EP4319945A1

EP4319945A1 - Path correction method for a coating system

Info

Publication number: EP4319945A1
Application number: EP22720648.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Harald Kunz; Julian Ricardo Diaz POSADA; Björn Schöll; Alexander SPILLER
Original assignee: Duerr Systems AG
Current assignee: Duerr Systems AG
Priority date: 2021-04-07
Filing date: 2022-04-04
Publication date: 2024-02-14
Also published as: DE102021108563A1; KR20230167368A; WO2022214431A1; JP2024513475A; CN117042932A

Abstract

The invention relates to a path correction method for correcting coating paths when coating a component (for example motor vehicle body component) with a coating agent (for example paint). The path correction method comprises the following steps of: - determining a reference path (2), - applying a first coating path (1) of the coating agent to the component, wherein the first coating path (1) and the reference path (2) run beside one another and ideally adjoin one another without a path error at an interface (3), - determining the disruptive path error at the interface (3) between the first coating path (1) and the adjacent reference path (2), and - determining path correction values for correcting the course of the first coating path (1) during subsequent coating operation, wherein the path correction values are determined on the basis of the path error. The invention also comprises a corresponding coating method and a correspondingly adapted coating system.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Path correction method for a coating plant

The invention relates to a path correction method for correcting paint paths when coating a component (e.g. motor vehicle body part) with a coating agent (e.g. paint). Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding coating method and a coating system for carrying out the method.

In modern paint shops for painting motor vehicle body components, rotary atomizers are usually used as ap application devices, which emit a spray jet of paint and are guided over the motor vehicle body components to be painted by multi-axis painting robots. In this case, the rotary atomizers are usually guided along specified paint tracks that run parallel to one another and are programmed in such a way that the superimposition of the coatings applied in the adjacent paint tracks results in a layer thickness that is as constant as possible. When using rotary atomizers as the application device, the path accuracy of the painting robots used is sufficient to achieve an acceptable coating result, since rotary atomizers do not produce sharply defined lacquer paths on the component surface.

In a more recent line of development, however, no rotary atomizers are used as the application device, but so-called print heads, which offer the advantage that there is almost no annoying overspray, since the application efficiency of print heads is close to 100%. However, these print heads do not produce a spatially extended and not sharply delimited spray jet, but rather apply paint strips with a sharp delimitation. The result of this is that the print head must be positioned very precisely when applying adjacent coating lines so that there are no gaps or overlaps between the adjacent coating lines. The required track accuracy can still be achieved with the known painting robots if the adjacent painting tracks are applied by the same painting robot in the same direction, at the same speed and with the same orientation. In practice, however, these specifications cannot always be met, since the adjacent paint lanes are usually traveled in opposite directions. In addition, can it may be desirable to apply the adjacent paint lanes from different paint robots. In these cases, the problem can arise that the track accuracy when applying the adjacent paint tracks is not sufficient, so that gaps or disruptive overlaps occur at the seams between the adjacent paint tracks. The gaps between the adjacent paint lines are then expressed in an interruption of the otherwise continuous coating, while the overlaps between the adjacent paint lines lead to overcoating with a layer thickness that is too high.

The problem described above of insufficient path accuracy when using print heads as the application device is exacerbated if a continuous pattern is to be applied instead of a monochrome lacquer layer. The neighboring painting tracks must then match each other exactly, since otherwise the pattern in the neighboring painting tracks will be offset relative to one another, so that even small positioning errors are already visually disturbing.

With regard to the technical background of the invention, reference should also be made to EP 3 098 082 B1, DE 10 2012 006 370 A1, DE 102019 119 730 A1 and US 2015/0 138 275 A1.

The invention is therefore based on the object of solving the problem described above.

This task is initially solved by a path correction method according to the invention. In addition, the invention also includes a corresponding coating method, which uses the path correction method according to the invention, as well as a coating system for carrying out the path correction method or the coating method.

The web correction method according to the invention enables the correction of coating webs that are applied when a component is coated with a coating agent. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the trajectory correction method is used in order to correct coating trajectories that are applied with a coating when coating a motor vehicle body component. However, with regard to the components to be coated, the invention is not limited to motor vehicle body components, but can also be used with other types of components. In addition, the invention is not limited to paints with regard to the applied coating material, but can in principle also be implemented with other types of coating materials. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to a specific type of the respective application device. However, the invention is particularly advantageous in the use of so-called print heads as application devices. Such print heads differ from rotary atomizers or other atomizers in that no spatially extended spray jet of paint is emitted, but rather a spatially narrowly limited jet of coating agent, with the application efficiency being close to 100%, so that almost no overspray occurs.

As part of the path correction method according to the invention, a reference path is first defined, which then serves as a reference path for the path correction method.

In a variant of the invention, the reference track is a component edge, such as a roof edge of a motor vehicle body or an edge of a fender, a door, a hood or a trunk lid, to name just a few examples. In this variant of the invention, however, the reference path does not necessarily have to run at the edge of the component to be coated. Rather, there is also the possibility that the reference path runs within the component surface, as is the case, for example, with so-called design edges (character edges). However, the reference path (e.g. component edge, design edge) should be easily recognized by an optical measurement system, as will be described in detail later.

In addition, the path correction method according to the invention provides that a first coating path of the coating agent is applied to the component, the first coating path and the reference path running alongside one another and ideally adjoining one another at a seam point without a path error. The first lacquering path is thus applied with uncorrected path data which are only to be corrected as part of the path correction method according to the invention.

The disturbing web error is then determined at the interface between the first coating web on the one hand and the adjacent reference web on the other hand, which can be done, for example, by the optical measuring system already briefly mentioned above, as will be described in detail below. For example, the width of the seam (gap or overlap) between the first coating line and the adjacent reference line can be measured.

In the next step, path correction values are then determined, which are used to correct the course of the first painting path in a subsequent coating operation, the path correction values being calculated as a function of the previously determined path error. If, for example, a gap is determined between the reference line and the first painting line, it can the first coating line can be moved closer to the reference line. If, on the other hand, no gap is determined between the reference line and the first painting line and instead there is a disruptive overlap between the reference line and the first painting line, the first painting line can be moved away from the reference line by means of the line correction values.

It should be mentioned here that the path correction values are preferably calculated for a large number of path points along the respective painting path. This means that the path can be corrected individually for each path point along the painting path.

A first variant of the invention was described above, in which the line errors between the first paint line and a component edge or a design edge are determined. In another variant of the invention, however, the reference track is formed by a second paint track that is applied to the component next to the first paint track. In this variant of the invention, at least two coating tracks are applied to the component next to one another, with the disturbing track defects then being determined at the interface between the adjacent coating tracks. The path errors determined in this way are then used to calculate path correction values. If, for example, the adjacent paint tracks have a disruptive overlap, the paint tracks can be moved away from each other at the respective point. If, on the other hand, there is a gap in the coating at the interface between the adjacent paint tracks, the adjacent paint tracks can be moved closer together at the respective point.

When applying and then measuring two adjacent lines of paint, the problem can arise that the seam is difficult to identify, making it difficult to determine the line error. For example, the seam between the adjacent paint lines is difficult to detect when the adjacent paint lines overlap, since the seam then only results in an overcoating that is more difficult to detect than a gap in the otherwise continuous coating. In a variant of the invention, it is therefore provided to make it easier to identify the seam between the adjacent coating tracks, so that the track errors can be determined better and more precisely. For this purpose, when applying the first paint line and the second paint line, an artificial track distance can be generated, which is then expressed in a gap between the adjacent paint tracks, so that any track errors can be easily measured. When using a print head as an application device, the above-mentioned artificial track spacing can be easily achieved by individual nozzles of the applicator being switched off when applying the adjacent paint tracks. If, for example, the print head has a row of nozzles with several nozzles and the row of nozzles is aligned transversely to the row of paint when applying the paint lines, switching off an outer nozzle of the row of nozzles results in a corresponding gap between the adjacent paint tracks, with this gap then expanding through a optical measuring system can be easily recognized.

Another way to create the artificial track spacing between the adjacent paint tracks is to rotate the applicator (e.g. print head) around its spray axis, so that the applicator sprays the first paint track and/or the second paint track with a narrower or wider track width according to its angle of rotation generated.

Other options for generating the artificial track spacing between the adjacent paint tracks consist of twisting or shifting the paint tracks relative to one another, and this can again be done individually for each track point. The shifting of the coating web is currently the preferred variant.

When measuring two adjacent paint tracks, there are various options within the scope of the track correction method according to the invention, which are briefly described below.

In a variant of the invention, the first paint line is first applied, measured and then removed. The second coat of paint is then applied, measured and removed again. The web errors are then calculated from the web measurement values that were determined when measuring the two painting webs. In this case, the coating lanes are measured independently and separately from one another.

In another variant of the invention, on the other hand, the two paint tracks are applied and then measured in order to determine the track error while both paint tracks are applied next to one another. In this case, the two coating lanes are measured together.

In one variant of the invention, the two coating tracks are each measured individually, whereas in another variant of the invention, the two coating tracks are measured together. Only the determination of path errors and corresponding path correction values for exactly two adjacent painting paths has been described above. In practice, however, not only two paint tracks are applied, but a significantly larger number of parallel paint tracks. When correcting two coating lines, a line error can therefore also affect coating lines that are further away. As part of the path correction method according to the invention, it is therefore preferably provided that path correction values for painting paths that are further away are also calculated.

It has already been briefly mentioned above that the path error can be determined by an optical measuring system. For example, this measuring system can be stationary and have a stationary camera that takes an image of the coated component surface. Alternatively, however, there is also the possibility of using a mobile surveying system that is attached to the former coating robot and can have a camera, for example, that determines the path error during coating. In both cases (stationary or mobile), the optical measurement system can have a light section measurement system that includes at least one light source and one camera. The light source projects a line of light onto the component, which is then captured by the camera. For example, a light-emitting diode (LED) or a laser can be used as the light source.

It has already been mentioned above that the adjacent coating tracks can be applied by two separate coating robots. In this case, there is the possibility that a mobile measuring system is attached to each of the two coating robots.

Alternatively, however, there is also the possibility that two coating robots apply the adjacent coating tracks, but with a mobile measuring system being attached to only one of the two coating robots.

The path correction method according to the invention was described above, which serves to determine path correction values which can then be used in the actual coating operation in order to correct the progression of the painting paths. However, the invention also claims protection for a coating method in which the path correction method according to the invention is used. The coating process then additionally provides for a coating operation to be carried out, with layers lying next to one another in the coating operation Coating strips are applied to the component to be coated, which form a specified coating on the component, in particular a continuous film of coating agent or a specified pattern, with the path correction values determined in the path correction method being taken into account in order to correct the course of the coating paths accordingly.

A coating program that controls the coating operation usually runs in the coating operation. For example, the coating program controls the coating robot and the application device, with the coating program running on a control computer during coating.

In a variant of the invention, the coating program is corrected offline with the previously determined path correction values, i.e. not on the control computer that controls the coating operation.

In another variant of the invention, however, the coating program is corrected online with the path correction values, i.e. on the control computer on which the control program also runs.

It has already been briefly mentioned above that the invention is not limited to paints with regard to the coating material used. For example, the applied coating agent can also be an insulating material for acoustic and/or thermal insulation or an adhesive, to name just a few examples.

It was already explained at the outset in the description of the problem on which the invention is based that the application of patterns is more problematic than the production of a continuous monochrome coating. This is due to the fact that when patterns are applied, even small positioning errors become visually disturbing. As part of the path correction method according to the invention, a pattern can therefore also be applied, which is then measured optically. Web correction values for applying the pattern are then determined as a function of the measured values determined in this way.

The path correction method according to the invention and the associated coating method have been described above. However, the invention also claims protection for a coating plant designed to carry out these methods. So includes the invention Coating system first a first application device for applying the coating means on the component, wherein the first application device is performed by a first coating robot ge. In addition, the coating system according to the invention includes a control device for controlling the first application device and the first coating robot by means of a control program that is executed in the control device during operation. The control program is now designed in such a way that the path correction method or the coating method according to the invention is carried out.

In this case, the coating system can also have a second application device and a second coating robot, which are also controlled by the control device. This is the case, for example, when the adjacent coating tracks are applied by different coating robots, as has already been briefly mentioned as a possibility above.

In addition, the coating system according to the invention can have a stationary or mobile measurement system, as has also already been described above.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of two uncorrected coating tracks.

FIG. 2 shows an illustration corresponding to FIG. 1 with corrected coating lines.

FIG. 3 shows two adjacent sub-areas with a seam between the sub-areas before a path correction.

FIG. 4 shows the representation according to FIG. 3 after a correction.

FIG. 5A shows two adjacent paint tracks with a seam between the paint tracks.

FIG. 5B shows the representation according to FIG. 5A with an additional distance at the interface to facilitate the measurement of the path error. FIG. 5C shows an illustration in accordance with FIGS. 5A and 5B with a corrected course of the coating lines.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a coating system according to the invention with two painting robots.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a painting system according to the invention with only one painting robot.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic representation of two adjacent painting lines with numerous measuring points for measuring the line error.

FIG. 9 shows an illustration similar to FIG. 8 with numerous coating tracks lying next to one another.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic representation of a painting system according to the invention with a mobile optical measuring system.

FIG. 11 shows a flow chart to illustrate a variant of the path correction method according to the invention.

FIG. 12 shows a flow chart to illustrate another variant of the path correction method according to the invention.

FIG. 13 shows a pattern that can be applied to a component.

The schematic representations in FIGS. 1 and 2, which each show two adjacent painting tracks 1, 2, are now described below. FIG. 1 shows the course of the two paint tracks 1, 2 before the track correction, while FIG. 2 shows the course of the two paint tracks 1, 2 after the track correction.

For the further explanation of the invention, it is assumed that it is a closed applied surface. The application of the entire surface consists of individual strips of a certain width, which are lined up to produce a closed, homogeneous application layer. One part of this area is applied differently than the other. The difference in the Application can have various causes, e.g. the two surfaces are applied by different robots or a robot moves in different directions when coating paint lanes 1, 2 (partial surfaces) or with different speeds, orientation, paint quantity, different applicator...etc .

The fact is that between the two applied paint strips 1, 2 (partial areas) an error occurs at the seam and this error must be eliminated. The error described at the seam typically ranges between 0.05 mm and 5 mm. The target accuracy is in the range of 0.1 mm and better.

The following dependencies apply here:

F _M I = [ s(1_1), s(1_2),..., o(lj) ] with j as the number of programmed robot poses for the first paint lane 1, and

F _M 2=[ s(2_1), s_(2_2), ..., o(2_k) ] , similar as for the first coating line 1, for the second coating line 2.

The painting lanes 1, 2 (F _M i and F _M 2) are normalized for later calculations as follows:

F _M I ^: [0 1] where F _M I (0) = s(1_1), F _M i (1) = s(1 J), and

F _M2 ^: [0 1] where F _M 2 (0)= s(2_1), F _M 2 (1)= o(2_k)

In order to visualize the sum of the errors at the seam, the surface is first applied. In order to then be able to record the error quantitatively, the interface is measured with a measure the system. The resolution of the measuring system must be selected according to the application accuracy to be achieved. Two ways of creating the difference between the two adjacent seam panels were considered. The condition is that the measurement always takes place with the same measuring system in order to determine the relative deviation:

Either the application takes place by introducing a desired small distance between the coating tracks 1, 2, which is then measured. This distance can be introduced, for example, by twisting or shifting the webs, but also by specifically controlling the applicator (switching off individual nozzles, if possible). An applicator is a tool that is used to apply a specific coating to a substrate. The applicator is mounted on the robot and guided along the surface by it.

Or you apply and measure the two coating tracks 1, 2 separately from each other. You apply the first coat of paint and measure it. This first coating line 1 is then removed again and the second coating line 2 is applied, which is then also measured.

For each programmed robot pose in the measurement program, the relative deviation between painting lanes 1, 2 is then measured and defined as follows:

D = [61, 62,..., 6n] with n as the number of programmed measurement poses and also normalized as follows: D :[0 1], where

D(0) = 61 and D(1)= i.e.,

It should be noted that the deviation D can also be calculated by measuring each of the painting lanes 1, 2 in a common coordinate system (e.g. with an external measuring system). In this way, one can also define the deviation sA as follows:

D =[ (OM2_l - 2), , (qM2_h - CT|vi2_n) ] where F _Mί = [s _Mί _i, o _M i_2 ,..·, s _Mί _ )] represents the measured coating lanes with i as the number of paint lanes. The measurement takes place along the seam in an arbitrarily dense grid, the denser, the more precisely the compensation can then be carried out. The result is individual distances along the entire seam, the number of which corresponds to the selected grid density.

Compensation for all different error sources is one of the most important advantages of this approach. The deviation A between the coating lanes 1, 2 is the sum of the following error sources:

D — Ep + _Eproc E Robot with Ep as component failure, E _Pr oc process failure, and E _Robo robot failure.

From the known target distances between the adjacent paint tracks 1, 2 and the measured actual distances, the difference can now be formed, which corresponds to the local error or with the opposite sign to the correction value.

The path correction can be applied in different ways.

The robot program itself can be adapted by calculating the corrections directly with the robot poses, e.g. by shifting or rotating the applicator in the individual robot poses or by controlling the applicator differently. The correction can take place both offline via a separate program and online on the robot controller. How finely corrections can be made depends on the density of the robot poses and the measured values.

However, it is also possible to save the path correction values in a value table and then, depending on where the robot is located in the program or in the workspace, compensate the robot movement with path correction values from this value table.

A homogeneous transformation (TL) can optionally be fitted to calculate the compensation. Compensating the measured path with this compensation transformation (here ⁽ T ) means that it is better positioned in space to the reference path (here F _M i ) as follows:

Optimize so that o _M 2_ _n . TL= o _Mi-n for all n measured elements in F _M 2 Finally, the difference between ^F'M2 =s _M2 · P. and F _M i can be calculated with the homogeneous transformation (T) for each programmed pose in F _M2 as follows: (TF _M I) ¹ · TF' _M2 = D'. If TL=0, D=D', the difference in F2 is compensated in each programmed pose with respect to the normalization. The dimension of the adaptation can be reduced depending on the application (e.g. only the positions or only two dimensions if necessary).

If the coating program consists of several paint lines, it is possible to adjust the adjacent paint lines to the seam line in the correction, so that the error does not move on by one paint line, but these are taken into account in the adjustment. The transfer of the correction to neighboring tracks can either take place homogeneously, i.e. all neighboring tracks are provided with the similar correction, or the correction is gradually reduced up to the edge of the coating. Changes in the alignment, location or shape of the appliqué surface can also be taken into account when applying the correction along the seam spread.

The correction method can also be used if there are several seams on a component.

It can happen that the corrections measured at the interface cannot be transferred to neighboring paths because, for example, the position / driving style of the robot or the application area itself deviates too much. In this case, you not only measure the seam path between the partial areas, but all the distances between all immediately adjacent paths. As described above, these distances can be generated in different ways. Only the measurement program has to be expanded from one to n interfaces.

The locally measured value is now also taken into account in the correction. As a result, in the full configuration, each robot pose is corrected in such a way that all distances between directly adjacent paths become the same.

The measurement program can be used for the test measurement at the same time to check the correction. Finally, however, the corrections are carried out in such a way that the application overlaps with the desired dimensions so that a homogeneous surface / appearance is created.

Ideally, the measurement is carried out with a camera or sensors permanently mounted on the robot. However, it would also be possible to use the measuring system only for adjustment on the robot to be attached and kept as measuring equipment, so to speak, or to use a self-sufficient, robot-independent measuring system. A separate robot program, the measuring program, can be created for seam measurement. The adjustment process can be repeated at any time as soon as changes are made to the application, component or robot, or one of the components changes (e.g. due to temperature influences). The measurement program would also be a template if new components or samples had to be retrofitted.

For this purpose, the sensor or the camera takes pictures of the seam between the application strips and measures them with the help of image processing tools (Figure 10). The fact that the position of the measuring point and the corrected path point match is already taken into account when the measuring program is created. The measuring points are at the same height as the track points. If necessary, measurement results can also be interpolated / extrapolated.

The schematic illustration according to FIGS. 3 and 4 will now be described below, with the same reference numbers being used for corresponding details, so that reference is made to the above description to avoid repetition.

FIG. 3 shows the course of the coating lines 1, 2 before the path correction, while FIG. 4 shows the course of the coating lines 1, 2 after the path correction.

It can be seen from FIG. 3 that there is a gap at a seam 3 between the two adjacent coating lines 1, 2, the width of which, however, is not constant along the coating lines 1, 2. As part of the path correction method according to the invention, the gap between the adjacent coating lines 1, 2 is optically measured at the seam 3, specifically at a large number of measuring points along the coating lines 1, 2, as will be described in detail below. The course of the coating tracks 1, 2 is then corrected in accordance with the path error determined in this way, so that when the corrected coating tracks 1, 2 are applied at the seam 3, no gap can be seen, as can be seen in FIG.

FIGS. 5A-5C correspond in part to FIGS. 3 and 4 described above, so that to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, with the same reference numbers being used for corresponding details. FIG. 5A shows the progression of the uncorrected coating lines 1, 2, a line error being recognizable at the seam 3, which manifests itself partly in a gap and partly in an overcoating.

As a result, the optical measurement of the web error at the seam 3 is difficult. In this exemplary embodiment, it is therefore provided that the seam 3 is artificially widened. For this purpose, individual nozzles are switched off in the nozzle head used as the application device, so that a pronounced gap then arises at the interface 3, which can be optically more easily measured, as shown in FIG. 5B.

Depending on the path error measured in this way, path correction values are then determined which are used to correct the coating paths 1, 2 and, after the correction, mean that no path error can be detected at the seam 3, as can be seen from FIG. 5C.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic representation of a painting system according to the invention with two painting robots 4, 5, each of which guides an application device 6 or 7, each of which is a print head that does not emit a spray jet of paint, but rather a spatially limited paint jet.

In addition, the painting installation shown has a control device 8 which controls the two painting robots 4 , 5 and the two application devices 6 , 7 . A control program runs in the control device 8 and executes the path correction method or coating method described above. With regard to the details of the method, reference is made to the preceding description in order to avoid repetition.

FIG. 7 shows a modification of FIG. 6, so that reference is made to the above description of FIG. 6 in order to avoid repetition.

A special feature here is that the two painting tracks 1 , 2 are applied by the same painting robot 5 .

Figure 8 again shows a representation of two adjacent paint tracks 1, 2 with a seam 3 between the two paint tracks 1, 2. In addition, the drawing shows numerous measuring points 9 for measuring the track error at numerous track points along the paint tracks 1, 2. FIG. 9 shows a modification to FIG. 8, so that to avoid repetition, reference is again made to the description of FIG. 8 described above. Here, in addition to the paint tracks 1, 2, numerous other paint tracks with a corresponding number of measurement points are provided.

FIG. 10 again shows a schematic representation of a painting system according to the invention, which partially corresponds to the representations according to FIGS. 6 and 7, so that to avoid repetition, reference is again made to the above description, with the same reference symbols being used for corresponding details.

A special feature here is that a component 10 to be coated is also shown.

Furthermore, an optical sensor 11 is shown, which is guided over the component 10 by the painting robot 5 , the sensor 11 being attached next to the application device 7 . For example, the optical sensor 11 can be a camera.

The flow chart according to FIG. 11, which serves to clarify the coating method according to the invention, including the path correction method, is now described below.

In a first step S1, the coating line 1 (partial area) is first applied.

Then, in a step S2, the paint run 2 (partial area) is applied, with an artificial offset being produced. For this purpose, for example, a nozzle of a print head can be switched off.

In a step S3, a measuring program is then created, with the path error being measured at a large number of measuring points 9 along the interface between the adjacent coating paths 1, 2.

In a step S4, the path errors are then measured and corresponding measured values are transmitted to a robot controller or to a PC.

Correction values for the movement program are then calculated in a step S5. In a step S6, the actual coating operation then takes place with the movement program corrected in this way.

The flowchart according to FIG. 12 is now described below, which shows a modification of the inventor's measured coating method including the path correction method.

In a first step S1, the coating track 1 is first applied to the component.

Adam Step S2 will then measure the paint line 1.

In a step S3, the measured values are then transmitted to a robot controller or to a PC.

In a step S4, the first coating line 1 is then removed again.

Then, in a step S5, the coating track 2 is applied.

The painting line 2 is then measured in a step S6.

In the next step S7, the measured values from the measurement of the painting line 2 are then transmitted to a robot controller or to a PC.

In the next step S8, the coating line 2 is then removed again.

Finally, in a step S9, the movement program is corrected in accordance with the measured values.

In step S10, the actual coating operation can then take place with a correspondingly corrected movement program.

Finally, FIG. 3 shows an example of a pattern that can be applied to a component, the pattern being sensitive to incorrect positioning of the respective application device.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, the invention also includes variants and modifications, which are also of make use of the idea of the invention 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 independently of the claims referred to in each case and in particular also without the features of the main claim. The invention thus comprises various aspects of the invention which are protected independently of one another.

Reference list:

1 First paint line

2 Second paint line

3 Seam between the two paint strips

4 painting robots for painting the first painting line

5 painting robots for painting the second painting line

6 Application device on the first painting robot for painting the first painting track

7 Application device on the second painting robot for painting the second painting track

8 control device

9 measuring points for measuring the line deviation between the two painting lines

10 component

11 Optical sensor

F _M I(Ϊ) Robot poses of the first uncorrected painting lane F _M 2(I) Robot poses of the second uncorrected painting lane d _ί Deviation between the uncorrected painting lanes in the individual robot poses d' _ί Deviation between the corrected painting lanes in the individual robot poses

F' _M I(I) Robot poses of the first corrected painting lane F' _M 2(ί) Robot poses of the second corrected painting lane

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. Path correction method for correcting coating paths (1, 2) when coating a component with a coating agent, in particular when painting a motor vehicle body component with a paint, with the following steps: a) defining a reference path (2), b) applying a first coating web (1) of the coating agent onto the component (10), the first coating web (1) and the reference web running alongside one another and ideally adjoining one another at a seam (3) without a web defect (d,), characterized by the following steps: c) determining the disturbing path error (d) at the interface (3) between the first coating path (1) and the adjacent reference path (2), and d) determining path correction values for correcting the course of the first coating path (1) in a later coating operation, the path correction values being determined as a function of the path error.

2. Path correction method according to claim 1, characterized in that the reference path is predetermined independently of the coating by the shape of the component, in particular as a) component edge or b) design edge.

3. Path correction method according to claim 1, characterized in that a) that the reference path (2) is a second coating path (2) of the coating agent, which is applied to the component (10) next to the first coating path (1), b) that the path correction values optionally serve to correct the course of the second coating web (2) in a later coating operation.

4. Path correction method according to Claim 3, characterized in that a) when the first coating web (1) and the second coating web (2) are applied, a web spacing is generated in order to separate the first coating web (1) from the second coating web (2) on the Component (10) to be able to distinguish, and b) that the web error is measured when the first coating web (1) and the second coating web (2) are both applied to the component (10).

5. Path correction method according to claim 4, characterized in that the path spacing is generated by at least one of the following measures: a) rotating the first coating web (1) relative to the second coating web (2), b) shifting the first coating web (1) relative to the second coating web (2), c) activating an applicator that applies the coating agent, in particular by switching off individual nozzles of the applicator, d) rotating the applicator about its spray axis, so that the applicator applies the first coating web (1) and/or the second coating web (2) produced on the component (10) with a narrower web width.

6. Web correction method according to claim 3, characterized by the following steps for determining the web error at the interface (3) between the first coating web (1) and the adjacent second coating web (2): a) Measuring the first coating web (1) and generating first web measurement values, which reflect the course of the first coating web (1), the measurement of the first coating web (1) taking place after the application of the first coating web (1) and before the application of the second coating web (2), b) removal of the first coating web (1) after measuring the first coating web (1) and before applying the second coating web (2), c) measuring the second coating web (2) and generating second web measurement values that reflect the course of the second coating web (2). , wherein the measurement of the second coating web (2) after the removal of the first coating web (1) and also after the application de r second coating web (2), and d) calculating the web error from the first web measurement values and the second web measurement values.

7. Path correction method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the path correction values are calculated for a large number of path points along the first coating path (1) and/or the second coating path (2).

8. Web correction method according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that web correction values for further adjacent coating webs (1, 2) in addition to the first Coating web (1) and/or next to the second coating web (2) are determined, since the web error does not migrate to the adjacent coating webs (1, 2).

9. Path correction method according to one of Claims 3 to 8, characterized in that a) the first coating path (1) is applied by a first coating robot (4), which guides a first application device (6) over the component (10), and b) that the second coating web (2) is applied by a second coating robot (5), which guides a second application device (7) over the component (10).

10. Path correction method according to one of Claims 3 to 8, characterized in that a) the first coating path (1) and the second coating path (2) are both applied by the same coating robot (5), which has an application device (7) via the to component (10) to be coated, b) that the coating robot (5) applies the two coating webs (1, 2) preferably on the other hand, in particular with opposite directions of movement of the application device (7).

11. Web correction method according to one of claims 3 to 10, characterized in that a) the measurement of the first coating web (1) and/or the second coating web (2) is carried out by means of a stationary measuring system, in particular by means of a stationary camera, or b) that the measurement of the first coating web (1) and/or the second coating web (2) is carried out by means of a mobile measurement system (11) which is attached to the respective coating robot, in particular by means of a camera, and c) that the mobile or stationary Measuring system is optionally a light section measuring system with at least one light source for projecting a line of light onto the component (10) and at least one camera for detecting the line of light on the component (10), the light source optionally being an LED or a laser.

12. Path correction method according to one of Claims 3 to 11, characterized in that a) the first coating path (1) is applied by a first coating robot, which has a first application device and a first mobile measuring system via the Component (10) leads, and b) that the second coating web (2) is applied by a second coating robot, which leads a second application device and a second mobile measuring system over the component (10).

13. Path correction method according to one of Claims 3 to 12, characterized in that a) the first coating path (1) is applied by a first coating robot, which guides a first application device over the component (10), but does not guide a mobile measurement system, and b) that the second coating web (2) is applied by a second coating robot, which guides a second application device and a second mobile measuring system over the component (10).

14. Coating method for coating a component with a coating agent, in particular when painting a motor vehicle body component with a paint, with the fol lowing steps: a) implementation of the path correction method according to one of the preceding claims to obtain the path correction values, b) implementation of a coating operation, wherein in the coating plant bl) adjacent coating webs (1, 2) are applied to the component (10) to be coated, which form a predetermined coating on the component (10), in particular a continuous film of coating agent or a predetermined pattern, and b2) the path correction values determined in the path correction method are taken into account in order to correct the course of the coating paths (1, 2).

15. Coating method according to claim 14, characterized in that a) that a coating program runs in the coating operation, which controls the coating operation, in particular the coating robot and the application device, wherein the coating program runs on a control computer during coating, b) that the coating program bl ) is corrected offline with the path correction values so that the coating program is not corrected on the control computer, or b2) is corrected online with the path correction values, so that the coating program is corrected on the control computer.

16. The coating method as claimed in claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the coating agent is one of the following coating agents: a) a paint, b) an insulating material for acoustic and/or thermal insulation, c) an adhesive.

17. The coating method as claimed in one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that a) the coating produced on the component (10) is a pattern, in particular a striped pattern, b) the pattern produced on the component (10) is measured optically , c) web correction values are determined as a function of the measurement of the pattern produced on the component (10), d) the coating webs (1, 2) are corrected as a function of the web correction values determined, and e) that in the following Coating the corrected coating tracks (1, 2) are used.

18. Coating system for coating a component with a coating agent, in particular special for painting a motor vehicle body component with a paint, with a) a first application device (6) for applying the coating agent to the component

(10), b) a first coating robot (4) for moving the first application device (6) over the component (10), and c) a control device (8) for controlling the first application device (6) and the first coating robot (4) by means of a control program which is executed during operation in the control device (8), characterized in that d) the control program is designed in such a way that when the control program is executed, the path correction method according to one of Claims 1 to 14 or the coating method according to one of claims 14 to 17.

19. Coating system according to claim 18, characterized in that a) that the coating system has a second application device (7) for applying the coating agent to the component (10), b) that the coating system has a second coating robot (5) for moving the second application device over the component (10), and c ) that the control device (8) also controls the second application device (7) and the second coating robot (5).

20. Coating system according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized by a) a stationary measuring system for measuring the first coating web (1) and/or the second coating web (2), in particular with a stationary camera, or b) a on the respective robot-mounted mobile measuring system for measuring the first coating web (1) and/or the second coating web (2), in particular by means of a camera.