THIS PAPER IS A CASE HISTORY OF A SPRAY PAINT OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM BASED ON INTELLIGENT SENSING TECHNOLOGY IN A FACTORY AUTOMATION APPLICATION. THE SYSTEM IS IMPLEMENTED AS A MACHINE VISION CONTROL FOR A RECIPROCATING ELECTROSTATIC SPRAYER USED FOR PRIMING AND PAINTING OF ARMOR PLATE FOR MILITARY GROUND VEHICLES. A LASER IMAGER DIGITIZES VISUAL CROSS SECTIONS OF EACH PLATE ONE LINE AT A TIME. THE RASTER LINES ARE THEN ASSEMBLED INTO A TWO- DIMENSIONAL IMAGE AND PROCESSED. THE SPRAY PATTERN IS OPTIMIZED FOR PRECISE PAINT COVERAGE WITH MINIMUM OVERSPRAY. THE PAINT OPTIMIZER SYSTEM HAS YIELDED A MEASURED 25% SAVINGS IN BULK PAINT USE, RESULTING IN LESS BOOTH AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, REDUCED PAINT FUMES IN THE ATMOSPHERE, AND REDUCED WASTE DISPOSAL.
| Number of Pages : | 12 |
| Published : | 06/01/1990 |
