2 if a further workpiece is painted in sequence with the color 15 last used the color change is omitted and a further cartridge is filled with the color 15 present in the paint supply the loading compartment 31 then contains a cartridge 7 which has been sent back leaves the dispatch position of the loading place 27 and is moved back to the filling position the cartridge 7 sent back is moved out of the loading compartment 31 and a new or cleaned cartridge is introduced into the loading compartment 31 and the filling of the new cartridge 7 with the following color begins a filled cartridge 7 is accepted from the receiving station 37 in a first position the receiving position by the compartment 39 present there this compartment 39 is moved to a second position the metering position and the compartment 38 located precisely at that point is moved into the receiving position which then sends a previously emptied cartridge 7 pneumatically back to the loading place 27 the paint application device 4 in a defined high voltage area 8 is placed under a high voltage corresponding to the painting method a metering device 51 uses the paint and the cartridge 7 is emptied in a controlled manner as long as a painting operation lasts during the painting operation a car body 45 is moved into the high voltage area 8 by the conveying system 49 of the workpieces to be painted the car body 45 is painted and then transported out of the high voltage area 8 again the cartridges 7 are filled in accordance with the paint task and consequently are empty or virtually empty at the end of the painting operation in order to be able to.