Electrocoat management system

• US 7,349,755 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swimc, LLC (The Sherwin-Williams Company)
• Original Assignee: Valspar Sourcing, Inc. (Sherwin-Williams Company)
• Inventors: Contos, Michael A., Bourdeau, Michael J., Sailer, Robert A., Pillar, Lonnie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta; Kidest
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAO, SHEELA S
• Application Number:
  US10/793,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 700/123, 700/266, 118/665, 118/679, 204/472, 709/203
• US Class Current: 700/123
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 13/22 Servicing or operating apparatus or multistep processes
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 21/12 Process control or regulation controlling or regulating in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0235 based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold

Abstract

A processor-based system for monitoring and optimizing an electrocoating operation comprising at least one data acquisition module configured to receive characteristics of the electrocoating operation and at least one process control module in communication with the at least one data acquisition module and the electrocoating operation. An electrocoating process that includes such a process or based system and methods of using the system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one data acquisition module configured to receive characteristics of an electrocoating operation in a facility;

at least one process control module in communication with the at least one data acquisition module and the electrocoating operation; and

a central control unit in communication with the at least one process control module, wherein the system provides real-time monitoring and controlling of the characteristics of the electrocoating operation, and wherein the central control unit is monitored and controlled by a user located within the facility.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one data acquisition module is integral with the at least one process control module.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the display module is wireless.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the display module is a computer monitor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the monitor displays frames that represent a control panel, and wherein a user accesses at least one of data or equipment through the frames.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the user is at a location remote from the facility in which the electrocoat operation is located.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition module includes statistical process control software.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one process control module comprises an output signal comprising at least one of a visual alert, an audible alert, an alarm, and a process adjustment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the output signal is transmittable to a wireless device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the data acquisition module comprises at least one probe configured to measure a parameter selected from a group consisting of pressure, temperature, PH, a concentration, conductivity, liquid level, microorganism count, microorganism type, and flow rate.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the process control module is a programmable logic controller.

13. An electrocoating process comprising an electrocoat application system and a processor-based system in communication with the electrocoat application system, wherein the processor based system provides real-time monitoring and controlling of the electrocoat application system by an authorized user located within the facility in which the electrocoat application system is located.

14. The process of claim 13, further comprising a surface preparation system preceding the electrocoat application system;

a post rinse system following the electrocoat application system; and

a curing system following the post rinse system, wherein the processor-based system is in communication with and configured to monitor and control at least one of the surface preparation, electrocoat application, post rinse, and curing systems.

15. A method for monitoring an electrocoating operation, the method comprising:

a) establishing an acceptable range for at least one characteristic of the operation;

b) retrieving real-time data corresponding to the at least one characteristic;

c) analyzing the data with statistical process control software; and

d) assessing whether the data are within the acceptable range.

16. The method according to claim 15, farther comprising e) modifing a process parameter of the electrocoating operation if the data are not within the acceptable range.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising repeating steps b) through d) until the data are within the acceptable range.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising repeating steps a) through d).

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one characteristic is selected from the group consisting of liquid level, microorganism count, microorganism type, concentration, pH, pressure, temperature, conductivity, and flow rate.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein step d) is performed by a user at the facility where the electrocoating operation is located.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein step d) is performed by a user remote from the facility in which the electrocoating operation is located.