System for adjusting, preloading and compacting paint by hammering and corresponding method

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for adjusting, preloading and compacting paint by hammering and corresponding method. The system for adjusting, preloading and compacting paint comprises at least one hammering tool (1), a support configured to hold a part to be treated (3) and at least one robotic arm (4) designed to be connected to each of the hammering tools (1), wherein each hammering tool (1) comprises at least one tip (2) designed so as to be able to be vibrated by a vibrating device, the system further comprising computing means capable of executing all or part of a method and manual controls designed to be used by an operator, wherein the adjusting and preloading system enables compression to be applied or the sacrificial anodic properties of the paint to be achieved on at least a portion of the surface of the part to be treated (3).

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] TITLE: System for adjusting, prestressing and compacting paint by hammering and corresponding process.

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The technical field of the invention is adjustment, compression or compaction tools for local retouching.

[0005] Previous techniques

[0006] The projection of media by spraying is used for numerous applications such as stripping, cleaning / stripping of polluted surfaces (oxidized or corrosion products), the compression of surfaces subjected to mechanical fatigue to delay the initiation and propagation of cracks, the compaction of inorganic paints with aluminum pigments so as to give them a sacrificial anode character allowing the protection of steel surfaces against atmospheric corrosion phenomena.

[0007] Compression results from the conversion of the kinetic energy of the projected media into plastic deformation upon impact against the surface to be treated.

[0008] Media blasting, such as sandblasting or media blasting for paint compaction, can leave embedded media residue on the surface of the treated part or treated coatings. These residues can have deleterious effects on:

[0009] - The mechanical properties of the substrate in the case of incrustation of hard abrasive media (for example, corundum) which can generate a reduction in fatigue and the endurance limit,

[0010] - Galvanic coupling effects between the embedded media and the material of the treated part (e.g., steel balls embedded on titanium substrates)

[0011] - The release of hard particles in the case of parts painted with aluminum paints with inorganic binder and compacted by projection of media (for example, corundum) which can compromise the functional integrity of certain parts of a sub-assembly of the turbomachine located downstream of the treated part.

[0012] These various incrustation phenomena resulting from media blasting generally require chemical or mechanical decontamination operations, or strategies to trap the incrusted media in order to prevent their release (for example, applying two coats of paint to trap the media on the surface of the first coat).

[0013] Sometimes when media blasting is performed on hard-to-reach areas or in the case of touch-ups, it may be necessary to re-blast an area. Re-blasting a small area requires protecting the rest of the part, where re-blasting cannot be performed again to avoid over-blasting of properly treated areas. This masking step is often a long, tedious and delicate operation to carry out. This operation can also be the cause of the appearance of new defects during handling operations or when masking is delicate.

[0014] There is a need for a device that allows local regrinding without masking.

[0015] There is also a need for a shot blasting device and process that minimizes the risk of media incrustation.

[0016] Finally, there is a need for a sacrificial paint compaction device and method that minimizes the risk of hard media encrustation.

[0017] An answer to these needs can be found in hammering.

[0018] Local hammering allows the surface of a part to be compressed with a tool.

[0019] The local hammering tool comprises a head comprising at least one tungsten carbide tip, the tips being vibrated using a portable device so as to impact the surface to be treated and introduce residual compressive stresses therein. The tool may be flexible. Hammering also makes it possible to carry out a compaction operation on the paint layer, so as to bring the metal particles on the surface into contact to make the paint layer dense and electrically conductive, without degrading the physical integrity and cosmetic appearance of the paint. Thanks to hammering, the paint acquires its sacrificial properties.

[0020] However, hammering is a manual process that could not be used to treat an entire part, both from an economic point of view and from the point of view of treatment time.

[0021] Similarly, in the case of local compactions that are difficult to access for media projection or in the case of local touch-ups of aluminum paints with inorganic binders requiring compaction, the local touch-up requires first sanding the defect area, then reapplying the paint in the touched-up area and carrying out a compaction operation after baking so that the paint can express its sacrificial character. This observation is all the more true for the new aluminum paint systems with inorganic binders compatible with the Reach regulations. This compaction operation is then absolutely necessary. Like shot blasting operations, carrying out local compaction of the paint by hammering is an operation that is difficult to carry out due to the need to protect the areas already painted.These numerous manipulations are a source of damage to the paint on other areas of the part. In addition, the presence of hard media incrustations on the surface of the locally compacted area requires the application of a second layer to trap the compacting media to prevent their release or to have a media that does not leave incrustations on the surface of the paint to allow a single-layer application of these mineral-bound aluminum paints.

[0022] There is therefore a need for a device and a local compaction process that leaves no media incrustation on the surface and does not require complete masking of the retouched part, both from an economic and industrial point of view.

[0023] There is also the issue of the need for decontamination after shot blasting or compaction to ensure the integrity of the treated part. Another issue is the treatment of an entire part and / or retouching in areas that are difficult to access.

[0024] Finally, there is the problem of the processing time or cost of hammering entire parts.

[0025] There is also a problem regarding the repeatability of a manual process subject to the dexterity of the operator.

[0026] Statement of the invention

[0027] The subject of the invention is a system for adjusting, prestressing and compacting paint comprising at least one hammering tool, a support configured to hold a part to be treated and at least one robotic arm designed to be connected to each of said hammering tools, each hammering tool comprising at least one tip designed so as to be able to be vibrated by a vibration device, the system further comprising calculation means capable of executing all or part of a method and manual controls designed to be used by an operator, the adjustment and prestressing system making it possible to compress at least part of the surface of the part to be treated.

[0028] The hammering tool may include at least two tips, the ends of the at least two tips being aligned.

[0029] The tips can be arranged on a hammering tool so as to form at least one line.

[0030] The tips can be arranged on a hammering tool so as to form at least one pattern.

[0031] The pattern can be a square, a rhombus, a prism, a circle, an ellipse or a regular polyhedron.

[0032] In a line or pattern, every other point can be shifted laterally in a predefined direction and with a predefined offset.

[0033] The invention also relates to a method for adjusting, prestressing, and compacting paint by hammering a part to be treated by at least one hammering tool included in a system for adjusting, prestressing, and compacting paint as described above, comprising the following steps: a. The part to be treated, at least one surface of which is to be treated, is placed on the support of the hammering compression or compaction system, b. On a computer model corresponding to the part to be treated, at least one area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the at least one surface to be treated of the part is defined, c. For each area of ​​the computer model, i. at least one hammering tool connected to a robotic arm is brought close to the surface of the part, ii. the hammering tool is kept in contact with the surface of said part without applying any force, iii. the device for vibrating the tips is activated, iv.then a scan of the surface to be treated is carried out, d. when all the areas of the computer model have been treated, the at least one robotic arm is folded and the part is removed from the support of the hammering compression system.

[0034] To define at least one area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the at least one surface to be treated, the following steps can be carried out: a. a camera connected to a robotic arm is used to inspect the part to be treated and to identify the location of at least one surface to be treated, then b. at least one area of ​​the computer model is defined corresponding to the at least one surface to be treated identified as a function of the position of the robotic arm and the field of vision of the camera.

[0035] The camera may either be arranged on a dedicated robotic arm, or included in a separate camera tool and interchangeable with a hammering tool carried by the same robotic arm for visual inspection and hammering, or present on one of the at least one robotic arm or on one of the at least one hammering tool.

[0036] Alternatively, one can define an area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the surface to be treated corresponding to the entire surface of the part. Multiple robotic arms can be used simultaneously to treat multiple surfaces of the same part at the same time.

[0037] At least one surface to be treated can be located inside the room.

[0038] All or part of the steps can be carried out by an automaton or by an operator.

[0039] Another object of the invention is a booth provided with a paint adjustment, prestressing and compacting system, configured to carry out the paint adjustment, prestressing and compacting method as described above, the booth being further provided with soundproofing means and means for suction and filtration of the air inside the booth.

[0040] The hammering adjustment and prestressing system and the associated process have the advantage of allowing the compression of parts with complex shapes over the entire surface or locally, in particular convex or concave parts, which cannot be treated by flapping.

[0041] The hammering adjustment and prestressing system and the associated process also have the advantage of being particularly suitable for carrying out paint compaction of aluminum paints with inorganic binder.

[0042] Brief description of the drawings

[0043] Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0044] - figure [Fig 1] illustrates a system for compressing or compacting paint by hammering according to one embodiment

[0045] - figures [Fig 2a], [Fig 2b], [Fig 2c] and [Fig 2d] illustrate different arrangements of the tips on a hammering tool 1, - figure [Fig 3] illustrates a system for compressing or compacting paint by hammering comprising three hammering tools, and

[0046] - figure [Fig 4] illustrates a system for compressing or compacting paint by hammering treating the internal surface of a part.

[0047] Detailed description

[0048] Figure [Fig 1] illustrates a system for compressing or compacting paint by hammering comprising a tool 1 provided with at least one tungsten carbide tip 2. The tool 1 allows the compression or compaction of paint from all or part of a part 3.

[0049] Each tungsten carbide tip 2 can be vibrated by an ancillary device in accordance with the prior art. The tips 2 are arranged normal to a lateral surface of the object and are vibrated in the same direction. Such an arrangement of the tips 2 makes sense in combination with maintaining the tool 1 at a constant distance from the surface of the part 3. All the tips 2 of the tool are then in contact in the same way with the surface to be treated.

[0050] The part 3, comprising at least one surface to be treated, is arranged on a support of the paint compression or compaction system by hammering. The support provides a reference position for the part 3. In certain embodiments, the support allows the part 3 to rotate.

[0051] The tool 1 is fixed on a robotic arm 4 by at least one articulation, the robotic arm 4 being connected to an enclosure 5. Such a robotic arm 4 makes it possible to have at least six degrees of freedom in order to position the tool 1 relative to the part 3. In a particular embodiment, the articulation or the arm are designed so that the tool 1 is exchangeable, either for another hammering tool 1, or for a camera tool allowing the taking of images or videos of the surface of the part 3 and their transmission to the operator of the system for viewing and identification. In another particular embodiment, a hammering tool 1 or the robotic arm are equipped with a camera allowing the taking of images or videos of the surface of the part 3 and their transmission to the operator of the system for viewing and identification.

[0052] Figures [Fig 2a], [Fig 2b], [Fig 2c] and [Fig 2d] illustrate different arrangements of tungsten carbide tips 2 on a hammering tool 1.

[0053] The tool 1 illustrated in figure [Fig 2a] comprises four aligned tungsten carbide tips 2.

[0054] The tool 1 illustrated in figure [Fig 2b] comprises eight tungsten carbide tips 2 arranged in two parallel lines, the tips 2 of one line being arranged at the level of a tip 2 of the other line.

[0055] The tool 1 illustrated in figure [Fig 2c] comprises five tungsten carbide tips 2 arranged in line with a lateral offset of one tip 2 out of two, the offset being constant.

[0056] The tool 1 illustrated in figure [Fig 2d] comprises four tungsten carbide tips 2 arranged in a diamond shape.

[0057] The tools 1 illustrated by figures [Fig 2a], [Fig 2b], [Fig 2c] and [Fig 2d] make it possible to process parts having more or less extensive surfaces, with different shape ratios. The configurations given here are purely by way of example so that other configurations, for example with circular, elliptical, polyhedral patterns on one or more rows are also part of the invention.

[0058] Figure [Fig 3] illustrates a hammering compression or compaction system comprising three tools 1a, 1b, 1c each equipped with at least one tungsten carbide tip 2 and each connected to a robotic arm 4a, 4b, 4c. The three tools 1a, 1b, 1c simultaneously process the same part 3.

[0059] Figure [Fig 4] illustrates a hammering compression or compaction system comprising a tool 1 provided with at least one tungsten carbide tip 2 and connected to a robotic arm 4. The tool 1 makes it possible to compress, or compact paint, a concave part 3 with a large aspect ratio, from the inside, in particular when the part 3 is a hollow part produced by extrusion or spinning of a complex shape, for example convex or concave. As in the previous embodiments, the robotic arm 4 has six degrees of freedom in order to be able to move relative to the part 3 while maintaining an optimal distance between the tool and the internal surface of the part 3.

[0060] The robotic arm 4 then allows the tool 1 to be moved longitudinally in the part and in rotation so that the tungsten carbide tips 2 can follow the inner wall of the part 3.

[0061] The robotic arm 4 can also move the tool 1 so as to make it follow a trajectory, possibly of complex shape, included in at least one intersecting plane of an axis collinear with the direction of extrusion or extrusion of the part 3. The tool 1 can thus treat the entire internal surface of the part 3. A rotation of the tool 1 can be applied as the trajectory is traveled so that the tips 2 remain in contact with the internal surface of the part 3 with an incidence essentially normal to said internal surface. The rotation can be applied to the support of the part 3 or to the tool 1.

[0062] The corresponding paint compression or compaction process includes the following steps:

[0063] During a first step 1 1 , the part 3, at least one surface of which is to be treated, is placed on a support of the paint compression or compaction system by hammering.

[0064] During a second step 12, the operator identifies the location of at least one surface to be treated. Alternatively, the entire surface of the part is identified as the surface to be treated. In some embodiments, the identification may be performed after visual inspection.

[0065] In a third step 13, the area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the surface to be treated is defined. This is made possible by the fact that each robotic arm is equipped with a motion tracking positioning system, of the inertial system type. The position of the camera's field of vision or the position of the tool is identifiable on a computer model of the part 3.

[0066] During a fourth step 14, the robotic arm equipped with the camera tool is folded and a new robotic arm equipped with a hammering tool 1 is controlled by the operator.

[0067] Alternatively, the camera tool connected to the robotic arm 3 is replaced by the hammering tool 1.

[0068] Still during the fourth step 14, the hammering tool 1 is brought opposite the first of the surfaces to be treated.

[0069] For the surface to be treated, the tool 1 is brought close to the surface of the part 3 and then the tool 1 is held at a predefined distance from the surface of said part 3. In a preferred embodiment, the predefined distance is such that the end of the tips rests effortlessly on the surface of the part to be treated.

[0070] During a fifth step 15, the device is activated, causing the tips 2 to vibrate, and then the operator controls the scanning of the surface to be treated with a predefined speed and a scanning mode that is also predefined so as to scan the entire surface to be treated, ensuring overlap between the different scanned areas. In one embodiment, the scanned areas can be identified by superimposing the model of the part and the identified surface to be treated. The scanning mode can be, for example, a serpentine movement, a strip scanning or a concentric spiral movement going from the edges of the surface to be treated towards the center.

[0071] The fourth step 14 and the fifth step 15 are reproduced for each surface to be treated in part 3.

[0072] In a particular embodiment, the surface to be treated is located inside the part 3, as illustrated by the figure [Fig 4]. The fourth step 14 then comprises a step of inserting the tool 1 into the part 3. It should be noted that the part 3 is illustrated in section in the figure [Fig 4].

[0073] In another particular embodiment, several arms, as illustrated in figure [Fig 3], are used simultaneously by one or more operators in order to treat several surfaces of the same part at the same time.

[0074] Whatever the embodiment, when all the surfaces to be treated have been treated, the robotic arms 3 are folded and the part 3 removed from the support of the paint compression or compaction system by hammering.

[0075] In another embodiment, the fourth step 14 and the fifth step 15 are carried out automatically by an automaton, depending on the area of ​​the part delimited during the visual inspection. The paint compaction system and the corresponding method make it possible to densify the coating and make it electrically conductive in order to obtain the high-performance anodic sacrificial properties to combat corrosion.

[0076] The paint compaction system and the corresponding process prevent any incrustation.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. System for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder comprising at least one hammering tool (1), a support configured to hold a part to be treated (3) and at least one robotic arm (4) designed to be connected to each of said hammering tools (1), each hammering tool (1) comprising at least one tip (2) designed so as to be able to be vibrated by a vibration device, the system further comprising calculation means capable of executing all or part of a method and manual controls designed to be used by an operator, the adjustment and prestressing system making it possible to compress at least part of the surface of the part to be treated (3).

2. System for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claim 1, wherein the hammering tool (1) comprises at least two tips, the ends of the at least two tips (2) being aligned.

3. System for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claim 2, in which the tips (2) are arranged on a hammering tool (1) so as to form at least one line.

4. System for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claim 2, in which the tips are arranged on a hammering tool (1) so as to form at least one pattern.

5. A system for adjusting, prestressing and compacting inorganic-bonded aluminum paint according to claim 4, wherein the pattern is a square, a rhombus, a prism, a circle, an ellipse or a regular polyhedron.

6. System for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claims 3 to 5, in which, in a line or pattern, every other point (2) is laterally shifted in a predefined direction and with a predefined offset.

7. Method for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with an inorganic binder by hammering a part to be treated (3) by at least one hammering tool (1) included in an adjustment and prestressing system as claimed in claims 1 to 6, comprising the following steps: a. The part to be treated (3) of which at least one surface is to be treated is placed on the support of the hammering compression or compaction system, b. On a computer model corresponding to the part to be treated (3), at least one area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the at least one surface to be treated of the part (3) is defined, c. For each area of ​​the computer model, i. at least one hammering tool (1) connected to a robotic arm (4) is brought close to the surface of the part (3), ii. the hammering tool (1) is kept in contact with the surface of said part (3) without applying any force, iii.the device for vibrating the tips (2) is activated, iv. then a scan of the surface to be treated is carried out, d. When all the areas of the computer model have been treated, the at least one robotic arm (4) is folded back and the part (3) is removed from the support of the hammering compression system.

8. Method for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claim 7, in which, to define at least one area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the at least one surface to be treated, the following steps are carried out: a. a camera connected to a robotic arm (4) is used to inspect the part to be treated (3) and to identify the location of at least one surface to be treated, then b. at least one area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the at least one surface to be treated identified as a function of the position of the robotic arm (4) and the field of vision of the camera is defined.

9. Method for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claim 8, in which the camera is either arranged on a dedicated robotic arm, or included in a separate camera tool and interchangeable with a hammering tool carried by the same robotic arm (4) for visual inspection and hammering, or present on one of the at least one robotic arm or on one of the at least one hammering tool.

10. Adjustment and prestressing method according to claim 7, in which an area of ​​the computer model corresponding to the surface to be treated corresponding to the entire surface of the part (3) is defined. 1 1. Adjustment and prestressing method according to claim 7 to 10, in which several robotic arms (4) are used simultaneously in order to treat several surfaces of the same part (3) at the same time.

12. Method for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claims 7 to 11, in which at least one surface to be treated is located inside the part (3).

13. Method for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder according to claims 7 to 12, in which all or part of the steps are carried out by an automaton or by an operator.

14. Cabin provided with a system for adjusting, prestressing and compacting aluminum paint with inorganic binder, configured to carry out the method of adjusting, prestressing and compacting paint according to any one of claims 7 to 13, the cabin being further provided with soundproofing means and means for suction and filtration of the air inside the cabin.

Images