Systems for setting automatic gun triggering parameters in automated spray coating systems

An automated coating application system comprising one or more spray guns operative to spray a coating, the spray guns positioned proximate to a conveyor on which parts to be coated are carried past the spray guns,

• a sensor operative to detect the presence and length of a part carried by the conveyor past the sensor,
• a spray gun control system having input controls operative to control the spray guns to on and off states, the input controls adapted for operation by an operator based upon observation of movement of parts past the guns,
• the spray gun control system including a programmable controller operatively connected to the input controls, to a conveyor encoder, and to triggering mechanisms of the spray guns, the input controls mounted upon a pendant having START SPRAY and STOP SPRAY input controls operative respectively to turn the spray guns on and to turn the spray guns off, to store start and stop inputs in a memory of the programmable controller, and to set a Pickoff gun control parameter, the pendant being located within viewing distance of at least one of the spray guns, whereby the START SPRAY and STOP SPRAY and SET PICKOFF input controls can be operated by an operator viewing parts as the parts pass the spray guns on the conveyor, the SET PICKOFF input control being activated when a leading edge of a part is aligned with one of the spray guns, the START SPRAY input control being activated at a part position relative to the spray guns at which it is desired to commence spraying by the spray guns, and the STOP SPRAY input control being activated at a part position relative to the spray guns at which it is desired to cease spraying by the spray guns.

An automated spray coating system for coating a series of parts conveyed by a conveyor past one or more spray guns, the system comprising:

• at least one spray gun adapted to spray a coating according to gun triggering controls,
• a conveyor for conveying parts past the gun,
• an encoder operatively connected to the conveyor, and a sensor proximate to the conveyor operative to detect a part on the conveyor,
• a spray gun controller operatively connected to the spray gun and having input controls for inputting gun triggering parameters, the input controls provided on a moveable control device which is positionable within viewing distance of the spray gun, whereby an operator can operate the control device while observing parts as they are conveyed past the gun by the conveyor,
• the spray gun controller having START SPRAY and STOP SPRAY input controls, the START SPRAY input control operative to trigger the spray gun on when the part reaches a first position relative to the spray gun, the STOP SPRAY input control operative to trigger the spray gun off when the part reaches a second position relative to the spray gun.

An automatic powder coating system for coating an article conveyed past a spray gun, the system comprising:

• one or more spray guns;
• a sensor for determining the location of said article relative to a reference point and being connected to a control device;
• said control device having input logic for receiving a first signal representing the distance of said article at a start spray position relative to said reference point, and a second signal representing the distance of said article at a stop spray position relative to said reference point;
• said control device further comprising control logic for determining a front edge spray gun control parameter by combining said first signal with a pickoff distance, said pickoff distance being defined as the distance from the gun to the sensor;
• said control device further comprising control logic for determining a back edge spray gun control parameter by combining said second signal with said pickoff distance and a length of said article to be coated.

A calibration apparatus for setting and determining gun triggering parameters in an automated spray coating arrangement having a conveyor for conveying a part to be coated past a spray gun operative to be turned on and off to spray a coating onto a part as the part is conveyed past the gun, the apparatus comprising:

• a sensor associated with the conveyor and operative to sense the length of the part on the conveyor;
• an encoder operative to provide signals to a controller which correspond to movement of the conveyor and position of the part relative to the spray gun,
• said controller storing a START SPRAY encoder count at a point at which it is desired to commence spraying by the gun relative to the part on the conveyor, and storing a STOP SPRAY encoder count at a point at which it is desired to stop spraying by the gun relative to a part on the conveyor,
• said controller adapted for triggering the spray gun on as a function of the START SPRAY encoder count and a pickoff distance, said pickoff distance being defined as the distance from the gun to the sensor, and
• said controller adapted for triggering the spray gun off as a function of the STOP SPRAY encoder count, a length encoder value of the part, and the pickoff distance.