DE102020213991A1 - Method for operating a treatment facility and treatment facility - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to provide a method for operating a treatment system for treating workpieces, which in the event of a malfunction enables finish treatment or rescue of at least individual workpieces, it is proposed that the method comprises the following: Operating the treatment system in a normal mode in which one or more or all system parameters of the treatment system for treating workpieces lie within predetermined value ranges;detecting a fault in the treatment system;putting the treatment system into an emergency mode.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of workpiece treatment, in particular the treatment of vehicle bodies.

For example, for the after-treatment of coated workpieces, in particular for the drying of painted vehicle bodies, treatment systems can be used which allow the simultaneous after-treatment of a number of workpieces.

The present invention is based on the object of providing a method for operating a treatment system which, in the case of treatment process parameters lying outside of predetermined value ranges, enables a finish treatment or rescue of at least individual workpieces.

This object is achieved by the features of the independent method claim.

In addition, the present invention is based on the object of providing a treatment system which, in the case of treatment process parameters lying outside of predetermined value ranges, enables at least individual workpieces to be finished or saved.

This object is solved by the features of the independent device claim.

In order to avoid duplication, various aspects of the method and the device are discussed together below. All of the features and/or advantages mentioned can be used in any combination with one another to optimize the invention. In particular, method features and device features resulting therefrom can be used to develop the device. In addition, device features and the resulting method features can be used to develop the method.

A treatment system can be a continuous dryer, for example, in which the workpieces are conveyed through a treatment chamber of the treatment system in succession along a conveying direction at a constant conveying speed or with a uniform conveying speed profile or with a predetermined conveying cycle. The residence time in the treatment room is preferably uniform for each workpiece or at least for each workpiece of a specific workpiece type.

However, the uniform residence time only leads to consistently acceptable treatment results if the process conditions in the treatment room are stable or at most vary within specified value ranges. In order to ensure this, a control device is preferably provided, by means of which one or more conditioning devices for conditioning a treatment medium, in particular air, to be supplied to the treatment chamber can be controlled or regulated. For this purpose, the control device preferably also comprises one or more sensors for data acquisition and/or one or more actuators, by means of which a flow guide for guiding the treatment medium can be varied.

For example, one or more actuators, in particular flaps or valves or fans, can be controlled or regulated by the control device, in particular depending on data recorded by the one or more sensors.

It can be advantageous if the control device ensures or can be ensured in a normal mode of the treatment system that all workpieces or at least all workpieces of a specific workpiece type always go through the same treatment process. In particular, the conclusion can be drawn from this that identical treatment characteristics, in particular heating characteristics, can always be obtained for workpieces of the same construction.

To validate the treatment process, it can be provided that a measuring process is carried out at regular or irregular time intervals, for example after a predetermined number of treatment processes has been carried out, in particular by treating a workpiece provided with one or more sensors in the treatment room in the same way as the other workpieces are treated.

Various criteria must be met for successful treatment. For example, a heating gradient in a heating phase of the treatment process and/or a holding temperature and/or holding time in a holding phase of the treatment process must comply with specified value ranges, in particular globally for the entire workpiece in question, but also locally at each individual point on the workpiece in question.

For example, it can be provided that a holding temperature must be between approximately 160° C. and approximately 200° C. and that, depending on the actual temperature, a holding period must be between approximately 10 minutes and approximately 60 minutes. Exceeding the holding tempera temperature and/or holding time could result in overburning that could damage the workpiece. Falling below the holding temperature and/or the holding time could result in inadequate treatment and thus, for example, in insufficient mechanical or chemical resistance of a coating on the workpiece.

If, during operation of the treatment system, one or more treatment process parameters are outside of specified value ranges, for example due to a fault or incorrect operation, this can result in insufficiently treated workpieces.

The treatment plant can therefore preferably be set to an emergency mode, by means of which at least an attempt is made to complete treatment or to rescue at least individual workpieces.

The emergency mode is in particular an operating mode that deviates from a normal mode of the treatment plant.

In a normal mode of the treatment system, workpieces are preferably treated continuously, the conditions in the treatment system being such that the workpieces meet specified quality criteria after the treatment.

Preferably, the treatment system is then, in particular only then, switched to emergency mode and/or operated in emergency mode if it is not or no longer possible to return to normal mode during ongoing operation of the treatment system, for example in the event of technical faults which Make continued use of the treatment system impossible without time-consuming troubleshooting.

The emergency mode is used in particular to complete the treatment process at least for individual workpieces in the treatment room, preferably by compensating for one or more circumstances that led to the triggering of the emergency mode and/or by compensating for one or more treatment process parameters that deviate from predefined value ranges due to the fault.

In the emergency mode, further feeding of workpieces into the treatment room is preferably stopped.

It can be favorable if the emergency mode prepares a standstill of the treatment plant, in particular for maintenance and/or repair of the treatment plant, for example to eliminate the one or more faults that triggered the emergency mode.

One or more workpiece parameters are preferably accessed for operating the treatment system in emergency mode.

The one or more workpiece parameters preferably result from the implementation of a method for checking the workpieces.

• Ermitteln eines oder mehrerer Werkstückparameter der zu kontrollierenden Werkstücke und/oder eines oder mehrerer Anlagenparameter der Behandlungsanlage zur Behandlung der zu kontrollierenden Werkstücke.

The method for checking workpieces preferably includes the following:

• Determining one or more workpiece parameters of the workpieces to be checked and/or one or more system parameters of the treatment system for treating the workpieces to be checked.

A treatment of a workpiece can be, for example, mechanical (surface) processing.

However, the treatment of a workpiece is preferably a treatment of a surface of a material of the workpiece. For example, a treatment can be a refinement of a surface of the material of the valuable by applying and/or producing one or more, in particular protective, lacquer layers or other coatings.

• Aufarbeitung und/oder Zusammenstellung des einen oder der mehreren Werkstückparameter und/oder des einen oder der mehreren Anlagenparameter, wobei für jedes Werkstück ein werkstückspezifischer Datensatz erstellt wird.

Preferably, the method further includes:

• Processing and/or compiling the one or more workpiece parameters and/or the one or more system parameters, with a workpiece-specific data record being created for each workpiece.

The above-mentioned processing and/or compilation of workpiece parameters and/or system parameters can preferably create an optimized database for checking the workpieces, which ultimately makes it easier to check the workpiece quality and also allows conclusions to be drawn about system parameters and/or workpiece properties to be optimized.

A workpiece-specific data record is in particular a data record assigned to a single workpiece.

Each data set can preferably be evaluated to determine the quality of the workpieces.

A data set can also preferably be a quality card or quality certificate, from which the customer can see that all specifications and requirements for a correctly manufactured product have been complied with at least within specified limit values and/or tolerances.

Furthermore, a workpiece-specific data record can optionally contain data from initialization processes and/or calibration processes, for example for comparison purposes. For example, data from a sample workpiece can be included in a workpiece-specific data record in order to enable easier comparison of the data assigned to the respective individual workpiece, in particular parameters, with reference data. The reference data can in particular be or include limit values or value ranges. Furthermore, the reference data can consist of simulated data or include data within a predetermined tolerance band.

It can be advantageous if the data records are used to determine individually for each workpiece or jointly for a number of workpieces whether the treatment of the respective workpiece or workpieces has led or will lead to a treatment result within specified quality criteria. The workpiece-specific data records can thus be evaluated in particular during the treatment of the workpiece or after the treatment of the workpiece, in particular immediately after the treatment of the workpiece at the latest. Furthermore, as an alternative or in addition to this, an evaluation, in particular a statistical evaluation, can be provided at the end of a workpiece treatment.

It can be advantageous if the determination as to whether the treatment of the respective workpiece or workpieces has led or will lead to a treatment result within predetermined quality criteria, before the treatment of the respective workpiece or workpieces, during the treatment of the respective workpiece or workpieces and/or is carried out after the treatment of the respective workpiece or workpieces.

In particular, if workpiece parameters and/or system parameters are used for this determination, which relate to pre-treatment, pre-machining or previous production of the workpiece before one or more treatment steps are carried out, possible defects in the workpiece can preferably be inferred at least insofar as these result from the pre-treatment, pre-machining, design of a material surface and/or production of the workpiece.

For example, if there are defects in the body shell of a workpiece designed as a vehicle body and/or generally if there are defects in the material used to manufacture and/or process and/or treat a workpiece, it can be concluded even before the workpiece is treated that the workpiece ultimately cannot be completed without defects.

• - eine punktuell an dem Werkstück gemessene Werkstücktemperatur;
• - flächig gemessene und/oder gemittelte Werkstücktemperatur oder Werkstücktemperaturverteilung;
• - insbesondere mittels eines als Anemometer ausgebildeten Sensors gemessene, punktuelle Geschwindigkeit, insbesondere Strömungsgeschwindigkeit der Luft an und/oder um das Werkstück;
• - Reflexionseigenschaften einer Werkstückoberfläche, insbesondere gemessene Reflexionseigenschaften; insbesondere kann hierbei die Messung mittels Licht im ultravioletten, im sichtbaren und/oder im infraroten Bereich erfolgen;
• - Absorptionseigenschaften einer Werkstückoberfläche, insbesondere gemessene Absorptionseigenschaften; hierbei können insbesondere die Absorptionseigenschaften für Licht im ultravioletten Bereich, im sichtbaren Bereich und/oder im Infrarotbereich, beispielsweise im Bereich der Wärmestrahlung gemessen werden;
• - Emissionseigenschaften einer Werkstückoberfläche, insbesondere gemessene Emissionseigenschaften; die Emission wird insbesondere im infraroten Bereich, beispielsweise aufgrund der Wärmestrahlung des Werkstücks, gemessen;
• - basierend auf einer Simulation ermittelte punktuelle Werkstücktemperatur; diese mittels einer Simulation ermittelte punktuelle Werkstücktemperatur kann beispielsweise unter Verwendung von Anlagenparametern für jedes Werkstück individuell bestimmt werden;
• - basierend auf einer Simulation ermittelte Temperaturverteilung an dem Werkstück; hierfür kann insbesondere auf gemessene oder ermittelte Anlagenparameter und/oder punktuelle gemessene Werkstückparameter zurückgegriffen werden; beispielsweise kann durch punktuelle Temperaturmessung mittels einer Simulation eine Temperaturverteilung an dem Werkstück simuliert und als Werkstückparameter verwendet werden;
• - Informationen über die Art und/oder den Typ des jeweiligen Werkstücks;
• - Informationen über physikalische und/oder produktionstechnische Werkstückkennzahlen;
• - eine individuelle Werkstückidentifikationsnummer ;
• - Informationen über eine der Behandlung vorhergehende Vorbehandlung, Vorbearbeitung und/oder Herstellung des jeweiligen Werkstücks, insbesondere Qualität des Rohbausubstrats;
• - Informationen über eine der Behandlung nachfolgende Nachbehandlung und/oder Weiterbearbeitung des jeweiligen Werkstücks.

In particular, one or more of the following parameters can be provided as workpiece parameters:

• - a workpiece temperature measured at a point on the workpiece;
• - measured and/or averaged workpiece temperature or workpiece temperature distribution;
• - In particular, measured by means of a sensor designed as an anemometer, point speed, in particular flow rate of the air on and / or around the workpiece;
• - Reflection properties of a workpiece surface, in particular measured reflection properties; In particular, the measurement can be carried out using light in the ultraviolet, in the visible and/or in the infrared range;
• - absorption properties of a workpiece surface, in particular measured absorption properties; in this case, in particular, the absorption properties for light in the ultraviolet range, in the visible range and/or in the infrared range, for example in the thermal radiation range, can be measured;
• - Emission properties of a workpiece surface, in particular measured emission properties; the emission is measured in particular in the infrared range, for example due to the thermal radiation of the workpiece;
• - based on a simulation determined specific workpiece temperature; This specific workpiece temperature determined by means of a simulation can be determined individually for each workpiece, for example using system parameters;
• - based on a simulation determined temperature distribution on the workpiece; for this purpose, in particular, measured or ascertained system parameters and/or selectively measured workpiece parameters can be used be fen for example, a temperature distribution on the workpiece can be simulated by means of a punctual temperature measurement and used as a workpiece parameter;
• - information on the nature and/or type of the workpiece in question;
• - Information on physical and/or production-related workpiece parameters;
• - an individual workpiece identification number;
• - Information about a pre-treatment, pre-machining and/or manufacture of the respective workpiece preceding the treatment, in particular the quality of the shell substrate;
• - Information about a post-treatment and/or further processing of the respective workpiece following the treatment.

The workpiece parameters and/or the system parameters are preferably included in the workpiece-specific data set as soon as they are available, in particular continuously during the entire process for manufacturing and finishing the workpiece or gradually after one or more treatment, processing and/or manufacturing steps.

In one embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that before and/or during and/or after the treatment system is switched to emergency mode, one or more workpiece parameters and/or one or more system parameters are determined and that this one or more workpiece parameters and/or or these one or more system parameters and/or data from the workpiece-specific data set are evaluated in order to infer a current treatment process progress, preferably by means of the control device.

It is then preferably possible to determine for one or more or all of the workpieces located in the treatment room which further treatment would still be required in order to complete the treatment process for the respective workpiece.

In emergency mode, the treatment system is preferably operated in such a way that the treatment process for one or more workpieces, in particular for as many workpieces as possible in the treatment room, can be completed, in particular taking into account the one or more circumstances triggering the emergency mode.

For this purpose, the treatment system is preferably controlled and/or regulated by means of the control device in such a way that within the framework of a control or regulation of system parameters of the treatment system that is still possible due to the fault, these system parameters are selected in such a way that the treatment process for one or more or all workpieces located in the treatment room is completed can.

• - eine globale gemessene Temperatur und/oder eine gemessene zeitliche und/oder räumliche Temperaturverteilung in einer oder mehreren Behandlungsstationen; hierbei werden insbesondere diejenigen lokalen Temperaturen an Stellen längs eines Bewegungswegs der Werkstücke herangezogen, welche vorherrschten, vorherrschen und/oder vorherrschen werden, als das jeweilige Werkstück an den jeweiligen Stellen angeordnet war oder wenn das jeweilige Werkstück an den jeweiligen Stellen angeordnet ist oder sein wird; hierdurch kann insbesondere die für das jeweilige Werkstück spezifische Temperatur in der jeweiligen Behandlungsstation erfasst werden;
• - ein oder mehrere Betriebsparameter einer oder mehrerer Luftführungsvorrichtungen einer oder mehrerer Behandlungsstationen; beispielsweise können solche Luftführungsvorrichtungen an Lackierstationen und/oder Trocknungszonen vorgesehen sein; als Betriebsparameter sind beispielsweise folgende Parameter vorgesehen: Stromstärke, Spannung und/oder Frequenz eines Ventilators; Volumenstrom und/oder Massenstrom der in der Luftführungsvorrichtung geführten Luft; Lufttemperatur, Luftfeuchtigkeit, Zuführtemperatur der Luft bei der Zuführung zu einem Behandlungsraum; Abführtemperatur der Luft bei der Abführung aus dem Behandlungsraum; Druck im Behandlungsraum; Leistungsdaten einer Heizungsvorrichtung, einer Kühlungsvorrichtung, einer Entfeuchtungsvorrichtung und/oder einer Befeuchtungsvorrichtung;
• - ein oder mehrere Betriebsparameter einer oder mehrerer Fördervorrichtungen einer oder mehrerer Behandlungsstationen; hierbei sind insbesondere eine Geschwindigkeit, Haltezeiten, Pausen und/oder Fahrwege einzelner oder mehrerer Fördereinheiten der Fördervorrichtung berücksichtigt, insbesondere derjenigen einen oder mehreren Fördereinheiten, welche das jeweilige Werkstück fördern werden, fördern oder gefördert haben;
• - ein oder mehrere Betriebsparameter einer oder mehrerer Behandlungseinheiten einer oder mehrerer Behandlungsstationen; beispielsweise bei der Beschichtung von Werkstücken unter Verwendung einer Sprühbeschichtung (Sprühlackierung) können als Betriebsparameter eine Beschichtungsart, Beschichtungsdauer, Durchflussmenge, eine Temperatur und/oder ein Verschmutzungsgrad einer Beschichtungsflüssigkeit und/oder ein Wartungszustand einer oder mehrerer Behandlungseinheiten verwendet werden; beispielsweise bei der Tauchbehandlung kann als Betriebsparameter eine Zusammensetzung, eine Temperatur, eine Gesamtnutzungsdauer und/oder ein Verschmutzungsgrad einer Tauchflüssigkeit als Betriebsparameter verwendet werden; beispielsweise bei der Trocknung als Behandlung eines oder mehrerer Werkstücke werden vorzugsweise die vorstehend als Betriebsparameter einer Lüftungsvorrichtung genannten Betriebsparameter als Betriebsparameter einer oder mehrerer Behandlungseinheiten verwendet;
• - ein oder mehrere Betriebsparameter einer oder mehrerer Filteranlagen und/oder Reinigungsanlagen zur Entfernung von Verunreinigungen aus einem Luftstrom und/oder einem Behandlungsmedium zur Werkstückbehandlung; insbesondere sind als solche Betriebsparameter Daten zum Wartungszustand der Filteranlage und/oder Reinigungsanlagen vorgesehen.

One or more of the following parameters are preferably provided as system parameters:

• - a global measured temperature and/or a measured temporal and/or spatial temperature distribution in one or more treatment stations; in this case, in particular those local temperatures at points along a movement path of the workpieces are used which prevailed, prevail and/or will prevail when the respective workpiece was arranged at the respective points or when the respective workpiece is or will be arranged at the respective points; in this way, in particular, the temperature specific to the respective workpiece can be recorded in the respective treatment station;
• - one or more operating parameters of one or more air guiding devices of one or more treatment stations; for example, such air guiding devices can be provided at painting stations and/or drying zones; the following parameters are provided as operating parameters, for example: current intensity, voltage and/or frequency of a fan; volume flow and/or mass flow of the air guided in the air guiding device; Air temperature, humidity, supply temperature of the air when supplied to a treatment room; discharge temperature of the air when discharged from the treatment room; pressure in the treatment room; Performance data of a heating device, a cooling device, a dehumidifying device and/or a humidifying device;
• - one or more operating parameters of one or more conveyor devices of one or more treatment stations; in particular, a speed, holding times, pauses and/or travel distances of one or more conveyor units of the conveyor device are taken into account, in particular of those one or more conveyor units that will, are conveying or have conveyed the respective workpiece;
• - one or more operating parameters of one or more treatment units of one or more treatment stations; For example, when coating workpieces using a spray coating (spray painting), a coating type, coating duration, flow rate, temperature and/or degree of contamination of a coating liquid and/or a maintenance status of one or more treatment units can be used as operating parameters; For example, in the immersion treatment, a composition, a temperature, a total service life and/or a degree of contamination of an immersion liquid can be used as the operating parameter; for example when drying as a treatment of one or more workpieces, the operating parameters mentioned above as operating parameters of a ventilation device are preferably used as operating parameters of one or more treatment units;
• - One or more operating parameters of one or more filter systems and/or cleaning systems for removing impurities from an air flow and/or a treatment medium for treating workpieces; In particular, data on the maintenance status of the filter system and/or cleaning systems are provided as such operating parameters.

• Als Betriebsparameter für eine Luftführungsvorrichtung, insbesondere eines oder mehrerer Ventilatoren, kann beispielsweise eine Stromüberwachung und/oder eine Differenzdruckmessung zum Einsatz kommen, die einen Drucksprung zwischen Saug- und Druckseite des Ventilators erfasst. Wird mit dem hierfür vorgesehenen Sensor stattdessen der Druckverlust über den Düsen und/oder an anderer Stelle insbesondere in einem Umluftkreislauf erfasst, so kann daraus (insbesondere mit Hilfe eines Korrekturfaktors) vorzugsweise die Düsenaustrittsgeschwindigkeit bestimmt werden. Die Funktion der Überwachung des Ventilators kann nach Veränderung der Sensorposition vorzugsweise dennoch weiterhin erfüllt werden. Für die Messung der Düsenaustrittsgeschwindigkeit wird vorzugsweise keine weitere Sensorik benötigt.

The following can be mentioned as concrete examples:

• Current monitoring and/or differential pressure measurement, for example, can be used as operating parameters for an air guidance device, in particular one or more fans, which detects a pressure jump between the suction and pressure sides of the fan. If the pressure loss over the nozzles and/or at another point, in particular in a circulating air circuit, is instead detected with the sensor provided for this purpose, then the nozzle exit velocity can preferably be determined therefrom (in particular with the aid of a correction factor). The function of monitoring the fan can preferably continue to be fulfilled after changing the sensor position. No further sensors are preferably required for measuring the nozzle exit speed.

Provision can also be made for inferring the nozzle outlet velocity from the fan frequency. For this purpose, an aging of filters of a filter system, in particular a pressure loss across the filters, is preferably taken into account.

The workpiece parameters and/or system parameters can in particular be used directly to assess the quality of the workpiece and/or to control and/or regulate the treatment system in emergency mode.

However, the one or more workpiece parameters and/or system parameters are preferably evaluated.

Correlation data, which produce a correlation between a) the one or more workpiece parameters and/or the one or more system parameters and b) one or more treatment result parameters, are preferably used in particular to create workpiece-specific data sets.

For example, using the measured or simulated temperatures and/or temperature distributions, a degree of curing of a coating and thus an essential parameter of the treatment result to be achieved can be inferred.

Simulation data and/or simulation functions are preferably used as correlation data or for determining the correlation data.

One or more treatment parameters and/or one or more treatment result parameters are calculated using the simulation data and/or simulation functions, preferably on the basis of the one or more workpiece parameters and/or the one or more system parameters.

A simulation model used as correlation data or for producing correlation data is preferably calibrated by one or more test runs of a workpiece provided with sensors and/or monitored. In particular, such a calibration is carried out regularly, for example weekly, every two weeks or every four weeks, in particular in order to continuously ensure the reliability of the correlation data.

According to the method described above, workpiece parameters and/or system parameters can be entered as measured values in the workpiece-specific data set or processed using one or more simulations or other correlation data or used in some other way, in particular for Operation of the treatment system in emergency mode, with the resulting parameters, in particular workpiece parameters and/or system parameters, preferably being included in the workpiece-specific data record. All workpiece parameters and/or system parameters preferably enable a statement or conclusion to be drawn about the quality of the workpiece.

However, it is only the treatment result parameters that preferably reflect exactly those values which directly reflect the treatment result and in particular do not require any further interpretation or conclusions.

The one or more treatment result parameters can preferably be checked, in particular verified, by an immediate measurement, in particular during and/or immediately after the treatment process, for example a surface finishing process.

In particular, a non-contact measurement of the surface structure and/or the course and/or the degree of gloss of a finished material surface of the workpiece can be carried out to determine one or more treatment result parameters.

The use of correlation data, in particular using simulation data and/or simulation functions, preferably enables a drastic reduction in the measurement technology that would be required to obtain the same amount of data, in particular the same treatment result parameters, by direct measurement on each individual workpiece. In particular, a high-resolution, three-dimensional monitoring and/or checking of the workpiece can be made possible using only individual measured values.

In particular to verify the correlation data but also to further increase the control quality, it is preferably provided that one or more sensory treatment result parameters are determined by means of one or more sensors during and/or after the treatment has been carried out.

The one or more sensory treatment result parameters are preferably compared with one or more predefined and/or simulated treatment result parameters, with a quality parameter being obtained in particular, which preferably reflects whether the treatment of the respective workpiece satisfies one or more quality criteria.

Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the quality parameter supplies information about the quality of the simulation. For example, the quality parameter is used for validation and/or verification and/or fine adjustment of the simulation, in particular simulation parameters of the simulation.

A sensory treatment result parameter is preferably obtained by direct non-contact or contact measurement on the relevant workpiece.

Specified treatment parameters are in particular those that are specified as desired properties of a workpiece.

Simulated treatment result parameters are preferably those which are obtained based on one or more workpiece parameters and/or one or more system parameters, in particular using correlation data.

Furthermore, predetermined treatment result parameters are preferably parameters measured on a reference workpiece.

• - Dicke einer Beschichtung, insbesondere die jeweilige Dicke einer oder mehrerer Beschichtungen, beispielsweise einer Grundierung, eines Decklacks und/oder eines Klarlacks;
• - Güte einer Beschichtung und/oder einer Substratoberfläche, insbesondere Ebenheit und/oder Rauigkeit einer Beschichtung, insbesondere einer jeden oder einzelner Schichten;
• - Gleichmäßigkeit einer Dicke einer Beschichtung, insbesondere Gleichmäßigkeit einer jeden oder einzelner Schichten;
• - Farbton und/oder Helligkeit und/oder Farbmetrik „Colour Match“ und/oder Verlauf und/oder Glanzgrad einer Beschichtung, insbesondere vor und/oder nach der Applikation von Klarlack;
• - Oberflächenstruktur und/oder Verlauf und/oder Glanzgrad einer einzelnen Schicht oder für die finale Klarlackschicht;
• - Härte einer Beschichtung, insbesondere nach dem Aushärten des Decklacks und/oder des Klarlacks;
• - chemische Zusammensetzung einer Beschichtung, insbesondere Vernetzungsgrad und/oder Lösungsmittelgehalt;
• - Verunreinigungsgrad einer Beschichtung;
• - räumliche Verteilung und/oder zeitlicher Verlauf der Temperatur des Werkstücks während und/oder nach der Durchführung einer Behandlung, insbesondere nach einem Trocknungsvorgang;
• - Position von durch die Behandlung am Werkstück erzeugten lokalen Temperaturmaxima und/oder Temperaturminima;
• - Informationen über gemessene, simulierte und/oder erwartete Fehlstellen oder sonstige Qualitätsmängel an dem jeweiligen Werkstück, insbesondere Position und/oder Ausmaß von Beschichtungsfehlern.

One or more of the following parameters are preferably provided as treatment result parameters:

• - Thickness of a coating, in particular the respective thickness of one or more coatings, for example a primer, a top coat and/or a clear coat;
• - Quality of a coating and/or a substrate surface, in particular flatness and/or roughness of a coating, in particular of each or individual layers;
• - Uniformity of a thickness of a coating, in particular uniformity of each or individual layers;
• - hue and/or brightness and/or colorimetry "Colour Match" and/or leveling and/or gloss level of a coating, in particular before and/or after the application of clear coat;
• - Surface structure and/or flow and/or gloss level of a single layer or for the final clear coat layer;
• - hardness of a coating, in particular after curing of the top coat and/or the clear coat;
• - chemical composition of a coating, in particular degree of crosslinking and/or solvent content;
• - degree of contamination of a coating;
• - Spatial distribution and / or temporal progression of the temperature of the workpiece during and / or after carrying out a treatment, in particular after a drying process;
• - Position of local temperature maxima and/or temperature minima generated by the treatment on the workpiece;
• - Information about measured, simulated and/or expected defects or other quality defects on the respective workpiece, in particular the position and/or extent of coating defects.

• - ein oder mehrere werkstückspezifische sensorische Behandlungsergebnisparameter;
• - ein oder mehrere werkstückspezifische vorgegebene Behandlungsergebnisparameter;
• - ein oder mehrere werkstückspezifische simulierte Behandlungsergebnisparameter;
• - ein oder mehrere Qualitätsparameter.

It can be beneficial if the workpiece-specific data records are supplemented with:

• - one or more workpiece-specific sensory treatment outcome parameters;
• - one or more workpiece-specific predetermined treatment result parameters;
• - one or more workpiece-specific simulated treatment outcome parameters;
• - one or more quality parameters.

A quality parameter is, in particular, a value which, for example, allows a statement to be made about a quality criterion of the workpiece without any further setpoint comparison or other evaluation.

For example, a quality parameter is a parameter that can assume the values 1 or 0, which can ultimately mean "okay" or "free of defects" or "not ok"/"poor". A quality parameter can be, for example, "correct layer thickness", "correct color tone", "temperature limit values observed", etc.

It can be favorable if the data sets of several workpieces are compared, correlated and/or combined with one another, with a process data set preferably being obtained which, in particular, reflects a development over time of one or more system parameters, one or more workpiece parameters and/or one or more treatment result parameters.

The process data record is preferably evaluated, in particular using a data mining method and/or using a deep learning method. In this way, conclusions can preferably be drawn about possible sources and/or causes of identified and/or anticipated quality defects in the workpieces.

Depending on one or more workpiece-specific data sets and/or depending on a process data set obtainable from several workpiece-specific data sets, a treatment system for treating the workpieces, in particular one or more treatment stations of the treatment system, is preferably controlled and/or regulated with regard to one or more system parameters.

For example, it can be provided that a conveyor device is controlled and/or regulated as a function of one or more workpiece-specific data sets and/or as a function of a process data set that can be obtained from a plurality of workpiece-specific data sets, in particular for varying and/or for selecting a conveying path along which a respective workpiece is promoted in particular for the treatment of the same.

• - eine oder mehrere Kontrollstationen zum Ermitteln eines oder mehrerer Werkstückparameter der zu kontrollierenden Werkstücke und/oder eines oder mehrerer Anlagenparameter der Behandlungsanlage zur Behandlung der zu kontrollierenden Werkstücke;
• - eine Steuervorrichtung, welche so eingerichtet und ausgebildet ist, dass mittels der Steuervorrichtung basierend auf dem einen oder den mehreren Werkstückparametern und/oder basierend auf dem einen oder den mehreren Anlagenparametern für jedes Werkstück ein werkstückspezifischer Datensatz erstellbar ist.

To carry out the control, the treatment system includes in particular a control system, which preferably includes the following:

• - One or more control stations for determining one or more workpiece parameters of the workpieces to be checked and/or one or more system parameters of the treatment system for treating the workpieces to be checked;
• - A control device, which is set up and designed such that a workpiece-specific data record can be created for each workpiece by means of the control device based on the one or more workpiece parameters and/or based on the one or more system parameters.

The control system preferably has one or more of the features and/or advantages described in connection with the method.

• - eine oder mehrere Behandlungsstationen zum Behandeln der Werkstücke;
• - eine Kontrollanlage zum Kontrollieren von Werkstücken, insbesondere eine erfindungsgemäße Kontrollanlage;
• - eine Fördervorrichtung, mittels welcher Werkstücke zu einer oder mehreren Kontrollstationen der Kontrollanlage hin, durch die eine oder die mehreren Kontrollstationen hindurch und/oder von der einen oder den mehreren Kontrollstationen weg förderbar sind und/oder mittels welcher Werkstücke zu einer oder mehreren Behandlungsstationen hin, durch eine oder mehrere Behandlungsstationen hindurch und/oder von der einen oder den mehreren Behandlungsstationen weg förderbar sind.

The treatment system for treating workpieces also preferably includes the following:

• - One or more treatment stations for treating the workpieces;
• - A control system for controlling workpieces, in particular a control system according to the invention;
• - a conveyor device by means of which workpieces can be conveyed to one or more control stations of the control system, through the one or more control stations and/or away from the one or more control stations and/or by means of which workpieces can be conveyed to one or more treatment stations, through one or more treatment stations and/or from can be conveyed away from the one or more treatment stations.

The control device is preferably designed in such a way that one or more or all of the method steps described can be carried out. All components of the control system and/or the treatment system are preferably set up and designed in such a way that they can be controlled by the control device in order to carry out one or more or all of the method steps described.

One or more workpiece parameters and/or one or more system parameters preferably serve as the basis for parameterizing a software tool, which in particular forms or includes a physically based, algorithm-supported simulation model.

In particular, data recorded from measurement runs are used for the parameterization and/or calibration of the simulation model in order to preferably automatically extract simulation parameters. This data is recorded, for example, in a mobile manner, in particular by means of sensors on a workpiece and/or by means of sensors directed at the workpiece.

It can be favorable if one or more measuring runs are carried out in which the system parameters and/or the workpiece parameters lie within a predetermined value range, which leads to a workpiece free of defects.

As an alternative or in addition to this, it can be provided that one or more measurement runs are carried out with system parameters which depict faulty system operation. From this, it is possible to draw conclusions about potential sources of error occurring in later production operations.

In particular, the simulation model forms correlation data or a component thereof.

The correlation data preferably allow heating curves to be calculated at different workpiece measuring points for different workpiece types, in particular different body measuring points for different body types, preferably also depending on different system states and thus different system parameters. The workpiece parameters and/or system parameters obtained in this way can preferably be stored, in particular in one or more workpiece-specific data sets and/or a process data set.

Preferably, a reference measurement of a surface temperature at a specified point on each workpiece enables the quality of the simulation and/or the correlation data to be assessed and verified, in particular by stationary or mobile measurement using a stationary or mobile sensor designed as a pyrometer.

One or more measuring points are preferably provided for this purpose at or in one or more treatment stations in order to obtain a meaningful reference measurement value for each workpiece, particularly at critical points during treatment. This reference measured value can then be used in particular as a workpiece parameter to determine one or more treatment result parameters.

For example, a workpiece parameter, in particular a reference temperature on a surface of the workpiece, can be measured, for example in a treatment station designed as a dryer, at a point in time and/or at a point when high gradients are expected in a heating curve. Any deviations from a predetermined and/or simulated heating behavior can then preferably be reliably detected and/or determined.

• - Verstellung von Einlassdüsen, insbesondere Anpassung einer Wurfweite und/oder Ausrichtung derart, dass überhitzte Bereiche weniger stark und und/oder unterkühlte Bereiche stärker mit einströmender erhitzter Luft beaufschlagt werden;
• - Einstellung unterschiedlicher Volumenströme für unterschiedliche Einlassdüsen, insbesondere durch Einstellung zugehöriger Ventile und/oder Drosselklappen, beispielsweise zum Ausgleichen von Asymmetrien, die durch prozessbedingte Ungleichmäßigkeiten (z.B. am Übergang Vortrockner zu Haupttrockner, Übergang Halten zu Kühlen, etc.) bei der vorangehenden Aufheizung verursacht wurden;
• - Asymmetrisches Anordnen und/oder Ausrichten der Werkstücke im Takt, d.h. das Werkstück wird beispielsweise etwas zu früh oder zu spät relativ zu einer oder mehreren Einlassdüsen angehalten und dadurch einseitig stärker beaufschlagt.

For example, if a temperature determination, in particular a temperature distribution determination, results in asymmetrical heating of the workpiece, one or more of the following compensation measures can be taken automatically, in particular automatically initiated by the control device:

• - Adjustment of inlet nozzles, in particular adjustment of a throw distance and/or alignment in such a way that overheated areas are subjected to less and/or overcooled areas more heavily with inflowing heated air;
• - Setting different volume flows for different inlet nozzles, in particular by setting the associated valves and/or throttle valves, for example to compensate for asymmetries caused by process-related irregularities (e.g. at the transition from pre-dryer to main dryer, transition from holding to cooling, etc.) during the previous heating process ;
• - Asymmetric arrangement and/or alignment of the workpieces in sync, ie the workpiece is, for example, a little too early or too late relative to one or more inlet nozzles stopped and thus more heavily loaded on one side.

Example A:

An advantageous use of the invention can result, for example, in the event of faulty conditioning of a treatment medium, in particular air, to be supplied to the treatment room.

For example, there may be a disruption in the operation of the treatment system such that the treatment medium is fed to the treatment room at too low a temperature or at too low a speed because, for example, there is a malfunction in a flap or a fan of a flow guide for guiding the treatment medium.

If the process parameters otherwise remain the same, the workpieces could then no longer reach the temperature required for a successful treatment process.

If the disturbance cannot be compensated for in order to bring the treatment process parameters back into the specified value range, the treatment system is switched to emergency mode.

As a result, the control device uses workpiece parameters of the workpieces located in the treatment room and/or system parameters of the treatment system to infer the current progress of the treatment process for individual or several or all workpieces located in the treatment room and/or to determine which remaining treatment process steps and /or treatment process parameters are required to properly complete the treatment process on one or more or all of the workpieces located in the treatment room, i.e. complete in such a way that the respective workpiece is put into a state in which it can be after the treatment process has been carried out without disrupting the treatment system would have been or should have been.

Based on the current treatment progress, taking into account the remaining functionality of the treatment system, the system parameters of the treatment system are adjusted in such a way that as many workpieces as possible can complete the treatment process at least approximately properly.

For example, the temperature or the speed of the treatment medium that is too low in one section of the treatment room is compensated for by increasing the temperature or the speed in another section of the treatment room. A variation of a conveying speed can also be provided in order to vary, for example, a heat input into the workpieces and/or a holding time of the workpieces. As a result of the variation, the treatment process can be properly completed for at least one workpiece, preferably with further conveyance of the workpieces through the treatment room, in particular even if one or more treatment process parameters lie outside the value ranges specified for proper workpiece treatment in individual or several treatment room sections.

For the adjustment of the system parameters, provision can be made, for example, for the system parameters that are still within predetermined value ranges to remain unchanged in a first approximation. A model prediction can then be used to draw conclusions about the deviations to be expected in the workpiece parameters, in particular in comparison to the target workpiece parameters. Based on this, the system parameters that can still be varied are changed in order to compensate for the deviations to be expected in the workpiece parameters or to avoid or at least minimize a deviation from the outset.

The workpiece parameters and/or the system parameters are preferably determined regularly or continuously, in particular in emergency mode, in order in particular to readjust the system parameters with regard to an optimal treatment result for the workpieces.

If, in emergency mode, using the workpiece parameters and/or the system parameters, it becomes apparent that the system parameters cannot be varied in such a way that the treatment processes for all the workpieces in the treatment room can be completed properly, at least approximately, the control device and /or by manual selection, one or more workpieces are selected for which the treatment processes can be completed properly, at least approximately. The remaining workpieces are then accepted as scrap if necessary.

After completion of the treatment process, the workpiece parameters and the system parameters, in particular determined actual values, are preferably recorded and/or evaluated again for each workpiece, in particular to check the quality of the workpiece and its usability in the further pro to be able to close the production process. For example, in the case of only minor deviations from specified value ranges, a manual or automatic follow-up check of the affected workpiece can also be provided.

On the basis of the determined data, a decision can also preferably be made as to whether the treatment system actually has to be shut down or whether continued operation of the system up to a planned production interruption is justifiable despite the disruption.

Example B:

As an alternative, for example, a malfunction of the conveying device can occur as a disruption in the operation of the treatment plant. In such a case, each of the workpieces located in the treatment room has its own problem situation. Regardless of the rest of the workpieces, some are subjected to too much heat input and others to too little heat input. In addition, it is no longer possible to remove the workpieces from the treatment room.

In such a case, too, the treatment system is preferably switched to emergency mode and the control device uses workpiece parameters of the workpieces located in the treatment room and/or system parameters of the treatment system to infer the current progress of the treatment process for individual or several or all workpieces located in the treatment room and /or to determine which remaining treatment process steps and/or treatment process parameters are required to properly complete the treatment process on one or more or all of the workpieces located in the treatment room, i.e. to complete such that the respective workpiece is placed in a state in which it would have been or should have been after the treatment process had been carried out without any disruption to the treatment facility.

However, without the possibility of conveying, the treatment processes must be carried out exactly in the treatment room sections in which the workpieces are located when the conveying device malfunctions. This means that each treatment room section would have to be operated as a separate treatment chamber in terms of process technology. If all the technical requirements for carrying out or at least completing the treatment process are present in the respective treatment room section, the treatment system is preferably controlled and/or regulated in emergency mode by means of the control device in such a way that the treatment processes of the workpieces located in these treatment room sections are completed.

In the emergency mode, provision is made in particular for one or more treatment room sections of the treatment room of the treatment plant to be conditioned in the event of a fault in the conveyor device of the treatment plant in such a way that the workpiece treatment can be properly completed while stationary in the respective treatment room section.

For example, if the treatment room sections can be heated by means of central circulating air heating by adding hot air to the treatment medium, all treatment room sections can preferably be brought to the required process temperature in order to complete the treatment processes.

Those workpieces that are arranged in treatment room sections that do not meet the requirements for completing the treatment process must be accepted as rejects.

In order to set or reach the required temperature for baking the paint in the respective treatment room section and/or after completion of the respective treatment process, when the workpieces have to be cooled down in order to avoid overheating, automatic or manual opening of accesses, inspection hatches, Maintenance shafts, etc. in the area of the respective treatment room sections, in particular hot treatment medium, in particular hot air, can be rapidly cooled or replaced by cold air in the respective treatment room section.

For example, doors to the surroundings of the treatment plant can be provided on a suction side of circulating air fans for driving circulating air in the treatment room sections. By opening the individual doors, a temperature adjustment, in particular a temperature reduction, can then take place in the respective associated treatment room section.

The opening can be done manually by a worker, for example after a visual or acoustic request by the control device, or automatically by the control device using powered door openers.

Due to the described use of data in emergency mode, the treatment processes be brought to a conclusion for as many workpieces as possible in order to minimize rejects in the event of a malfunction.

Claims (20)

Method for operating a treatment system for treating workpieces, the method comprising: - Operating the treatment system in a normal mode in which one or more or all system parameters of the treatment system for workpiece treatment are within predetermined value ranges; - detection of a fault in the treatment plant; - Putting the treatment plant into an emergency mode. procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that the treatment plant is controlled by means of a control device of the treatment plant in the emergency mode in such a way that at least an attempt is made to finish treatment or to rescue at least individual workpieces. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 or 2 , characterized in that the treatment system is only switched to the emergency mode and/or operated in the emergency mode if a return to the normal mode is not possible or no longer possible in a continuous operation of the treatment plant. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that in the emergency mode the treatment process is completed at least for individual workpieces located in the treatment room. procedure after claim 4 , characterized in that in the emergency mode the treatment process, at least for some of the workpieces located in the treatment room, a) with compensation for one or more circumstances that led to the triggering of the emergency mode, and/or b) with compensation for one or more value ranges that deviate from predetermined value ranges due to the fault Treatment process parameters is completed. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 5 , characterized in that in the emergency mode a delivery of workpieces into the treatment room is stopped. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that a standstill of the treatment plant is prepared by means of the emergency mode, in particular for maintenance and/or repair of the treatment plant, for example to rectify the one or more faults triggering the emergency mode. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , characterized in that one or more workpiece parameters of the workpieces to be treated are accessed for the operation of the treatment system in emergency mode, in particular one or more workpiece-specific data sets created for each workpiece. procedure after claim 8 , characterized in that a workpiece-specific data set is created for each workpiece by processing and/or compiling workpiece parameters of the respective workpiece and/or system parameters of the treatment system. Procedure according to one of Claims 8 or 9 , characterized in that the data records are used to determine individually for each workpiece or jointly for a number of workpieces whether the treatment of the respective workpiece or workpieces will lead or has led to a treatment result that is within specified quality criteria. Procedure according to one of Claims 8 until 10 , characterized in that the data sets are created and/or evaluated before, during and/or after the treatment system is switched to emergency mode. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 11 , characterized in that it is determined during or after the transfer of the treatment system into the emergency mode for each workpiece which remaining treatment process steps are to be carried out in order to properly complete the treatment of the workpiece. procedure after claim 12 , characterized in that the treatment system is controlled and/or regulated depending on the result of this determination and/or depending on one or more workpiece-specific data sets and/or depending on a process data set available from several workpiece-specific data sets in order to complete the workpiece treatment. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 13 , characterized in that in the emergency mode depending on one or more workpiece-specific data sets and / or depending on one of several workpiece-specific data sets available process data set Conveying device of the treatment plant is controlled and/or regulated, in particular for adjusting a conveying speed to treatment conditions prevailing in a treatment room of the treatment plant. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 14 , characterized in that when the treatment system is switched to emergency mode, the workpieces located in a treatment room of the treatment system are categorized into at least two categories: a first category, which includes those workpieces whose treatment processes can be completed properly despite the fault triggering the emergency mode, and in a second category, into which those workpieces fall whose treatment processes are unlikely to be completed properly. procedure after claim 15 , characterized in that the treatment system is controlled and/or regulated in emergency mode in such a way that treatment conditions prevail in a treatment room of the treatment system such that the treatment processes for the workpieces falling into the first category are completed, in particular independently of this for those in the second Category falling workpieces resulting treatment conditions. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 16 , characterized in that the treatment system is controlled and/or regulated in emergency mode in such a way that a temperature that is too low in one or more treatment room sections of a treatment room compared to normal mode or too low a speed, in particular a nozzle speed, of a treatment medium due to an excessive increase in temperature or the speed, in particular the nozzle speed, is compensated for in one or more further treatment chamber sections. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 17 , characterized in that the treatment system is controlled and/or regulated in emergency mode in such a way that, to compensate for deviations in the treatment process parameters resulting from the disruption, a conveying speed of a conveying device for conveying the workpieces is varied, in particular by heat input into the workpieces and/or to vary a holding time of the workpieces and thus, for example, to compensate for temperature deviations in one or more treatment room sections of a treatment room of the treatment system. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 18 , characterized in that in the emergency mode, in particular in the event of a fault in a conveyor device of the treatment system, one or more treatment room sections of a treatment room in the treatment system are conditioned in such a way that the workpiece treatment can be properly completed or is completed in a stationary manner in the respective treatment room section. Treatment system for treating workpieces, in particular for drying painted vehicle bodies, the treatment system comprising a control device which is designed and set up in such a way that a method according to one of Claims 1 until 19 is feasible.