Processing equipment for processing a workpiece and method for processing a workpiece
By integrating an OFLA station for decorative coat application into the topcoat process within existing painting facilities, the need for additional drying stations is eliminated, achieving a more compact, efficient, and cost-effective painting process.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024569093
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-06-08
- Filing Date
- 2023-06-01
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing painting facilities for vehicle bodies require additional intermediate drying and clear coat drying stations for decorative coat application, leading to increased floor space, complex control processes, and higher energy consumption.
The integration of an Overspray-free Coating (OFLA) station for decorative coat application into the topcoat process, utilizing existing unused space between filter devices, allows for transportation of the workpiece between processing planes without the need for additional drying stations.
This configuration enables compact and efficient process integration of decorative coat application, reducing the need for additional drying stations, saving equipment space and energy, and simplifying control processes.
Smart Images
Figure 2025517962000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to processing equipment for processing workpieces, specifically for coating vehicle bodies. Thus, the processing equipment is specifically a component of a painting facility for painting vehicle bodies. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a corresponding method for processing workpieces.
Background Art
[0002] In practice, equipment that enables more unique and diverse coat applications is increasingly being used. For example, decorative coats (Dekorlacke) can be applied in addition to or partially in place of a normal top coat. The application of decorative coats can be integrated into the painting facility in various different ways. Standard painting facilities usually have a plurality of processing planes and / or intermediate planes.
[0003] A first possibility for such integration is in-line-process integration. In the case of in-line-process integration, the application of the decorative coat is fully integrated during the standard top coat process. The station provided for top coat application is, for example, one station consisting of a plurality of stations arranged one after the other in the transport direction in a defined order. More specifically, after the application of the base coat and, optionally, after the subsequent intermediate drying of each workpiece in an intermediate drying station, the application of the decorative coat is carried out on the same processing plane. Thus, an additional intermediate drying station is required after the application of the decorative coat. Subsequently, a clear coat can be applied. This first possibility of integrating the decorative coat station can advantageously be selected in the case of a greenfield approach, i.e., for a new installation of processing equipment. This is because basically all stations can still be freely arranged.
[0004] In the case of the second possibility, the integration is carried out in an offline process. In this regard, the vehicle body is specifically coated with a base coat for the application of the decorative coat, and after being dried in an intermediate drying station, it is then removed from the process. This is called so-called "Transfer-Out". The application of the decorative coat is thus carried out on a processing plane of the painting equipment that is different from, for example, the processing plane of the standard top coat process. Also in the case of offline process integration, an additional intermediate drying station is required after the application of the decorative coat. After the intermediate drying of the vehicle body in the Transfer-Out area, the vehicle body is introduced again into the standard top coat process before the clear coat station. This is called so-called "Transfer-In". Such an option for the integration of the decorative coat application is provided in the case of a brownfield approach, i.e., when a change or direct integration into the standard top coat process is no longer possible, or is extremely expensive and time-consuming, during the integration into existing equipment.
[0005] The third and fourth possibilities for the application of the decorative coat are based on the application of a single-layer top coat, also called "Mono Layer Coat" or shortly "Monocoat", and are similarly related to offline process integration.
[0006] In the case of the third possibility, the vehicle body is first completely painted and then dried. Then, the vehicle body is transported into a so-called overspray-free coat application cabin or station (OFLA-cabin or OFLA-station), where the corresponding single-layer coat is obtained. In such a process, instead of an additional intermediate drying station after the application of the decorative coat, a new separate drying station is required.
[0007] In the case of the fourth possibility, the application of the decorative coat and the clear coat is carried out together within the OFLA station. Here too, after completion of the standard topcoat process, the vehicle body is transported to a separate OFLA station or within the OFLA-line. For such a process option, an additional intermediate drying station after the application of the decorative coat, as well as a further clear coat drying station after the application of the clear coat, are also required.
[0008] In summary, when the entire topcoat process is formed as a line, it can be confirmed that the application of the decorative coat within the OFLA station has conventionally been integrated only during the painting process. The OFLA station is often known to be arranged on the same plane as the topcoat process. If the OFLA station where the decorative coat is applied must be or should be self-standing, an additional intermediate drying station, as well as a clear coat drying station, are required.
[0009] This results in a plurality of or additional intermediate drying stations and / or clear coat drying stations being required. This not only increases the required floor area or is large compared to other equipment, but also makes the control process more demanding, and the energy consumption of such painting equipment also increases or rises.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0010] The problem underlying the present invention is to provide a processing facility that enables easy and compact process integration of the application of the decorative coat.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0011] Such a problem is solved by a processing facility having the features described in claim 1.
[0012] The processing equipment is useful for processing workpieces. Specifically, the processing equipment is a painting facility for coating vehicle bodies.
[0013] The processing equipment advantageously includes the following, namely - a plurality of processing planes arranged at different height levels, specifically arranged one above the other in an overlapping state, and / or - specifically, one or more than one of the processing lines arranged parallel to each other have a plurality of processing areas, and the processing areas are arranged on one or more than one processing plane, the processing line having each processing area has one or more than one processing stations for performing one or more than one processing steps respectively, and each processing line has one or at least two moving and conveying devices, and the workpiece can be moved between the processing areas by the moving and conveying devices.
Advantages of the Invention
[0014] The basic idea underlying the present invention is to utilize existing unused equipment space in a processing facility, specifically a painting facility for a vehicle body, where the workpiece, specifically the vehicle body, is processed on one or more planes. Specifically, this is achieved by integrating an OFLA station for applying a decorative coat into the topcoat process. For example, such unused space is located between the filter device of the basecoat station and the filter device of the clearcoat station. Such filter devices are advantageously arranged on a plane located below the plane of the topcoat process. The topcoat process plane is also referred to as the "Topcoat-Ebene" or "TC-Ebene". Thereby, after the intermediate drying station on the TC plane, the workpiece can be transported by a transfer device into the processing area where the decorative coat is applied. As already mentioned, such a processing area is advantageously located below the TC plane. The workpiece is transported in a direction opposite to the transport direction on the TC plane through a station provided for applying a decorative coat on another or the lower plane. After the decorative coat is applied, the workpiece is then transported onto the TC plane or into the topcoat process, also advantageously before the intermediate drying station of the topcoat process, by a further transfer device. Thus, it is not necessary to provide an additional intermediate drying station before applying the decorative coat, and the intermediate drying station of the topcoat process can be used together. In some cases, if multiple decorative coat layers are desired or required for each workpiece, they can also be used together multiple times.
[0015] Alternatively, specifically, when movement is performed bidirectionally between one or more different positions in one processing area and one or more different positions in a further processing area by one transfer device, the movement may be provided by only one transfer device between the processing areas.
[0016] It may be advantageous for the processing line to have a primary processing area with a primary transport direction and a secondary processing area with a secondary transport direction.
[0017] Advantageously, the primary processing area corresponds to a topcoat process area, while the secondary processing area advantageously has a decorative coating station, specifically an OFLA station.
[0018] Furthermore, it may be advantageous for the primary processing area to have a primary horizontal transport device for transporting the workpiece in the primary transport direction, and for the secondary processing area to have a secondary horizontal transport device for transporting the workpiece in the secondary transport direction.
[0019] The horizontal transport device may be a transport line. The workpiece to be processed may be placed on a skid each time. The skid is transported through the processing area. Instead of this, locally or entirely, a plurality of skidless transport devices may be provided.
[0020] It may be particularly advantageous for the primary horizontal transport device and / or the secondary horizontal transport device to have or be formed from an unmanned transport vehicle and / or a transport system.
[0021] The primary horizontal transport device and the secondary horizontal transport device may be different types of horizontal transport devices. It may be advantageous for the primary horizontal transport device and the secondary horizontal transport device to be formed from the same type of horizontal transport device, for example a roller conveyor, a rail conveyor, or an unmanned transport system.
[0022] It may be advantageous for the primary transport direction and the secondary transport direction to be opposite and advantageously at least substantially parallel to each other. Specifically, the transport directions are oriented antiparallel to each other.
[0023] As a result, the workpiece returned from the secondary processing area to the primary processing area can be integrated at a predetermined position in the primary processing area so that it newly passes through at least one processing station in the primary processing area.
[0024] It can be particularly advantageous if the workpiece can be moved from the secondary processing area into the primary processing area by the first transfer device and the workpiece can be moved from the primary processing area into the secondary processing area by the second transfer device.
[0025] The two transfer devices advantageously enable the workpiece to be circulated. In the case of circulation, advantageously the entire secondary processing area is passed through by the workpiece at least once and the primary processing area is at least partially, i.e. at least one processing station in the primary processing area is passed through by the workpiece a plurality of times, advantageously twice.
[0026] It can be advantageous if the workpiece can be transported through the secondary processing area in the same orientation as within the primary processing area.
[0027] It can be particularly advantageous if the workpiece does not have to be rotated about a vertical axis in order to be moved between the processing areas by the transfer device.
[0028] Specifically, the workpiece may be transportable through the secondary processing area in a direction opposite to the primary transport direction.
[0029] Advantageously, in a state where the primary processing areas are arranged one behind the other in the primary transport direction, at least the following processing stations, namely - a base coat station, - optionally an evaporation station, - an intermediate drying station, - optionally a cooling station, - a clear coat station, and - a drying station may be provided.
[0030] The evaporation station is thus optional. This is because, as long as the process timing control (Prozesstaktung) can manage without transporting the workpiece from the secondary processing area into the primary processing area, or otherwise, the position of the transfer device in front of the intermediate drying station through which it passes can also be used for evaporation.
[0031] The cooling station is thus optional. This is because cooling can also be considered within the intermediate drying station.
[0032] Furthermore, the evaporation station and / or the cooling station are provided according to the specifications of the coating supplier or the requirements of the coating to be used.
[0033] In a state where the secondary processing areas are arranged one behind the other in the secondary transport direction, at least the following processing stations, namely - Optionally an intermediate storage station, specifically a first intermediate storage station, - A top coat station, specifically a top coat station without paint mist (farbnebelfrei), - Optionally an evaporation station, and - Optionally an intermediate storage station, specifically a second intermediate storage station It may be advantageous to have.
[0034] It should be noted that the presented processing stations in the secondary processing area may be arranged in a different order in the secondary transport direction. Therefore, the ones listed should be understood as one possible order of the processing stations. The same applies to the processing stations in the primary processing area.
[0035] One or two or more intermediate storage stations, specifically the first and / or second intermediate storage stations, serve as, for example, a buffer in process timing control. Instead of or in addition to this, one or two or more intermediate storage stations, specifically the second intermediate storage station, may be used as or be available as an evaporation station.
[0036] Furthermore, in the primary processing area, the first transfer device may be arranged between the base coat station and the intermediate drying station, and the second transfer device may be arranged between the intermediate drying station and the clear coat station.
[0037] Furthermore, in the secondary processing area, the first transfer device may be arranged after the top coat station and / or after an intermediate storage station, specifically the second intermediate storage station.
[0038] The second transfer device is arranged before the top coat station and / or before an intermediate storage station, specifically the first intermediate storage station.
[0039] The workpiece can thereby advantageously be conveyed multiple times through the intermediate drying station and / or the cooling station.
[0040] This is advantageous because the intermediate drying station in the primary processing area can be utilized multiple times. This means that an additional intermediate drying station for the secondary processing area is advantageously not necessary. Thereby, costs and equipment space can advantageously be saved, and in addition, easy integration into the existing primary processing area for decorative coating application, specifically during the standard top coat process, becomes possible.
[0041] In a further configuration of the present invention, the secondary treatment area is arranged on a treatment plane above or below the treatment plane of the primary treatment area, and the first moving and conveying device and the second moving and conveying device may preferably be vertical conveying devices.
[0042] In a further configuration of the present invention, the secondary treatment area may be arranged on the lowermost treatment plane, specifically on the zero level.
[0043] Therefore, preferably, the application of the decorative coat is preferably carried out without paint mist, so that cleaning or other air purification below the decorative coat station is not necessary, and such an arrangement relationship of the secondary treatment area having the decorative coat station is possible.
[0044] In a further configuration of the present invention, the primary treatment area and the secondary treatment area are arranged side by side on one treatment plane, and the first moving and conveying device and the second moving and conveying device may preferably be lateral conveying devices.
[0045] Such an arrangement relationship provides an alternative embodiment when there is not enough equipment space to equip or retrofit the secondary treatment area below or above the primary treatment area, specifically at the height of the intermediate drying station and the cooling station.
[0046] The underlying problem of the present invention is further to provide a method that enables efficient operation while using an easily and compactly configured treatment facility.
[0047] According to the present invention, such a problem is solved by the method described in the independent method claims.
[0048] The method specifically relates to a method for treating a workpiece, specifically for painting a vehicle body.
[0049] The method can specifically have one or more of the features and / or advantages described in relation to the processing equipment.
[0050] Advantageously, the method is as follows, namely - Processing the workpiece in a plurality of processing areas of the processing line, specifically in a primary processing area and a secondary processing area, each of the plurality of processing areas having one or more processing stations for performing one or more processing steps.
[0051] In a further configuration of the present invention, the method is as follows, namely - Moving the workpiece between the processing areas, the processing areas being arranged on one or more processing planes of the processing equipment and / or the processing areas having conveying directions facing each other. This may further be included.
[0052] It may be advantageous if the workpiece is conveyed through at least one of the processing areas a plurality of times, specifically at least twice.
[0053] Furthermore, it may be advantageous if the primary processing area has an intermediate drying station, after which the workpiece is moved into the secondary processing area by a moving conveyor device, and the workpiece is returned from the secondary processing area into the primary processing area, in front of the intermediate drying station, by a further moving conveyor device.
[0054] Furthermore, the orientation of the workpiece may not be changed, specifically not rotated, during movement between the processing areas. The orientation of the workpiece with respect to the main conveying direction of the processing equipment thus advantageously remains unchanged during all processing in the primary processing area and the secondary processing area, and also during movement between the processing areas.
[0055] Further advantageous features and / or advantages of the present invention are the subject of the following description of the embodiments and the drawings.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0056]
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
[0057] The same or functionally equivalent elements have the same reference numerals throughout the drawings.
[0058] The first embodiment of the processing facility, designated as a whole by reference numeral 100 in FIG. 1, serves for the processing of workpieces.
[0059] The processing facility 100 is specifically a painting facility 102 for painting a vehicle body.
[0060] The processing facility 100 has a primary processing plane 104 and a secondary processing plane 106. These processing planes are arranged one above the other in an overlapping state.
[0061] The horizontal dashed line indicated by reference numeral 108 schematically shows, by way of example, the floor of the primary processing plane 104 and / or the ceiling of the secondary processing plane 106 located below it.
[0062] The processing facility 100 further has a processing line 110.
[0063] It is also possible for the processing facility 100 to have a further processing line, which is preferably arranged parallel to the illustrated processing line 110.
[0064] The processing line 110 has a primary processing area 112 arranged on the primary processing plane 104 and a secondary processing area 114 arranged on the secondary processing plane 106.
[0065] The primary processing area 112 successively has, in the primary conveyance direction 116, a base coat station 118, an evaporation station 120, an intermediate drying station 122, a cooling station 124, a clear coat station 126, and a drying station 128.
[0066] The evaporation station 120 and the cooling station 124 are optional within the primary processing area 112. This is because their use depends particularly on the regulations of the coating supplier.
[0067] In the case of the embodiment of the processing facility 100 shown in FIG. 1, the filter device 130 of the base coat station 118 and a further filter device 132 of the clear coat station 126 are arranged on the secondary processing plane 106 below the primary processing area 112, preferably directly vertically below the base coat station 118 and the clear coat station 126 respectively.
[0068] However, it is also possible to arrange the filter device 130 and / or the filter device 132 above the primary processing area 112 or alternatively on the primary processing plane 104.
[0069] In the base coat station 118, the base coat is applied onto the workpiece, while in the clear coat station 126, the clear coat is applied onto the workpiece.
[0070] The application of the base coat in the base coat station 118 is carried out in-line or in a box. The same applies to the application of the clear coat in the clear coat station 126.
[0071] The primary processing area 112 further has a horizontal conveyor (not shown). By means of the horizontal conveyor, the workpiece can be conveyed along the primary conveyance direction 116 through the primary processing area 112.
[0072] The horizontal conveyor may be, for example, a roller conveyor, a rail conveyor, or an automated guided vehicle system.
[0073] The secondary processing area 114 is preferably arranged within the available space between the filter device 130 and the filter device 132.
[0074] Alternatively, the secondary processing area 114 may be arranged below the intermediate drying station 122 and / or the cooling station 124.
[0075] The secondary processing area 114 has, in the secondary conveyance direction 134, successively an optional first intermediate storage station 136, a decorative coating station 138, and an optional second intermediate storage station 140. The order of the first intermediate storage station 136, the decorative coating station 138, and the second intermediate storage station 140 in the secondary conveyance direction 134 is arbitrary.
[0076] Furthermore, an optional (additional) evaporation station may be arranged between the decorative coating station 138 and the second intermediate storage station 140.
[0077] In addition, the first intermediate storage station 136 and / or the second intermediate storage station 140 can be used not only to facilitate synchronization of the workpiece with the defined process timing control, specifically when reintegrating into the primary processing area 112, for preferably short-term intermediate storage of the workpiece, but can also serve as an evaporation station.
[0078] In the decorative coating station 138, a decorative coating is applied onto the workpiece. The coating is preferably applied without paint mist or at least with reduced paint mist. The decorative coating station 138 is in particular a so-called OFLA station (Overspray-free Coating Application Station).
[0079] Alternatively, the decorative coat may be applied in a conventional manner, ie using so-called masking and demasking with atomizer technology.
[0080] In the embodiment of the treatment installation 100 shown in Fig. 1, the secondary treatment plane 106 is advantageously a zero plane, in particular a so-called concrete plane (Betonebene). This is made possible in particular by the decorative coating in the form of a coating without paint mist, without the need for a foundation wash or other costly air cleaning.
[0081] Additionally, a first vertical conveying device 142 and a second vertical conveying device 144 are integrated into the primary processing area 112 and the secondary processing area 114 of the processing line 110. The vertical conveying devices allow the workpieces to be moved between the primary processing area 112 and the secondary processing area 114.
[0082] A second vertical conveying device 144 is positioned downstream of the cooling station 124 and conveys the cooled workpieces vertically along a first vertical conveying section 146 to the secondary processing plane 106 in front of or into the first intermediate storage station 136.
[0083] If the process does not require the second vertical transport device 144 , the cooled workpiece after the cooling station 124 can be transported directly into the clear coat station 126 .
[0084] Within the secondary processing area 114, similarly, a horizontal conveyor (not shown) conveys the workpiece through the processing stations along the secondary conveyance direction 134.
[0085] From the second intermediate storage station 140, or from a position after the second intermediate storage station 140, the workpiece with the decorative coat is conveyed onto the primary processing plane 104 along the second vertical section 148 by the first vertical conveyor 142, in front of the intermediate drying station 122, and thereby, at the next conveyance timing, the decorative coat is dried within such an intermediate drying station 122.
[0086] The intermediate drying station 122 is preferably configured to accommodate the resulting increased workpiece throughput.
[0087] In the framework of processing the workpiece within the processing line 110, using the intermediate drying station 122 multiple times, specifically twice, saves not only space but also energy and thus cost.
[0088] Optionally, starting from the primary processing area 112, the secondary processing area 114 may be traversed by the workpiece multiple times. Thereby, in particular, extremely complex decorative coat application can be realized in a multi-layer method.
[0089] The vertical conveyors 142, 144 may be lifting devices, lift devices, carousel conveyors, or the like. By these devices, the workpiece can be conveyed individually one after another or continuously along the vertical conveyance sections 146, 148.
[0090] The workpiece is preferably prevented from falling during conveyance along the vertical conveyance sections 146, 148.
[0091] Furthermore, one of the vertical conveyors 142, 144, or both vertical conveyors 142, 144 may additionally be ventilated.
[0092] Instead of the vertical end position of the first vertical conveyor 142 in front of the intermediate drying station 122 through which the workpiece to be processed in the primary processing area 112 passes, the evaporation station 120 may be used as a separate evaporation station. Specifically, this depends on how much evaporation time is required for the base coat applied in the base coat station 118 in order to reduce the solvent uptake amount (Loesemitteleintrag) in the intermediate drying station 122.
[0093] The starting position of the second vertical conveyor 144 after the cooling station 124 through which the workpiece passes to reach the clear coat station 126 can also be used as an evaporation station and / or an intermediate storage station.
[0094] The decorative coat station 138 on the secondary processing plane 106 is preferably arranged below the intermediate drying station 122 and / or the cooling station 124, specifically directly below the intermediate drying station 122 and / or the cooling station 124 when viewed in the vertical direction.
[0095] The workpiece conveyed from the first processing area 112 into the second processing area 114 and then returned by the first vertical conveyor 142 and the second vertical conveyor 144 does not change its orientation during passage. Specifically, this means that rotation about the vertical axis of the workpiece is not required to enable conveyance along the vertical conveyance sections 146, 148, and further that the secondary processing area 114 can be traversed in the reverse direction by the workpiece in the secondary conveyance direction 134.
[0096] Subsequently, the processing process of the workpiece, specifically the painting of the vehicle body, will be exemplarily described based on the embodiment of the processing equipment 100 shown in FIG. 1. The description of the processing process similarly applies to the second and third embodiments shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0097] The workpiece conveyed through the primary processing area 112 in the primary conveyance direction 116 using the horizontal conveyance device, specifically the vehicle body, first obtains a base coat in the base coat station 118. Prior to the application of the base coat, grease treatment and / or phosphate treatment may be performed.
[0098] Subsequently, the base-coated workpiece evaporates. This is also called "Flash-Off". This is performed in the evaporation station 120 or at the position in front of the intermediate drying station 122 of the first vertical conveyance device 142.
[0099] After evaporation, the workpiece is dried in the intermediate drying station 122 and then cooled in the cooling station 124.
[0100] Following the cooling process, that is, at the position in front of the clear coat station 126, the workpiece to be processed is conveyed from the primary processing plane 104 into the secondary processing plane 106 along the vertical conveyance section 146 using the second vertical conveyance device 144, whereby the workpiece passes through the secondary processing area 114 in the secondary conveyance direction 134 opposite to the primary conveyance direction 116 at that location.
[0101] The workpiece can be temporarily stored in the first intermediate storage station 136 at that location. Both the first intermediate storage station 136 and the second intermediate storage station 140 facilitate the derivation or introduction of the workpiece into the primary processing area 112 within the framework of process timing control.
[0102] Subsequently, the decorative coat is applied to the workpiece in the decorative coat station 138, preferably in a process without paint mist.
[0103] The workpiece is then conveyed by the first vertical conveyor 142 along the second vertical conveyance section 148 in front of the intermediate drying station 122, so that it can evaporate within an additional evaporation station or within the second intermediate drying station 140 before newly passing through the intermediate drying station 122 to dry the applied decorative coat.
[0104] The workpiece dried again is then cooled in the new cooling station 124, and subsequently, i.e., at the end of the cooling timing, it is conveyed into the clear coat station 126 unless a second decorative coat layer is present.
[0105] If there is a second or further decorative coat layer for the workpiece, it can newly pass through the secondary treatment area 114, the intermediate drying station 122, and the cooling station 124.
[0106] In the clear coat station 126, a clear coat is then applied onto the workpiece, and finally, the painted workpiece is preferably completely dried in the drying station 128.
[0107] A second embodiment of the processing facility 100 according to the present invention shown in FIG. 2 differs from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that the secondary treatment area 114 of the processing line 110 is arranged above the primary treatment area 112 of the processing line 110, i.e., the secondary treatment plane 106 of the processing facility 100 is located above the primary treatment plane 104 in this case.
[0108] However, after the workpiece is cooled at the cooling station 124, it is conveyed from the primary processing plane 104 upward to the second processing plane 106 along the first vertical conveyance section 146 by the second vertical conveyance device 144. Thus, at that location, the workpiece is made to pass through the secondary processing area 114 in the secondary conveyance direction 134. The process proceeds unchanged except that the workpiece is returned from the end of the secondary processing area downward to the primary processing plane 104 along the second vertical conveyance section 148. At that location, the intermediate drying station 122 and optionally the cooling station 124 in the primary processing area 112 are then newly passed through.
[0109] Such an arrangement relationship of the processing facility 100 is particularly possible because the application of the decorative coat in the decorative coat station 138 in the secondary processing area 114 does not require cleaning or other time-consuming air purification below the decorative coat station 138 based on the fact that paint mist does not occur.
[0110] It is conceivable that an intermediate plane is arranged between the primary processing plane 104 and the secondary processing plane 106, and support modules or support units necessary for the stations in the secondary processing area 114, such as cleaning devices or filter devices, may be arranged in this intermediate plane.
[0111] FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the processing facility 100. Here, the primary processing area 112 and the secondary processing area 114 of the processing line 110 are arranged on a single common processing plane, specifically, the primary processing plane 104. Therefore, instead of two vertical conveyance devices, the processing line has a first lateral conveyance device 152 and a second lateral conveyance device 154 to correspondingly move the workpiece between the primary processing area 112 and the secondary processing area 114.
[0112] The horizontal line 150 shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3 indicates an actual or virtual spatial separation portion on the primary processing plane 104 between the primary processing area 112 and the secondary processing area 114.
[0113] In the third embodiment, after the workpiece is cooled at the cooling station 124, it is conveyed into the secondary processing area 114 of the processing line 110 along the first lateral conveyance section 156 by using the second lateral conveyance device 154, and specifically, a decorative coat is obtained by applying it in the decorative coat station 138 at that location.
[0114] Following the application of the decorative coat and possible intermediate storage in the second intermediate storage station 140, the workpiece is conveyed into the primary processing area 112 by the first lateral conveyance device 152 along the second lateral conveyance section 158 onto the same processing plane 104, specifically onto the primary processing plane 104. At that location, the workpiece is returned into the top coat process in the primary processing area 112 before the intermediate drying station 122 so that the workpiece passes through the intermediate drying station 122 and the cooling station 124 newly before the application of the clear coat in the clear coat station 126.
[0115] What can be considered is based on the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, that is, a plurality of processing lines 110 involving lateral conveyance on one processing plane are arranged in a processing plane in which the processing facilities 100 are arranged in a vertically overlapping state with each other.
Description of Reference Numerals
[0116] 100 Processing facility 102 Painting facility 104 Primary processing plane 106 Secondary processing plane 108 Plane floor / plane ceiling 110 Processing line 112 Primary processing area 114 Secondary processing area 116 Primary conveyance direction 118 Base coat station 120 Evaporation station 122 Intermediate drying station 124 Cooling station 126 Clear coat station 128 Drying Station 130 Filter Device of Base Coating Station 132 Filter Device of Clear Coating Station 134 Secondary Conveying Direction 136 First Intermediate Storage Station 138 Decorative Coating Station 140 Second Intermediate Storage Station 142 First Vertical Conveying Device 144 Second Vertical Conveying Device 146 First Vertical Conveying Section 148 Second Vertical Conveying Section 150 (Virtual) Spatial Separation Section 152 First Lateral Conveying Device 154 Second Lateral Conveying Device 156 First Lateral Conveying Section 158 Second Lateral Conveying Section
Claims
1. A processing facility (100) for processing a workpiece, specifically for coating a vehicle body, wherein the processing facility (100) has - a plurality of processing planes (104, 106) arranged at different height levels, specifically in a vertically overlapping state with each other, and / or - one or more processing lines (110) having a plurality of processing areas (112, 114) arranged specifically parallel to each other and disposed on one or more processing planes (104, 106), comprising each processing area (112, 114) having one or more processing stations (118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 136, 138, 140) for performing one or more processing steps respectively, each processing line (110) having one or at least two moving and conveying devices (142, 144, 152, 154), by means of which the workpiece is movable between the processing areas (112, 114), the processing facility (100).
2. The processing facility (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing line (110) has a primary processing area (112) with a primary conveying direction (116) and a secondary processing area (114) with a secondary conveying direction (134).
3. The processing facility (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the primary processing area (112) has a primary horizontal conveying device for conveying the workpiece in the primary conveying direction (116), and the secondary processing area (114) has a secondary horizontal conveying device for conveying the workpiece in the secondary conveying direction (134).
4. The processing facility (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the primary horizontal conveying device and / or the secondary horizontal conveying device are formed by the same type of conveying device, specifically a roller conveyor, a rail conveyor, or an automated guided vehicle system.
5. The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the primary conveying direction (116) and the secondary conveying direction (134) are opposite, and preferably at least substantially parallel to each other.
6. The workpiece can be moved from the secondary processing area (114) into the primary processing area (112) by the first transfer device (142, 152), and the workpiece can be moved from the primary processing area (112) into the secondary processing area (114) by the second transfer device (144, 154). The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that.
7. The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the workpiece can be conveyed through the secondary processing area (114) in the same orientation as within the primary processing area (112).
8. The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the workpiece can be conveyed through the secondary processing area (114) in a direction opposite to the primary conveyance direction (116).
9. In a state where the primary processing areas (112) are arranged one behind the other in the primary conveyance direction (116), at least the following processing stations, namely, - a base coat station (118), and / or - optionally an evaporation station (120), and / or - an intermediate drying station (122), and / or - optionally a cooling station (124), and / or - a clear coat station (126), and / or - a drying station (128), The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that it has.
10. In a state where the secondary processing areas (114) are arranged one behind the other in the secondary conveyance direction (134), at least the following processing stations, namely, - a first intermediate storage station (136), and / or - a top coat station (138), specifically a top coat station without paint mist, and / or - an evaporation station, and / or - a second intermediate storage station (140), The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that it has.
11. In the primary processing area (112), the first transfer devices (142, 152) are arranged between the base coat station (118) and the intermediate drying station (122), and the second transfer devices (144, 154) are arranged between the intermediate drying station (122) and the clear coat station (124), in the secondary processing area (114), the first transfer devices (142, 152) are arranged after the top coat station (138) and / or specifically the second intermediate storage station (140), and the second transfer devices (144, 154) are arranged before the top coat station (138) and / or specifically the first intermediate storage station (136), so that the workpiece can be conveyed through the intermediate drying station (122) and / or the cooling station (124) a plurality of times, The processing facility (100) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that.
12. The secondary processing area (114) is arranged on a processing plane (106) above or below the processing plane (104) of the primary processing area (112), and the first transfer device and the second transfer device (142, 144) are preferably vertical transfer devices. The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that.
13. The secondary processing area (114) is arranged on the lowermost processing plane (106), specifically on the zero level. The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that.
14. The primary processing area (112) and the secondary processing area (114) are arranged side by side on a common processing plane (104), and the first transfer device and the second transfer device (152, 154) are preferably lateral transfer devices. The processing facility (100) according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that.
15. A method for processing a workpiece, specifically for coating a vehicle body, - Processing the workpiece within a plurality of processing regions (112, 114) of the processing line (110), specifically the primary processing region and the secondary processing region (112, 114), each of the plurality of processing regions having one or more processing stations (118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 136, 138, 140) for performing one or more processing steps, including A method for processing a workpiece.
16. - Moving the workpiece between the processing regions (112, 114), the processing regions (112, 114) being arranged on one or more processing planes (104, 106) of the processing facility (100), and / or the processing regions (112, 114) having conveying directions (116, 134) facing each other, further including the method according to claim 15.
17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the workpiece is conveyed a plurality of times, specifically at least twice, through at least one of the processing regions (112, 114), specifically one section of the first processing region (112).
18. The primary processing region (112) has an intermediate drying station (122), and after the intermediate drying station, the workpiece is moved into the secondary processing region (114) by a moving and conveying device (144, 154), The method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the workpiece is returned from the secondary processing region (114) into the primary processing region (112) in front of the intermediate drying station (122) by a further moving and conveying device (142, 152).
19. The method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, characterized in that when moving between the processing regions (112, 114), the orientation of the workpiece is not changed, specifically it is not rotated.