Automated management of coating application feed systems

Abstract

The application discloses a coating supply system for automatically managing coating, and belongs to the technical field of coating. The coating supply system comprises a storage tank, a first pumping device, a first viscosity sensor, a pre-coating tank, a second pumping device, a second viscosity sensor and a controller. The controller is configured to perform the following: according to incoming material viscosity data and coating viscosity data, the viscosity and solid content of the coating are controlled in real time. The technical scheme provided by the application can detect the incoming material viscosity of the storage tank and the coating feeding viscosity of the coating processed by the pre-coating tank and fed to the coating head by respectively arranging the viscosity sensors before and after the pre-coating tank. The controller can control the solid content and viscosity of the coating fed to the coating head in real time according to the two kinds of viscosity data, so that the viscosity and solid content of the coating supplied to the coating head are always maintained within a certain range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of coating technology, and in particular to an automatic coating feeding system for managing coatings. Background Technology

[0002] With the diversification of social needs and the development of coating technology, the precision requirements for various coating equipment are constantly increasing. Different products require different coating equipment, and representative coating methods include: slot coating, anilox roller coating, gravure coating, air knife coating, roller coating, metering bar coating, doctor blade coating, and curtain coating.

[0003] Existing coating technologies have the following drawbacks in application: I. Online Basis Weight Detection: Online basis weight detection systems utilize near-infrared light sources to irradiate paper. The moisture and fiber components in the paper selectively absorb near-infrared light of specific wavelengths. After receiving the transmitted or reflected light signals, the sensor converts the spectral data into a basis weight value using a pre-calibrated mathematical model. In practice, both pre- and post-coating heads are required for detection. This method is expensive, has high operating costs, and requires calibration for different substrates, necessitating continuous parameter adjustments. Alternatively, β-ray absorption can be used for detection. β-ray absorption paper basis weight online detection systems operate based on the physical principle of β-ray attenuation in paper. When a high-speed β-ray electron stream penetrates the paper, some rays are absorbed by the paper fibers, fillers, and moisture. The transmission intensity has an exponential relationship with the paper's unit area mass (basis weight, g / m²), i.e. ,in Let I be the incident intensity, I be the transmitted intensity, m be the quantitative value, and k be the overall attenuation coefficient. This method involves radiation, posing safety hazards during use, and precautions must be taken to prevent personnel from being exposed to radiation. 2. During operation, coatings may settle and clump, and semi-dry clumps may fall into the coating tray. If left untreated, these clumps will cause coating defects. Normally, large clumps are removed by filtration. In production, soft clumps often pass through the screen into the coating tray, causing coating defects during the coating process. Third, air bubbles are a major problem in all coating processes, causing curtain coating failure and missed areas on the substrate. Traditional methods include static defoaming, ultrasonic defoaming, and vacuum high-speed disc defoaming. Static defoaming requires long storage times and large storage tanks, which is unacceptable for many functional coatings in practical applications, as storage affects the performance of the functional coating and makes it impossible to defoam and reuse reflow materials in a timely manner. Ultrasonic defoaming is less commonly used in curtain coating because it cannot effectively defoam materials with high solids content and high viscosity. Vacuum defoaming is the most widely used method in curtain coating, but in practical applications, it involves many auxiliary devices, a high failure rate, and complex operation. Fourth, as the solid content increases during production, the viscosity also changes. This is particularly noticeable in paper-based coating, where a filter cake forms on the coating surface, moisture migrates into the substrate, and the viscosity continuously increases, causing variations in the coating amount. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an automatic coating feed system for managing coatings, which can maintain a stable solids content in the coating.

[0005] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, an automatic coating supply system for managing coatings is provided. The coating supply system is capable of connecting to a coating head and supplying coatings to the coating head. The coating supply system includes at least: a storage tank, a first pumping device, a first viscosity sensor, a pre-coating tank, a second pumping device, a second viscosity sensor, and a controller. The storage tank is used to store raw materials. The first pumping device is connected to the outlet of the storage tank and is used to pump the raw materials to the pre-coating tank. The pre-coating tank is connected to the first pumping device via a pipeline to receive the raw materials. The pre-coating tank is used to process the raw materials to obtain coatings. The second pumping device is connected to the outlet of the pre-coating tank. A port connection is provided for pumping the coating material to the coating head; a first viscosity sensor is disposed between the storage tank and the pre-coating tank for detecting incoming material viscosity data, which characterizes the viscosity and solid content of the incoming material received by the pre-coating tank; a second viscosity sensor is disposed between the pre-coating tank and the coating head for detecting coating viscosity data, which characterizes the viscosity and solid content of the coating; the first sensor and the second sensor are respectively communicatively connected to the controller, which is configured to perform: real-time control and adjustment of the viscosity and solid content of the coating based on the incoming material viscosity data and the coating viscosity data.

[0006] In an exemplary embodiment, the coating supply system further includes an electric valve, and the pre-coating tank also has a water inlet. The electric valve is installed at the water inlet and is used to control the water replenishment amount of the pre-coating tank. The controller is further configured to perform: acquiring a set value for the mixing viscosity; determining a reference value for the coating viscosity based on the set value for the mixing viscosity, wherein the reference value for the coating viscosity is greater than the set value for the mixing viscosity; and controlling and adjusting the viscosity and solid content of the coating in real time according to the incoming material viscosity data and the coating viscosity data, including: determining a first difference between the coating viscosity data and the coating viscosity reference value; adjusting the opening size of the electric valve and changing the water replenishment amount according to the first difference, so as to control and adjust the viscosity and solid content of the coating to be stable within a target range.

[0007] In an exemplary embodiment, the first difference is positively correlated with the opening size of the electric valve.

[0008] In an exemplary embodiment, the step of controlling and adjusting the viscosity and solid content of the coating in real time based on the incoming material viscosity data and the coating viscosity data further includes: determining a second difference between the incoming material viscosity data and the set value of the batching viscosity; if the second difference exceeds a deviation threshold, issuing an early warning of excessive deviation in incoming material viscosity, the early warning of excessive deviation in incoming material viscosity being used to prompt manual review and correction of batching deviation, so as to stabilize the viscosity and solid content of the coating within the target range.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, the coating feed system further includes a flow meter and a first weighing sensor. The flow meter is disposed on the pipeline between the first pumping device and the pre-coating tank, and the first weighing sensor is disposed on the pre-coating tank. The flow meter is used to measure the incoming material flow rate, and the first weighing sensor is used to detect the weight change of the pre-coating tank. The controller is further configured to perform the following: determine the coating amount based on the incoming material flow rate and the weight change.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller is further configured to perform: acquiring the solid content of the coating, the coating width, the vehicle speed, and the timing time; determining the coating amount based on the incoming material flow rate and the weight change includes: determining the material usage amount based on the incoming material flow rate and the weight change; determining the coating amount based on the solid content, the coating width, the vehicle speed, the timing time, and the material usage amount; wherein, the material usage amount = incoming material flow rate - weight change amount; the coating amount = material usage amount * solid content / (coating width * vehicle speed * timing time).

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the coating feeding system further includes a grinding and dispersing device and a filter; wherein, the grinding and dispersing device is connected between the second pumping device and the coating head, and is used to grind and disperse the material lumps in the coating; a return pipeline connected to the pre-coating tank is also provided at the coating machine corresponding to the coating head, and the filter is provided in the return pipeline, and is used to filter out substrate fragments brought in by the return flow of the coating machine.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the coating feeding system further includes a first defoamer, a second defoamer, and a pressure screen; wherein, the first defoamer is connected between the first pumping device and the pre-coating tank, and is located before the first viscosity sensor and the flow meter, and the defoaming port of the first defoamer is connected to the storage tank via a pipeline; the second defoamer and the pressure screen are connected between the grinding and dispersing device and the coating head, the second viscosity sensor is located after the second defoamer, and the defoaming port of the second defoamer is connected to the pre-coating tank via a pipeline.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the first defoamer and / or the second defoamer are vertical defoamers. The vertical defoamer has a tank and an inlet, an outlet, and a bubble discharge port disposed on the tank. The tank is at least partially constructed as a conical cylinder. The conical cylinder is placed vertically and its diameter gradually decreases downward. The bubble discharge port is disposed at the bottom end of the conical cylinder. The inlet is opened above the side wall of the conical cylinder. The bubble discharge port is disposed at the top of the tank for bubble discharge.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the first defoamer and / or the second defoamer are horizontal defoamers. The horizontal defoamer has a tank and an inlet, an outlet, and a defoaming outlet disposed on the tank. The tank is at least partially constructed as a conical cylinder, which is horizontally placed and its diameter gradually decreases to one side along the horizontal direction. The defoaming outlet is disposed at the tip of the conical cylinder. The inlet is located on the side wall of the tank near the conical cylinder on the other side along the horizontal direction. The defoaming outlet is located at the highest point of the outer periphery of the conical cylinder to allow air bubbles to escape. This includes, according to one aspect of an embodiment of this application, an automatic coating management method applied to the above-described coating supply system, the method comprising: acquiring the viscosity data of the incoming material and the viscosity data of the coating; and, based on the viscosity data of the incoming material and the viscosity data of the coating, controlling and adjusting the viscosity and solid content of the coating in real time.

[0015] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a controller is provided, the controller including a processor and a memory, the memory storing at least one instruction, at least one program, code set or instruction set, the at least one instruction, the at least one program, the code set or instruction set being loaded and executed by the processor to implement the above method.

[0016] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the storage medium storing at least one instruction, at least one program, code set, or instruction set, wherein the at least one instruction, the at least one program, the code set, or the instruction set is loaded and executed by a processor to implement the above method.

[0017] According to one aspect of this application, a computer program product is provided, the computer program product including computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of a computer device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium, and the processor executes the computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform the method described above.

[0018] The technical solution provided in this application embodiment can bring the following beneficial effects: By setting viscosity sensors on the inlet pipeline from the storage tank to the pre-coating tank and the feed pipeline from the pre-coating tank to the coating head, the viscosity of the raw material pumped from the storage tank by the first pumping device and the viscosity of the coating processed by the pre-coating tank and fed to the coating head can be detected. After the controller obtains these two viscosity data, it can trigger the corresponding action mechanism to control and adjust the solid content and viscosity of the coating fed to the coating head in real time, so that the viscosity and solid content of the coating supplied to the coating head are always maintained within a certain range. This solves the problem of solid content change caused by coating migration to the substrate during the coating process, improves the stability of coating viscosity and solid content, improves the quality of material supply, stabilizes the coating amount, and greatly improves the stability of the coated product. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system architecture of an automatic coating and feeding system for managing coatings according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the flow direction of the coating in the coating supply system is shown; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a vertical deaerator provided in one embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a horizontal deaerator provided in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This application provides an automated coating supply system and method for managing coating materials. It is applicable to pre-treatment of pre-coating solutions for various coating processes, accurately calculating the coating amount, maintaining stable solid content in the coating solution, eliminating air bubbles, flocculation, and lumps generated during coating, thereby improving product stability, quality, and reducing defects. Through technologies such as flow meters, viscosity sensors (density sensors), degassing systems, grinding mills, and multiple filtration systems, it maintains coating stability and a stable coating amount during the coating process, accurately measures the coating amount, and eliminates coating defects caused by air bubbles and lumps formed by the coating filter cake effect. The aforementioned coating supply system, device, and method are applicable to blade coating, doctor blade coating, slot coating, anilox roller coating, gravure coating, air knife coating, roller coating, metering rod coating, and curtain coating.

[0022] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] This application provides an automatic coating supply system for managing coatings. The coating supply system is connected to a coating head and supplies coatings to the coating head. The coating supply system includes at least: a storage tank, a first pumping device, a first viscosity sensor, a pre-coating tank, a second pumping device, a second viscosity sensor, and a controller.

[0024] The system includes a storage tank for storing raw materials; a first pumping device connected to the outlet of the storage tank for pumping raw materials into the pre-coating tank; and a pre-coating tank connected to the first pumping device via a pipeline for receiving raw materials. The pre-coating tank is used to process the raw materials to obtain coatings. A second pumping device connected to the outlet of the pre-coating tank is used to pump coatings into the coating head.

[0025] The first viscosity sensor is located between the storage tank and the pre-coating tank to detect the viscosity data of the incoming material. The viscosity data of the incoming material is used to characterize the viscosity and solid content information of the incoming material received by the pre-coating tank. The second viscosity sensor is located between the pre-coating tank and the coating head to detect the viscosity data of the coating. The viscosity data of the coating is used to characterize the viscosity and solid content information of the coating. The first and second sensors are respectively connected to the controller for communication.

[0026] The controller is configured to perform the following operations: adjust the viscosity and solids content of the coating in real time based on the viscosity data of the incoming material and the viscosity data of the coating.

[0027] Please refer to Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a system architecture of an automated coating supply system for managing coatings according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 The coating feeding system shown includes all the components mentioned in the above embodiments, but also shows components with other functions. Those skilled in the art can add components based on the above embodiments according to actual needs. Figure 1 The other components shown are fed into the coating feed system.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown, a screw pump 1 is connected to the outlet of the storage tank. Figure 1The screw pump 1 shown can be the first pumping device described above. Of course, the first pumping device can also be other types of pumps; a screw pump is used here only as an example. The screw pump 1 is connected to the pre-coating tank via a pipeline to pump the raw material from the storage tank to the raw material inlet at the top of the pre-coating tank, allowing the raw material to enter the pre-coating tank for processing, such as adding water or stirring. The outlet at the bottom of the pre-coating tank is connected to the screw pump 2 and then to the coating head via a pipeline. The screw pump 2 can be considered as the second pumping device in this embodiment. This embodiment does not limit the type of the second pumping device; the screw pump is merely an example. The coating processed in the pre-coating tank can flow out from its bottom outlet and be pumped by the screw pump 2 to the coating head to form a coating layer on the substrate, resulting in a coated product. The flow process of the coating described above can also be referred to... Figure 2 It shows a schematic diagram of the flow direction of the coating in the coating supply system. The arrow direction indicates the flow direction, and the thickness of the arrow indicates the flow rate.

[0029] In the aforementioned coating supply system, the pipeline between the storage tank and the pre-coating tank is used to supply the raw materials required for coating from the storage tank to the pre-coating tank. For the pre-coating tank, this pipeline is located upstream and can be regarded as the incoming material pipeline. In addition to the necessary first pumping device for pumping the raw materials, other devices may be installed in the incoming material pipeline to process or detect the raw materials. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0030] The pipeline between the pre-coating tank and the coating head is used to supply treated paint from the pre-coating tank to the coating head. For the coating head, this pipeline is located upstream and can be regarded as a feeding pipeline. Similar to the incoming pipeline, in addition to the necessary second pumping device for pumping paint, the feeding pipeline may also be equipped with other devices for processing or testing the paint. This application embodiment does not limit this.

[0031] In this embodiment, by installing a viscosity sensor (the aforementioned first sensor) on the feed line between the storage tank and the pre-coating tank, the viscosity data of the raw material entering the pre-coating tank can be effectively detected, reflecting its viscosity and solid content information. This allows for appropriate processing or treatment in the pre-coating tank to maintain the viscosity and solid content of the coating. For example, if the viscosity or solid content of the raw material is too high, water can be added to the pre-coating tank to dilute it; if the viscosity or solid content of the raw material is insufficient, the pre-coating tank can reduce the amount of water or wait for a new supply of raw material.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by installing a viscosity sensor, namely the aforementioned second sensor, on the feeding pipeline between the pre-coating tank and the coating head, the viscosity data of the coating material entering the coating head can be effectively detected to reflect its viscosity and solid content information, so as to facilitate process adjustments at any stage.

[0033] The data detected by the first and second sensors can be transmitted to the controller via wired or wireless communication. After the controller obtains the viscosity data of the incoming material and the viscosity data of the coating, it can trigger the corresponding mechanism or action, such as automatically controlling the water volume, issuing an alarm for incorrect raw material preparation to await manual operation, etc., so as to automatically or semi-automatically control and adjust the viscosity and solid content of the coating within the target range, thereby realizing real-time monitoring and adjustment of the viscosity and solid content of the coating.

[0034] In summary, the technical solution provided in this application, by installing viscosity sensors on the inlet pipeline from the storage tank to the pre-coating tank and the feed pipeline from the pre-coating tank to the coating head, can detect the inlet viscosity of the raw material pumped from the storage tank by the first pumping device, and the feed viscosity of the coating processed by the pre-coating tank and fed to the coating head. After the controller obtains these two viscosity data, it can trigger the corresponding action mechanism to control and adjust the solid content and viscosity of the coating fed to the coating head in real time, so that the viscosity and solid content of the coating supplied to the coating head are always maintained within a certain range. This solves the problem of solid content changes caused by coating migration to the substrate during the coating process, improves the stability of coating viscosity and solid content, improves the quality of material supply, stabilizes the coating amount, and significantly improves the stability of the coated product.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, an electric valve can be installed at the inlet of the pre-coating tank. By automatically detecting changes in the viscosity and solids content of the coating online, the electric valve is automatically controlled to replenish water and adjust the water supply, thus addressing the changes in solids content caused by migration to the substrate during coating and stabilizing the coating amount. In practice, a second viscosity sensor can detect the viscosity of the material on the coating head to monitor changes in the viscosity and solids content of the material. Furthermore, data can be compared with that from the first viscosity sensor to ensure stable viscosity and solids content through water replenishment.

[0036] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, the coating supply system also includes an electric valve, and the pre-coating tank also has a water inlet. The electric valve is installed at the water inlet to control the amount of water replenished to the pre-coating tank.

[0037] The controller is also connected to an electric valve, and accordingly, the controller is configured to perform the following: acquire the batch viscosity setpoint; determine a coating viscosity reference value based on the batch viscosity setpoint, wherein the coating viscosity reference value is greater than the batch viscosity setpoint.

[0038] The setpoint for the batch viscosity serves as a reference value corresponding to the incoming material viscosity data detected by the first viscosity sensor, facilitating the detection of whether the incoming material viscosity exceeds the fluctuation range. Simultaneously, the setpoint for the batch viscosity corresponding to the first viscosity sensor can also provide a reference setpoint for the second viscosity sensor. In some embodiments, the viscosity parameter set for the second viscosity sensor, i.e., the aforementioned coating viscosity reference value, is typically slightly higher than the batch viscosity by about 5%.

[0039] Accordingly, the above-mentioned real-time control and adjustment of the coating viscosity and solid content based on the incoming material viscosity data and coating viscosity data includes: determining a first difference between the coating viscosity data and the coating viscosity reference value; adjusting the opening size of the electric valve and changing the water supply based on the first difference, so as to control and adjust the coating viscosity and solid content to remain stable within the target range. The first difference is positively correlated with the opening size of the electric valve.

[0040] By comparing the viscosity data of the coating with the reference value of the coating viscosity detected by the second viscosity sensor, the opening size of the water replenishment valve can be adjusted. When the comparison result, i.e., the first difference mentioned above, indicates that the coating viscosity data is close to the reference value of the coating viscosity, the electric valve is controlled to reduce the opening to reduce the amount of water replenished. When the comparison result indicates that the coating viscosity data deviates significantly from the reference value of the coating viscosity, the electric valve is controlled to increase the opening to increase the amount of water replenished. This realizes the automatic water replenishment function of the pre-coating tank, so as to solve the change in solid content caused by migration to the substrate during the coating process, thereby stabilizing the coating amount.

[0041] This application embodiment uses two viscometers to compare viscosity changes and calculates and controls the opening of the electric valve to replenish water, which can solve the problem of coating amount fluctuation caused by changes in solid content during the coating process and stabilize the solid content and viscosity of the coating.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, in addition to controlling the opening size of the electric valve to control the amount of water replenishment, an alarm can also be triggered when the viscosity differs too much from the set value. Therefore, the controller can also adjust the viscosity and solid content of the coating in real time based on the incoming material viscosity data and the coating viscosity data by: determining a second difference between the incoming material viscosity data and the set value of the mixing viscosity; if the second difference exceeds the deviation threshold, issuing an alarm for excessive deviation of the incoming material viscosity. The alarm for excessive deviation of the incoming material viscosity is used to prompt manual review and correction of the mixing deviation so that the viscosity and solid content of the coating are stabilized within the target range.

[0043] In summary, in the technical solution provided by this application embodiment, the first viscosity sensor is used to detect the viscosity of the incoming material, and the second viscosity sensor is used to detect the viscosity of the supplied material. During normal operation, these two detected viscosities are compared with a set value. The set viscosity parameter of the first viscosity sensor is the set value for the mixing viscosity. When the deviation between the incoming material viscosity detected by the first viscosity sensor and the set value for the mixing viscosity is large, for example, exceeding ±10%, an alarm will be triggered. That is, the aforementioned warning of excessive deviation in incoming material viscosity provides an alarm signal, allowing for manual review to check for any deviation in the mixing process. This allows for manual adjustment of the mixing ratio to the correct value. Furthermore, the first... The viscosity parameter set by the viscosity sensor can be used as a reference for setting the corresponding threshold of the second viscosity sensor, for example, slightly higher than the viscosity of the ingredients by about 5%. This provides a basis for adjusting the opening size of the water replenishment valve. When the comparison result, i.e., the first difference mentioned above, indicates that the coating viscosity data is close to the coating viscosity reference value, the electric valve is controlled to reduce the opening to reduce the amount of water replenishment. When the comparison result indicates that the coating viscosity data deviates significantly from the coating viscosity reference value, the electric valve is controlled to increase the opening to increase the amount of water replenishment. This achieves the automatic water replenishment function of the pre-coating tank, thereby solving the problem of solid content changes caused by migration to the substrate during the coating process and stabilizing the coating amount.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, in addition to online monitoring and control of the coating viscosity and solid content, the coating amount can also be detected in real time. Accordingly, to achieve this goal, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the coating feeding system also includes a flow meter and a first weighing sensor. The flow meter is installed on the pipeline between the first pumping device and the pre-coating tank, and the first weighing sensor is installed on the pre-coating tank (see...). Figure 1 The weighing sensor shown on the pre-coating tank), the flow meter is used to measure the incoming material flow, and the first weighing sensor is used to detect the weight change of the pre-coating tank.

[0045] The flow meter and the first weighing sensor are respectively connected to the controller to transmit the incoming material flow rate and the weight change of the pre-coating tank to the controller online. In order to detect the amount of coating material online in real time, the controller is also configured to perform: determine the coating amount based on the incoming material flow rate and weight change.

[0046] Since additional paint materials may be added to the pre-coating tank, the amount of material used at the coating head cannot be accurately determined solely from the weight change of the pre-coating tank. Furthermore, the flow meter only detects the inflow between the storage tank and the pre-coating tank. Considering the temporary storage function of the paint in the pre-coating tank, the inflow determined by the flow meter cannot be equated with the paint flow, and therefore cannot independently determine the amount of material used at the coating head. However, in this embodiment, by installing a flow meter at the pre-coating tank before the coating head to detect the aforementioned inflow, and combining this with the weight change of the pre-coating tank detected by its weighing sensor, the amount of material used at the coating head can be determined in real time. This is because the cumulative inflow from the flow meter per unit time minus the increase in the pre-coating tank volume, or the cumulative inflow plus the decrease in the pre-coating tank volume, equals the amount of material consumed in coating. The amount of material stored in the pipeline is a constant and does not change.

[0047] In addition, the embodiment of this application only needs to set a flow meter in front of the pre-coating tank and combine it with the pre-coating tank weighing sensor to determine the amount of material used. Therefore, it is not necessary to set a flow meter between the pre-coating tank and the coating head, which reduces the amount of data transmission and system cost.

[0048] In one possible implementation, in addition to accurately calculating the coating amount based on the coating width, coating solids content, and coating speed, and accumulating the coating amounts at different times, the controller is also configured to perform: acquiring the coating solids content, coating width, coating speed, and timing.

[0049] Accordingly, the above determination of coating amount based on incoming material flow rate and weight change includes: determining material consumption based on incoming material flow rate and weight change; determining coating amount based on solid content, coating width, machine speed, timing time, and material consumption; wherein, material consumption = incoming material flow rate - weight change; coating amount = material consumption * solid content / (coating width * machine speed * timing time).

[0050] Material usage is measured data, solid content is batching data, machine speed is data automatically retrieved from the machine, and width is input production data. The principle is the dry weight of the coating per square meter of substrate, expressed in g / m². 2 .

[0051] The technical solution provided in this application uses data from online flow meters and online weighing sensors, combined with the coating width, vehicle speed, and solid content of the coating, to calculate the coating amount in real time. Because the coating amount is calculated by calculating the amount of material used, the coating display is accurate and provides precise feedback on the coating cost.

[0052] Furthermore, by calculating the coating amount and material consumption for each time period using data from online flow meters and online weighing sensors, reports on the raw materials or coatings used by the coating unit can be generated, facilitating material management. These reports include, but are not limited to, daily, monthly, and annual reports, allowing operators to compare changes and control costs, while also facilitating cost accounting for the factory. For example, the reports may contain the following data: 1. Coating amount: 1.1 Coating amount per minute; 1.2. Coating amount within five minutes; 1.3 Coating amount within ten minutes; 1.4 Coating amount within thirty minutes; 1.5. Coating amount per hour; 1.6 Coating amount within eight hours; 1.7 Coating amount within 24 hours; 1.8 Coating amount for this month.

[0053] 2. Material quantity: 2.1 Pipeline material storage constant; 2.2 Flow meter flow rate (incoming material flow rate); 2.3 Material consumption (flow rate displayed by flow meter - pipeline inventory - discharge amount); 2.4 Material usage display (wet weight / dry weight); 2.4.1 Daily material usage; 2.4.2. Monthly material usage; 2.4.2. Amount of materials used in the current year.

[0054] 3. Downtime: 3.1 Downtime for the day; 3.2 Downtime for the current month; 3.3 Downtime in the current year.

[0055] 4. Output (in square meters): 4.1 Daily production output; 4.2 Monthly production output; 4.3 Production output in the current year.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, to prevent material lumps from entering the coating head, the coating supply system further includes a grinding and dispersing device; wherein, the grinding and dispersing device is connected between the second pumping device and the coating head, and is used to grind and disperse material lumps in the coating. Through online high-flow grinding, material lumps in the coating process can be ground and dispersed, such as... Figure 1 The grinding and dispersing shown represents a grinding and dispersing device that breaks up flocculated material blocks and forms filter cake blocks through online grinding.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, to prevent excess paint waste at the coating mechanism, a return line connected to the pre-coating tank is provided at the coating machine corresponding to the coating head, so that excess paint at the coating mechanism can be returned to the pre-coating tank through the return line. Furthermore, to prevent impurities such as substrate fragments from mixing into the returned paint, the coating supply system also includes a filter, which is installed in the return line to filter out substrate fragments carried in by the coating machine during return.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, in order to prevent air bubbles from remaining in the coating and affecting the coating quality, the coating feeding system further includes a first defoamer, a second defoamer, and a pressure screen.

[0059] The first defoamer is connected between the first pumping device and the pre-coating tank, and is located before the first viscosity sensor and flow meter. The defoamer's outlet is connected to the storage tank via a pipeline, such as... Figure 1 Debubbler 1 is shown.

[0060] The second defoamer and pressure screen are connected between the grinding and dispersing device and the coating head. The second viscosity sensor is located after the second defoamer. The defoamer's outlet is connected to the pre-coating tank via a pipeline. Figure 1 Defoamer 2 is shown.

[0061] Defoamer 1 eliminates foam in the incoming material from the storage tank, while simultaneously improving the stability of the viscosity sensor (density sensor) 1 and the flow meter. Production practice has shown that foam from the storage tank not only affects the quality of the coated product but also significantly impacts the data collected by the flow meter and viscosity sensor (density sensor). Excessive foam can prevent both the flow meter and the viscosity sensor (density sensor) from functioning properly. Therefore, placing defoamer 1 before the first viscosity sensor and flow meter effectively improves the accuracy of the collected flow rate and incoming material viscosity data.

[0062] Defoamer 2 can eliminate foam in the pre-coating grinding material and improve the stability of the viscosity sensor (density sensor) 2. Through production practice, it has been found that a lot of foam in the grinding material not only affects the quality of the coated product, but also has a significant impact on the data collected by the viscometer.

[0063] From a production practice perspective, foam can account for as much as 10-15% of the material volume before application. After coating, it affects the stability of the functional coating at the microscopic level. Existing technologies try to improve this by increasing the coating thickness, which increases coating costs. Those skilled in the art can design different defoamers based on the amount of material used and the properties of the coating. In practice, parallel or series connections can be used to achieve defoaming, thereby significantly improving product quality.

[0064] This application embodiment uses two-stage filtration and high-flow-rate grinding to resolve material lumps formed during the coating process due to the filter cake effect, flocculation formed by the coating itself, and material lumps falling off the tray and rollers. A two-stage defoamer maintains the accuracy of sensor measurements while reducing foam in the feed, thereby ensuring product quality.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the two defoamers, grinding and dispersing device, molecular sieve, reflux line, and filter described above can all be installed in the system, as shown in the example. Figure 1 As shown. Before feeding, the coating undergoes high-flow grinding. This high-flow grinding breaks down any sediment, agglomerates, and flocculations in the coating during operation into fine particles, ensuring stable feeding. Used in conjunction with a defoamer, it eliminates foam generated during grinding, preventing flocculation during feeding and ensuring coating stability. This significantly reduces scratches during coating production, improving product quality and reducing the defect rate. Furthermore, a two-stage filtration system filters out substrate fragments carried back from the coating machine via return filtration, and then filters through a pressure screen before entering the feeding system, maximizing feeding stability.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the first defoamer and / or the second defoamer are vertical defoamers. The vertical defoamer has a tank and an inlet, an outlet and a bubble discharge port provided on the tank. The tank is at least partially constructed as a conical cylinder. The conical cylinder is placed vertically and its diameter gradually decreases downward. The bubble discharge port is located at the bottom end of the conical cylinder. The inlet is opened above the side wall of the conical cylinder. The bubble discharge port is located at the top of the tank to allow bubbles to be discharged.

[0067] In the aforementioned vertical defoamer, the coating enters the defoamer from the top and flows out from the bottom, while the foam is discharged from the top. According to Bernoulli's principle, in a fluid, higher velocity results in lower pressure, and lower velocity results in higher pressure. Bernoulli's equation is p + 1 / 2ρv² + ρgh = C. In this formula, p represents the pressure at a point in the fluid, v represents the velocity at that point, ρ represents the fluid density, g represents the acceleration due to gravity, h represents the height of that point, and C is a constant. As the downward flow velocity increases rapidly, the pressure decreases sharply, the foam grows larger, rises, and eventually bursts. Therefore, different flow rates can be selected for the design based on the different properties of the coating, and a vertical defoamer can be chosen. In practical applications, it can be used in parallel or in series.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 4As shown, the first defoamer and / or the second defoamer are horizontal defoamers. The horizontal defoamer has a tank and an inlet, an outlet and a bubble discharge port provided on the tank. The tank is at least partially constructed as a conical cylinder. The conical cylinder is placed horizontally and its diameter gradually decreases to one side in the horizontal direction. The bubble discharge port is located at the tip of the conical cylinder. The inlet is opened on the side wall of the tank near the other side of the conical cylinder in the horizontal direction. The bubble discharge port is located at the highest point of the outer periphery of the upper part of the conical cylinder to allow bubbles to be discharged.

[0069] In the aforementioned horizontal Bernoulli defoamer, the coating enters the defoamer from one side and flows out from the other, while the foam is discharged from the top through multiple outlets. According to Bernoulli's principle, in a fluid, higher velocity results in lower pressure, and lower velocity results in higher pressure. Bernoulli's equation is p + 1 / 2ρv² + ρgh = C. In this formula, p represents the pressure at a point in the fluid, v represents the velocity at that point, ρ represents the fluid density, g represents the acceleration due to gravity, h represents the height of that point, and C is a constant. As the flow velocity increases rapidly, the pressure decreases sharply, the foam grows larger, rises, and eventually bursts. Therefore, different flow rates can be selected based on the properties of different coatings, and a horizontal defoamer can be chosen. In practical applications, it can be used in parallel or series.

[0070] In summary, the defoamer provided in this application embodiment does not require additional power. Utilizing Bernoulli's principle, it alters the internal pressure through changes in flow rate, causing the foam to expand, rise, and be expelled. Different defoamers can be designed based on the amount of material used and the properties of the coating. In practice, parallel or series connections can also be used to achieve defoaming.

[0071] Through the above design, the foam defoaming rate after passing through the two-stage foam generator is over 98%, the impact of agglomeration in the material supply is basically eliminated, and the viscosity and solid content of the coating remain stable, greatly improving the quality of the material supply and significantly enhancing the stability of the product. This provides an accurate basis for precise cost control.

[0072] Overall, such as Figure 1 As shown, this design system can use coatings with different properties to test the defoaming rate of bubbles, the flocculation of coatings, the accuracy of coating amount, the change of viscosity, and the state of the coating after coating, so as to conduct evaluation.

[0073] The accuracy of the coating amount can be verified during the production process by weighing the amount of material used, which can be used to check the accuracy of the coating amount display and the fluctuation of the coating amount.

[0074] By baking the entire coated product until it is completely black, defects in the functional layer coating can be identified, and the changes in the number of scratches during the coating process can be observed.

[0075] The viscosity changes during operation, and the viscosity and solid content are continuously manually sampled and checked during the production process to verify the changes in both.

[0076] By continuously taking samples and examining them under a microscope, the flocculation of the coating is observed. Samples are taken periodically and examined under a microscope.

[0077] Low-energy printing was used to observe the coating uniformity, and the absence of flocculent material affected the sharpness.

[0078] The following section will evaluate the device equipped with this design under the following conventional coating conditions.

[0079] In thermal paper applications, the color-developing functional layer requires high smoothness to improve color development efficiency. Since the thermal layer uses non-contact printing, high smoothness is essential for color development, and the doctor blade coating offers the highest smoothness, which is most beneficial for color development. The functional coatings in the color-developing layer are finely ground to a particle size of 0.5~1.0µm. However, small particle sizes are prone to flocculation and coarsening. The added adhesive, polyvinyl alcohol, generates a large number of bubbles. During high-speed coating, the doctor blade easily produces doctor blade marks and bubbles, resulting in uneven coating and color development. Furthermore, the solid content and viscosity of the coating continuously increase as it migrates into the paper during coating, leading to a continuous increase in the coating amount during production.

[0080] Test conditions: Coatings: Thermosensitive color-developing functional layer coatings Coating speed: 500 m / min Coating amount: 2.5~4.5 g / m2 (tested according to standard 3.5 g / m2) Coated substrate: 50g / m2 base paper Coating solids content: 31.2% Coating viscosity: 198.6 mPa·s Coating width: 1720mm

[0081] The data above shows that during high-speed coating, this system can significantly improve product stability and ensure product quality.

[0082] From the perspective of production practice, this design has effectively solved the pain points in coating production applications.

[0083] It should be noted that the apparatus provided in the above embodiments is only illustrated by the division of the above functional modules when implementing its functions. In actual applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the device can be divided into different functional modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. In addition, the apparatus and method embodiments provided in the above embodiments belong to the same concept, and the specific implementation process can be found in the method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0084] One embodiment of this application provides a controller configured to perform the steps provided in the above embodiments. Specifically: Typically, a controller includes a processor and memory.

[0085] The processor may include one or more processing cores, such as a quad-core processor or an octa-core processor. The processor 901 may be implemented using at least one hardware form selected from DSP (Digital Signal Processing), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and PLA (Programmable Logic Array). The processor may also include a main processor and a coprocessor. The main processor, also known as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), is used to process data in the wake-up state; the coprocessor is a low-power processor used to process data in the standby state. In some embodiments, the processor may integrate a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), which is responsible for rendering and drawing the content required to be displayed on the screen. In some embodiments, the processor may also include an AI (Artificial Intelligence) processor, which is used to handle computational operations related to machine learning.

[0086] The memory may include one or more computer-readable storage media, which may be non-transitory. The memory may also include high-speed random access memory and non-volatile memory, such as one or more disk storage devices or flash memory devices. In some embodiments, the non-transitory computer-readable storage media in the memory is used to store at least one instruction, at least one program, code set, or instruction set, configured to be executed by one or more processors to implement the above-described method.

[0087] In some embodiments, the controller may also optionally include: a peripheral device interface and at least one peripheral device. The processor, memory, and peripheral device interface can be connected via a bus or signal lines. Each peripheral device can be connected to the peripheral device interface via a bus, signal lines, or a circuit board. Specifically, the peripheral device includes at least one of: a touch display screen, audio circuitry, and a power supply.

[0088] The controller can receive user input to execute the steps or operations within the steps described above.

[0089] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above structure does not constitute a limitation on the controller, and may include more or fewer components than illustrated, or combine certain components, or employ different component arrangements.

[0090] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, the storage medium storing at least one instruction, at least one program, code set, or instruction set, the at least one instruction, the at least one program, the code set, or the instruction set being executed by a processor to implement the above method.

[0091] Optionally, the computer-readable storage medium may include: ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), SSD (Solid State Drives), or optical disc, etc. The random access memory may include ReRAM (Resistance Random Access Memory) and DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory).

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer program product or computer program is also provided, which includes computer instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium. A processor of a computer device reads the computer instructions from the computer-readable storage medium and executes the computer instructions, causing the computer device to perform the described method.

[0093] It should be understood that "multiple" as used herein refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. Furthermore, the step numbers described herein are merely illustrative of one possible execution order. In some other embodiments, the steps may not be executed in numerical order, such as two steps with different numbers being executed simultaneously, or two steps with different numbers being executed in the reverse order of the illustration. This application does not limit this.

[0094] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0095] In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, "linking" can be a detachable connection or a non-detachable connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. "Fixed connection" refers to a connection where the relative positional relationship remains unchanged after the connection.

[0096] The directional terms used in the embodiments of this application, such as "inner" and "outer," are merely for reference to the directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for better and clearer explanation and understanding of the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated in this application, "multiple" as used in this application refers to two or more.

[0097] In the description of embodiments of this application, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0098] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An automatic coating and feeding system for managing paint, characterized in that, The coating supply system is connected to a coating head and supplies coating material to the coating head. The coating supply system includes at least: a storage tank, a first pumping device, a first viscosity sensor, a pre-coating tank, a second pumping device, a second viscosity sensor, and a controller. The storage tank is used to store raw materials. The first pumping device is connected to the outlet of the storage tank and is used to pump the raw materials to the pre-coating tank. The pre-coating tank is connected to the first pumping device via a pipeline to receive the raw materials. The pre-coating tank is used to process the raw materials to obtain coating material. The second pumping device is connected to the outlet of the pre-coating tank and is used to pump the coating material to the coating head. The material is prepared as follows: a first viscosity sensor is disposed between the storage tank and the pre-coating tank to detect the viscosity data of the incoming material, which is used to characterize the viscosity and solid content information of the incoming material received by the pre-coating tank; a second viscosity sensor is disposed between the pre-coating tank and the coating head to detect the viscosity data of the coating, which is used to characterize the viscosity and solid content information of the coating; the first sensor and the second sensor are respectively communicatively connected to the controller, which is configured to perform the following: real-time control and adjustment of the viscosity and solid content of the coating based on the incoming material viscosity data and the coating viscosity data.

2. The coating feeding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coating supply system also includes an electric valve, and the pre-coating tank has a water inlet. The electric valve is installed at the water inlet and is used to control the water replenishment amount of the pre-coating tank. The controller is also configured to perform: acquiring a set value for the mixing viscosity; determining a reference value for the coating viscosity based on the set value for the mixing viscosity, wherein the reference value for the coating viscosity is greater than the set value for the mixing viscosity; and controlling and adjusting the viscosity and solid content of the coating in real time according to the incoming material viscosity data and the coating viscosity data, including: determining a first difference between the coating viscosity data and the coating viscosity reference value; adjusting the opening size of the electric valve and changing the water replenishment amount according to the first difference, so as to control and adjust the viscosity and solid content of the coating to be stable within the target range.

3. The coating feeding system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first difference is positively correlated with the opening size of the electric valve.

4. The coating feeding system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling and adjusting the viscosity and solid content of the coating in real time based on the incoming material viscosity data and the coating viscosity data further includes: determining a second difference between the incoming material viscosity data and the set value of the batching viscosity; if the second difference exceeds the deviation threshold, issuing an early warning of excessive deviation in incoming material viscosity, the early warning of excessive deviation in incoming material viscosity is used to prompt manual review and correction of batching deviation, so as to stabilize the viscosity and solid content of the coating within the target range.

5. The coating feeding system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The coating feeding system further includes a flow meter and a first weighing sensor. The flow meter is installed on the pipeline between the first pumping device and the pre-coating tank, and the first weighing sensor is installed on the pre-coating tank. The flow meter is used to measure the incoming material flow rate, and the first weighing sensor is used to detect the weight change of the pre-coating tank. The controller is also configured to perform the following: determine the coating amount based on the incoming material flow rate and the weight change.

6. The coating feeding system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to perform: acquiring the solid content of the coating, coating width, vehicle speed, and timing time; determining the coating amount based on the incoming material flow rate and the weight change, including: determining the material usage amount based on the incoming material flow rate and the weight change; determining the coating amount based on the solid content, coating width, vehicle speed, timing time, and material usage amount; wherein, material usage amount = incoming material flow rate - weight change amount; coating amount = material usage amount * solid content / (coating width * vehicle speed * timing time).

7. The coating feeding system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The coating feeding system further includes a grinding and dispersing device and a filter; wherein, the grinding and dispersing device is connected between the second pumping device and the coating head, and is used to grind and disperse the material lumps in the coating; a return pipeline connected to the pre-coating tank is also provided at the coating machine corresponding to the coating head, and the filter is provided in the return pipeline, and is used to filter out substrate fragments brought in by the return flow of the coating machine.

8. The coating feeding system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The coating feeding system further includes a first defoamer, a second defoamer, and a pressure screen; wherein, the first defoamer is connected between the first pumping device and the pre-coating tank, and is located before the first viscosity sensor and the flow meter, and the defoaming port of the first defoamer is connected to the storage tank through a pipeline; the second defoamer and the pressure screen are connected between the grinding and dispersing device and the coating head, the second viscosity sensor is located after the second defoamer, and the defoaming port of the second defoamer is connected to the pre-coating tank through a pipeline.

9. The coating feeding system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first defoamer and / or the second defoamer are vertical defoamers. The vertical defoamer has a tank and an inlet, an outlet and a bubble discharge port provided on the tank. The tank is at least partially constructed as a conical cylinder. The conical cylinder is placed vertically and its diameter gradually decreases downward. The bubble discharge port is provided at the bottom end of the conical cylinder. The inlet is opened above the side wall of the conical cylinder. The bubble discharge port is provided at the top of the tank to allow bubbles to be discharged.

10. The coating feeding system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first defoamer and / or the second defoamer are horizontal defoamers. The horizontal defoamer has a tank and an inlet, an outlet, and a bubble discharge port provided on the tank. The tank is at least partially constructed as a conical cylinder. The conical cylinder is placed horizontally and its diameter gradually decreases to one side along the horizontal direction. The bubble discharge port is provided at the tip of the conical cylinder. The inlet is opened on the side wall of the tank near the other side of the conical cylinder along the horizontal direction. The bubble discharge port is provided at the highest point of the outer periphery of the upper part of the conical cylinder to allow bubbles to be discharged.

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