Apparatus and method for remote monitoring and servicing material application systems

• US 6,942,162 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Inventors: Guskov, Sergey, Allsop, Robert J., McMahon, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/921,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 239/69, 239/690.1, 239/708, 118/696, 118/695, 118/712, 118/665, 118/688, 118/698, 118/713, 356/421, 356/243.5, 204/580, 700/244, 700/241, 700/239, 700/240, 700/236, 700/232, 700/283, 700/284, 700/285, 700/282
• US Class Current: 239/69
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31186 TCP-IP internet protocol
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/33125 System configuration, reconfiguration, customization, automatic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45013 Spraying, coating, painting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A system and related methods for configuring and monitoring a spraying application system for installation and use at a site that is remotely located from the spraying system manufacturing site. The system provides a configuration module that allows a customer or purchaser to configure a system electronically based on the customer'"'"'s spraying needs. The selected configuration may further be linked to a pricing and inventory database module to allow the customer to order the system components, and obtain price and delivery schedules. In one embodiment, the configuration module is available to the customer via a secure web site over the Internet provided by a server accessed from a computer such as a personal computer at the customer'"'"'s site. The system also provides a remote access module that provides spraying system operation and parametric information to be monitored at the manufacturing site to determine how the spraying system is operating and whether repair or maintenance should be initiated. Safety related parameters may also be monitored as a backup to the primary monitoring performed at the customer'"'"'s site. The system also provides an extranet or other suitable site available, for example, via the Internet or other communication link, is used to provide an accessible database for historical data and configuration/installation information.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a material application system, comprising:

a spraying application system in a first building site at a first geographic location;

a spraying application system monitoring module that receives real time operating data from said spray application system and that is accessible to a communication network;

said monitoring module formatting said real time operating data into signals accessible via said network;

said real time operating data comprising air pressure and material flow rates; and

a remote access module in a second and different building site than said first building site with said second building site being located at a second geographic location that provides access by a geographically remote user to acquire said real time operating data via said network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said network comprises the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1 comprising a database that contains historical operating parameter information, said database being accessible by said remote user via said remote access module.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said database and operating data are accessible via secure Web pages on the Internet.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said remote access module accesses real time operational parameters and corresponding parameters stored as initial set-up values to permit geographically remote monitoring of system performance.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said remote access module accesses operating and historical data for trend analysis and preventative maintenance.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said spraying application system comprises a powder spraying system and wherein said operating data comprises powder flow rates, powder spray gun electrical powder characteristics, powder spray gun triggering characteristics, powder film thickness characteristics and pressure characteristics.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said operating data comprises a fire detection status signal.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said operating data comprises part identification and conveyer speed data signals.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said remote user accesses said real time operating data and historical data to identify system malfunction.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said remote user accesses said real time operating data and historical data to identify system malfunction.

12. A system for monitoring and servicing a material application system, comprising:

a material application system in a customer building site at a first geographic location;

a material application system monitoring module that receives real time operating data including information representing a characteristic of the material from said material application system and that is accessible to a communication network;

said monitoring module formatting said real time operating data into signals accessible via said network;

said real time operating data comprising air pressure and material flow rates; and

a remote access module in a second and different building site than said first building site with said second building site being the manufacturer'"'"'s site of said material application system, said manufacturer'"'"'s site being located at a second geographic location that provides access by a geographically remote user to acquire said real time operating data via said network and analyze performance of said material application system.

13. The system of claim 12 comprising a database that contains historical operating parameter information, said database being accessible by said remote user via said remote access module.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said remote access module accesses real time operational parameters and corresponding parameters stored as initial set-up values to permit geographically remote monitoring of system performance.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said communication network comprises the Internet.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the remote user can access and update a repair history database for said material application system.

17. A method for monitoring and servicing a material application system, comprising the steps of:

operating a material application system in a customer building site at a first geographic location;

accessing real time operating data from said material application system over a communication network;

said real time operating data comprising air pressure and material flow rates;

wherein said real time operating data is accessed from in a second and different building site than said first building site with said second building site being the manufacturer'"'"'s site of said material application system, said manufacturer'"'"'s site being located at a second geographic location by a geographically remote user to acquire said real time operating data via said network and analyze performance of said material application system.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of accessing historical operating data.

19. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of accessing real time operational parameters and corresponding parameters stored as initial set-up values to permit geographically remote monitoring of system performance.

20. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of accessing and updating a repair history database for said material application system.

21. Apparatus for remote monitoring of a powder spray system, comprising:

a powder spray system operating in a first building site at a first geographic location;

a plurality of data devices for detecting a plurality of said powder spray system real time operating parameters including powder flow rate and air pressure and producing a corresponding plurality of real time data signals;

a controller that receives said data signals and formats them for communication across a communication network;

a communication network; and

a remote access computer in a second and different building site than said first building site with said second building site being located at a second geographic location connectable to said communication network that provides access by a geographically remote user to acquire said real time operating data via said network and analyze performance of said powder spray system.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said communication network comprises the Internet.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said operating parameters are selected to include at least one of the following:

fan speed, film thickness, flow rate, air quality, conveyor speed, electrical ground quality, electrical pulse rate and sequence, powder quality, part identification.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said data devices comprise a fire detector.