Coating Robot Path Optimization With Virtual Spray Pattern Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for programming application parameters and robot paths for painting motor vehicle body components are either experience-dependent and require multiple iteration steps with material consumption or rely on computationally intensive and unreliable physical modeling.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid method that determines the coating result virtually by combining real spray pattern data with an extrapolation model, allowing for automatic optimization of application parameters and robot paths without material waste, using a database to store and interpolate spray pattern data for different parameters and paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional teaching method with multiple iteration steps is used, then coating result quality can be improved, but material consumption increases and programming time extends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing spray pattern data from real measurements in a database before actual coating operations. The system retrieves and uses this pre-acquired data to determine coating results virtually, eliminating the need for multiple iterative test coatings. This allows the coating process to be optimized without consuming additional materials during programming iterations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating virtual representations of spray patterns through measured data stored in the database. Instead of performing physical test coatings to determine coating results, the system copies real spray pattern characteristics into digital form and uses these copies for virtual determination and optimization, significantly reducing material consumption while maintaining accuracy.
2Loss of time
If complete simulation with physical modeling is used, then programming time can be reduced, but computing power requirements increase and model reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex, computationally intensive physical models with simpler virtual determination based on stored measurement data. Instead of relying on unreliable theoretical models that require enormous computing power, the system uses empirically derived spray pattern data that can be quickly retrieved and processed, achieving both time efficiency and reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If experience-dependent programming by programmer is used, then coating result quality can be improved, but programming complexity and skill requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service by allowing the system to automatically determine coating results using stored spray pattern data and virtual determination algorithms. The programming process no longer depends on the programmer's personal experience or expertise. The system autonomously retrieves relevant data, performs virtual coating result determination, and optimizes parameters without human intervention, simplifying the programming process while maintaining high coating quality.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple iteration loops are performed, then coating result quality can be improved, but productivity decreases due to extended programming time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-acquiring and storing spray pattern data before the coating programming process. This eliminates the need for iterative test coatings during programming, as all necessary data is already available in the database. The system can directly determine coating results virtually and proceed with optimization, dramatically reducing programming time and improving productivity while maintaining coating quality.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a program-controlled coating robot for coating components. A robot path is preset and application parameters observed by the applicator are also preset based on real coating operation during movement along the robot path. There is a virtual determination of a coating result for the predetermined robot path and the predetermined application parameters. The disclosure provides steps for virtual determination of the coating result including generating real spray pattern data and/or reading out real spray pattern data from a database as a function of the predetermined robot path and/or the predetermined application parameters, the read-out real spray pattern data reproducing a spray pattern which the applicator generates during a real coating operation with the predetermined application parameters and/or on the predetermined robot path, and determining the coating result taking into account the real spray pattern data read out from the database or the generated spray pattern data.