APPARATUS FOR COATING ITEMS WITH COATING MATERIAL AND METHOD FOR COATING ITEMS WITH COATING MATERIAL

Description

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the surface treatment of workpieces and in particular to the preferably automatic coating of workpieces with coating material, in particular coating powder.

[0002] According to one aspect of the present invention, it relates to a system for the preferably automatic coating of objects with coating material, in particular coating powder. The system comprises a coating station with at least one coating gun for spraying coating material, in particular as needed, toward a coating area. The coating station can, for example, be provided at least partially inside a coating booth or coating cell.

[0003] Coating booths or coating cells for coating workpieces, particularly with coating powder, are generally known in the art. Such coating booths or coating cells typically comprise a coating chamber with two opposing workpiece passages. Typically, the coating booth or coating cell is associated with a conveyor device, particularly for continuously transporting objects to be coated through the coating area of ​​the coating station.

[0004] For example, the documents EP 0 706 102 A2, US 2018 / 043385 A1 and EP 2 712 680 A1 concern coating booths.

[0005] For example, EP 0 071 756 A2 relates to a coating booth with a conveyor device that transports the objects to be coated through the booth interior via an entrance and an exit. Coating material can be sprayed, as required, toward the coating area inside the coating booth using a spraying device, for example in the form of a hand-held spray gun, via a wall element that can be opened through at least one door. However, automatically controlled spray guns can also be provided. The at least one door also allows access to the booth interior. The spray guns can all be arranged on the same side of the booth. Prepared wall elements with slots for the passage of spray guns can also be provided on the opposite side.

[0006] Instead of a conveyor device for automatically transporting the objects to be coated through the booth interior, the objects to be coated can also be manually inserted into the booth interior and removed again after a coating process. Accordingly, the term "conveyor device" used herein also includes devices with which an object to be coated is manually transported / conveyed through the coating area, which is preferably located at least partially inside a coating booth or coating cell.

[0007] A conveyor device for automatically transporting the objects to be coated through the interior of the booth can be arranged in particular below the booth floor of the coating booth and can have a workpiece carrier which projects through a conveyor slot in the booth floor into the coating chamber of the coating booth.

[0008] Coating booths with such "floor conveyors" are used particularly for coating high-quality workpieces, as the placement of the conveyor below the booth floor allows for high coating quality. This is primarily due to the fact that "traditional" conveyors for suspended transport of workpieces through the coating chamber can encourage dirt particles or powder residue to fall off the conveyor, which can lead to irregularities in the coating.

[0009] When coating workpieces with coating material, in particular coating powder, there is a need to avoid any irregularities in the coating or coating defects, especially right from the outset, i.e. during the coating process.

[0010] To avoid or at least minimize coating irregularities or coating defects, various approaches are known, particularly for wet paint applications. These conventional approaches generally entail correcting the coating only after it has cured or solidified. Such subsequent error correction, i.e., after the actual coating process, generally requires appropriate tools or tooling devices.

[0011] However, due to the tools or tool devices used for error correction, as proposed, for example, in the document DE 19 539 065 A1, only simple surfaces without complex geometric transformations can be corrected.

[0012] In detail, for example, the tool proposed in the document DE 19 539 065 A1 must be placed on the surface of the already coated object, so that for a coating defect that is located, for example, in a forming surface, the tool would have to be adapted to the respective surface, which is expensive and time-consuming.

[0013] Furthermore, the approaches known from this state of the art only allow error correction on a cured coating, since the positioning of the tool device on the surface of the already coated object introduces additional coating errors into the still uncrosslinked or uncured coating.

[0014] In particular, the approaches known from the prior art are generally not suitable for actually correcting coating defects. Rather, the known approaches merely conceal coating defects by removing only parts of the coating defect or by removing and reapplying entire areas of the coating.

[0015] Based on this problem, the invention seeks to provide a method and a system for the preferably automatic coating of objects with coating material, in particular coating powder, whereby an optimal coating result can be achieved during the coating process itself, particularly without requiring the experience and skill of the system operator or coating gun operator. In particular, consistent coating quality should be achieved while simultaneously reducing manual coating work.

[0016] A further object of the invention is to provide a system for the preferably automatic coating of objects with coating material, in particular coating powder, which not only achieves optimal coating results even for objects with complex geometric shapes or recesses, but also simultaneously saves resources (coating material and energy). Furthermore, the initial application efficiency is to be increased, particularly without the need for manual coating.

[0017] This object is achieved in particular by a system for the preferably automatic coating of objects with coating material, in particular coating powder, wherein the system has a coating station with at least one coating gun for spraying coating material in the direction of a coating area, in particular as required, and a conveying device for transporting objects to be coated, in particular continuously, through the coating area.

[0018] The system may in particular comprise a device for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object to be coated in a monitoring area located upstream of the coating station, as seen in the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0019] Furthermore, a control device is provided which is designed to control the at least one coating gun of the coating station depending on the detection result and in particular with a time delay.

[0020] By providing a corresponding device for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object to be coated, it is possible to dynamically control the at least one coating gun of the coating station, in particular only when the object to be coated is actually located in the coating area of ​​the coating station.

[0021] In this simple but effective way, a significant saving in coating material and reduced overspray can be achieved, which can ultimately also lead to improved coating quality.

[0022] The device for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object to be coated preferably comprises a button arranged in the monitoring area and / or a contactless sensor system, in particular in the form of a light barrier and / or in the form of a light curtain, although other implementations are of course also possible.

[0023] A light barrier, as defined in the present invention, is a system that detects the interruption of a light beam and indicates it as an electrical signal. In this way, the presence and / or absence detection device can be used to non-contact detect the objects to be coated moving through the monitored area.

[0024] The control device is preferably designed to suitably control the at least one coating gun of the coating station depending on the detection result and depending on a conveying speed and / or a distance between the monitoring area and the coating area.

[0025] According to further developments, the device for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object to be coated is also designed to detect the conveying speed at which the object to be coated is conveyed through the monitoring area.

[0026] The system according to the invention allows objects to be coated, in particular automatically. In the preferably automatic coating process, at least one object to be coated is conveyed along a transport path through a coating area of ​​a coating station with the aid of a conveyor device, preferably at a constant conveying speed. In a monitoring area located on the transport path of the at least one object to be coated and—as viewed in the conveying direction of the conveyor device—upstream of the coating area, the presence or absence of an object to be coated is further detected in the coating process according to the invention.

[0027] According to the invention, the coating method according to the invention provides that, when it is detected that an object to be coated is present in the monitored area, coating material is sprayed in the coating station, particularly with a time delay, using at least one coating gun in the direction of the coating area. Preferably, the coating material is sprayed in the direction of the coating area with a time delay dependent on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitored area and the coating area.

[0028] Furthermore, the coating method according to the invention provides that, if it is detected that no object to be coated is present in the monitored area, no coating material is sprayed in the direction of the coating area in the coating station, particularly with a time delay, using the at least one coating gun. Here, too, it is preferred that the at least one coating gun be deactivated with a time delay dependent on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitored area and the coating area.

[0029] The object underlying the invention is achieved by a system for the preferably automatic coating of objects with coating material, in particular coating powder, wherein the system has a coating station with at least one coating gun for spraying coating material in the direction of a coating area, in particular as required, and a conveyor device for transporting objects to be coated, in particular continuously, through the coating area, wherein according to the invention the system in particular has a device for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one area of ​​an object to be coated in a monitoring area located upstream of the coating station, as seen in the conveying direction of the conveyor device.

[0030] According to the invention, a positioning device is assigned to the coating station, in particular to position the at least one coating gun relative to the coating area selectively and / or as needed. Furthermore, a control device can be provided, which is designed to suitably control the positioning device of the coating station depending on the detected size, geometry, and / or contour of the object to be coated, and in particular with a time delay.

[0031] According to the invention, the coating system can of course also comprise a device for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object to be coated in a monitoring area located upstream of the coating station, as seen in the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0032] According to the invention, a control device is further provided which is designed to suitably control the at least one coating gun of the coating station as a function of the detection result and in particular with a time delay.

[0033] In other words, a preferably automatic coating system is specified in which - viewed in the conveying direction of the conveyor device - upstream of the coating station, on the one hand, the presence and / or absence of an object to be coated is detected and, on the other hand, the size, geometry and / or contour of at least one area of ​​the object to be coated is / is detected. With this information, the control device is used to adjust the at least one coating gun of the coating station and, in particular, the positioning device of the coating station in such a way that (i) that the at least one coating gun preferably only sprays coating material in the direction of the coating area when the object to be coated is actually located in the coating area; and / or (ii) that with the aid of the positioning device, the at least one coating gun is preferably dynamically positioned in the coating area of ​​the coating station in such a way that a predetermined or definable distance (and in particular optimal with regard to the application of the coating material) and / or a predetermined or definable alignment / orientation (and in particular optimal with regard to the application of the coating material) to the surface of the object to be coated is set and / or maintained between the coating gun and the surface of the object to be coated.

[0034] The device for detecting the size, geometry, and / or contour of at least one area of ​​an object to be coated thus enables dynamic contour detection, which, particularly in the automation of the coating system, delivers optimal coating results even with complex geometries of the object to be coated. This makes it possible to detect complex object geometries and position at least one coating gun of the coating station optimally to coat the object in the coating area of ​​the coating station.

[0035] Accordingly, according to the invention, in particular a method for the automatic coating of objects can be implemented, wherein with the aid of a conveying device at least one object to be coated is conveyed along a transport path through a coating area of ​​a coating station, preferably at a constant conveying speed, and wherein in a monitoring area which is on the transport path of the at least one object to be coated and - viewed in the conveying direction of the conveying device - upstream of the coating area, a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one area of ​​an object to be coated is / is detected.

[0036] In the particularly automatic coating method, at least one coating gun is positioned and / or aligned in the horizontal and / or vertical direction and / or in the conveying direction with reference to the coating area with the aid of a positioning device in the coating station, in particular with a time delay, such that when the object to be coated is conveyed through the coating area, the at least one coating gun always has a predetermined or definable distance and / or a predetermined or definable alignment to the surface of the object to be coated.

[0037] Preferably, the at least one coating gun is positioned and / or aligned dynamically and in particular with a time delay depending on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitoring area and the coating area.

[0038] According to the present invention, it is provided that the device for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one area of ​​an object to be coated has a first optical detection system in the form of at least one first laser scanning system, which is designed to scan and / or sweep over the at least one area of ​​the object to be coated in the monitoring area, in particular in a line or grid manner, with at least one laser beam in order to measure it.

[0039] The term "laser scanning system" used herein generally refers to a system with which a laser beam can be scanned over line- or grid-like surfaces or bodies in order to measure, process, or generate an image. A laser scanning system according to the present disclosure comprises, in particular, a laser scanner, i.e., sensors that deflect the laser beam accordingly. Laser scanners can also be used that, in addition to the object geometry, also detect the intensity of the reflected signal.

[0040] A laser scanner used in a laser scanner system preferably consists of a scan head and driver and control electronics. The electronics consist of a power electronics component that supplies the current for the drives and scanner software, running on a PC or embedded system, for example, that controls the driver electronics. The laser beam is deflected in the scan head, and its deflection angle is measured and preferably electronically controlled.

[0041] In the first optical detection system or in the at least one first laser scanning system of the first optical detection system, it is not absolutely necessary for the at least one laser beam to be deflected relative to the object to be measured and horizontally relative to the conveying direction of the object to be measured in order to achieve a sweep of the laser beam, since preferably with the aid of the conveying device the object to be coated and measured is transported through the monitoring area in particular continuously, ie with preferably a constant conveying speed.

[0042] According to the invention, the at least one laser beam of the first laser scanning system runs in a first direction relative to the conveying direction of the conveying device and in particular perpendicular or at least substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction.

[0043] In other words, the first laser scanning system is preferably aligned orthogonally with respect to the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0044] Preferably, the first laser scanning system is designed as a polar measuring laser scanning system and is configured to sweep and / or scan the at least one region of the object to be coated in the monitoring area in the vertical direction with the at least one laser beam.

[0045] The object or contour detection achieved in this way can increase process reliability and achieve optimal coating results. The objects to be coated are detected with the (first) laser scanning system, and at least one coating gun is dynamically positioned in the coating station in an optimal and / or aligned manner, depending on the geometric structure of the object to be coated in the coating area. Preferably, the coating station has a plurality of coating guns, which can be individually positioned in the coating station, preferably depending on the geometric structure of the object, using dynamic contour detection.

[0046] According to the invention, the device for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one region of an object to be coated further comprises at least one second laser scanning system which is designed to scan and / or sweep over the at least one region of the object to be coated with at least one laser beam in the monitoring region of the device for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour, in particular in a line-like or grid-like manner, in order to measure it, wherein the at least one laser beam of the at least one second laser scanning system runs obliquely relative to the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0047] With this further development, even thin geometries of the object to be coated, such as struts or side walls of boxes, can be detected. Such thinner geometries can only be partially detected with the first laser scanning system, which is aligned orthogonally with respect to the conveying direction of the conveyor device, depending on the conveying speed. By providing a further, second laser scanning system, whose at least one laser beam is aligned obliquely to the conveying direction of the conveyor device, the geometries of the object to be coated or measured can be detected from a further perspective. In this way, the resolution that can be achieved with the device for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour is significantly increased, in particular regardless of the conveying speed of the conveyor device.

[0048] The at least one laser beam of the at least one second laser scanning system runs in particular at an obtuse angle relative to the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0049] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one laser beam of the at least one second laser scanning system runs at an acute angle relative to the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0050] The at least one second laser scanning system is preferably designed as a 2D laser scanning system and is configured to vertically scan and / or cover the at least one region of the object to be coated in the monitoring area with the at least one laser beam in order to measure the size, contour or geometry of the object.

[0051] In particular, it is fundamentally conceivable that the at least one second laser scanning system is designed as a system separate from the first laser scanning system.

[0052] However, to minimize the overall size, a (single) compact system is preferred in which the first and at least one second laser scanning system are jointly integrated. Such a compact system, which implements the function of the first and at least one second laser scanning system, is particularly designed to scan at least some areas of a 3D surface of the object to be coated in the monitoring area of ​​the device for detecting a size, geometry, and / or contour.

[0053] Scanning a 3D surface with a laser beam requires different scanning mechanisms to move the laser across the surface. For example, the scanning process can be performed using two orthogonally mounted mirrors. Alternatively, the laser beam can scan in one direction using the scanning mirror, which rotates using a mechanical device.

[0054] According to implementations of the first and / or the at least one second laser scanner system, at least one triangulation scanner is used, which projects a line instead of a single point. In this case, the scan is limited to one direction. Projections of multiple lines or stripe patterns allow the acquisition of entire fields.

[0055] The simplest method to generate a scanning motion is to change the orientation of a mirror that reflects the laser beam. In a spatial dimension, this can be achieved using a galvanometer drive, a continuously rotating mirror, or a continuously rotating mirror prism (polygon mirror), depending on whether a freely programmable motion (vector control) or a periodic motion (line, image) is desired. A distinction is therefore usually made between vector scanners and raster scanners.

[0056] For two-dimensional deflection, either a mirror must be deflected in two directions—as is primarily used in slow systems—or two orthogonally rotatable stationary mirrors are placed close together, over which the laser beam is reflected. The two plane or polygon mirrors are then each driven by a galvanometer drive or electric motor.

[0057] The positioning device of the coating station is particularly designed to move the at least one coating gun horizontally relative to the coating area perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveyor device. The coating station preferably has a plurality of coating guns, which are arranged at least partially vertically one above the other. The coating guns are each aligned in the direction of the coating area and can be individually moved horizontally relative to one another and relative to the coating area with the aid of the positioning device.

[0058] Alternatively or additionally, the positioning device is designed to move the at least one coating gun or the individual coating guns independently of one another vertically relative to the coating area perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0059] The invention further relates to a method for automatically coating objects with coating material, in particular coating powder.

[0060] According to the coating method according to the invention, at least one object to be coated is conveyed along a transport path through a coating area of ​​a coating station with the aid of a conveying device, preferably at a constant conveying speed. In the coating method according to the invention,

[0061] It is further provided that in a monitoring area which is located on the transport path of the at least one object to be coated and - viewed in the conveying direction of the conveying device - upstream of the coating area, a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one area of ​​an object to be coated is / is detected.

[0062] In this context, it is provided that with the aid of a positioning device in the coating station, in particular with a time delay and preferably with a time delay dependent on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitoring area and the coating area, at least one coating gun is positioned and / or aligned in the horizontal and / or vertical direction and / or in the conveying direction with respect to the coating area in such a way that when the object to be coated is conveyed through the coating area, the at least one coating gun always has a predetermined or definable distance and / or a predetermined or definable alignment to the surface of the object to be coated.

[0063] According to the invention, in the coating method according to the invention, the size, geometry and / or contour of at least one region of the object to be coated is / are detected by scanning the object at least in part with the aid of at least one first laser beam which runs perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device and with the aid of at least one second laser beam which runs obliquely to the conveying direction of the conveying device.

[0064] An exemplary embodiment of the coating system according to the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] They show: FIG. 1 schematically and in a plan view an exemplary embodiment of the coating system according to the invention; and FIG. 2 schematically and in a side view the coating area of ​​the exemplary embodiment of the coating system according to FIG. 1 .

[0066] The present invention is based in particular on the problem that automatic coating is generally not possible efficiently with a large variety of parts, complex geometries, and small batch sizes. Covering this variety requires either extensive manual coating or the use of a robot that must be programmed separately for each variation. In either case, this involves a technical effort that requires well-trained personnel as well as space in and around the coating booth 2.

[0067] In conventional coating processes, all coating guns 3 are positioned together in depth (i.e., in the Y-direction) using a width detection system. This usually requires a safety distance from the object 11 to be coated in the coating area 4 to avoid collisions between the coating guns 3 and the parts of the object 11 to be coated. A robot, on the other hand, can follow each contour individually and precisely. This, in turn, requires a significant programming effort, the storage of all part variations in the production process, and a coating booth 2 with space and the appropriate exhaust air volume.

[0068] The dynamic contour recognition proposed by the present invention offers an economical alternative to the technically relatively complex robot system.

[0069] As will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, laser scanner systems at the entrance or in the entrance area of ​​a coating booth 2 (coating station) permanently record the outer contour of the objects 11 to be coated.

[0070] The data from the laser scanner systems are transmitted via a control device 13 to a positioning device 10, which is preferably designed to position the coating guns 3, which are carried by a positioning device 10 or can be positioned in another way, at least in the vertical (Z direction) and / or in the Y direction, which runs perpendicular to the Z direction and perpendicular to a transport direction (= X direction) of the objects 11 to be coated. In particular, the positioning device 10 is designed to precisely position the coating guns 3 individually and continuously in front of the object 11 to be coated in the coating station 2. The result is maximum efficiency and optimal coating results.

[0071] Continuous contour detection integrated into the coating process by at least one laser scanner system enables a high degree of automation even for standard systems. Time-consuming axes positioning or manual programming of part shapes are eliminated.

[0072] In detail, and as can be seen from the schematic representation in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 can be seen, the exemplary embodiment of the preferably automatic coating system 1 has a coating station 2, which is designed in particular in the form of a coating booth 2.

[0073] Coating guns 3 (in the Y direction) can be moved into the interior of the coating station 2 with the aid of a positioning device 10 in order to spray coating material in the direction of a coating area 4, in particular as required.

[0074] The coating system 1 is further assigned a conveyor device 12, in particular for continuously transporting the objects 11 to be coated through the coating area 4 in the coating station / coating booth 2. Preferably, the objects 11 are transported at a constant and predefined or definable transport or conveying speed, in particular in the X direction.

[0075] The conveying device 12 is, for example, a so-called "floor conveyor", in which the conveying device 12 is arranged below the booth floor of the coating booth 2.

[0076] Alternatively, it is also conceivable to transport the objects 11 to be coated hanging through the coating area 4 of the coating station 2.

[0077] As in FIG. 1As indicated, the coating booth 2 forming the coating station has an upstream entrance and a downstream exit—as seen in the transport direction of the conveyor device 12. The coating area 4 is provided inside the coating booth 2 between the entrance and the exit.

[0078] The individual coating guns 3 are positioned and / or aligned relative to the object 11 to be coated with the aid of the aforementioned positioning device 10 through openings in the side walls.

[0079] The coating system 1 is characterized in that it comprises a device 6 for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object 11 to be coated in a monitoring area 7 located upstream of the coating station 2—as seen in the conveying direction of the conveyor device 12. This device 6 for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object 11 to be coated is, in particular, a light barrier or a light curtain.

[0080] With the device 6 for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object 11 to be coated in the monitoring area 7 located upstream of the coating station 2 - as seen in the conveying direction of the conveyor device 12 - objects 11 can be coated in an automatic manner, whereby resources (in particular coating material) can be saved since excessive overspray is effectively prevented.

[0081] In the preferably automatic coating process, the objects 11 to be coated are conveyed along a transport path through the coating area 4 of a coating station 2 with the aid of the conveyor device 12, preferably at a constant conveying speed. The presence or absence of an object 11 to be coated is detected in the monitoring area 7 of the device 6 for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object 11 to be coated, which is located on the transport path of the objects 11 to be coated and—as seen in the conveying direction of the conveyor device 12—upstream of the coating area 4.

[0082] In particular, the coating method according to the invention provides that, when it is detected that an object 11 to be coated is present in the monitoring area 7, coating material is sprayed in the coating station 2, particularly with a time delay, using at least one coating gun 3 in the direction of the coating area 4. Preferably, the coating material is sprayed in the direction of the coating area 4 with a time delay dependent on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitoring area 7 and the coating area 4.

[0083] Furthermore, in the coating method according to the invention, it is particularly provided that when it is detected that no object 11 to be coated is present in the monitoring area 7, no coating material is sprayed in the direction of the coating area 4 in the coating station 2, in particular with a time delay using the at least one coating gun 3.

[0084] Here too, it is preferred that the at least one coating gun 3 is deactivated with a time delay depending on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitoring area 7 and the coating area 4.

[0085] In particular, the signals of the device 6 for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object 11 to be coated are thus fed to a control device 13, which is designed to control the coating guns 3 of the coating station 2 depending on the detection result and in particular with a time delay.

[0086] Preferably, an encoder is provided which interacts with the conveying device 12 and is designed to detect the conveying speed at which the object 11 to be coated is conveyed through the monitoring area 7.

[0087] With this information, the control device 13 can specifically activate or deactivate the individual coating guns 3 of the coating station 2, namely as soon as the object 11 to be coated is present in the coating area 4 of the coating station 2 or as soon as the object 11 is conveyed out of the coating area 4.

[0088] Additionally, the system 1 according to the invention includes a device 8 for detecting a size, geometry, and / or contour of at least one area of ​​an object 11 to be coated. This device 8 measures the object 11 to be coated in a monitoring area 9 located upstream of the coating station 2—as seen in the conveying direction of the conveyor device 12.

[0089] The determined data regarding the size, geometry, and / or contour of the object 11 to be coated are fed to the control device 13. This, in turn, appropriately controls the positioning devices 10 of the respective coating guns 3, specifically such that the coating guns 3 in the coating area 4 of the coating station 2 precisely follow the contours of the object 11 to be coated or are always positioned and / or aligned such that a predetermined or definable distance exists between the coating guns 3 and the surface of the object 11 to be coated.

[0090] According to the embodiment shown in the drawings, a first laser scanning system is used to measure the size, geometry and / or contour of the object 11 to be coated, which first laser scanning system is designed to sweep and / or scan the at least one region of the object 11 to be coated in the monitoring area 9, in particular in a line-like or grid-like manner, with at least one first laser beam 14 in order to measure it.

[0091] The at least one first laser beam 14 of the first laser scanning system runs perpendicular or at least substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device 12.

[0092] The first laser scanning system is in particular a polar laser scanning system or 2D laser scanning system, which is designed to sweep and / or scan the at least one region of the object 11 to be coated in the monitoring area 9 in the vertical direction with the at least one first laser beam 14.

[0093] With this orthogonal alignment of the first laser scanning system, even relatively thin geometries of the object 11 to be coated, such as struts or side walls, can be detected - as long as the conveying speed of the conveying device 12 is sufficiently low.

[0094] However, the resolution of the orthogonally aligned first laser scanning system depends on the conveyor speed. Geometry detection is approximately linear with conveyor speed. In other words, doubling the conveyor speed means doubling the smallest geometry that can just be detected.

[0095] To refine the component geometry detection, the inventive solution utilizes at least one additional (second) laser scanner system, which not only captures the geometries in an "orthogonal" manner, but also captures geometries from at least one additional perspective. The laser is equipped with multiple scanning planes and scans multiple planes.

[0096] For this purpose, an encoder attached to the conveyor device 12 provides the information regarding the speed at which the object 11 to be coated is moving or the position of the object 11. The information from at least two planes and the speed information enable the detection of even the smallest / thinnest geometries purely through coordinate transformation. The laser scanner systems measure the distance between the laser scanner and the object 11 and transmit this information, along with the position of the object 11 (conveyor position), to an evaluation unit. This information is clocked downstream in a shift register at the conveyor speed in order to control the positioning device 10 and guns 3. The angularly offset distance measurement using the second laser scanner system increases the accuracy of the orthogonally performed distance measurement using the first laser scanner system.

[0097] In a further step, the individual measured values ​​and the speed are evaluated in order to individually control the individual coating guns 3 in the coating station 2.

[0098] The laser scanners of the first and at least one second laser scanner system, which are part of the contour detection device 8, preferably operate two-dimensionally. They measure the distance to the object 11 in front of them, so that the individual coating guns 3 in the coating station 2 can be individually and dynamically controlled using the additional information about the conveying position.

[0099] The scanned object contour is preferably divided into zones to position and activate each individual coating gun 3 of the coating station 2 accordingly. Depending on the object geometry, the coating guns 3 oscillate in the coating station 2 or remain in a fixed position. Each individual axis of the positioning device 10 is adjusted according to the detected part geometry. An encoder ensures the synchronization of the components with the coating gun position.

[0100] To minimize the overall size of the coating system 1 schematically illustrated in the drawings, a (single) compact system 8 is preferred, in which the first and at least one second laser scanning system are jointly integrated. This system implements the function of the first and at least one second laser scanning system and is particularly designed to scan at least some areas of a 3D surface of the object 11 to be coated in the monitoring area 9 of the device 8 for detecting a size, geometry, and / or contour.

[0101] In particular, in this context it is provided that in order to detect a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one area of ​​an object 11 to be coated in the monitoring area 9, in particular in a line-like or grid-like manner, the at least one area of ​​the object 11 to be coated is scanned and / or swept over with at least one first laser beam 14 in order to measure it, wherein the at least one first laser beam 14 runs in a first direction relative to the conveying direction of the conveying device 12 and in particular perpendicular or at least substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction.

[0102] Furthermore, in the coating system 1 shown schematically in the drawings, it is provided that in the monitoring area 9 of the device 8 for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour, at least one area of ​​the object 11 to be coated is scanned and / or swept over with at least one second laser beam 15, in particular in a line-like or grid-like manner, wherein the at least one second laser beam 15 runs at an acute angle relative to the conveying direction of the conveying device 12.

[0103] Furthermore, it is provided that in the monitoring area 9 of the device 8 for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour, the at least one area of ​​the object 11 to be coated is scanned and / or swept over with at least one third laser beam 16, in particular in a line-like or grid-like manner, wherein the at least one third laser beam 16 extends at an obtuse angle relative to the conveying direction of the conveying device 12.

[0104] In this way, the laser scanner systems permanently record the outer contour of the objects 11 to be coated at the entrance or in the entrance area of ​​the coating booth 2 (coating station).

[0105] The data of the laser scanner systems are transmitted via a control device 13 to the positioning device 10, which in the coating system 1 shown schematically in the drawings is designed to position the coating guns 3 carried by a positioning device 10 or which can be positioned in another way at least in the vertical (Z-direction) and / or in the Y-direction and / or to deflect them in the conveying direction if necessary.

[0106] In particular, the positioning device 10 is designed to precisely position the coating guns 3 individually and continuously in front of the object 11 to be coated in the coating station 2. The result is maximum efficiency and optimal coating results. List of reference symbols

[0107] 1 Coating system 2 Coating station 3 Coating gun 4 Coating area 6 Device for detecting the presence and / or absence of an object to be coated 7 Monitoring area of ​​the device for detecting the presence and / or absence 8 Device for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour 9 Monitoring area of ​​the device for detecting a size, geometry and / or contour 10 Positioning device 11 Object 12 Conveyor device 13 Control device 14 Laser beam of the first laser scanning system / first laser beam 15 Laser beam of the at least one second laser scanning system / second laser beam 16 Laser beam of the at least one second laser scanning system / third laser beam

Claims

1. Installation (1) for preferably automatically coating objects (11) with coating material, in particular coating powder, wherein the installation (1) comprises the following: - a coating station (2) having at least one coating gun (3) for spraying coating material, in particular as required, in the direction of a coating region (4); - a conveying apparatus (12) for in particular continuously transporting objects (11) to be coated through the coating region (4); and - a device (8) for capturing a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one region of an object (11) to be coated in a monitoring region (9) located - when viewed in the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12) - upstream of the coating station (2), wherein the coating station (2) is assigned a positioning device (10) for positioning the at least one coating gun (3) relative to the coating region (4), in particular selectively and / or if required, and wherein furthermore a control device (13) is provided, which is configured to control the positioning device (10) of the coating station (2) in dependence on the captured size, geometry and / or contour of the object (11) to be coated and in particular with a time delay, characterized in that the device (8) for capturing a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one region of an object (11) to be coated has a first optical capture system in the form of at least one first laser scanning system, which is configured to scan and / or to sweep over the at least one region of the object (11) to be coated in the monitoring region (9) with at least one first laser beam (14) in order to measure the region, wherein the at least one first laser beam (14) of the first laser scanning system travels in a first direction perpendicular or at least substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction, relative to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12), and in that the device (8) for capturing a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one region of an object (11) to be coated has at least one second optical capture system in particular in the form of at least one second laser scanning system, which is configured to scan and / or to sweep over the at least one region of the object (11) to be coated in the monitoring region (9) of the device (8) for capturing a size, geometry and / or contour in particular line-by-line or in the manner of a grid with at least one second laser beam (15, 16) in order to measure the region, wherein the at least one second laser beam (15, 16) of the at least one second optical capture system travels in a second direction, which differs from the first direction and is at an angle to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12), relative to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12).

2. Installation (1) according to Claim 1, wherein the at least one first laser scanning system is designed in particular as a polar measuring laser scanning system and is configured to scan and / or to sweep over the at least one region of the object (11) to be coated in the monitoring region (9) in the vertical direction line-by-line or in the manner of a grid with the at least one first laser beam (14).

3. Installation (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one second optical capture system has at least one second laser scanning system, which is configured to scan and / or to sweep over the at least one region of the object (11) to be coated in the monitoring region (7) of the device (8) for capturing a size, geometry and / or contour in particular line-by-line or in the manner of a grid with at least one second laser beam (15, 16) in order to measure the region, wherein the at least one second laser beam (15, 16) of the at least one second laser scanning system travels at an obtuse angle relative to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12); and / or wherein the at least one second optical capture system has at least one second laser scanning system, which is configured to scan and / or to sweep over the at least one region of the object (11) to be coated in the monitoring region (9) of the device (8) for capturing a size, geometry and / or contour in particular line-by-line or in the manner of a grid with at least one second laser beam (15, 16) in order to measure the region, wherein the at least one second laser beam (15, 16) of the at least one second laser scanning system travels at an acute angle relative to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12).

4. Installation (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one second laser scanning system is designed in particular as a polar measuring laser scanning system and is configured to sweep over and / or to scan the at least one region of the object (11) to be coated in the monitoring region (9) in the direction which is at an angle to the conveying direction with the at least one second laser beam (15, 16).

5. Installation (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one coating gun (3) is oriented perpendicularly or at least substantially perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12), and wherein the positioning device (10) is configured to horizontally move the at least one coating gun (3) relative to the coating region (4) perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12); and / or wherein the positioning device (10) is configured to vertically move the at least one coating gun (3) relative to the coating region (4) perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12).

6. Installation (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the coating station (2) has a multiplicity of coating guns (3) which are preferably arranged vertically one above the other, wherein the coating guns (3) are each oriented in the direction of the coating region (4) and are horizontally and / or vertically movable relative to one another and relative to the coating region (4).

7. Installation (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the installation (1) has at least one coating cabin or coating cell, wherein the coating station (2) is arranged at least partly in the interior of the at least one coating cabin or coating cell.

8. Method for preferably automatically coating objects (11) with a coating material, in particular coating powder, wherein the method comprises the following method steps: - conveying at least one object (11) to be coated with the aid of a conveying apparatus (12) along a transport path through a coating region (4) of a coating station (2), specifically preferably at a constant conveying speed; and - detecting the presence or absence of an object (11) to be coated in a monitoring region (7) which lies on the transport path of the at least one object (11) to be coated and - when viewed in the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12) - upstream of the coating region (4); wherein, if the presence of an object (11) to be coated is detected in the monitoring region (7), coating material is sprayed with at least one coating gun (3) in the direction of the coating region (4) in the coating station (2) in particular with a time delay and preferably with a time delay that is dependent on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitoring region (7) and the coating region (4); and wherein, if no presence of an object (11) to be coated is detected in the monitoring region (7), no coating material is sprayed with the at least one coating gun (3) in the direction of the coating region (4) in the coating station (2) in particular with a time delay and preferably with a time delay which is dependent on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitoring region (7) and the coating region (4), characterized in that the method comprises the following method step: - capturing a size, geometry and / or contour of at least one region of an object (11) to be coated in a monitoring region (9) which lies on the transport path of the at least one object (11) to be coated and - when viewed in the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12) - upstream of the coating region (4); wherein, in the coating station (2), in particular with a time delay and preferably with a time delay which is dependent on the conveying speed and a distance between the monitoring region (9) and the coating region (4), at least one coating gun (3) is positioned and / or oriented with the aid of a positioning device (10) in the horizontal and / or vertical direction and / or in the conveying direction with reference to the coating region (4) such that, if the object (11) to be coated is conveyed through the coating region (4), the at least one coating gun (3) always has a previously defined or definable distance and / or a previously defined or definable orientation relative to the surface of the object (11) to be coated, wherein the size, geometry and / or contour of the at least one region of the object (11) to be coated are / is captured by way of at least partially scanning the object (11) with the aid of at least one first laser beam (14), which travels perpendicularly to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12), and with the aid of at least one second laser beam (15, 16), which travels at an angle to the conveying direction of the conveying apparatus (12).