Strategic Fix in ProMaster Paint Shop Eliminates Top 10 Failure at Stellantis

Case Studies
25/06/2025
Problem

Ranked among the plant's Top 10 failures, 42 KEBA Kemro K2-700 units caused repeated downtime and ongoing production issues in the Ram ProMaster paint shop at Stellantis in Saltillo, Mexico. 


Replacement presented a significant challenge, with a lead time of 4–6 months from the OEM in Germany.


While Dürr EcoRPC and SERCOS III upgrades were planned for six units, Stellantis required an immediate solution for the remaining 36.

The body of a Ram ProMaster travels through an assessment area before heading to the paint shop at the FCA Saltillo Van Assembly Plant.
Goal

Provide an immediate, local solution that extends the product lifecycle and delays—or even avoids—next year's CapEx upgrades. Eliminate dependence on slow, production-disrupting international support 5,968 miles away.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

Investigations uncovered several contributing factors to failure and underperformance.


• Unbootable hard drive
• Faulty PC Card slots
• Outdated PCMCIA driver
• Missing subsystems

Solution

To restore functionality to the controllers, the following actions were taken:

Data Recovery

Migrated data from the old drive to a new one by creating a disk image and cloning it, with no data lost.

Component-level Repair

Identified and replaced common failure parts as a preventive measure.

Fan Units

Replaced broken fan units to restore cooling and prevent system overheating.

PCMCIA

Replaced the PCMCIA and updated drivers, fixed detection and data access issues, and stabilized the system.

Interior KEBA Controller for Dürr Paint Robot
Results

The project was completed on time and within budget, meeting all requirements. The work resulted in faster system startup and glitch-free performance, with seamless integration into the existing setup. 


OEM replacement costs approximately $100,000 per unit, with a lead time of 4 to 6 months. Repairing instead saved $90,200–$93,125 per controller, totaling over $3.2 million in avoided CapEx.

Services Provided
Service

Dispatched same-day to perform RCA and consult with Gustavo Velázquez, Paint Maintenance Manager at the Saltillo Van Assembly Plant.

Repairs

Repaired the KEBA Kemro K2-700 at the ICR facility, located 19 miles away, without requiring an upgrade to SERCOS III or RPC v3.3.

ICR Location Exterior in Saltillo, Mexico
About ICR

Established in 1992, ICR delivers full-service MRO solutions to help manufacturers achieve world-class OEE.


ICR Services, a recipient of the prestigious Chrysler Gold Award for Enterprise Asset Management, operates in North America and South Africa, serving clients worldwide.

An aerial view of the FCA Saltillo Van Assembly Plant
About Stellantis

Stellantis opened the 2.8 million-square-foot Saltillo Van Assembly Plant in 2013. It produces the Ram ProMaster, based on the Fiat Ducato, for the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.


Stellantis is the world’s third-largest automotive company by volume, selling millions of vehicles globally each year.