter cartridges | Donaldson Ultra-Web, Parker BHA, Camfil, MANN+HUMMEL |
| Sensors and temperature controllers | SICK, Pepperl+Fuchs, OMRON E5CC, Honeywell UDC, Yokogawa UT, ifm, KEYENCE |
Not included in the scope of supply
- Civil works, foundations and pits
- Building services up to the battery limit: power supply, gas, compressed air, water and drainage
- Local permits, emission approvals and third-party inspections
- Paint or powder supply, unless stated in the contract
Services included with every line: engineering design, manufacturing, shipping documentation, installation supervision, commissioning, operator training, warranty and spare parts.
Typical programme
The durations below are typical for equipment of this class and are given for planning; they are not the recorded schedule of this project. A complete line usually runs 90–180 days from contract to acceptance, a single unit 30–60 days.
| Stage | Typical duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Site survey and workpiece review | 5–10 days | Remote review of drawings and photos, or an engineer visit |
| Layout and detail design | 15–30 days | Layout drawing, utilities list and specification sign-off |
| Manufacturing | 45–90 days | Booths, ovens, conveyor, pretreatment and controls built and pre-assembled at the works |
| Shipping | 20–45 days | Sea freight; equipment shipped in sections for on-site assembly |
| Installation | 15–40 days | MUSI supervision with the client's installation crew or MUSI crew |
| Commissioning, training and acceptance | 7–15 days | Trial runs on the client's parts, operator training, acceptance record |
Results: before and after
Figures are those published on this page; measurement party, sample size, test date and method are not on record here and are left blank rather than estimated.
| Metric | Before | After | Change | Measured by | Single / average | Samples | Test date | Method / instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle time | — | 12 s per hub | — | |||||
| Ramp to full capacity | — | 6 months | — | |||||
| OEM audit | — | passed first attempt | — |
Applicability and limits
The 12-second cycle applies to single-colour powder on hubs within the fixture size range. Two-coat systems such as powder primer plus liquid colour and clear, or hubs outside the fixture envelope, need additional booths and a slower takt, as described in the wheel and chassis coating guide.
Results shown in this case study reflect the stated operating conditions and should not be interpreted as guaranteed performance under different feed, production, environmental, or site conditions.
After-sales and spare parts
Warranty on a MUSI coating line runs from acceptance: 12 months on the complete line excluding consumables, 36 months on critical components such as motors, drives and the PLC, and 60 months on structural parts such as steel structure, ducting and oven bodies. Failures within warranty, excluding misuse, are repaired free of charge.
Support starts remotely: the service line is staffed around the clock, a preliminary diagnosis with recommendations is given within 2 hours, and where a site visit is needed an engineer reaches any major city within 72 hours. A spare-parts inventory is held at the Changzhou headquarters with same-day shipping, and customers can keep a dedicated parts stock at MUSI for emergencies. Details are on the after-sales service page.
FAQ
How many guns does a wheel hub line need? Eighteen on this line: twelve around the circumference, four on the sides and two on the face, with the hub rotating in front of them so no spoke or window is missed.
What cycle time is possible? Twelve seconds per hub, 6,000 per day on two shifts, which gives the 2 million a year the client specified.
Does the line support IATF 16949? The line provides the logged process data, oven records and film-thickness sampling the client's IATF 16949 system needs; the OEM audit passed at the first attempt.
Why rotate the hub instead of using robots? A hub is round and repeatable, so a rotating fixture with fixed gun groups coats it in one pass with no per-SKU programming and no robot maintenance.
Did MUSI help with the new factory layout? Yes. Engineers stayed on site during construction to coordinate pits, steel structure and electrical work for the coating workshop in the 100-day delivery.
Next step: a configuration proposal for a similar line
If your parts, volumes or plant conditions are close to this project, MUSI can return a line configuration and layout proposal. To prepare it we need four things:
- Photos and dimensions of the workpieces, with weight and material
- Required output (pieces per hour or per day, and shifts)
- Number of colours and how often colour changes are needed
- Available floor space and ceiling height, with the utilities on site
Message us on WhatsApp with these details, or use the quotation form.
Provided by Lin Cong, Technical Director, MUSI Technology · Published 2026-05-02 · Updated 2026-09-30 · Last technical review: 2026-09-30
QQuestions buyers ask before ordering
quotation · price · lead time · installation · warranty
What information do you need to prepare a quotation?
Send part drawings or photos, the largest part size and weight, the material, the required output per shift, the paint or powder type and number of colours, and the available floor space, ceiling height and power or gas supply. MUSI engineers reply within 24 hours; a recommended configuration and quotation follow once your part data is complete.
How much does this equipment cost?
Budget depends on part size, throughput and the level of automation. Indicative ex-works ranges are published in our complete coating line cost guide; a configured quotation is prepared from your part data. Published indicative ex-works ranges: a complete powder coating line is roughly USD 75,000–230,000 semi-automatic, USD 200,000–600,000 for a standard automatic line and USD 600,000–2,000,000 for a high-throughput automated plant.
What is the lead time?
Standard configurations ship in 30–60 days from contract signing and down payment; custom configurations take longer. The delivery date is fixed in the contract.
Do you install and train operators overseas?
Yes. MUSI engineers carry out on-site installation and commissioning and give 3–5 days of operator and maintenance training. MUSI has delivered 800+ coating lines to customers in 36 countries.
What warranty and after-sales support are included?
12 months full-machine warranty, 36 months on critical components and up to 60 months on structural parts. International customers get 24-hour phone response and 72-hour on-site arrival; spare parts ship from the Changzhou headquarters.
Can the environmental equipment be supplied with the line?
Yes. VOC treatment (RTO, RCO, activated carbon, zeolite rotor), dust collection and paint wastewater treatment are supplied with the coating line under one contract; MUSI has equipped 50+ coating facilities whose projects all passed local environmental compliance reviews.
Get a Similar Solution
If your industry and requirements match this case, contact MUSI to schedule a free consultation. We'll design an optimal solution based on your specific workpieces, capacity, and facility.