An outer surface of an object such as an automotive vehicle body is painted by conveying the object in one direction, moving a painting apparatus in a direction opposite to the one direction, and applying a paint coating to the outer surface of the object from the painting apparatus. The painting apparatus includes a plurality of paint spray guns which are displaceable in a direction transverse to the direction in which the object is conveyed. The paint spray guns are directed substantially perpendicularly to and spaced a predetermined distance from the surface of the object.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/745,969 filed on Aug. 12, 1991, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/293,432 filed on Jan. 4, 1989, now abandoned.
A method of applying a pattern to a surface of a substrate includes forming mutually parallel pattern rows applied by at least two output channels. In order to produce a pattern without strip-like visible faults, provision is made for the output channels in each case to be displaced transversely in relation to the pattern rows such that pattern rows can optionally be applied by at least some of the output channels in order to obtain a complete pattern. The individual pattern rows are applied by different output channels and are mixed with one another.
A coating defect detecting and marking system is provided for automatic detection and marking of a coating defect on the body surface of a car. The system detects a spot to mend such as a flaw or coating defect on the outer surface of a coated car body and marks the position of the spot to mend. There are provided along a production line along which the car body is conveyed an imaging block to detect a spot to mend such as a flaw or coating defect on the outer surface of the coated car body, and a piezo pump to provide a jet of marking solution to a corresponding position on the car body surface to the spot to mend detected by the imaging block.
A device is provided for spraying a coating product including a moving arm able to perform a tracking movement for tracking an object to be coated which is moving in a horizontal plane along an axis of conveying, a sprayer disposed at an end of the moving arm, and a base on which the moving arm is pivotably disposed, the base is rotatable about an axis generally horizontal and generally perpendicular to the axis of conveying and the base is translatable.
The spacing between a paint applicator and an auto body surface can be measured by a tool that is screwable onto the applicator in place of the paint spray head. The measuring tool includes a mounting fixture and a deflectable wand having an effective length that corresponds to an optimum spacing between the auto body surface and paint applicator. The paint applicator can be calibrated (adjusted) while the measuring tool is affixed to the applicator. All paint applicators in the system can be calibrated by a single pass of an auto body through the paint booth in which the paint applicators are located.
An automotive vehicle washing system includes a frame comprising a bridge member end opposed and support sections mounted for linear reciprocating movement on spaced apart support rails. Pivoting washing nozzle support arms are mounted on the bridge section and are interconnected by a drive motor and drive pulleys to move in opposite directions to wash the sides and opposite ends of a vehicle. Each arm includes movable arm sections supporting spaced apart nozzle assemblies which may move toward each other or away from each other to size a vehicle according to its width. Each arm includes opposed elongated beam members which also provide fluid conducting passages for conducting washing fluids to the nozzle assemblies. Certain ones of the nozzle assemblies are drivenly connected to an oscillating servomotor. The servomotor is also used to position the pivoting arm sections through a lost motion coupling and a gear drive unit.
