JP5090659B2 - Coating system and coating method - Google Patents

Abstract

A coating system (10) includes an intermediate coat applying process (14), an overcoat applying process (16), and a clear coat applying process (18), which are disposed successively along a coating flow direction. The intermediate coat applying process (14) includes first through fourth intermediate coat applying stations (30a) through (30d), which are disposed in parallel to each other across a coating line (12a). The overcoat applying process (16) includes first through sixth overcoat applying stations (34a) through (34f), which are disposed in parallel to each other across the coating line (12a). At least each of the first through third overcoat applying stations (34a) through (34c) has a plurality of coating robots (36a, 36b, 36c) for applying coats having different colors.

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating system and a coating method including at least an intermediate coating process and a top coating process for performing a coating process on a part of an outer plate and an inner plate of an object to be coated.

  In the painting line of an object to be painted, for example, an automobile body, a white body is subjected to an undercoating process (electrodeposition coating), an intermediate coating process, an overcoating process, an overcoating clear coating process, etc. for rust prevention. In addition, a baking and drying process is provided between the processes.

  In this type of painting line, a painting apparatus has been proposed for the purpose of reducing the number of painting robots and saving kinetic energy supplied to each painting booth (painting station) (Patent Document 1).

  As shown in FIG. 11, this coating apparatus is applied to an overcoating process set between an intermediate coating process and a baking process. The painting apparatus has a unitized painting booth 1 for base painting and a painting booth 2 for clear painting. The painting booths 1 and 2 are arranged in series along one transport path 3. Has been. In the painting booths 1 and 2, a plurality of spray painting robots 4 and 5 are arranged, respectively.

  The upper coating device is the first module A, the lower coating device is the second module B, and the production capacities of the first module A and the second module B are each set to a minimum production amount. In order to increase the production amount, the first module A and the second module B are simultaneously operated in parallel. On the other hand, when the production capacity is reduced, for example, the second module B is stopped.

JP 2001-129449 A (FIG. 1)

  In the above-mentioned painting line, the first module A and the second module B set to the same painting condition are only arranged in parallel corresponding to the production amount. However, the paint color of the automobile body is set in many kinds, and the clear coating may be performed twice in addition to the case where the top coating is performed twice. Therefore, in order to apply to this type of diversification, a large number of coating lines must be provided, and the entire coating facility becomes considerably large and complicated. As a result, the above-described conventional technology has a problem that it cannot cope with the recent increase in the number of paint colors and the production of a variety of products in small quantities.

  The present invention solves this type of problem, and it is possible to reduce the size of the entire equipment and to easily cope with high-mix low-volume production, and to perform an efficient painting operation. And to provide a painting method.

  The present invention relates to a coating system including at least an intermediate coating process and a top coating process for performing a coating process on a part of an outer plate and an inner plate of an object to be coated. In the intermediate coating process and the top coating process, two or more coating stations having different coating conditions, for example, different coating colors, are provided in parallel.

  In addition, the coating system includes a top clear coating process, and the top clear coating process includes two or more coating stations that perform different coating conditions, for example, the first layer clear coating and the second layer clear coating. It is preferable to provide them in parallel.

  Further, it is preferable that a setting unit and a heating unit are disposed between the intermediate coating process and the top coating process and between the top coating process and the top clear coating process, respectively.

  Furthermore, the present invention relates to a coating method in which a part of an outer plate and an inner plate of an object to be coated is coated at least in an intermediate coating process and a top coating process. In the intermediate coating process and the top coating process, two or more coating stations having different coating conditions are provided in parallel with each other, and a coating station corresponding to a desired coating condition is selected to apply the coating to the object to be coated. Has been done.

  In addition, the coating method includes a top coating clear coating process, and the top coating clear coating process includes two or more coating stations having different coating conditions arranged in parallel to each other, and a coating station corresponding to a desired coating condition is provided. It is preferable that the object to be coated is selected and coated.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the object to be coated is sequentially passed through the setting unit and the heating unit after being coated under desired coating conditions through each coating station. Furthermore, it is preferable that the object to be coated passes through the setting unit and the heating unit, and then returns to a predetermined coating station as necessary to perform coating under other coating conditions.

  In the present invention, two or more coating stations having different coating conditions are provided in parallel to each other in the intermediate coating process and the top coating process. For this reason, it is only necessary to select a coating station having a desired coating color when changing coating conditions, for example, changing the coating color, and quick and easy setup change for color change and setup change for model change. Carried out. Accordingly, it is possible to easily cope with a variety of small-quantity production and to perform an efficient painting operation.

  In addition, since the painting work can be speeded up at each painting station, even if the painting robot is also used as a door opening / closing robot, the entire painting work is not delayed. As a result, the number of robots can be reduced well, and the entire equipment can be easily made compact.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration explanatory diagram of a coating system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The coating system 10 includes a first coating line 12a and a second coating line 12b that extend in parallel to each other in the coating flow direction (arrow X direction). The first coating line 12 a and the second coating line 12 b include an intermediate coating process 14, a top coating process 16, and a top coating clear coating process 18 arranged from the upstream side to the downstream side in the coating flow direction.

  The first coating line 12a is provided with a first setting unit 20a and a first drying furnace (heating unit) 22a between the intermediate coating process 14 and the top coating process 16, and the second coating line 12b is Similarly, a second setting portion 20b and a second drying furnace 22b are disposed between the intermediate coating process 14 and the top coating process 16.

  The first coating line 12a is provided with a third setting unit 20c and a first preheating unit (heating unit) 24a between the top coating step 16 and the top coating clear coating step 18, while the second coating line 12b is A fourth setting portion 20d and a second preheating portion 24b are disposed between the top coating step 16 and the clear top coating step 18.

  The first coating line 12a and the second coating line 12b are provided with a fifth setting unit 20e and a third drying furnace 22c in common on the downstream side of the top coat clear coating process 18.

  The intermediate coating process 14 includes a first intermediate coating station 30a, a second intermediate coating station 30b, a third intermediate coating station 30c, and a fourth intermediate coating station along an arrow Y direction orthogonal to the arrow X direction. 30d are provided in parallel with each other.

  Each of the first intermediate coating station 30a to the fourth intermediate coating station 30d includes a plurality of coating robots 32a, 32b, 32c, and 32d. The coating robots 32a to 32d perform an intermediate coating process on a part of the outer plate and inner plate of the vehicle body W that is the object to be coated, and at least a part also functions as a door opening / closing robot. .

  The first intermediate coating station 30a and the second intermediate coating station 30b constitute two coating stations having different coating conditions, for example, different coating colors, for the vehicle body W conveyed to the first coating line 12a. doing.

  The third intermediate coating station 30c and the fourth intermediate coating station 30d are two coating stations that selectively perform different coating conditions on the vehicle body W transported along the second coating line 12b. It is composed.

  The first setting unit 20a and the second setting unit 20b are stations for reworking the coating, evaporating the solvent, and soaking the coating on the vehicle body W that has undergone the intermediate coating process. The first drying furnace 22a and the second drying furnace 22b are stations for drying the coating film.

  The top coating process 16 includes a first top coating station 34a, a second top coating station 34b, a third top coating station 34c, a fourth top coating station 34d, a fifth top coating station 34e, and a sixth top coating station 34f with an arrow Y. They are provided parallel to each other along the direction. Each of the first top coating station 34a to the sixth top coating station 34f includes a plurality of coating robots 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d, 36e, and 36f.

  The first top coating station 34a to the third top coating station 34c selectively perform top coating processing with different coating conditions, for example, different coating colors, on the vehicle body W transported along the first coating line 12a. On the other hand, the fourth top coating station 34d to the sixth top coating station 34f selectively perform a coating process with different coating colors on the vehicle body W transported along the second coating line 12b.

  For example, the first top coating station 34a and the second top coating station 34b are set to the same coating color, while the fourth top coating station 34d and the fifth top coating station 34e are set to the same coating color. Thus, two different types of top coating processes can be selectively applied to each vehicle body W.

  The third setting portion 20c and the fourth setting portion 20d are the same as the first setting portion 20a, and the first preheating portion 24a and the second preheating portion 24b are preheated on the vehicle body W after the top coat. Apply.

  Specifically, the first preheating portion 24a and the second preheating portion 24b temporarily apply the top coating material to the vehicle body W that has undergone the top coating processing in order to bring the solid content of the top coating material into an appropriate range. This is a drying station, and includes, for example, an infrared irradiation device and / or a hot air supply device.

  The topcoat clear coating process 18 includes a first topcoat clear coating station 38a, a second topcoat clear coating station 38b, and a third topcoat clear coating station 38c. The first topcoat clear coating station 38a to the third topcoat clear coating station 38c each include a plurality of coating robots 40a, 40b, and 40c.

  As will be described later, the first clear clear coating station 38a and the third clear clear paint station 38c and the third clear clear coating station 38c are used for the first clear clear layer 38a and the second clear paint station 38c, respectively. Form. The second overcoat clear painting station 38b forms a second clear layer (overcoat clear) on the clear layer of each vehicle body W in the first painting line 12a and the second painting line 12b.

  The first painting line 12a and the second painting line 12b include a first return line 42 for returning each vehicle body W from the downstream of the first preheating part 24a and the second preheating part 24b to the upstream of the top coating process 16, and the vehicle body And a second return line 44 for returning W from the downstream of the third drying furnace 22c to the upstream of the top clear coating step 18.

  The first intermediate coating station 30a to the fourth intermediate coating station 30d, the first top coating station 34a to the sixth top coating station 34f, and the first top coating clear coating station 38a to the third top coating clear coating station 38c are respectively provided. The air-conditioning booth is individually air-conditioned.

  The operation of the coating system 10 configured as described above will be described below in relation to the coating method according to the present invention.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2, a case where a standard type coating pattern is applied to the vehicle body surface Wa of the vehicle body W will be described. In this standard type, an electrodeposition layer 46, an intermediate coating layer 48, a base layer (overcoat layer) 50, and a clear layer 52 are sequentially formed on the vehicle body surface Wa.

  Therefore, the standard type painting process will be described in detail along the flowchart shown in FIG. Electrodeposition coating using a water-soluble paint is applied to the vehicle body surface Wa in advance by an undercoating process (not shown) to form an electrodeposition layer 46 (step S1).

  The vehicle body W is transported to the intermediate coating process 14 via the first coating line 12a after the electrodeposition layer 46 is dried in a drying furnace (not shown) (step S2). The second coating line 12b is subjected to a coating process in the same manner as the first coating line 12a, and only the first coating line 12a will be described below.

  In the intermediate coating process 14, the vehicle body W is supplied to the first intermediate coating station 30a, for example, corresponding to a desired coating color. In the first intermediate coating station 30a, the outer plate of the vehicle body W is painted through a plurality of coating robots 32a, and the door opening operation is performed by an arbitrary coating robot 32a. The part is painted. Thereby, the intermediate coating layer 48 is formed on the electrodeposition layer 46 (step S3).

  The vehicle body W that has been subjected to the intermediate coating by the first intermediate coating station 30a is transported to the first setting unit 20a and subjected to processing such as reworking of the coating, and then carried into the first drying furnace 22a. The vehicle body W is transported to the top coating process 16 after the paint drying process is performed in the first drying furnace 22a (step S4).

  In the top coating process 16, the first top coating station 34a to the third top coating station 34c corresponding to the vehicle body W are set according to different paint colors, and the vehicle body W is, for example, the first top coating station. It is carried into the station 34a. The first top coating station 34a is provided with a plurality of coating robots 36a, and a part of the outer plate and inner plate of the vehicle body W is subjected to a top coating process on the intermediate coating layer 48. Base layer 50 is formed (step S5).

  The vehicle body W after the top coating process is sent to the third setting unit 20c and subjected to processing such as reworking of the coating, and then sent to the first preheating unit 24a. The vehicle body W is preheated to a predetermined temperature by the first preheating section 24a (step S6), and then sent to the first topcoat clear coating station 38a in the topcoat clear coating step 18, for example. In the first overcoat clear coating station 38a, the clear layer 52 is formed on the base layer 50 by the plurality of coating robots 40a (step S7).

  Then, the vehicle body W that has undergone the top clear coating is sent to the fifth setting unit 20e, further subjected to a drying process in the third drying furnace 22c (step S8), and sent to the next step.

  Next, the coating process by the 1st coating pattern shown in FIG. 4 is demonstrated. In the first coating pattern, the electrodeposition layer 46, the intermediate coating layer 48, the first base layer 50a, the second base layer 50b, and the clear layer 52 are formed on the vehicle body surface Wa.

  Therefore, in the following description in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, first, steps S11 to S14 are performed in the same manner as steps S1 to S4 described above. Furthermore, the vehicle body W is sent to, for example, the first topcoat coating station 34a in the topcoat coating process 16 to form the first base layer 50a (first step S15).

  The vehicle body W on which the first base layer 50a is formed passes through the third setting portion 20c and the first preheating portion 24a (step S16), and then returns to the upstream side of the top coating process 16 via the first return line 42. It is. Then, the vehicle body W is sent to, for example, the second top coating station 34b, and the second base layer 50b is formed on the first base layer 50a via the plurality of coating robots 36b (step S17).

  The vehicle body W on which the second base layer 50b is formed is preheated through the third setting portion 20c and the first preheating portion 24a (step S18), and then the first topcoat clear coating station constituting the topcoat clear coating step 18. The clear layer 52 is formed by being sent to 38a (step S19). The vehicle body W after finishing the top coat clear coating is dried through the fifth setting unit 20e and the third drying furnace 22c (step S20) and then carried out to the next process.

  Furthermore, the coating process by the 2nd coating pattern shown in FIG. 6 is demonstrated. In the second coating pattern, the electrodeposition layer 46, the intermediate coating layer 48, the first base layer 50a, the second base layer 50b, the first clear layer 52a, and the second clear layer 52b are formed on the vehicle body surface Wa.

  In the second painting pattern, painting processing is performed in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, and Steps S31 to S38 are performed in the same manner as Steps S11 to S18 described above.

  The vehicle body W on which the second base layer 50b is formed is sent from the first preheating portion 24a to the first overcoat clear coating station 38a, and the first clear layer 52a is formed on the second base layer 50b. (Step S39). The vehicle body W on which the first clear layer 52a is formed is dried through the fifth setting portion 20e and the third drying furnace 22c (step S40), and then passed through the second return line 44 to perform the overcoat clear coating process 18. Is once returned to the upstream side.

  For example, the vehicle body W is sent to the second overcoat clear coating station 38b, and the second clear layer 52b is formed on the first clear layer 52a via the plurality of coating robots 40b (step S41). The vehicle body W on which the second clear layer 52b is formed is dried through the fifth setting unit 20e and the third drying furnace 22c (step S42), and then carried out to the next process.

  In this case, in the present embodiment, in the first coating line 12a, in the intermediate coating step 14, the first intermediate coating station 30a and the second intermediate coating station 30b having different coating conditions are arranged in parallel. On the other hand, in the top coating step 16, first top coating station 34 a to third top coating station 34 c having different coating conditions are provided in parallel with each other. Further, in the overcoat clear coating process 18, a first overcoat clear coating station 38a corresponding to the first coating line 12a and a second overcoat clear coating station 38b that also serves as the second coating line 12b are arranged in parallel with each other. Is provided. For this reason, when changing paint conditions, for example, when changing paint colors, setup changes for color change and setup changes for model change are quickly and easily performed.

  Specifically, when top coating is applied to the vehicle body W using the first top coating station 34a to the third top coating station 34c constituting the coating system 10, as shown in FIG. The case where the top coat is applied to the vehicle body W by using the conventional top coat process 66 in which the first outer plate coating station 62 and the second outer plate coating station 64 are arranged in series will be described.

  The conventional top coating process 66 includes an opener 67 that opens and holds the hood (bonnet) of the vehicle body W, and a door opening and closing robot 68. A plurality of painting robots 70a, 70b, and 70c are disposed in the inner plate painting station 60, the first outer plate painting station 62, and the second outer plate painting station 64, respectively.

  In the conventional top coat process 66, as shown in FIG. 9, first, the hood inner plate side is coated in a state where the hood is held open by the opener 67. Next, the inner plate of the vehicle body W is painted by the painting robot 70a in a state where the door is opened by the door opening / closing robot 68.

  Then, after the door is closed, the coating process is interrupted for a predetermined color change time before the first outer panel coating station 62 starts the coating of the outer panel of the vehicle body W. The color change time is substantially set in common when the paint color is not changed and when the paint color is changed. If necessary, the color change time is within the color change time. Changeover work including cup washing is being performed.

  After a predetermined color change time elapses, the vehicle body W is coated with an outer plate via a coating robot 70 b that constitutes the first outer plate coating station 62. Further, after the painting is stopped for a predetermined color change time, the vehicle body W is coated with the outer plate via the painting robot 70c constituting the second outer plate coating station 64.

  On the other hand, in the top coating process 16 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, when the top coating of a part of the outer plate and the inner plate of the vehicle body W is performed by the first top coating station 34a, first, The hood is painted via the right painting robot 36a in a state where the hood is held open by the left painting robot 36a. Next, in the state where the hood is held open by the right painting robot 36a, the remaining painting of the hood is performed by the left painting robot 36a.

  Further, when a part of the inner plate is painted while the door is opened by each painting robot 36a, the painting robot 36a closes the door and the used painting robot 36a is washed by the cup. After that, the outer plate of the vehicle body W is painted by the left and right painting robots 36a. And while the cup washing of the used painting robot 36a is performed, the outer plate of the vehicle body W is painted by the other painting robot 36a.

  As described above, in the conventional top coating process 66, after coating is performed at the inner panel coating station 60, the first outer panel coating station 62, and the second outer panel coating station 64, the coating is performed for a predetermined color change time. Has been interrupted. This color change time requires a longer time than the time required for actual cup cleaning, and there is a problem that the painting operation is stopped unnecessarily, and the entire painting operation is considerably prolonged.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the first top coating station 34a to the third top coating station 34c stand by so that paints having different coating colors can be applied, and the vehicle body W is applied to the first top coating at the time of color change. It is only necessary to transfer from the coating station 34a to, for example, the second topcoat coating station 34b. Thereby, in particular, it is possible to easily cope with a large variety of small-quantity production, and to obtain an effect that it is possible to perform an efficient painting operation.

  In addition, since the unnecessary color change waiting time is eliminated, the entire painting operation is easily performed quickly and in a short time. For this reason, for example, even if the painting robot 36a is also used as a door opening / closing robot, the entire painting operation is not delayed. Therefore, there is an advantage that the number of robots is favorably reduced and the entire equipment is made compact and economical.

  Furthermore, in the conventional top coating process 66, it is necessary to provide an air conditioning booth covering the inner plate coating station 60 to the second outer plate coating station 64, and the total length of this air conditioning booth includes the conveyance path of the vehicle body W. It becomes long. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, for example, the air conditioning booth covering the first topcoat coating station 34a is limited to the range surrounding the vehicle body W, and thus the air conditioning energy can be reduced favorably.

It is a schematic structure explanatory view of a painting system concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of a standard type coating pattern. It is a processing flowchart of the standard type coating pattern. It is explanatory drawing of a 1st coating pattern. It is a process flowchart of the said 1st coating pattern. It is explanatory drawing of a 2nd coating pattern. It is a process flowchart of the said 2nd coating pattern. It is explanatory drawing of the conventional top coat process. It is a time chart of the said conventional overcoating process. It is a time chart of the top coat process of this embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the overcoating process of patent document 1. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Coating system 12a, 12b ... Coating line 14 ... Intermediate coating process 16 ... Top coating process 18 ... Top coating clear coating process 20a-20e ... Setting part 22a-22c ... Drying furnace 24a, 24b ... Preheating part 30a-30d ... Medium Coating stations 32a to 32d, 36a to 36f, 40a to 40c ... Coating robots 34a to 34f ... Top coating stations 38a to 38c ... Top coating clear coating stations 42, 44 ... Return line

Claims (7)

A coating system comprising at least an intermediate coating process and a top coating process for performing a coating process on a part of an outer plate and an inner plate of an object to be coated,
Having at least one paint line extending in the paint flow direction;
The intermediate coating step and the finish coating step, provided the two or more coating stations each with a different coating conditions parallel to each other,
The two or more coating stations in the intermediate coating process and the two or more coating stations in the top coating process are connected via a common heating unit arranged for each coating line,
The coating system further comprises a return line for returning the object to be coated from the downstream side of the top coating process to the upstream side of the top coating process in accordance with a coating process to be performed on the object to be coated. . In the coating system according to claim 1, including a top coat clear coating process,
In the top coating clear coating process, two or more coating stations having different coating conditions are provided in parallel with each other.   3. The coating system according to claim 2, wherein a setting section and a heating section are disposed between the intermediate coating process and the top coating process and between the top coating process and the clear clear coating process, respectively. A painting system characterized by that. A coating method for coating at least an intermediate coating process and a top coating process on a part of an outer plate and an inner plate of an object to be coated,
The intermediate coating step and the finish coating step is provided of two or more coating stations each with a different coating conditions in parallel with each other, and the two or more coating stations in the intermediate coating step, in the top coating process The two or more painting stations are connected via a common heating unit arranged for at least one painting line extending in the painting flow direction, and a painting station corresponding to a desired painting condition is selected. And paint on the object to be coated ,
Furthermore, according to the coating process which should be performed to the said to-be-coated object, the said to-be-coated object is returned from the downstream of the said top coat process to the upstream of the said top coat process .   5. The coating method according to claim 4, further comprising a top clear coating step, wherein the top clear coating step includes two or more coating stations having different coating conditions arranged in parallel to each other, and corresponding to a desired coating condition. A painting method characterized in that a station is selected and painting is performed on the object.   6. The coating method according to claim 4, wherein the object to be coated is sequentially passed through a setting unit and a heating unit after being coated under a desired coating condition through each coating station. Method. The coating method according to claim 6, wherein the object to be coated is returned to a predetermined coating station again after passing through the setting unit and the heating unit , depending on a coating process to be performed on the object to be coated. The painting method characterized by performing the painting under the painting conditions.

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