Monitoring system and method for electrostatic powder painting industry

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring an electrostatic powder painting process having a conveyor line adaptable for transporting articles to be electrostatically powder painted sequentially through a plurality of zones in the process. For monitoring the usage of powder paint particles, or “powder”, applied to the articles, the system and method sense a parameter associated with the amount of, or weight of, the powder in the powder delivery apparatus and displays it in real time as a powder-weight function over a period of time. For monitoring the operation of the conveyor line transporting the articles, the system and method sense the conveyor line speed and displays it in real time as a line-speed function over a period of time. For monitoring the precleaning-surface activation of the articles, the system and method sense the pH of the cleaning-surface activation solution and displays it in real time as a pH function over a period of time. For monitoring the curing of the painted articles, the system and method sense the curing temperature and displays it in real time as a temperature function over a period of time. Both short and long term periods of timer eg. 1 hr. and 12 hrs., are displayed by a single computer-monitor unit if displays are viewed sequentially, or by multiple units if displays are viewed simultaneously. The system and method allow the business owner to keep instantaneous track of the operational part of the painting process without being physically present at the conveyor line at all times or most of the time thereby freeing the business owner's time for other aspects of the business.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for monitoring a painting process such as an electrostatic powder painting process having a conveyor line adaptable for transporting articles to be electrostatically powder painted sequentially through a plurality of zones in the process, the system method comprising: 
 a. dispensing powder paint particles from a powder delivery means to the articles in a painting zone;    b. sensing a parameter associated with an amount of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means with powder amount sensing means and generating a power-weight associated signal therewith corresponding to real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means;    c. transmitting the power-weight associated signal from the powder amount sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means as a powder-weight function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring; and    d. displaying the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means as the powder-weight function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process also comprises a precleaning-surface activation zone wherein the articles are precleaned and surfaced activated with a cleaning-surface activation solution before painting, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 sensing pH of the cleaning-surface activation solution with pH measuring means and generating a pH signal therewith corresponding to real time pH of the cleaning-surface activation solution;    transmitting the pH signal from the pH measuring means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time pH of the cleaning-surface activation solution as a pH function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring; and    displaying the real time pH of the cleaning-surface activation solution as the pH function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the power-weight function includes a short term powder-weight function over a predetermined short period of time, and a long term powder-weight function over a predetermined long period of time, and wherein the pH function includes a short term pH function over a predetermined short period of time, and a long term pH function over a predetermined long period of time; and wherein the method further comprises: 
 displaying the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means as the short term powder-weight function over the predetermined short period of time and as the long term powder-weight function over the predetermined long period of time; and    displaying the real time pH of the cleaning-surface activation solution as the short term pH function over the predetermined short period of time and as the long term pH function over the predetermined long period of time.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined short periods of time are at least about 1 hour, and the predetermined long periods of time are at least about 8 hours.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the powder-weight function is also the computer-monitor means for displaying the pH function; and further comprising: 
 displaying the powder-weight function and the pH function on the same computer-monitor means.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process also comprises a curing zone wherein the articles after being painted are subjected to an elevated temperature to bond the powder paint particles to tie articles, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 sensing temperature in the curing zone with temperature sensing means and generating a temperature signal therewith corresponding to real time temperature in the curing zone;    transmitting the temperature signal from the temperature sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as a temperature function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring; and    displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as the temperature function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process also comprises a curing zone wherein the articles after being painted are subjected to an elevated temperature to bond the powder paint particles to the articles, and wherein the method further comprises: 
 sensing temperature of the curing zone at a plurality of sites therein with temperature sensing means and generating temperature signals therewith corresponding to real time temperatures at the sites;    transmitting the temperature signals from the temperature sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time temperature of each of the sites as temperature functions over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring; and    displaying the real time temperature of each of the sites of the curing zone as the temperature functions over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the temperature functions is also operable for automatically calculating an average temperature of the real time temperatures, and for displaying the average temperature on the last-mentioned computer-monitor means; and further comprising: 
 automatically calculating an average temperature of the real time temperatures; and    displaying the average temperature on the last-mentioned computer-monitor means on a over view of the entire painting process.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the powder-weight function includes a short term powder-weight function over a predetermined short period of time, and a long term powder-weight function over a predetermined long period of time, and wherein the temperature function includes a short term temperature function over a predetermined short period of time, and a long term temperature function over a predetermined long period of time; and wherein the method further comprises: 
 displaying the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means as the short term powder-weight function over the predetermined short period of time and as the long term power-weight function over the predetermined long period of time; and    displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as the short term temperature function over the predetermined short period of time and as the long term temperature function over the predetermined long period of time.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the predetermined short periods of time are at least about 1 hour, and the predetermined long periods of time are at least about 8 hours.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the power-weight function is also the computer-monitor means for displaying the temperature function; and further comprising: 
 displaying the powder-weight function and the temperature function on the same computer-monitor means.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using a data input device for inputting a powder identifier code to the computer-monitor means for displaying the powder-weight function; and 
 displaying the powder identification code on the computer-monitor means with the paint weight function.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the powder-weight function is also adaptable for converting the powder-weight function into a powder-consumption function corresponding to total weight of powder removed from the powder delivery means and for displaying in real time the powder-consumption function over a predetermined period of time; and further comprising: 
 displaying in real time the powder-consumption function over the predetermined period of time.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the powder-weight function is also adaptable for converting the powder-weight function into a powder-consumption function corresponding to total weight of powder removed from the powder delivery means and not recycled, and for displaying in real time the powder-consumption function over a predetermined period of time; and further comprising: 
 displaying in real time the ponder-consumption function over the predetermined period of time.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the powder-weight function and the powder-consumption function, displays the powder-consumption function superimposed over the powder-weight function; and further comprising: 
 displaying the powder-consumption function superimposed over the powder-weight function.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the powder-weight function is also operable for automatically subtracting tare weight from the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means and for calculating a powder-minus-tare weight function and displaying it in real time over a predetermined period of time; and further comprising: 
 subtracting tare weight from the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means; and    calculating a powder-minus-tare weight function and displaying it in real time over the predetermined period of time on the computer-monitor means.    
     
     
         17 . A method for monitoring a painting process such as an electrostatic powder painting process having a conveyor line adaptable for transporting articles to be electrostatically powder painted sequentially through a plurality of zones in the process, which includes a curing zone wherein the articles after being painted are subjected to an elevated temperature to bond the powder paint particles to the articles, the method comprising: 
 a. dispensing powder paint particles from a powder delivery means to the articles in a painting zone;    b. sensing a parameter associated with an amount of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means with powder amount sensing means and generating a power-weight associated signal therewith corresponding to real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means;    c. transmitting the power-weight associated signal from the powder amount sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means as a powder-weight function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring;    d. displaying the real time weight of the powder paint particles in the powder delivery means as the powder-weight function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring;    e. sensing speed of the conveyor line with speed sensing means and generating a line-speed signal therewith corresponding to real time line speed;    f. transmitting the line-speed signal from the speed sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time line speed as a line-speed function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring;    g. displaying the real time line speed as the line-speed function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring;    h. sensing temperature in the curing zone with temperature sensing means and generating a temperature signal therewith corresponding to real time temperature in the curing zone;    i. transmitting the temperature signal from the temperature sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as a temperature function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring; and    j. displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as the temperature function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring.    
     
     
         18 . A method for monitoring a painting process such as an electrostatic powder painting process having a conveyor line adaptable for transporting articles to be electrostatically powder painted sequentially through a plurality of zones in the process which include a curing zone, wherein the articles after being painted are subjected to an elevated temperature to bond the powder paint particles to the articles, the method comprising: 
 a. sensing speed of the conveyor line with speed sensing means and generating a line-speed signal therewith corresponding to real time line speed;    b. transmitting the line-speed signal from the speed sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time line speed as a line-speed function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring;    c. displaying the real time line speed as the line-speed function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring;    d. sensing temperature in the curing zone with temperature sensing means and generating a temperature signal therewith corresponding to real time temperature in the curing zone;    e. transmitting the temperature signal from the temperature sensing means to computer-monitor means adaptable for displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as a temperature function over a predetermined period of time of said monitoring; and    f. displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as the temperature function over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the temperature sensing means senses the temperature at a plurality of sites in the curing zone and generates temperature signals corresponding to real time temperature at each of the sites; and 
 wherein the temperature sensing means transmits the temperature signals to the last mentioned computer-monitor means which is also adaptable for displaying the real time temperature of each of the sites as temperature functions over the last mentioned predetermined period of time; and further comprising: 
 displaying the real time temperature of each of the sites of the curing zone as the temperature functions over the predetermined period of time of said monitoring.  
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the temperature functions is also operable for automatically calculating an average temperature of the real time temperatures, and for displaying the average temperature on the last-mentioned computer-monitor means; and further comprising: 
 automatically calculating an average temperature of the real time temperatures; and    displaying the average temperature on the last-mentioned computer-monitor means.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the real time line-speed function includes a short term line-speed function and a long term line-speed function, and wherein the temperature function includes a short term temperature function and a long term temperature function; and further comprising: 
 displaying the real time line-speed as the short term line-speed function over the predetermined short period of time and as the long term line-speed function over the predetermined long period of time; and    displaying the real time temperature of the curing zone as the short term temperature function over the predetermined short period of time and as the long term temperature function over the predetermined long period of time.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the short term line-speed function and the short term temperature function each span at least about 1 hour, and the long term line-speed function and the long term temperature function each span at least about 8 hours.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the computer-monitor means for displaying the temperature function is also the computer-monitor means for displaying the line-speed function; and further comprising: 
 displaying the temperature function and the line-speed function on the same computer-monitor means.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the computer-monitor means is also operable for displaying the functions sequentially upon an input command to the computer-monitor means; and further comprising: 
 displaying each of the functions sequentially upon an input command to the computer-monitor means.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the computer-monitor means is operable for storing the functions in a memory; and further comprising: 
 storing the functions in a memory of the computer-monitor means.