Car Wash Control Using Vehicle Feature Models for Tailored Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle washing systems face challenges in achieving optimal washing quality due to the variety of vehicle types, which often have specific features like spoilers and wheel arches that require tailored washing processes to avoid inadequate cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A control system for car washes that utilizes a generated feature model to acquire and process vehicle-specific data, calculating control data for washing units to account for unique vehicle features, ensuring precise and efficient washing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a standard washing process is used for all vehicle types, then the washing system is simple to operate, but washing quality deteriorates for vehicles with specific features like spoilers and wheel arches
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of the vehicle type and captures vehicle-specific features (such as spoilers, wheel arches, and other protrusions) before the washing process begins. This advance recognition allows the control system to pre-calculate and adjust the washing sequence, brush positions, and water jet directions to accommodate the specific vehicle geometry, thereby ensuring high washing quality without requiring complex manual adjustments during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The washing system dynamically adapts its parameters based on the identified vehicle type. The control system modifies the washing sequence, brush rotation speeds, water pressure, and component positions in real-time according to the specific features detected. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to optimize washing quality for each vehicle type while maintaining automated operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If the washing process is tailored to each vehicle type, then washing quality improves, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system employs a universal feature model database that stores geometric information for multiple vehicle types. This database serves as a multi-functional reference that can be queried for any vehicle type, eliminating the need for separate control algorithms for each vehicle model. The system uses a unified approach to identify, retrieve, and apply the appropriate washing parameters, thereby reducing control complexity while maintaining the ability to handle diverse vehicle types with high washing quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy or feature model of the vehicle's geometric characteristics based on identification data. This feature model serves as a simplified representation that captures essential washing-relevant features without requiring complex 3D scanning and processing. By working with this simplified digital copy, the control system can efficiently calculate washing parameters without the computational complexity of handling full-precision vehicle geometry.
3Manufacturing precision
If vehicle-specific features are identified and accounted for, then washing quality improves, but the washing process duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs vehicle identification and feature retrieval in advance, before the actual washing begins. By pre-calculating the optimal washing sequence and parameter adjustments based on the vehicle type, the system avoids time-consuming adjustments and recalculations during the washing process. This preliminary preparation enables the system to execute a optimized washing sequence that achieves high quality results without extending the overall washing duration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system identifies and focuses washing resources on critical areas that require special attention, such as regions near spoilers, wheel arches, and other protrusions. By calculating the optimal washing sequence in advance, the system can efficiently navigate around complex features without unnecessary delays, rushing through standard areas while allocating appropriate time and resources to challenging regions, thereby maintaining high washing quality without significantly increasing overall process duration.
Data Source
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AI summary
In one aspect, the present application relates to a control system (10) for a car wash (WA) for providing control data for controlling and/or regulating the car wash (WA) for washing vehicles. The control system (10) comprises an input interface (101) for acquiring input data that identifies a vehicle model and includes at least one vehicle model data record (e1) and one year of manufacture data record (e2) of the vehicle; a model interface (102) to a memory (MEM) in which a generated feature model (FM) is stored, which stores vehicle model-specific features of the vehicle in an associated manner for each set of input data; and a local computing unit (104) designed to access the feature model (FM) with the acquired input data in order to determine the vehicle model-specific features of the vehicle associated with the acquired input data.a processor interface (103) to a processor (P), wherein the processor (P) is designed to calculate control data for a set of washing units (Ai) of the car wash (WA) from the specific vehicle model-specific features, representing a vehicle model-specific and car wash-specific washing sequence for the vehicle, wherein the control system is designed to control the washing units (Ai) of the car wash (WA) with the calculated control data, the control data taking into account all features of the vehicle.