# US 12,214,605 B2 · Method for operating a coating system, and correspondingly adapted coating system preliminary > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,605 B2 - Document ID: US12214605B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/249,741 - Filed: 2021-10-12 - Published: 2024-01-11 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-10-22 - Assignees: Dürr Systems AG - Applicants: Dürr Systems AG - Inventors: Hans-Georg Fritz; Benjamin Wöhr; Jerome Lavallée; Moritz Bubek; Timo Beyl; Daniel Tandler; Tobias Berndt; Frank Herre; Peter Haller; Steffen Sotzny - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214605B2 ## CPC - B05B 12/084: {responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material already sprayed on the target, e.g. coating thickness, weight or pattern} - B41J 29/393: Devices for controlling or analysing the entire machine {; Controlling or analysing mechanical parameters involving printing of test patterns} - B05B 13/0431: {with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces} - B25J 9/1679: {characterised by the tasks executed} - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 11/0075: {Manipulators for painting or coating} - B05B 13/0433: {the work being vehicle components, e.g. vehicle bodies} - B41J 2029/3935: {by means of printed test patterns} - G05B 2219/45065: Sealing, painting robot - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract The disclosure relates to an operating method for a coating system (e.g. painting installation) for coating components (e.g. motor vehicle body components). Prior to the actual coating operation, the operating method provides for a testing operation comprising the following: Specification of a test pattern to be applied to a test surface, Determination of control signals for controlling the coating system, the control signals being determined from the predetermined test pattern and being intended to control the coating system in operation in such a way that the applicator applies the test pattern to the test surface, controlling the coating system with the control signals so that the coating system applies the test pattern to the test surface with the applicator, recording an image of the test pattern applied to the test surface by means of a sensor, determining a deviation between the predetermined test pattern and the recorded image of the actually applied test pattern, and determining correction values for the control signals depending on the deviation between the predetermined test pattern and the recorded image of the actually applied test pattern. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for coating components, the method comprising: performing a testing operation for quality assurance, wherein the testing operation comprises: a) specifying a test pattern to be applied to a test surface, b) determining control signals for controlling a coating system with an applicator guided by a coating robot, wherein the control signals b1) are determined from the predetermined test pattern, and b2) are intended to control the coating system in operation in such a way that the applicator applies the test pattern to the test surface, c) applying the test pattern with the applicator to the test surface by controlling the coating system with the control signals, d) recording an image of the test pattern applied to the test surface by means of a sensor, e) determining a deviation between the predetermined test pattern and the recorded image of the actually applied test pattern, and f) determining correction values for the control signals as a function of the deviation between the predetermined test pattern and the recorded image of the actually applied test pattern, and g) wherein individual coating agent jets either consist of separate coating agent droplets or are coherent in the jet direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising a coating operation after the testing operation comprising: a) presetting a coating program for coating the components, b) determination of control signals for controlling the coating system in accordance with the predetermined coating program, c) correction of the control signals for the coating operation according to the correction values determined in the preceding testing operation, and d) driving the coating system with the corrected control signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a) the applicator for applying the test pattern has a plurality of nozzles, and b) the applicator emits a coating agent jet from each of the individual nozzles, and c) the individual nozzles of the applicator can be controlled independently of one another, and d) the individual coating agent jets are aligned parallel to one another, and e) the individual coating agent jets each have a jet expansion angle of less than 30°, and f) the applicator operates essentially without overspray, and h) the applicator is a print head. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the correction values relate to the control of the applicator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein a) the control signals define switching times for switching the applicator on or off, and b) the correction values define a positive or negative switching delay. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the control signals define the switching times for switching the applicator on or off individually for the individual nozzles of the applicator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein a) the control signals define switch-on periods during which the applicator is switched on, and b) the correction values define a positive or negative change in the switch-on period of the applicator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the control signals define the switch-on period for switching the applicator on individually for the individual nozzles of the applicator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the correction values relate to the control of the coating robot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the correction values for a path point of a coating path define a change in at least one of the spatial position and the spatial orientation of the applicator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following actions is carried out as a function of the determined deviation: a) Rinsing the applicator with a rinsing agent, b) cleaning of the applicator on its outside, c) stopping the coating operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a) the test surface is located on the component to be coated, b) the test surface on the component to be coated is located at a point which, in the finished state, is concealed by an add-on part or by an installation part, so that the applied test pattern does not impair the impression of quality of the finished coated component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the test surface is not located on the component to be coated, but on a separate test substrate, so that the applied test pattern does not impair the quality appearance of the finished coated component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the separate test substrate can be cleaned from the test pattern by wiping the test pattern from the test substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the separate test substrate is a tape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the tape is unwound from a tape role. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor has a camera for determining the test pattern applied to the test surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the camera records individual images. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein the camera records videos. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the image of the test pattern applied to the test surface is analyzed, any malfunctions of the applicator being detected. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein the malfunctions are detected individually for the individual nozzles of the applicator. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the following malfunctions of the applicator is detected during the analysis of the image of the test pattern: a) opening of the nozzles of the applicator for too long, b) opening of the nozzles of the applicator too short, c) opening of the nozzles of the applicator too early, d) too early closing of the nozzles of the applicator, e) too late opening of the nozzles of the applicator, f) too late closing of the nozzles of the applicator, g) disturbing drops on the test surface, h) uncoated dropouts on the test surface, i) uncoated gaps between adjacent coating webs. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a) disturbing drops on the test surface are detected in the image of the test pattern applied to the test surface, b) the drop size of the disturbing drops is determined, and c) the correction values are determined as a function of the drop size. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method according to claim 23, wherein a) it is determined from which nozzle of the applicator the disturbing drop was delivered by analyzing the image of the test pattern, and b) the opening time of the nozzle from which the disturbing drop was dispensed is corrected as a function of the drop size of the disturbing drop. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the image taken by the sensor comprises the complete test pattern and the deviation in the complete image is determined. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the image taken by the sensor comprises only a part of the test pattern, and the deviation is determined only in this part.