System and method for controlling a treatment process

Abstract

A system for monitoring and/or controlling a treatment process includes a treatment apparatus for carrying out the treatment process. The treatment apparatus includes a vibratory trough for receiving and retaining treatment media and a component support fixedly attached to the vibratory trough. The system includes a plurality of sensor devices respectively and fixedly disposed at a plurality of heights relative to the vibratory trough and configured to respectively measure a plurality of movement parameters of the treatment media at the plurality of heights and generate a plurality of movement signals corresponding to the plurality of movement parameters. The system includes a central controller configured to determine a plurality of process variables corresponding to the plurality of movement signals and control the treatment apparatus based at least on the plurality of process variables.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for controlling a treatment process that modifies surface properties of a component, the system comprising:
 a treatment apparatus for carrying out the treatment process, the treatment apparatus comprising:
 a vibratory trough for receiving and retaining treatment media; 
 a component support fixedly attached to the vibratory trough, wherein the component support supports the component within the vibratory trough; and 
 at least one trough vibrating mechanism that causes the vibratory trough to vibrate; 
   a plurality of sensor devices respectively and fixedly disposed at a plurality of heights relative to the vibratory trough, wherein the plurality of sensor devices is configured to respectively measure a plurality of movement parameters of the treatment media at the plurality of heights and generate a plurality of movement signals corresponding to the plurality of movement parameters; and   a central controller communicably coupled to each of the plurality of sensor devices, the central controller configured to:
 receive the plurality of movement signals from the plurality of sensor devices; 
 determine a plurality of process variables corresponding to the plurality of movement signals; and 
 control the treatment apparatus based at least on the plurality of process variables. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display device communicably coupled to the central controller, wherein the display device is configured to display the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the component support comprises a support fixture and a support shaft attached to the support fixture, wherein the support fixture fixedly attaches the support shaft to the vibratory trough and the support shaft removably mounts the component within the vibratory trough, and wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices is fixedly attached to the support fixture, 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a frame fixedly attached to the vibratory trough, wherein the frame comprises one or more vertical handers, and wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices is fixedly attached to the one or more vertical hangers of the frame. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein each of the one or more vertical hangers extends at least partially into the treatment media. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central controller is further configured to:
 receive a predetermined process parameter for the treatment process;   determine a measured process parameter based on the plurality of process variables; and   control the treatment apparatus based on the predetermined process parameter and the measured process parameter, such that a difference between the predetermined process parameter and the measured process parameter is reduced.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central controller is further configured to:
 prior to receiving the plurality of movement signals from the plurality of sensor devices, determine a plurality of predicted process variables corresponding to the plurality of heights of the vibratory trough: and   control the treatment apparatus based on the plurality of predicted process variables and the plurality of process variables, such that a difference between each of the plurality of process variables and a corresponding predicted process variable from the plurality of predicted process variables is reduced.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the central controller is further configured to control the at least one trough vibrating mechanism of the treatment apparatus based on the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment apparatus further comprises at least one trough wall provided in the vibratory trough and configured to adjust a height, a volume, and/or a mass of the treatment media in the vibratory trough, and wherein the central controller is further configured to control the at least one trough wall of the treatment apparatus based on the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment apparatus further comprises a drive arrangement configured to rotate the component relative to the treatment media, and wherein the central controller is further configured to control the drive arrangement of the treatment apparatus based on the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the treatment apparatus further comprises a treatment media inlet for controllably supplying the treatment media into the vibratory trough and a treatment media outlet for controllably emptying the treatment media from the vibratory trough, and wherein the central controller is further configured to control the treatment media inlet and/or the treatment media outlet of the treatment apparatus based on the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices comprises:
 at least two fixed electrodes for generating an electric field, wherein an electric parameter is applied across the at least two fixed electrodes to induce the electric field between the at least two fixed electrodes;   at least one movable electrode disposed between the at least two fixed electrodes, wherein upon vibration of the vibratory trough, the at least one movable electrode moves thereby causing the electric field between the at least two fixed electrodes to change;   an electric circuit electrically coupled to the at least two fixed electrodes and the at least one movable electrode, wherein the electric circuit is configured to measure the corresponding movement parameter based on the change in the electric field between the at least two fixed electrodes; and   a processor communicably coupled to the electric circuit, wherein the processor is configured to:
 generate the corresponding movement signal based on the corresponding movement parameter; and 
 transmit the corresponding movement signal to the central controller. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor devices further comprises a casing, and wherein the casing comprises one or more provisions for removably attaching a test strip to the casing. 
     
     
         14 . A method for controlling a treatment process that modifies surface properties of a component, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a treatment apparatus for carrying out the treatment process, the treatment apparatus comprising:
 a vibratory trough for receiving and retaining treatment media, 
 a component support fixedly attached to the vibratory trough, wherein the component support supports the component within the vibratory trough; and 
 at least one trough vibrating mechanism that causes the vibratory trough to vibrate; 
   providing a plurality of sensor devices respectively and fixedly disposed at a plurality of heights relative to the vibratory trough, wherein the plurality of sensor devices is configured to respectively measure a plurality of movement parameters of the treatment media at the plurality of heights and generate a plurality of movement signals corresponding to the plurality of movement parameters;   receiving the plurality of movement signals from the plurality of sensor devices;   determining a plurality of process variables corresponding to the plurality of movement signals; and   controlling the treatment apparatus based at least on the plurality of process variables.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a predetermined process parameter of the treatment process; and   determining a measured process parameter based on the plurality of process variables;   wherein controlling the treatment apparatus further comprises controlling the treatment apparatus based on the predetermined process parameter and the measured process parameter, such that a difference between the predetermined process parameter and the measured process parameter is reduced.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, prior to receiving the plurality of movement signals from the plurality of sensor devices, determining a plurality of predicted process variables corresponding to the plurality of heights of the vibratory trough, wherein controlling the treatment apparatus further comprises controlling the treatment apparatus based on the plurality of predicted process variables and the plurality of process variables, such that a difference between each of the plurality of process variables and a corresponding predicted process variable from the plurality of predicted process variables is reduced. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the treatment apparatus further comprises controlling the at least one trough vibrating mechanism based on the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the treatment apparatus further comprises adjusting a height, a volume, and/or a mass of the treatment media in the vibratory trough based on the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the treatment apparatus further comprises controlling a rotation of the component relative to the treatment media based on the plurality of process variables. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the treatment apparatus further comprises controllably supplying the treatment media into the vibratory trough and/or controllably emptying of the treatment media from the vibratory trough based on the plurality of process variables.