Method of determining coating uniformity of a coated surface

• US 9,079,213 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Whitbeck, Rodney G., Tower, Benjamin T., Stephenson, David Alan, Bartle, Keith Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Leong, Nathan T
• Application Number:
  US13/538,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 702/171, 428/141, 428/143, 427/8, 317/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/084 responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material already sprayed on the target, e.g. coating thickness, weight or pattern
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0636 by means of rotatable spray heads or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/224 the material having originally the shape of a wire, rod or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/02 performed by spraying
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/12 characterised by the method of spraying
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 4/18 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/02 Surface coverings of combustion-gas-swept parts of pistons F02F3/10; of cylinders and cylinder heads F02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/08 for measuring thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/20 for measuring contours or curvatures, e.g. determining profile

Abstract

A method for applying a coating includes: obtaining a subject cylindrical part including an inner subject coated surface applied using a spraying device at a first operating condition, the inner subject coated surface including a longitudinal axis and a cross-section, the cross-section intersecting the longitudinal axis at a center point and including end points located on an outer perimeter; measuring the inner subject coated surface to obtain subject coating data including distance values, each being a distance between the center point and one of the end points; comparing the subject coating data to standard coating data to obtain comparison data; and adjusting the spraying device based on the comparison data to have a second operating condition different from the first operating condition.

Claims

1. A method for improving coating uniformity across first and second cylindrical parts comprising:

providing a first cylindrical part having a first inner surface coating along its length that is axially applied at a first axial speed setting using a spraying device;

measuring a first and second diameter of the first inner surface coating at a first and second position, respectively, along the length of the first cylindrical part;

comparing the first and second measured diameters with a standard inner surface coating diameter to obtain adjustment instructions; and

determining a second axial speed setting for applying a second inner surface coating to a second cylindrical part based on the adjustment instructions to improve coating uniformity across the first and second cylindrical parts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second axial speed setting is comprised of a first and second axial speed for applying the second inner surface coating at first and second positions along the length of the second cylindrical part corresponding to the first and second positions along the length of the first cylindrical part.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second axial speeds are different.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first axial speed setting is a constant speed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein if the first or second measured diameters is less than the standard inner surface diameter, then the respective first or second axial speed is determined by increasing the first axial constant speed.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first axial speed setting is a constant speed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein if the first or second measured diameters is less than the standard inner surface diameter, then the respective first or second axial speed is determined by increasing the first axial constant speed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step reduces the deviation from a nominal diameter for the second cylindrical part as compared to that of the first cylindrical part.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment instructions include adjusting the axial speed of the spraying device.

10. A method for improving coating uniformity across first and second cylindrical parts comprising:

providing a first cylindrical part having a first inner surface coating along its length that is axially applied at a first axial speed setting using a spraying device, the cylindrical part length extending along a z-axis;

measuring a first and second diameter of the first inner surface coating at a first and second z-axis position, respectively;

comparing the first and second measured diameters with a standard inner surface coating diameter to obtain adjustment instructions; and

determining a second axial speed setting for applying a second inner surface coating to a second cylindrical part based on the adjustment instructions to improve coating uniformity across the first and second cylindrical parts.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second axial speed setting is comprised of a first and second axial speed for applying the second inner surface coating at first and second positions along the length of the second cylindrical part corresponding to the first and second positions along the length of the first cylindrical part.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second axial speeds are different.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining step reduces the deviation from a nominal diameter for the second cylindrical part as compared to that of the first cylindrical part.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjustment instructions include adjusting the axial speed of the spraying device.

15. A method for improving coating uniformity across first and second cylindrical parts comprising:

providing a first cylindrical part having a first inner surface coating along its length that is axially applied at a first axial speed setting using a spraying device, the cylindrical part length extending along a z-axis and cross-sections of the first cylindrical part extending in planes formed by an x- and y-axis;

measuring a first and second diameter of the first inner surface coating at a first and second z-axis position in first and second x-y planes, respectively;

comparing the first and second measured diameters with a standard inner surface coating diameter to obtain adjustment instructions; and

determining a second axial speed setting for applying a second inner surface coating to a second cylindrical part based on the adjustment instructions to improve coating uniformity across the first and second cylindrical parts.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second axial speed setting is comprised of a first and second axial speed for applying the second inner surface coating at first and second positions along the length of the second cylindrical part corresponding to the first and second positions along the length of the first cylindrical part.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second axial speed are different.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first axial speed setting is a constant speed.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein if the first or second measured diameters is less than the standard inner surface diameter, then the respective first or second axial speed is determined by increasing the first axial constant speed.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining step reduces the deviation from a nominal diameter for the second cylindrical part as compared to that of the first cylindrical part.