Painting method and painting installation for painting a component with a character edge

Abstract

A component is conveyed in a conveyor direction through a painting installation by conveyor. The component surface of the component to be painted is subdivided into surface painting modules which lie one behind the other in the conveyor direction. The individual painting modules of the component surface are painted one after the other using a multi-axis painting robot that has an atomizer. The painting robot guides the atomizer, within each one painting module, along a painting path and across the component surface of the painting module. The painting path has at least one path section running transverse to the component edge. Within the painting module, the painting path can comprise at least one path section that runs substantially parallel to the component edge.

Claims

1. A method for painting a surface of a vehicle body component in a painting installation, the component including a character edge spanning the surface, the method comprising: conveying the component along a conveying direction through the painting installation, the component being aligned with the character edge along the conveying direction; subdividing the surface of the component into areal painting modules, each of the painting modules including an upper edge and a lower edge, the character edge being spaced apart from each upper edge and lower edge, wherein the painting modules are respectively arranged in series along the conveying direction and the painting modules overlap the character edge; painting each of the painting modules of the surface one after the other with a multi-axis painting robot having an atomiser; wherein the painting robot guides the atomiser within each painting module along a painting path, the painting path having a transverse path section that extends transversely to the character edge, a first parallel path section which extends substantially parallel to and overlaying the character edge in the conveying direction, and a second parallel path section which extends substantially opposite the conveying direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the character edge extends substantially horizontally and substantially parallel to the conveying direction; and the painting path crosses the character edge within the respective painting module less than four times.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section extends along the character edge so that the atomiser paints the component surface along the character edge.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: operating the atomiser and the painting robot along at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section with a parameter set different than is used during painting on the transverse path section.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the parameter set includes at least one of the following operating parameters of the atomiser and of the painting robot: a rotational speed of the atomiser, a shaping air flow for forming a spray jet emitted by the atomiser, a paint flow, a high voltage potential of an electrostatic paint charge, and a travel speed of the atomiser.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the painting robot is arranged to be stationary.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the component is conveyed through the painting installation in a stop-start operation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the painting robot paints the component while the component is stationary.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the painting robot has a particular spatial range within which it is able to paint the component; and the painting robot begins painting of one of the painting modules only when the painting module is fully within range of the painting robot.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein portions of the painting path lying below the component edge extend as far as turning points exclusively transversely to the component edge; portions of the painting path lying above the component edge extend as far as turning points exclusively parallel to the component edge; the painting path is interruption-free within the respective painting module, so that the atomiser paints the complete painting module in one pass without interruption.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section path extending along the component edge extends substantially entirely over component edge within the respective painting module.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the painting path has turning points at which movement of the atomiser is reversed where the transverse path sections lie exclusively within the turning points; and the turning points of the painting path lie exclusively at opposing edges of the respective painting module.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the painting path has turning points at which movement of the atomiser is reversed; a plurality of the turning points lies on the component edge; at least one of the turning points lies on a lower edge of the respective painting module; and at least one of the turning points lies on a side edge of the respective painting module.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the painting robot has six movable axes, including: a rotatable robot base; a pivotable proximal robot arm; a pivotable distal robot arm; and a robot hand axis which guides the atomiser and has three movable axes.

15. The method of claim 3, further comprising: operating the atomiser and the painting robot along the at least one of the first parallel path section and the second parallel path section extending along the character edge with a parameter set different than used during painting outside of the character edge.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Other modifications of are disclosed in the subclaims or are described below in greater detail together with the description of the preferred exemplary embodiments. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a conventional pattern of a painting path during painting of a door section of a motor vehicle bodywork,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the division of the door section into painting modules with the conventional painting method of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a pattern of the painting path during painting of a door region of a motor vehicle bodywork with a character edge,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a modification of FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic simplified representation of a painting installation, and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram to illustrate the adaptation of the painting parameters during painting along the painting path.

DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 3 shows a modification of a conventional painting method, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. For the avoidance of repetition, reference is therefore made to the above description relating to FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the same reference signs are used for corresponding details.

(9) The painting method differs from the conventional painting method in that the painting paths 5, 11 have path sections 18, 19 which extend parallel to the character edge 17. The path sections 19 extend exactly along the character edge 17, whilst the path sections 18 extend parallel and adjacent to the character edge 17.

(10) A further peculiarity of this painting method according to the invention lies therein that the painting paths 5, 11 have turning points 20 which lie precisely on the character edge 17.

(11) A yet further peculiarity lies therein that the painting paths 5, 11 have turning points 21 which lie above the character edge 17 on a side edge of the painting module 3 or 4.

(12) It should also be noted that the path sections 12 of the painting paths 5, 11 extend under the character line 17 exclusively transversely to the character edge 17, whereas the path sections 18 above the character edge 17 extend exclusively parallel to the character edge 17.

(13) FIG. 4 shows a modification of the painting method according in accordance with FIG. 3, so that, for the avoidance of repetition, reference is made to the above description, wherein the same reference signs are used for corresponding details.

(14) A peculiarity of this exemplary embodiment lies therein that the painting path 5 has a path section 22 which extends within the painting module over the entire length of the character edge 17. The character edge 17 is thus painted within the painting module in one pass without interruption and turning points, which contributes to the optimisation of the painting result.

(15) Located within the painting module are exclusively path sections 23 which extend parallel to the character edge 17. The painting path herein has exclusively turning points 24, 25 which lie at the side edges of the painting module.

(16) FIG. 5 shows a painting installation which is suitable for carrying out the painting method. The painting installation largely corresponds to conventional painting installations for painting motor vehicle bodywork components, so that the painting installation is described only briefly below.

(17) Thus, the painting installation has a conveyor 26 which conveys motor vehicle bodywork components 27 through the painting installation in the direction of the arrow.

(18) Furthermore, the painting installation comprises at least one painting robot 28 which can be configured in the conventional manner. Thus, the locally fixed painting robot 28 has a rotatable robot base 29, two robot arms 30, 31, a robot hand axis 32 and a rotary atomiser 33.

(19) The conveyor 26 and the painting robot 28 are controlled by a robot control system 34, wherein the robot control system 34 contains a modified control program which carries out the painting method described above.

(20) It is also apparent from the drawing that the painting robot 28 has a limited range 35 which is schematically shown. The painting robot 28 is thus able to paint within the range 35. The painting robot 28 begins with the painting of a painting module only when the painting module is located fully within the range 35.

(21) Finally, FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram to illustrate the dynamic adaptation of the operating parameters of the painting robot 28 and/or of the rotary atomiser 33 during the painting process.

(22) In a step S1, it is tested whether the current path section of the painting path extends transversely to the character edge 17. If this is the case, then in a step S2, a parameter set A (brush) is set which defines, for example, the rotational speed of the rotary atomiser 33, the paint flow, the shaping air flow, the high voltage potential of the electrostatic high voltage charge or other parameters.

(23) Otherwise, in a step S3, it is tested whether the painting path currently extends along the character edge 17.

(24) If this is the case, then in step S4, an adjusted parameter set B is set which is optimally adjusted to the painting along the character edge 17.

(25) Otherwise, in a step S5, it is tested whether the painting path currently extends parallel to and besides the character edge 17. If this is the case, then in step S6, an optimised parameter set C is set.

(26) The invention is not restricted to the above-described preferred exemplary embodiments. Rather, a plurality of variants and modifications is possible which also make use of the inventive concept and therefore fall within the scope of protection. In particular, the invention also claims protection for the subject matter and the features of the subclaims separately from the claims to which they refer, so that the invention also claims protection for a sub-combination of the features of the main claim.