Adjustable Aircraft Paint Booth Volume Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Aircraft painting installations with large paint booths are energy-intensive due to the need to ventilate and heat a large volume of air, leading to high energy consumption and inefficiencies in managing air characteristics like temperature and humidity, while also suffering from paint particle deposition issues.

Innovation Solution

A paint booth with adjustable sections that fit the aircraft's dimensions, featuring lateral and upper openings that allow wings and the tail to pass through, reducing the treated air volume and incorporating a ventilation and extraction system optimized for laminar flow to minimize paint deposition and energy use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a large paint building is used to accommodate the aircraft and its wings, then the aircraft can be properly positioned for painting, but the volume of air to be treated by ventilation and extraction systems increases, leading to high energy consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccommodation of aircraft with wingsVSAvoidenergy consumption of ventilation and extraction system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The paint building is divided into multiple independent paint booths (first paint booth, second paint booth, third paint booth) that can be selectively used. Each booth is sized to accommodate only specific components (fuselage, wings, or tail), allowing the system to treat only the necessary volume of air for each painting operation rather than ventilating the entire large space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different paint booths are designed with different sizes and configurations optimized for specific aircraft components. The first paint booth is sized for the fuselage, the second for the wings, and the third for the tail, ensuring that each space is appropriately scaled to its function and minimizing unnecessary air volume treatment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If a large paint building is used to accommodate the aircraft, then the aircraft can be positioned with proper clearance, but the energy required to maintain temperature during drying increases due to the large air volume

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning clearance for aircraftVSAvoidenergy consumption for temperature maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The drying process is segmented into separate locations corresponding to different paint booths. Since each booth contains only specific aircraft components and has minimized air volume, the energy required to heat and maintain temperature in each booth is significantly reduced compared to heating a large unified space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The paint booths are designed with predetermined optimized dimensions and configurations before the painting operation begins. This preliminary design ensures that the air volume in each booth is minimized while still providing necessary clearance for the specific aircraft component being painted and dried, thereby reducing the energy required for temperature maintenance during the drying step.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Volume of stationary object

If the paint booth is positioned close to the fuselage to minimize space, then the volume to be ventilated is reduced, but the wings cannot pass through the booth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaint booth volumeVSAvoidaccessibility for wings
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The painting operation is segmented into separate locations: the fuselage is painted in the first paint booth, while the wings are painted in the second paint booth. This segmentation allows each booth to be compact and positioned close to its respective component, minimizing air volume, while still providing access to all necessary surfaces through dedicated painting stations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Object-generated harmful factors

If ventilation and extraction systems treat large air volumes, then paint particles can be removed, but the energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepaint particle depositionVSAvoidenergy consumption of ventilation system
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The ventilation and extraction system is segmented into multiple independent systems, each serving a specific paint booth. Each system treats only the air volume within its designated booth, which is minimized by the compact design. This segmentation reduces the total air volume requiring ventilation while maintaining effective paint particle removal capability in each localized area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration reduces energy consumption by minimizing the air volume to be treated, optimizes air management, and prevents paint particle deposition on surfaces, enhancing the quality of the paint coating.

Implementation Method 1

at least one ventilation outlet configured to inject a flow of air into the painting building

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

an extraction outlet configured to extract the air present in the painting building

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction:

Data Source

PatentEP4484017A1Aircraft painting installation comprising a paint booth with reduced cross-section
Publication Date: 2025.01.01 AIRBUS (SAS)
  • EP4484017A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4484017A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4484017A1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a painting installation, adapted for painting an aircraft fuselage, comprising a paint booth (20) positioned on a platform (S). This paint booth (20) includes at least first and second lateral openings (22.1) configured to allow the aircraft wings (14) to pass through the paint booth (20) and at least two elements (56, 58, 60, 62), at least one of which is movable between a close position, corresponding to a closed state of the paint booth (20) in which the two elements (56, 58, 60, 62) are joined, and a spread-out position corresponding to an open state of the paint booth (20) in which the fuselage (12) can be positioned between the two elements (56, 58, 60, 62).