Method and system for controlling operating parameters of a painting plant, and computer program product

Abstract

This application provides a method for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop. The method includes the following steps: monitoring motion characteristic information of workpieces on a conveyor in the painting workshop; and controlling the operating parameters of one or more process subsystems of the painting workshop based at least on the motion characteristic information of the workpieces. This application also provides a system for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop, and a computer program product. According to embodiments of this application, introducing the motion characteristic information of each workpiece on a conveyor in the painting workshop as a control factor can effectively improve the flexibility and intelligence of the process subsystems in the painting workshop and improve the energy efficiency of the painting workshop.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive painting technology, and more particularly to a method for controlling the operating parameters of a painting workshop, a system for controlling the operating parameters of a painting workshop, and a computer program product for at least assisting in implementing the steps of the method according to this application. Background Technology

[0002] In the painting workshop of an automotive production line, various painting processes are performed from welding the white body to delivering it for final assembly into a colored body. These include degreasing, surface conditioning, phosphating, passivation, sealing, undercoat protection, sanding, intermediate coat, adhesive application, topcoat, clear coat, finishing, and / or waxing. Because these painting processes have different requirements for operating parameters such as temperature, humidity, and airflow, the corresponding equipment must be started and run for a period of time in advance at each process step to ensure that the process subsystem reaches the required production conditions. Furthermore, the coordination and interrelationship between the various process subsystems are relatively poor.

[0003] Currently, most painting workshops operate equipment through manual monitoring, which not only wastes a lot of manpower, but also makes it difficult to accurately control the appropriate switching times of each process subsystem. Starting the equipment too early will lead to energy waste, while starting it too late will result in the process subsystem's operating environment not meeting production conditions.

[0004] Therefore, there is room for improvement in the production management of the current process subsystem in the painting workshop. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a method for controlling the operating parameters of a painting workshop, a system for controlling the operating parameters of a painting workshop, and a computer program product, to at least partially solve the problems in the prior art.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this application, a method for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop is provided, the method comprising the following steps:

[0007] - Monitor the motion characteristics of workpieces on the conveyor belt in the painting workshop; and

[0008] - Control the operating parameters of one or more process subsystems in the painting workshop based at least on the motion characteristic information of the workpiece.

[0009] The core concept of this application includes at least the following: introducing the motion characteristic information of the workpiece on the conveying device in the painting workshop as a control factor, which can predict the time axis information of the workpiece in each process subsystem of the painting workshop, and adjust the operating parameters of each process subsystem of the painting workshop based on the predicted time axis information, thereby effectively improving the flexibility and intelligence of each process subsystem of the painting workshop, and improving the energy operating efficiency of the painting workshop.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the motion characteristic information of the workpiece may include the time axis information of the first workpiece to be coated on the conveyor device in the coating workshop in the process subsystem of the coating workshop, the position information and motion direction information of the current workpiece to be coated on the conveyor device in the coating workshop, and / or the number of workpieces to be coated in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop, etc.

[0011] According to another exemplary embodiment of this application, the time axis information of the workpiece in the process subsystem of the painting workshop can be estimated at least based on the time axis information of the first workpiece, the position information and movement direction information of the current workpiece being painted on the conveying device, and / or the operating parameters of the conveying device, wherein the operating parameters of the conveying device include, for example, the conveying speed of the conveying device and / or the change process of the conveying speed of the conveying device over time.

[0012] According to another exemplary embodiment of this application, the estimated timeline information of the workpiece may include the timeline information of the current workpiece being coated on the conveyor in the coating workshop in the process subsystem of the coating workshop, and / or the timeline information of the workpiece to be coated in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop in the process subsystem of the coating workshop, wherein the workpiece to be coated particularly includes the next workpiece and the last workpiece to be coated in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop.

[0013] According to another exemplary embodiment of this application, the start-up and shut-down times of one or more process subsystems in the painting workshop can be adjusted based at least on the timeline information of the first workpiece and / or the timeline information of the last workpiece. In this way, the start-up and shut-down times of each process subsystem can be effectively coordinated, thereby shortening the overall process time in the painting workshop, saving overall energy consumption, and avoiding energy waste caused by early start-up or late shutdown, as well as production impact caused by late start-up or early shutdown.

[0014] According to another exemplary embodiment of this application, the switching time of the operating mode of the coating workshop's process subsystem can be controlled at least based on the production schedule information of the process subsystem and the estimated time axis information of the workpiece. The operating mode includes, for example, a work mode, a pause mode, and / or a hibernation mode. Optionally, the airflow, coating environment temperature, coating environment humidity, circulating water volume, and / or light intensity of one or more process subsystems in the coating workshop can be adjusted at least based on the operating mode of the process subsystem. Optionally, the drying environment temperature, drying environment airflow, pretreatment area bath liquid circulation volume, and / or humidity, temperature, and airflow of one or more online / offline repair stations can be adjusted at least based on the operating mode of the process subsystem. Here, by additionally introducing the production schedule information of the process subsystem as a control factor to participate in the control of the operating parameters of the process subsystem, the flexibility and intelligence of the start-up and shutdown of the coating workshop's process subsystem can be effectively improved, and the energy efficiency of the coating workshop can be improved.

[0015] According to another exemplary embodiment of this application, the process subsystem of the painting workshop includes, for example, pretreatment electrophoresis equipment, powder spraying system, adhesive coating system, paint spraying system, oven drying system, water circulation system, ventilation system, lighting system and / or grinding and maintenance station, etc.

[0016] According to a second aspect of this application, a system for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop is provided, the system comprising the following components:

[0017] - A monitoring unit configured to monitor the motion characteristics of workpieces on conveyor belts in the painting workshop; and

[0018] - A control unit configured to perform the method according to this application.

[0019] According to a third aspect of this application, a computer program product, such as a computer-readable program carrier, is provided, comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, at least assist in implementing the steps of the method according to this application. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The principles, features, and advantages of this application will be better understood below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings include:

[0021] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a method for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown; and

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of a system for controlling operating parameters of a painting workshop according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a method for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown. The following exemplary embodiments describe the method according to this application in more detail.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the method may include steps S1 and S2. In step S1, the motion characteristics of the workpieces on the conveying device in the painting workshop can be monitored. In the current embodiment of this application, the painting workshop of the automobile production line is equipped with a conveying device, which can be used to transport the workpieces to be painted, especially the car body to be painted, sequentially through various process subsystems of the painting workshop, and perform corresponding painting processes on the workpieces on the conveying device in each process subsystem, including degreasing, surface conditioning, phosphating, passivation, sealing, base plate protection, sanding, intermediate coating, topcoat, clear coat, finishing and / or waxing, etc. The process subsystems of the painting workshop can be adjusted according to the workpiece production process, and may include, for example, pretreatment electrophoresis equipment, powder coating system, adhesive coating system, paint spraying system, oven system, water circulation system, ventilation system, lighting system and / or sanding and repair stations, etc.

[0026] Monitoring units 11 are installed at fixed intervals on the production line of the painting workshop. These units can monitor and record the time information and direction information of the workpiece being transported through the monitoring unit 11, thereby obtaining the motion characteristic information of the current workpiece being painted on the conveying device of the painting workshop, including its position information and direction information. The position information is used to characterize the current position of the workpiece on the production line, and the direction information is used to characterize the transport direction of the current workpiece between various process subsystems.

[0027] After the first workpiece to be coated on the conveyor device has passed through all the process subsystems of the coating workshop, the time information of the first workpiece passing through each monitoring unit 11 set up on the production line of the coating workshop is recorded. Based on the recorded time information and the operating parameters of the conveyor device, the time axis information of the first workpiece in the process subsystem of the coating workshop can be determined. The operating parameters of the conveyor device can be stored in the control unit 12 of the system 1 used to control the operating parameters of the coating workshop. The operating parameters of the conveyor device are, for example, the conveying speed of the conveyor device, or the change process of the conveying speed of the conveyor device over time. In addition, monitoring units 11 can also be installed in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop. The number of workpieces to be coated in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop can be obtained through the monitoring units 11. These workpieces to be coated will be transported through each process subsystem of the coating workshop in sequence during the subsequent coating process.

[0028] In step S2, the operating parameters of one or more process subsystems in the painting workshop can be controlled based at least on the motion characteristic information of the workpiece. Here, the time axis information of the workpiece in each process subsystem of the painting workshop can be estimated based at least on the time axis information of the first workpiece, the position information and motion direction information of the current workpiece being painted on the conveyor, and / or the operating parameters of the conveyor. The operating parameters of the conveyor can also include the conveying speed of the conveyor and / or the change process of the conveying speed of the conveyor over time.

[0029] Here, it is possible not only to predict the timeline information of the current workpiece being coated on the conveyor in the coating workshop within each process subsystem of the coating workshop, but also to predict the timeline information of the workpiece to be coated in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop within each process subsystem of the coating workshop. In particular, this includes the timeline information of the next workpiece to be coated in the buffer area—that is, the next workpiece in the production line of the coating workshop after the current workpiece being coated—within each process subsystem of the coating workshop, and / or the last workpiece to be coated in the buffer area—that is, the last workpiece in the batch of workpieces to be coated that is planned to be coated in the production line of the coating workshop—within each process subsystem of the coating workshop.

[0030] Because each process subsystem in the painting workshop requires a certain period of operation to reach the operating parameters required for its process flow—including painting ambient temperature and / or painting ambient humidity—each startup of a process subsystem incurs high time and energy costs. Therefore, the corresponding process subsystem is typically shut down only after all workpieces in the current batch have completed the required process step. To address this, the startup and shutdown times of one or more process subsystems in the painting workshop can be adjusted based at least on the timeline information of the first workpiece and / or the timeline information of the last workpiece. This automatically coordinates the startup and shutdown timings of each process subsystem, effectively linking their startup and shutdown times to shorten the overall process flow time in the painting workshop, saving overall energy consumption and avoiding energy waste from early startup or late shutdown, as well as production impacts caused by late startup or early shutdown. Optionally, a safety reserve time can be set for the startup and shutdown times of each process subsystem to minimize the production impact caused by late startup or early shutdown.

[0031] Considering that operators of the various process subsystems in the painting workshop do not work continuously—for example, operators need to rest periodically, including at night when not working shifts, and on statutory holidays—different operating modes can be set for each process subsystem in the painting workshop. This allows the operating status of each process subsystem to flexibly adapt to the operators' schedules, thereby improving the intelligence level of the process subsystems in the painting workshop. For example, the operating modes may include: a work mode, in which the process subsystem maintains a painting operation state to perform corresponding painting processes on the workpiece; a pause mode, in which the process subsystem operates in a pause state different from the painting operation state, which can, for example, last for 1 to 24 hours; and / or a hibernation mode, in which the process subsystem operates in a hibernation state different from the painting operation state and the pause state, which can, for example, last for one to several days, etc.

[0032] Here, the switching time of the operating mode of the coating workshop's process subsystem can be controlled based at least on the production schedule information of the process subsystem and the estimated time axis information of the workpieces. The production schedule information includes not only the production and rest arrangements for each time period of the day, but also the category label of whether each day is a workday or a holiday. This allows the operating mode of the process subsystem to be automatically switched to pause mode when operators are resting, and to sleep mode when operators are on leave.

[0033] The operating parameters of each process subsystem in the painting workshop differ depending on its operating mode. Therefore, operating parameters such as airflow, painting ambient temperature, painting ambient humidity, circulating water volume, and / or light intensity of one or more process subsystems in the painting workshop can be adjusted based on at least the operating mode of the process subsystem.

[0034] For example, in the pause mode of the process subsystem, the airflow of the ventilation system, especially the airflow of the drying environment and / or the airflow of one or more online / offline repair stations, can be adjusted by controlling the fan speed; the humidity of the coating environment of one or more process subsystems, especially the humidity of one or more online / offline repair stations, can be adjusted by controlling the circulation speed in the pretreatment equipment; the light intensity of one or more process subsystems can be adjusted by controlling the lighting parameters; the coating environment temperature of one or more process subsystems, especially the drying environment temperature and / or the temperature of one or more online / offline repair stations, can be adjusted by controlling the opening of the cold water valve / hot water valve of the oven system and / or the operating parameters of the burner; and the circulating water volume of the water circulation system, especially the circulating volume of the tank liquid in the pretreatment area, can be adjusted by controlling the opening of the water valve of the water circulation system. By adjusting these parameters, energy consumed in the pause mode of the process subsystem can be saved, and the process subsystem can be kept in a ready state to quickly enter the operation mode, thereby saving energy and time costs of the process subsystem, especially significantly reducing the overall energy consumption of the coating workshop when the production line has a low operating rate.

[0035] Compared to the operating parameters in the process subsystem's normal operating mode, in the process subsystem's sleep mode, the airflow of the ventilation system can be reduced by controlling the fan speed; the humidity of the coating environment can be reduced by shutting down the circulating pump in the pretreatment equipment; and lights and unnecessary functional modules can be turned off, etc. By adjusting these parameters, energy consumption in the process subsystem's sleep mode can be minimized.

[0036] According to the embodiments of this application, by introducing the motion characteristic information of the workpiece on the conveying device in the painting workshop as a control factor, it is possible to predict the time axis information of the workpiece in each process subsystem of the painting workshop, and adjust the operating parameters of each process subsystem of the painting workshop based on the predicted time axis information. Additionally, the production schedule information of each process subsystem can also be introduced as a control factor to participate in the control of the operating parameters of each process subsystem, thereby effectively improving the flexibility and intelligence of each process subsystem of the painting workshop and improving the energy operating efficiency of the painting workshop.

[0037] In addition, it should be noted that the step numbers described herein do not necessarily represent the order of steps, but are merely a reference numeral. The order may be changed depending on the specific circumstances, as long as the technical objective of this application can be achieved.

[0038] Figure 2 A schematic block diagram of a system for controlling operating parameters of a painting workshop according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, the system 1 may include the following components:

[0040] - Monitoring unit 11, configured to monitor motion characteristics of workpieces on conveyor belts in the painting workshop; and

[0041] - Control unit 12, which is configured to perform the method according to this application.

[0042] If an embodiment includes an "and / or" association between a first feature and a second feature, it should be interpreted as follows: according to one implementation, the embodiment has not only the first feature but also the second feature; according to another implementation, the embodiment has either only the first feature or only the second feature.

[0043] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of this application, even when only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The feature examples provided in this application are intended for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, unless otherwise stated. In practice, multiple features may be combined with each other as needed and where technically feasible. Various substitutions, modifications, and alterations are also conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop, the method comprising the following steps: Monitor the motion characteristics of workpieces on the conveying devices in the painting workshop; and The operating parameters of one or more process subsystems in the painting workshop are controlled based at least on the motion characteristic information of the workpiece.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The motion characteristic information of the workpiece includes the time axis information of the first workpiece to be coated on the conveyor device in the coating workshop in the process subsystem of the coating workshop, the position information and motion direction information of the current workpiece to be coated on the conveyor device in the coating workshop, and / or the number of workpieces to be coated in each buffer area of ​​the coating workshop.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, The time axis information of the workpiece in the process subsystem of the painting workshop is estimated based at least on the time axis information of the first workpiece, the position information and movement direction information of the current workpiece being painted on the conveyor, and / or the operating parameters of the conveyor, wherein the operating parameters of the conveyor include, for example, the conveying speed of the conveyor and / or the change process of the conveying speed of the conveyor over time.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The estimated timeline information of the workpieces includes the timeline information of the current workpiece being coated on the conveyor in the coating workshop within the process subsystem of the coating workshop, and / or the timeline information of the workpieces to be coated in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop within the process subsystem of the coating workshop, wherein the workpieces to be coated specifically include the next workpiece and the last workpiece to be coated in the buffer area of ​​the coating workshop.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The start-up and shut-off times of one or more process subsystems in the painting workshop are adjusted based at least on the timeline information of the first workpiece and / or the timeline information of the last workpiece.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The switching time of the operation mode of the process subsystem of the painting workshop is controlled based at least on the production schedule information of the process subsystem of the painting workshop and the estimated time axis information of the workpiece, wherein the operation mode includes, for example, a work mode, a pause mode and / or a hibernation mode.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, The air volume, coating environment temperature, coating environment humidity, circulating water volume and / or light intensity of one or more process subsystems in the coating workshop are adjusted based on the operating mode of the process subsystem.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, The operating mode of the process subsystem is at least used to adjust the drying environment temperature, drying environment air volume, pretreatment area tank liquid circulation volume and / or humidity, temperature and air volume of one or more online and offline repair stations.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The process subsystem of the painting workshop includes pretreatment electrophoresis equipment, powder coating system, adhesive coating system, paint spraying system, oven drying system, water circulation system, ventilation system, lighting system and / or grinding and maintenance station.

10. A system (1) for controlling operating parameters in a painting workshop, the system (1) comprising the following components: Monitoring unit (11), configured to monitor motion characteristics of workpieces on conveyor belts in the painting workshop; and Control unit (12) configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A computer program product, such as a computer-readable program carrier, comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a processor, at least partially implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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