SYSTEM FOR SIMULATING A FLUID APPLICATION ON A SUBSTRATE BY AT LEAST ONE NOZZLE ARRANGEMENT

Abstract

System (12) for applying fluids, in particular thermoplastic adhesives, to a substrate (2), wherein the system (12) comprises: - a distributor head (4), which is preferably connected or connectable to an actuator, in particular in the form of a robot arm, and which is movable along a direction of movement relative to the substrate (2);and- at least one nozzle arrangement (3) which is interchangeably connected to the distributor head (4) in a mounting area of ​​the distributor head (4), wherein the at least one nozzle arrangement (3) is arranged in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head (4) such that an end face of a base body (13) of the nozzle arrangement (3) is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the distributor head (4), wherein the direction of movement corresponds to the direction along which the distributor head (4) is moved when applying fluids via the outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement (3), and wherein the system (12) further comprises a device (1) for simulating fluid application to the substrate (2) by the at least one nozzle arrangement (3), wherein the device (1) comprises:- a body area (5) which can be detachably or interchangeably connected to or on the mounting surface of the distributor head (4);and a tail section (6) connected to the body section (5), in particular flexibly connected, with at least one strip- or filament-like section (7), wherein the at least one strip- or filament-like section (7) extends at least partially and / or in a direction of extension corresponding to a direction in which the nozzle arrangement (3) is moved relative to the substrate (2) during its transport with the distributor head (4), and wherein the at least one strip- or filament-like section (7) has a width perpendicular to the direction of extension, which preferably corresponds to a width of a fluid strip that can be discharged from the nozzle arrangement (3), wherein, to simulate the fluid application of the nozzle arrangement (3), the body section (5) of the device (1) is interchangeably connected or connectable to the distributor head (4) in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head (4) instead of the nozzle arrangement (3).

Description

The invention generally relates to the application of fluids, including thermoplastic or fibrous adhesives, to a substrate by means of at least one nozzle arrangement which is preferably detachably attached to a mounting surface of a distributor or distributor head, wherein this distributor or distributor head generally serves to supply the fluid to be applied to the at least one nozzle arrangement in a suitable manner. The purpose of such a system is to apply fluids to, for example, substrates moving relative to the at least one nozzle arrangement, and in particular to apply adhesives in partial spray patterns to partially cover a substrate. For example, EP 0 872 580 A1 discloses a plurality of melt-blown nozzle assemblies or nozzles that can be mounted side by side at one or both ends of a conventional distributor or distributor head, which provides a metered supply of adhesive to each nozzle assembly. The nozzle assemblies each comprise a plurality of substantially parallel plate elements formed at an outlet surface. The series of fluid outlet openings of each nozzle assembly forms a section of a longer series formed by the plurality of adjacent nozzle assemblies arranged along a common end of the distributor head.One or both sides of the distributor can be attached alongside the side of a similarly constructed distributor head to form even longer rows of fluid outlet openings, thus providing a modular melt-blown adhesive dispensing system that can accommodate substrate of any dimensional width. Document WO 2017 / 035203 A1 concerns a system for applying fluids to a substrate. Such a system is also known from EP 2 117 722 B1. Publication WO 2018 / 185636 A1 concerns a device for applying paint to a substrate. Finally, DE 10 2018 103 784 A1 discloses a system for applying, in particular spraying, adhesive to a substrate or workpiece, wherein the system has an adhesive dispensing device with at least one associated dispensing nozzle for discharging the adhesive. In some adhesive dispensing applications, it is desirable for the adhesive to be applied to a substrate in such a way that it covers as much of the substrate's width as possible. These applications include, for example, the application of adhesives in the manufacture of vehicle interior components, and in particular, the application of adhesives to the underside of a decorative layer or to a substrate to which a decorative layer is to be bonded. Typically, the adhesive is applied to the so-called "carrier part" (especially a plastic injection-molded part), and then the part is placed in a press-lamination fixture. The adhesive can be reactivated using IR light, and then the carrier part can be pressed together with a decorative cutout. For such applications, it is particularly important that the adhesive is applied as evenly and homogeneously as possible, since an uneven application can negatively affect the visual appearance or feel of the attached decorative layer. A fine, streak-free spray pattern is especially desirable when applying the adhesive, and it is crucial that no drips form within the pattern. To apply fluids, especially viscous fluids such as thermoplastic adhesives, to a component, at least one nozzle assembly with the distributor or distributor head must be moved relative to the component. For this purpose, it is common for the distributor or distributor head to be connected to an actuator, particularly in the form of a robot arm, which can move along a path, especially in one direction, relative to the component or substrate. In other applications, it is desirable to apply the adhesive only to selected sections or areas of the substrate and to keep other sections or areas of the substrate free of adhesive. This applies, for example, to applications where a folded area of ​​a substrate needs to be coated with adhesive. Folding refers to the process of folding a material around a partial edge by 90° or 180°. The resulting folded area is then often attached to a substrate using a suitable joining method, particularly gluing. Such folding processes are used particularly in the automotive industry for body panels. The increasingly complex three-dimensional geometries of these panels pose a significant challenge to the joining methods employed. A particular problem lies in applying a uniform and continuous adhesive pattern in folded areas using a nozzle arrangement guided by a robot arm. To prepare for the application of fluids, particularly thermoplastic or fibrous adhesives, to a substrate using at least one nozzle assembly, preferably detachably mounted on a mounting surface of a distributor or distributor head, the path of movement of the nozzle assembly, distributor, or distributor head relative to the substrate to be treated must be defined. Furthermore, care must be taken to ensure that the nozzle assembly is positioned within a predetermined distance from the surface of the substrate to be treated and that this distance is maintained during the movement of the nozzle assembly relative to the substrate. In decorative lamination, for example, spraying is generally carried out at a distance (nozzle to substrate surface) of typically 40 to 100 mm. This short spraying distance makes it difficult to position the nozzle assembly relative to the substrate. Conversely, the greater the spraying distance, the more difficult it becomes to determine the position of the adhesive application on the substrate surface. Furthermore, the movement of the nozzle arrangement relative to the substrate when applying the adhesive, especially thermoplastic adhesive, to the substrate surface may be difficult, particularly if the substrate to be treated is not completely flat. It is known that a movement path for the distributor or distributor head is previously taught in a control unit of a manipulator for the distributor or distributor head, in particular designed as an articulated arm robot, with reference to an absolute coordinate system in three-dimensional space. This learning process often involves so-called offline programming. Here, based on existing data of the substrate to be processed and the robot cell, a movement path for the distributor or distributor head can be created on a computer independent of the robot and, if necessary, combined with the required application parameters. These programs can then be transferred to the robot, which, after appropriate calibration of the substrate to be processed, performs the application and, in particular, guides the distributor or distributor head along a predefined movement path at a predetermined or definable distance to the substrate surface. In practice, programming is done iteratively. After initial programming, a test application is performed, and the resulting image is then reviewed. An attempt is made to deduce the parameters to be optimized from the visual appearance of the adhesive applied to the substrate. These parameters can include both robot movement parameters and application parameters. Based on this, corresponding modifications are made to the application program, and another application is performed. The next iteration then follows. This iterative process is typically continued until the application is satisfactory. In such a teach-in process, auxiliary elements like positioning pins or metal plates are mounted on the dispensing head to better determine the approximate position of the expected adhesive application. However, these elements are not perfectly suited for simulation because they do not reflect the exact position. For a precise simulation, the guide element must match the angle and position of the adhesive filament exiting the nozzle during application; otherwise, displacements will occur, especially with changes in the spray distance. An additional problem is that the guide elements used so far, such as positioning pins and plates, are rigid and can lead to damage to the support part, or to the application head and / or the robot arm, if they come into contact with it. Furthermore, the teach process is relatively labor-intensive and time-consuming due to the iterative application of the adhesive to the substrate. Based on this problem, the invention aims to optimize the fluid application to a substrate by means of at least one nozzle arrangement which is attached or can be attached to a mounting surface of a distributor or distributor head. In particular, it should be ensured in the simplest possible yet effective way that a movement path to be carried out by a robot for the nozzle arrangement can be easily taught, while at the same time ensuring that no collision between the nozzle arrangement and the substrate is prevented, and that a predefined or definable distance between the nozzle arrangement and the substrate is maintained. In particular, it should be ensured that when applying a fluid, the filaments emitted by the nozzle arrangement are correctly or optimally positioned in the direction of robot movement and / or aligned to each other and especially with regard to the substrate to be processed. This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1, which relates to a system for applying fluids with a device for simulating fluid application to a substrate by means of at least one nozzle arrangement. Advantageous embodiments of the system according to the invention for applying fluids to a substrate are specified in the dependent claims. The system according to the invention comprises a device for simulating a fluid application, including a thermoplastic or fibrous adhesive application, onto a substrate by means of at least one nozzle arrangement which is detachably or interchangeably attached or attachable to a mounting surface of a distributor or distributor head. The simulation device is designed in particular as a so-called "nozzle arrangement dummy" and has a body section that can be detachably or interchangeably connected to or attached to the mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head. Furthermore, the simulation device has a tail section connected to the body section, in particular a flexible one, with at least one strip- or filament-like area. The body section of the simulation device simulates the fluid application by the nozzle assembly, which is detachably or interchangeably attached to the distributor or distributor head. Conversely, the tail section of the simulation device, with its at least one strip- or filament-like area, serves to simulate the filaments that can be discharged from the nozzle assembly. This particularly concerns the positioning and / or orientation of the filaments in a robot movement direction. In the simulation device according to the invention, it is provided that the at least one strip- or filament-like area extends at least partially and / or in a direction of extension that corresponds to a direction in which the nozzle arrangement, whose fluid application is to be simulated, is moved relative to the substrate during its transport with the distributor or distributor head. In this context, it is further provided that the at least one strip- or filament-like region of the tail area, i.e., that region of the simulation device which simulates the actual fluid application, has a width perpendicular to the direction of extension, which preferably corresponds to the width of a fluid strip that can be dispensed by the nozzle arrangement. This has the particular advantage that the simulation device according to the invention can reproduce exactly the fluid filaments that can be dispensed by the nozzle arrangement, whose fluid application onto the substrate is to be simulated. According to further developments of the simulation device according to the invention, it is provided that the tail area with the at least one strip- or filament-like area extends at least substantially in a direction that corresponds to a longitudinal direction of the body area of ​​the simulation device or runs parallel to a longitudinal direction of the body area. In particular, the tail section, with its at least one strip- or filament-like area, is designed to be flexible in at least some areas in a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal and lateral directions of the body region. This ensures that the at least one strip- or filament-like area can flexibly conform to the substrate surface during transport of the simulation device across the substrate, without posing a risk of damage to the substrate. To achieve the flexible bendability of the at least one strip- or filament-like area, embodiments of the simulation device according to the invention provide that the at least one strip- or filament-like area has a rectangular cross-section, or at least a substantially rectangular cross-section, with a side extending transversely to the direction of extension of the strip- or filament-like area that is longer than the height of the rectangle. With this design of the at least one strip- or filament-like area of ​​the tail section of the simulation device, it is possible, in a simple yet effective manner, to make the strip- or filament-like area correspondingly flexible in a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal and lateral directions of the body section. Of course, other solutions are also possible to make the at least one strip- or filament-like area at least partially flexible, such as corresponding joint areas that are provided in the longitudinal direction of the strip- or filament-like area. According to preferred implementations of the simulation device, the tail section with the at least one strip- or filament-like area is designed to be elastic such that the at least one strip- or filament-like area can be elastically deformed by 90° within a radius of curvature of approximately 40 mm to 100 mm. With this design, fluid application can be simulated even if the nozzle arrangement, whose fluid application onto the substrate is to be simulated, is only 10 mm away from the substrate surface. Preferably, the tail section comprises a plurality of parallel, strip- or filament-like areas, the number of which is preferably adjustable or selectable, and in particular corresponds to the number of outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement whose fluid application to the substrate is to be simulated. For example, in this context, it is possible to trim or completely remove the parallel, strip- or filament-like areas of the tail section as required, using a cutting device, in particular a knife or scissors, to adjust the desired number of strip- or filament-like areas. In a further development of the last-mentioned embodiments, it is particularly provided that a distance between two adjacent strip- or filament-like areas corresponds to a distance between two adjacent outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement, in order to be able to simulate a fluid application of the nozzle arrangement onto the substrate as realistically as possible. Of course, other dimensions are also conceivable, especially those in which the distance between two adjacent strip- or filament-like areas corresponds to twice the distance or half the distance between two adjacent outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement. According to embodiments of the simulation device, the tail section, comprising at least one strip- or filament-like area, is connected to the base body of the simulation device via a transition area. In these embodiments, the transition area is preferably L-shaped in cross-section. In particular, it is conceivable that the tail section, comprising at least one strip- or filament-like area, lies in or on a plane defined by the mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head. As already explained, the body of the simulation device essentially corresponds to a "dummy" of the nozzle assembly whose fluid application to the substrate is to be simulated. In this context, it is particularly advantageous that the body of the simulation device preferably corresponds at least substantially to the basic body of the nozzle assembly in size and / or shape. According to embodiments, it is provided that the tail area is preferably connected centrally to a frontal side surface of the body area with the at least one strip- or filament-like area (either directly or indirectly via the transition area, which is particularly L-shaped in cross-section), i.e., connected to the area of ​​the body area which has the nozzle outlet openings in the base body of the nozzle arrangement to be simulated. As an alternative to the previously described embodiment of the simulation device according to the invention, in which the body area of ​​the simulation device preferably corresponds at least substantially in size and / or shape to the base body of the nozzle arrangement, it is provided that the body area is designed and constructed as a surface element to be used as a kind of intermediate plate in a nozzle arrangement designed as a laminated nozzle assembly. According to implementations of the latter embodiment, it is conceivable, for example, that the body area of ​​the simulation device is assigned a lower part, via which the body area is connected or connectable to the mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head, and an upper part, wherein the body area of ​​the simulation device is arranged between the lower and upper parts and is preferably clamped. In the assembled state, the lower part and the upper part with the body area arranged between them preferably correspond at least substantially in size and / or shape to the basic body of the nozzle assembly. Preferably, the simulation device with the body area and the tail area is manufactured as a plastic part, particularly within the framework of a 3D printing process, although other manufacturing processes are also possible, for example a plastic injection molding process. The system according to the invention, which includes the simulation device, serves to apply fluids, in particular thermoplastic adhesives, to a substrate, wherein the system has a distributor head which is preferably connected or connectable to an actuator, in particular in the form of a robot arm, and which is movable along a direction of movement relative to the substrate to be processed. The system according to the present invention further comprises at least one nozzle arrangement which is preferably interchangeably connected to the distributor head in a mounting area of ​​the distributor head, wherein the at least one nozzle arrangement is arranged in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head such that an end face of a base body of the nozzle arrangement is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the distributor head. The direction of movement corresponds in particular to the direction along which the distributor head is moved when applying fluids via the outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement. In the system according to the invention, the system further comprises at least one simulation device of the aforementioned type, wherein, in order to simulate the fluid application of the nozzle arrangement, the body area of ​​the simulation device is interchangeably connected or connectable to the distributor head in place of the nozzle arrangement in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head. According to a further aspect, the present disclosure (not part of the claimed invention) also relates to a method for simulating the fluid application of a nozzle arrangement preferably interchangeably connected to the distributor head in a mounting area of ​​the distributor head, wherein, in the method, a simulation device of the type described above is first provided. Subsequently, the nozzle arrangement, the fluid application of which is to be simulated, is exchanged with the simulation device. Thereupon, the distributor head is moved relative to the substrate to be treated along a defined or definable path of motion or along predetermined points of a path of motion. Preferably, when moving the distributor head relative to the substrate, a movement path and / or a distance of the distributor head relative to the surface of the substrate to be treated is defined. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic, isometric view of a system for applying thermoplastic adhesives to a substrate with at least one nozzle arrangement; Figure 2a shows a schematic, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a nozzle arrangement of the system according to Figure 1; Figure 2b shows a first exemplary embodiment of the simulation device according to the invention for simulating a fluid application onto a substrate that can be realized with the nozzle arrangement according to Figure 2a; Figure 2c shows a schematic, isometric view of a second exemplary embodiment of the simulation device according to the invention for simulating a fluid application onto a substrate that can be realized with the nozzle arrangement according to Figure 2a; Figure 3 shows a schematic, isometric view of the first exemplary embodiment of the simulation device according to the invention according to Figure 2b together with the nozzle arrangement according to Figure 2a.2a, whose fluid application to a substrate is to be simulated, as well as detailed views thereof; Fig. 4 schematically and in an isometric exploded view the first exemplary embodiment of the simulation device according to Fig. 2b; Fig. 5 schematically and in an isometric view the second exemplary embodiment of the simulation device according to the invention according to Fig. 2c as well as a detailed view of the strip- or filament-like area of ​​the tail region of this simulation device; Fig. 6 schematically and in an isometric view a modification of the second exemplary embodiment of the simulation device according to the invention according to Fig. 2c, namely with a reduced number of strip- or filament-like areas of the tail region; Fig.Figure 7 schematically and in an isometric view shows an exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention for applying fluids, in particular thermoplastic adhesives, to a substrate, wherein a nozzle arrangement of the system is replaced by a simulation device according to Figure 2c; and Figure 8 schematically and in an isometric view shows a further development of the system according to the invention for applying fluids, in particular thermoplastic adhesives, to a substrate, wherein a nozzle arrangement of the distributor or distributor head is replaced by an exemplary embodiment of the simulation device according to the invention, as well as a detailed view of the simulation device used there. The fact that thermoplastic adhesives form good bonds has long been recognized. They harden quickly, which is a particular advantage when the adhesive is applied in stages and the parts to be bonded are then joined immediately, resulting in a very strong bond. Furthermore, the selection of components from which thermoplastic adhesives can be composed is so extensive that a suitable adhesive composition can easily be produced for any given purpose. Nevertheless, the widespread use of these adhesives has been hampered by certain difficulties, insofar as the thermoplastic adhesive can sometimes not be applied, or can only be applied with great difficulty, in an automated manner to certain selected areas of a substrate, especially those with complex geometry and / or shape. The same applies to applications where, for example, decorative materials are to be applied to a substrate of a vehicle's interior trim component using an adhesive bond. In such applications, there is a fundamental risk that the bond between the decorative layer and the substrate will still be visible / recognizable and / or perceptible to the touch from the visible side (A-side) of the interior trim component, particularly if the adhesive layer is not applied to the substrate or decorative layer in a sufficiently large and even layer. Figure 1 schematically shows an isometric view of a system 12 for automatically applying a thermoplastic adhesive to specific areas of a substrate formed as a molded part. The system 12, schematically depicted for applying thermoplastic adhesives to a substrate 2 formed as a molded part, has a distributor head 4, which is preferably connected or connectable to a robot arm (not shown in Figure 1) or other actuator, and which can be moved along a direction of movement or along a movement path relative to the substrate 2 by means of the robot arm / actuator. As indicated in Fig. 1, the system 12 for applying thermoplastic adhesives has at least one nozzle assembly 3, which is preferably interchangeably connected to the distributor head 4 in a mounting area of ​​the distributor head 4. The at least one nozzle assembly 3 is essentially formed by an approximately rectangular base body 13, via which the nozzle assembly 3 is connected to the mounting area of ​​the distributor head 4. This essentially rectangular base body 13 of the nozzle assembly 3, viewed from above, has a front side surface in which a plurality of outlet nozzles 8 are formed. The main flow axes defined by the outlet nozzles 8, or rather the outlet openings of the outlet nozzles 8, along which the thermoplastic adhesive material discharged from the outlet nozzles 8 moves, form an essentially right angle with the front side surface of the base body 13 of the nozzle assembly 3. Furthermore, the front side surface of the base body 13 is oriented in the direction of movement of the distributor head 4. When applying the adhesive material, which is particularly thermoplastic, using the at least one nozzle arrangement 3, it is important that the outlet nozzles 8 of the nozzle arrangement 3 are arranged relatively close to the surface of the substrate 2 to be processed. In particular, for example in so-called decorative laminations, care must be taken to ensure that the distance between the exit nozzles 8 of the nozzle arrangement 3 and the substrate 2 or the substrate surface remains as constant as possible during the entire application process and is preferably in a range between 10 and 100 mm. Due to the required spray distance, precise and optimal positioning of the nozzle arrangement 3 to the substrate 2 is often not possible or only possible via complex programming of the robot arm or manipulator, with which the distributor head 4 with the nozzle arrangement 3 is moved relative to the substrate 2 to be processed. Another problem arises, particularly with the automated application of fluids, especially thermoplastic adhesives, when the surface of the substrate 2 to be processed is not flat or planar, but has, for example, a folded area, corners, edges, or other contours. With such substrates, care must be taken to ensure that, when applying the thermoplastic adhesive using the at least one nozzle arrangement 3, the nozzle arrangement 3 or the distributor head 4 does not touch the surface of the substrate 2. Therefore, prior to the actual application of thermoplastic adhesives to a substrate 2, an alignment of the distributor head 4 to the substrate surface and / or a movement path of the distributor head 4 relative to the substrate surface must be set and preferably checked or verified within the framework of a simulation of a fluid application onto the substrate 2 that can be realized with the at least one nozzle arrangement 3 of the distributor head 4. For this purpose, the present invention relates in particular to a corresponding simulation device 1 for simulating the application of fluid, including a thermoplastic or fibrous adhesive application, to a substrate 2 by means of at least one nozzle arrangement 3, which is preferably detachably or interchangeably attached or attachable to a mounting surface of a distributor or distributor head 4. Two exemplary embodiments of the simulation device 1 according to the invention are shown together with a nozzle arrangement 3, the fluid application of which onto a substrate 2 is to be simulated, in Figs. 2a to 2c. In particular, it can be seen from the illustrations in Figs. 2a to 2c that the exemplary embodiments of the simulation device 1 according to the invention are preferably designed as a kind of “dummy” of the nozzle arrangement 3 to be simulated. The embodiments of the simulation devices 1 each have a body area 5 which is preferably detachably or interchangeably connected to or on the mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head 4. Preferably, the body area 5 of the simulation devices 1 according to the first and second embodiments of the invention corresponds substantially in size and / or shape to the base body 13 of the nozzle arrangement 3 to be simulated. This ensures that the simulation device 1 can be attached to the corresponding mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head 4 instead of the nozzle assembly 3. In particular, in the embodiments shown in the drawings, the respective body area 5 of the simulation device 1 can be attached to the mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head 4 with the same or similar fastening means 14 (screws) as the fastening means 14 used in the nozzle assembly 3 to be simulated. The two embodiments of the simulation device 1 according to the invention shown in Figs. 2b and 2c each have a tail section 6 connected to the body area 5, in particular a flexibly connected tail section 6, with a plurality of strip- or filament-like areas 7. The strip- or filament-like areas 7 extend in a direction corresponding to the direction in which the nozzle arrangement 3 is moved relative to the substrate 2 during its transport with the distributor or distributor head 4. In this way, the tail section 6 of the respective simulation device 1 simulates the actual fluid application by the nozzle arrangement 3, i.e., the filament-like adhesive strips dispensed by the nozzle arrangement 3. The first exemplary embodiment of the simulation device 1 according to the invention, as shown in Fig. 2b, is described in more detail below with reference to the illustrations in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. As can be seen in particular from the detailed view in Fig. 3, in the first exemplary embodiment of the simulation device 1 according to the invention, it is provided that the individual strip- or filament-like areas 7 of the tail area 6 have a width seen perpendicular to the direction of extension, which preferably corresponds to a width of a fluid strip that can be emitted from the nozzle arrangement 3 to be simulated. Furthermore, it is provided that a distance between two adjacent strip- or filament-like areas 7 corresponds to a distance between two adjacent outlet nozzles 8 of the nozzle arrangement 3. In the first exemplary embodiment of the simulation device 1 according to the invention, the body region 5 of the simulation device 1 is designed as a surface element, as can be seen in particular from the exploded view in Fig. 4. The body region 5, designed as a surface element, is configured to be used as an intermediate plate in a nozzle assembly 3 designed as a laminated nozzle assembly. For example, in this context it is conceivable that the body area 5 of the simulation device 1, designed as a surface element, is assigned a lower part 10, via which the body area 5 is connected or connectable to the mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head 4. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the body area 5, designed as a surface element, is assigned an upper part 11, wherein the body area 5 is arranged between the lower and upper parts 11 and, in particular, can be clamped in place. Here, suitable positioning means 15 can be used, as indicated in Fig. 4. The positioning means 15 can, for example, be provided by corresponding holes in the body area 5, which is designed as a surface element, through which pins of the lower part 10 (or the upper part 11) engage in order to align the body area 5 relative to the lower part 10 and the upper part 11. The second exemplary embodiment of the simulation device 1 according to the invention, as shown in Fig. 2c, is described in more detail below with reference to the illustrations in Fig. 5. This embodiment of the simulation device 1 according to the invention is preferably formed in one piece, and in particular within the framework of a 3D printing process. The body region 5 of the simulation device 1, which corresponds in size and shape to the base body 13 of the nozzle arrangement 3 to be simulated, is connected to the tail region 6 of the simulation device 1 via a transition region 9. In cross-section, the transition region 9 is preferably, and in particular substantially, L-shaped, such that the tail region 6 with the strip- or filament-like regions 7 lies in or on a plane defined by the mounting surface of the distributor or distributor head 4. The detailed view in Fig. 5 shows that the strip- or filament-like areas 7 of the tail region 6 can be designed in cross-section as a rectangle or at least substantially as a rectangle, with a side running transverse to the extension direction of the strip- or filament-like areas 7 which is longer than the height of the rectangle. This measure ensures that the individual strip- or filament-like areas 7 of the tail area 6 are at least partially flexible in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the width direction of the body area 5 of the simulation device 1. Fig. 6 shows a schematic and isometric view of a modification of the second exemplary embodiment of the simulation device 1 according to the invention as shown in Fig. 2c or Fig. 5. The modification shown in Fig. 6 differs from the simulation device 1 according to the invention as shown in Fig. 5, in particular by the number of strip- or filament-like areas 7 of the tail area 6. Specifically, in the modification according to Fig. 6, only half the number of strip- or filament-like areas 7 provided in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 are used. In this way, it is particularly easy to adjust the actual spray pattern of the nozzle arrangement 3 to be simulated. Figures 7 and 8 show embodiments of the system according to the invention, which serves to apply fluids, in particular thermoplastic adhesives, to a substrate 2. The system 12 has a distributor head 4, which is preferably connected or connectable to an actuator, in particular in the form of a robot arm (not shown in Figures 7 and 8), and which is movable along a direction of movement relative to the substrate 2 to be processed. The system 12 further comprises at least one nozzle arrangement 3, which is preferably interchangeably connected to the distributor head 4 in a mounting area of ​​the distributor head 4. The at least one nozzle arrangement 3 is arranged in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head 4 such that an end face of a base body 13 of each nozzle arrangement 3 is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the distributor head 4, wherein the direction of movement corresponds in particular to the direction along which the distributor head 4 is moved when fluids are applied via the outlet nozzles 8 of the nozzle arrangement 3. As shown, the system 12 further comprises a simulation device 1 of the type according to the invention. This simulation device 1 serves to simulate the fluid application of a nozzle arrangement 3, wherein, instead of the nozzle arrangement 3 to be simulated, the body area 5 of the simulation device 1 is preferably interchangeably connected or connectable to the distributor head 4 in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head 4. In the system 12 shown in Fig. 7, a simulation device 1 according to the second exemplary embodiment (see Fig. 2c or Fig. 5) is used as the simulation device 1. In the system 12 shown schematically in Fig. 8, a modification of the simulation device 1 is used. This modified simulation device 1 differs from the simulation device 1 of the second exemplary embodiment, in particular in that joint areas are integrated in the tail section 6 to enable a defined deflection or elastic bending of the tail section 6. In detail, as shown in Fig. 8, the filaments 7 of the tail section 6 of the simulation device 1 are somewhat "immersed" in contact with the support surface. This immersion of the flexible filaments 7 causes them to bend. The simulation device 1 according to the invention is particularly useful in decorative lamination on the A-side of a substrate 2. There, too, difficult contours exist, for example, when spraying around openings such as door openers in door panels or openings for instruments in instrument panels. The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings, but results from a combination of all the features disclosed herein. Reference symbol list 1 Simulation device 2 Substrate 3 Nozzle assembly 4 Distributor / distributor head 5 Body area 6 Tail area 7 Strip or filament-like area 8 Nozzle assembly outlet nozzle 9 Transition area 10 Lower part 11 Upper part 12 Fluid application system 13 Base body 14 Fastening means 15 Positioning means

Claims

System (12) for applying fluids, in particular thermoplastic adhesives, to a substrate (2), wherein the system (12) comprises: - a distributor head (4), which is preferably connected or connectable to an actuator, in particular in the form of a robot arm, and which is movable along a direction of movement relative to the substrate (2);and- at least one nozzle arrangement (3) which is interchangeably connected to the distributor head (4) in a mounting area of ​​the distributor head (4), wherein the at least one nozzle arrangement (3) is arranged in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head (4) such that an end face of a base body (13) of the nozzle arrangement (3) is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the distributor head (4), wherein the direction of movement corresponds to the direction along which the distributor head (4) is moved when applying fluids via the outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement (3), and wherein the system (12) further comprises a device (1) for simulating fluid application to the substrate (2) by the at least one nozzle arrangement (3), wherein the device (1) comprises:- a body area (5) which can be detachably or interchangeably connected to or on the mounting surface of the distributor head (4);and a tail section (6) connected to the body section (5), in particular flexibly connected, with at least one strip- or filament-like section (7), wherein the at least one strip- or filament-like section (7) extends at least partially and / or in a direction of extension corresponding to a direction in which the nozzle arrangement (3) is moved relative to the substrate (2) during its transport with the distributor head (4), and wherein the at least one strip- or filament-like section (7) has a width perpendicular to the direction of extension, which preferably corresponds to a width of a fluid strip that can be discharged from the nozzle arrangement (3), wherein, to simulate the fluid application of the nozzle arrangement (3), the body section (5) of the device (1) is interchangeably connected or connectable to the distributor head (4) in the mounting area of ​​the distributor head (4) instead of the nozzle arrangement (3). System (12) according to claim 1, wherein the tail region (6) with the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7) extends at least substantially in a direction that corresponds to a longitudinal direction of the body region (5) or runs parallel to a longitudinal direction of the body region (5), wherein the tail region (6) with the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7) is designed to be flexibly bendable at least in certain areas in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse direction of the body region (5). System (12) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7) is designed in cross-section as a rectangle or at least substantially as a rectangle with a side extending transversely to the direction of extension of the strip- or filament-like region (7) which is longer than the height of the rectangle. System (12) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tail region (6) is elastically designed with the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7), in particular such that the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7) is elastically deformable by 90 degrees at a radius of curvature of 40 mm to 100 mm. System (12) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the tail section (6) has a plurality of strip- or filament-like areas (7) running parallel to each other, wherein the number of strip- or filament-like areas (7) is preferably adjustable or selectable and in particular corresponds to the number of outlet nozzles (8) of the nozzle arrangement (3). System (12) according to claim 5, wherein a distance between two adjacent strip- or filament-like areas (7) corresponds to a distance between two adjacent outlet nozzles (8) of the nozzle arrangement (3). System (12) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tail region (6) with the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7) is connected to the base body via a transition region (9), wherein the transition region (9) is preferably substantially L-shaped in cross-section, and wherein the tail region (6) with the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7) lies in or on a plane defined by the mounting surface of the distributor head (4). System (12) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the body region (5) preferably corresponds at least substantially in size and / or shape to the base body (13) of the nozzle arrangement (3), and wherein the tail region (6) is preferably connected centrally to an end face of the body region (5) with the at least one strip- or filament-like region (7). System (12) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the body area (5) is designed and constructed as a surface element, to be used as an intermediate plate in a nozzle assembly (3) designed as a laminated nozzle assembly unit. System (12) according to claim 9, wherein the body area (5) is associated with a lower part (10) via which the body area (5) is connected or connectable to the mounting surface of the distributor head (4), and an upper part (11), wherein the body area (5) is arranged between the lower and upper parts (10, 11). System (12) according to claim 10, wherein in the assembled state the lower part (10) and the upper part (11) with the body area (5) arranged between them preferably correspond at least substantially in size and / or shape to the base body (13) of the nozzle arrangement (3). System (12) according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the device (1) is manufactured as a plastic part, in particular within the framework of a 3D printing process.

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