Water-based coating compositions and systems with improved sag resistance and related methods

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for monitoring and controlling an industrial paint operation, where a five-sided intermodal shipping container is painted with a water-based coating composition. The system includes a paint application system, a drying system with a chamber configured to handle one or more intermodal shipping containers, and modules for monitoring and controlling the application of paint and the drying of the applied paint.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for monitoring an industrial intermodal container painting operation, the method comprising:
 applying one or more layers of paint to at least one surface of an intermodal shipping container in a paint application system;   introducing the intermodal shipping container with paint applied thereon into a drying system, wherein the drying system produces a flow of heated air to at least the inside surfaces of the shipping container;   establishing an acceptable range for at least one characteristic of the painting operation;   retrieving at least one value corresponding to the at least one characteristic;   analyzing the at least one value; and   assessing whether the at least one value is within the acceptable range.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein retrieving at least one value corresponding to at least one characteristic comprises using at least one data acquisition module configured to receive characteristics of the painting operation. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one data acquisition module is integrated with at least one process control module. 
     
     
         19 . The method  claim 18 , further comprising at least one remote access module in communication with at least one of the data acquisition module and the process control module. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising an industrial control system in communication with at least one of the data acquisition model and the process control module. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising a display module. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the display module is wireless. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one process control module comprises an output signal, wherein the output signal is a system selected from a group consisting of a visual alert, an audible alert, an alarm, a process adjustment, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the output signal is transmittable to a wireless receiver. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data acquisition module comprises at least one evaluation tool, wherein the tool is configured in the paint application system to measure at least one characteristic of the painting operation, the characteristic selected from a group consisting of paint temperature, paint viscosity, tank level, pump pressure, paint flow rate, spray gun performance, ambient temperature, and ambient relative humidity. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data acquisition module comprises at least one evaluation tool, wherein the at least one tool is configured in the drying system to measure at least one characteristic of the painting operation, the characteristic selected from a group consisting of air velocity, chamber temperature, chamber humidity, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, environment within the container, air velocity within the container, air direction within the container, surface temperature within the container, and surface temperature outside the container. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data acquisition module comprises an evaluation tool configured in the drying system to measure the surface temperature of one or more regions of the container as a function of time in the chamber. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of identifying a corresponding action if the at least one value is not within the acceptable range. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the corresponding action comprises modifying a process parameter. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein modifying a process parameter is performed by an automated tool. 
     
     
         31 . A system for monitoring and optimizing an industrial painting operation comprising a paint application system according to the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         32 . An intermodal shipping container painted by an industrial painting operation comprising a paint application system according to the method of claim  1 .