Distributed control system for powder coating system

A method of applying powder coatings to parts as a function of the parts moving with respect to the plurality of powder spray guns, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing a plurality of sets of powder spray parameters in a plurality of gun controls, each of the plurality of gun controls operating a respective one of the plurality of powder spray guns, each set of powder spray parameters comprising a set of operating parameters for a respective powder spray gun to apply a powder coating to a part;
• producing a part identification code as a function of a physical characteristic of one of the parts moving with respect to a sensor;
• transmitting the part identification code to the plurality of gun controls;
• selecting with at least one of the plurality of gun controls one of the plurality of sets of powder spray parameters associated with the part identification code;
• and
• determining with the one of the plurality of gun controls when to selectively trigger the respective one of the plurality of powder spray guns ON and OFF in accordance with the one of the plurality of sets of powder spray parameters to apply a powder coating to the one of the parts.

A method of applying a powder coating to a part moving with respect to the plurality of powder spray guns, the method comprises the steps of:

• storing a plurality of sets of powder spray parameters in a plurality of gun controls, each of the gun controls operating a respective one of the plurality of powder spray guns, each set of powder spray parameters comprising a set of operating parameters for one of the plurality of powder spray guns to apply a powder coating to the part;
• providing first signals representing incremental displacements of motion of the part;
• detecting a physical characteristic of the part;
• producing a part identification code as a function of the physical characteristic of the part;
• transmitting the first signals and the part identification code to the plurality of gun controls;
• selecting with at least one the plurality of gun controls one of the plurality of sets of powder spray parameters in response to the first signals and the part identification code;
• determining with the one of the plurality of gun controls when to selectively trigger the respective one of the plurality of powder spray guns ON and OFF in accordance with the one of the plurality of sets of powder spray parameters to apply a powder coating on the part;
• and
• iterating the steps of providing, detecting, producing, transmitting, selecting and operating to select different ones of the plurality of powder spray guns in accordance with different ones of the plurality of sets of powder spray parameters as a function of motion of the part with respect to the plurality of powder spray guns and different physical characteristics of the part.