Painting method and painting installation for painting a component with a character edge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046361-B2
Application number	US-201414785016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 7, 2014
Priority date	Apr 19, 2013
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A component is conveyed in a conveyor direction through a painting installation by conveyor. The component surface of the component to be painted is subdivided into surface painting modules which lie one behind the other in the conveyor direction. The individual painting modules of the component surface are painted one after the other using a multi-axis painting robot that has an atomizer.
The painting robot guides the atomizer, within each one painting module, along a painting path and across the component surface of the painting module. The painting path has at least one path section running transverse to the component edge.
Within the painting module, the painting path can comprise at least one path section that runs substantially parallel to the component edge.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for painting a surface of a vehicle body component in a painting installation, the component including a character edge spanning the surface, the method comprising:
conveying the component along a conveying direction through the painting installation, the component being aligned with the character edge along the conveying direction;
subdividing the surface of the component into areal painting modules, each of the painting modules including an upper edge and a lower edge, the character edge being spaced apart from each upper edge and lower edge, wherein the painting modules are respectively arranged in series along the conveying direction and the painting modules overlap the character edge;
painting each of the painting modules of the surface one after the other with a multi-axis painting robot having an atomiser;
wherein the painting robot guides the atomiser within each painting module along a painting path,
the painting path having a transverse path section that extends transversely to the character edge,
a first parallel path section which extends substantially parallel to and overlaying the character edge in the conveying direction, and a second parallel path section which extends substantially opposite the conveying direction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the character edge extends substantially horizontally and substantially parallel to the conveying direction; and
the painting path crosses the character edge within the respective painting module less than four times.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section extends along the character edge so that the atomiser paints the component surface along the character edge.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating the atomiser and the painting robot along at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section with a parameter set different than is used during painting on the transverse path section.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the parameter set includes at least one of the following operating parameters of the atomiser and of the painting robot:
a rotational speed of the atomiser,
a shaping air flow for forming a spray jet emitted by the atomiser,
a paint flow,
a high voltage potential of an electrostatic paint charge, and
a travel speed of the atomiser.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the painting robot is arranged to be stationary.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component is conveyed through the painting installation in a stop-start operation.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the painting robot paints the component while the component is stationary.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the painting robot has a particular spatial range within which it is able to paint the component; and
the painting robot begins painting of one of the painting modules only when the painting module is fully within range of the painting robot.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein
portions of the painting path lying below the component edge extend as far as turning points exclusively transversely to the component edge;
portions of the painting path lying above the component edge extend as far as turning points exclusively parallel to the component edge;
the painting path is interruption-free within the respective painting module, so that the atomiser paints the complete painting module in one pass without interruption.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein
the at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section path extending along the component edge extends substantially entirely over component edge within the respective painting module.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the painting path has turning points at which movement of the atomiser is reversed where the transverse path sections lie exclusively within the turning points; and
the turning points of the painting path lie exclusively at opposing edges of the respective painting module.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the painting path has turning points at which movement of the atomiser is reversed;
a plurality of the turning points lies on the component edge;
at least one of the turning points lies on a lower edge of the respective painting module; and
at least one of the turning points lies on a side edge of the respective painting module.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the painting robot has six movable axes, including:
a rotatable robot base;
a pivotable proximal robot arm;
a pivotable distal robot arm; and
a robot hand axis which guides the atomiser and has three movable axes.

15. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
operating the atomiser and the painting robot along the at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section extending along the character edge with a parameter set different than used during painting outside of the character edge.

Assignees

• Duerr Systems Gmbh
• Duerr Systems Gmbh

Inventors

• Wolf Udo

Classifications

• Y10S901/14

  Arm movement, spatial · CPC title

• Y10S901/43

  Spray painting or coating · CPC title

• B05B5/0407

  with a spraying edge, e.g. like a cup or a bell · CPC title

• B05B13/0452

  the objects being vehicle components, e.g. vehicle bodies · CPC title

• B05B13/0426

  with spray heads moved along a closed path (B05B13/0421 takes precedence) · CPC title