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EP-3990235-B1 - ROBOTIC TREATMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AUTOMATED COMPONENT TREATMENT

EP3990235B1EP 3990235 B1EP3990235 B1EP 3990235B1EP-3990235-B1

Inventors

  • VIGGIANI, James
  • SIMPSON, STANLEY FRANK
  • GARNER, Travis Edgar

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200609

Claims (14)

  1. A robotic treatment system (100), comprising: a robotic arm (50) comprising a tool mount (52); a plurality of tools (20', 20"), each of the plurality of tools removably connectable to the tool mount, wherein at least one of the plurality of tools is a high velocity oxygen fuel ("HVOF") gun.; a distribution assembly (110) comprising a distribution source (112), a distribution feed cable (120), a distribution return cable (122), and a plurality of distribution valves (124), each of the distribution feed cable and distribution return cable in communication between the distribution source (112) and each of the plurality of tools (20', 20"), each of the plurality of distribution valves (124) regulating a distribution flow through the distribution feed cable to one of the plurality of tools or the distribution return cable from one of the plurality of tools; a supply assembly (130) comprising a supply controller (132), a plurality of substrate feeders (150', 150"), and a plurality of supply feed cables, each of the plurality of supply feed cables in communication between one of the plurality of substrate feeders and one of the plurality of tools; and a main controller (160), the main controller in operable communication with the robotic arm (50), the supply controller (132), and each of the plurality of distribution valves (124).
  2. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply assembly further comprises a gas supply (141) in communication with the supply controller (132), and a gas supply cable (142) in communication between the supply controller (132) and each of the plurality of tools (20', 20").
  3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of gas supply valves (144), each of the plurality of gas supply valves regulating a gas supply flow through the gas supply cable (142) from the supply controller to one of the plurality of tools (20', 20"), and wherein the main controller (160) is in operable communication with each of the plurality of gas supply valves.
  4. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply assembly (130) further comprises a gas supply (141) in communication with the supply controller, and a carrier supply cable (154) in communication between the supply controller (132) and each of the plurality of substrate feeders (150).
  5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of carrier supply valves (156), each of the plurality of the carrier supply valves regulating a carrier supply flow through the carrier supply cable (154) from the supply controller (132) to one of the plurality of substrate feeders (150), and wherein the main controller (160) is in operable communication with each of the plurality of carrier supply valves.
  6. The system of claim 1, wherein the main controller is operable to: command the robotic arm (50) to connect to one of the plurality of tools (20', 20") using the tool mount (52); operate one or more of the plurality of distribution valves (124) such that only the ones of the plurality of distribution valves in communication with the one of the plurality of tools are open; and direct the supply controller (132) to provide a supply feed flow through only the one of the plurality of supply feed cables (152) which is in communication with the one of the plurality of tools (20', 20").
  7. The system of claim 6, wherein the main controller is further operable to: command the robotic arm (50) to disconnect from the one of the plurality of tools (20', 20") and connect to another one of the plurality of tools using the tool mount (52); operate one or more of the distribution valves (124) such that only the ones of the plurality of distribution valves in communication with the other one of the plurality of tools are open; and direct the supply controller (132) to provide a supply feed flow through only the one of the plurality of supply feed cables (152) which is in communication with the other one of the plurality of tools (20', 20'').
  8. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of substrate feeders (150) houses a different substrate from others of the plurality of substrate feeders.
  9. The system of claim 1, wherein the distribution flow comprises at least one of power or cooling fluid.
  10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tools is a plasma spray gun.
  11. The system of claim 1, wherein the main controller (160) and the plurality of distribution valves (124) are retrofit components.
  12. A method for providing automated component treatment, the method comprising: commanding (215), with a main controller (160), a robotic arm (50) to connect to one of a plurality of tools (20', 20") wherein at least one of the plurality of tools is a high velocity oxygen fuel ("HVOF") gun.; operating (220), with the main controller, one or more of a plurality of distribution valves (124) such that only the ones of the plurality of distribution valves in communication with the one of the plurality of tools are open, wherein each of the plurality of distribution valves regulates a distribution flow through a distribution feed cable (120) from a distribution source (112) to one of the plurality of tools or through a distribution return cable (122) from one of the plurality of tools to the distribution source; directing (230), with the main controller, a supply controller (132) to provide a supply feed flow through only one of a plurality of supply feed cables (120), the one of the plurality of supply feed cables in communication with the one of the plurality of tools; commanding (240), with the main controller, the robotic arm to disconnect from the one of the plurality of tools and connect to another one of the plurality of tools; operating (260), with the main controller, one or more of the distribution valves (124) such that only the ones of the plurality of distribution valves in communication with the other one of the plurality of tools are open; and directing (270), with the main controller, the supply controller (132) to provide a supply feed flow through only the one of the plurality of supply feed cables (120) which is in communication with the other one of the plurality of tools.
  13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: operating (225), with the main controller, one or more of a plurality of gas supply valves (144) such that only the one of the plurality of gas supply valves in communication with the one of the plurality of tools is open when the one of the plurality of tools is connected to the robotic arm, wherein each of the plurality of gas supply valves regulates a gas supply flow through a gas supply cable to one of the plurality of tools; and operating (265), with the main controller, one or more of the plurality of gas supply valves such that only the one of the plurality of gas supply valves in communication with the other one of the plurality of tools is open when the other one of the plurality of tools is connected to the robotic arm.
  14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: operating (235), with the main controller, one or more of a plurality of carrier supply valves (156) such that only the one of the plurality of carrier supply valves in communication with one of a plurality of substrate feeders is open when the one of a plurality of tools is connected to the robotic arm, wherein each of the plurality of carrier supply valves regulates a carrier supply flow through a carrier supply cable to one of the plurality of substrate feeders; and operating (265), with the main controller, one or more of a plurality of carrier supply valves (156) such that only the one of the plurality of carrier supply valves in communication with another one of the plurality of substrate feeders is open when the other one of the plurality of tools is connected to the robotic arm.

Description

FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to robotic treatment systems and methods for providing automated component treatment. More specifically, the herein claimed invention relates to the subject matter set forth in the appended claims. BACKGROUND Robotic arms are utilized in a wide variety of industries for treating various industry components. For example, in the power generation field, robotic arms are utilized for a wide variety of purposes including, for example, thermal coating applications and/or welding applications. In particular, various components, such as turbine blades and nozzles, may require certain outer coatings that may be applied by equipment coupled to a robotic arm. For example, some such components may require a thermal barrier coating, and may further require a bond coating that bonds with and between the thermal barrier coating and the component. In many cases, component treatment is a multi-step process using multiple different materials and tools. For example, in the context of power generation components, the bond coating is formed from a first material and applied using a first tool, while the thermal barrier coating is formed from a second material and applied using a second tool. Currently, only two options are available for treatment applications that involve multiple materials and/or tools. One option is to utilize a single robotic arm (which is all that is available in many treatment shops) and manually change out the materials and tools. In addition to removal of the first tool and installation of the second tool, such manual change further requires additional calibration procedures every time a change is made, and is thus a very time-intensive process. The other option is to utilize a multiple-robotic arm system. However, such systems may occupy more floor space and are typically cost-prohibitive. Accordingly, improved methods and apparatus for providing automated component treatment, in particular when multiple materials and/or tools are required, would be desired. JP 2017 047345 A suggests an automatic liquid coater which comprises two or more spray gun units with liquid supply lines connected, a working arm connected to a spray gun unit which works, a spray gun unit standby part that makes a spray gun unit which does not work stand by, and a standby arm connected to a spray gun unit standing by in the spray gun unit standby part, where the spray gun unit has a gas inflow part that receives a gas for spraying. The working arm and the standby arm have a gas outflow part that supplies the gas to the gas inflow part to enable the gas to be supplied from the gas outflow part of the standby arm to the gas inflow part of the spray gun, thereby enabling cleaning of a liquid supply line connected to a spray gun unit standing by and a liquid passage in the spray gun unit. US 4,944,459 A teaches a mounting/dismounting system for mounting and dismounting a spray gun carried on an adapter on and from an arm of a robot comprises a base extending horizontally and having a flat top surface defined by a first side facing the robot and a second side opposing the first side for supporting the adapter when the spray gun is placed on the base. The flat top surface is further defined with a predetermined position on which the adapter is to be held when the spray gun carried by the adapter is waiting for mounting on the arm of the robot. Detector is provided on the top surface of the base so as to be actuated by the adapter when the adapter is moved excessively towards the second side on the top surface and for producing an output signal indicating that the adapter carrying the spray gun is displaced from the predetermined position towards the second side of the top surface, and a controller connected to the detector and to the robot is provided for stopping the movement of the arm responsive to the output signal from the detector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION The herein claimed invention is defined in the claims. Aspects and advantages of the robotic treatment systems and methods in accordance with the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the technology. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present robotic treatment systems and methods will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the technology and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the technology. BRIEF DESCRIPTION A full and enabling disclosure of the present robotic treatment systems and methods, including the best mode of making and using the present systems and methods, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 i