Temperature Controller for Infrared Paint Curing December 12, 2001

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Temperature Controller for Infrared Paint
CuringDecember 12, 2001

• Dec01-11 Team Members
• Michael Burman, CprE
• Jonathan Johnson, EE
• Matthew McMullen, CprE
• Tom Vedder, EE
• Mark Wibholm, EE
•   

• Project Faculty Advisors
• Dr. John Lamont
• Dr. Ralph Patterson
• Project Client
• HS Autoshot
• Centerville, IA

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HS Autoshot Profile

• Based in Centerville, Iowa
• Specialize in devices used in autobody shops
• A leader in paint curing systems

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Presentation Outline

• Problem Statement
• Design Objectives
• Operating Environment
• End-Product Description
• Assumptions
• Limitations
• Project Risks and Concerns
• Technical Approach

• Evaluation of Project Success
• Recommendations for Further Work
• Human Budget
• Financial Budget
• Lessons Learned
• Closing Summary
• Questions?

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Problem Statement

• Design a temperature controller to automate
  paint curing on automobiles using infrared lamps.
  The lamps must vary the surface temperature
  throughout the curing process. The temperature
  sensor must operate without contacting the
  surface.

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Design Objectives

• Functionality of Temperature Controller
• Sets infrared lamps to various specified
  temperatures
• Holds temperature of curing surface for specified
  amount of drying time
• Applies two stages of heating
• Shuts off lamps when drying cycle is finished
• Design Constraints
• Device must be small enough to mount on lamp
  stands 
• Paint surface cannot be touched
• Paint types and surfaces require various curing
  times and temperatures

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Design Objectives (cont.)

• Intended Users
• Autobody repair technicians and mechanics
• Intended Use
• Automate paint curing process
• Intended Advantages
• Reduce drying time from 2 days to 15 minutes
• Increase production and efficiency of vehicle
  painting
• Increase accuracy of curing process

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Operating Environment

• Temperatures may range from above 150 F to below
  freezing temperatures when stored
• High amounts of dust and other contaminants
  especially solvents
• Device may be knocked around or tipped over

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End-Product Description

• A microprocessor-based temperature controller
  that automates the automobile paint curing
  process by

• Regulating infrared lamps
• Receiving input from a non-contact sensor that
  reads the surface temperature
• Using an internal timer to alter the temperature
  for various curing stages
• Ending the curing process by switching off the
  lamps

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End-Product Description (cont.)
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End-Product Description (cont.)
Phase 1 Surface temperature has reached set
point of 120 F and is held for approximately 2
minutes
Phase 2 Program has changed the set point to
150 F and will hold it for approximately 2
minutes
Sample Program Running
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Assumptions

• Temperature controller will display the
  temperature of the curing surface
• Temperature sensor will be accurate within 2
  Fahrenheit
• Temperature Controller timer will be accurate
  within 5 seconds
• Curing surface will be maximum of 4 square feet
• Curing lamp will provide uniform temperature
  coverage over the entire curing surface (maximum
  2 feet in one direction)
• Curing lamps will not directly affect infrared
  temperature sensor readings of the paint surface

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Assumptions (cont.)

• Limited electrical technology knowledge of users
  implies that the device should be simple to
  operate
• No parallel systems will run on the same curing
  surface
• Solid state relay (SSR) will increase power
  output from temperature controller to curing
  lamps
• Temperature sensor and infrared lamp wires will
  not interfere with each other

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Limitations

• Paint surface cannot be touched to detect
  temperature
• Device must be mobile
• Limited budget of 450 to create system
• Temperature sensors range from 75-200.
• Temperature controllers are typically more than
  250
• SSRs range from 100-200
• Project completion time is limited

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Limitations (Cont.)

• Temperature sensor accuracy decreases as distance
  from the surface increases
• Distance between Ames and Centerville
• Controller must be able to fit in protective box

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Project Risks and Concerns

• Unfamiliar technology
• Loss of a critical person may occur
• Testing the finished product may be difficult due
  to location
• Time to complete the project is limited

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Technical Approach

• Utilize infrared temperature sensor to read
  surface temperature
• Utilize the temperature controller to select,
  set, and control parameters of the process such
  as surface temperature and curing stage time.
• Utilize a Solid State Relay (SSR) to increase the
  power output from the temperature controller to
  levels that will power the lamps.
• Continue to read and adjust surface temperature
  until curing is complete

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Technical Approach (cont.)
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Evaluation of Project Success

• 1st Semester Milestones
• Project Plan (Fully Met)
• Project Poster (Fully Met)
• Design Report (Fully Met)
• Select temperature controller (Fully Met)
• Select non-contact infrared temperature sensor
  (Fully Met)
• Learn how to use temperature controller and how
  to program it (Fully Met)

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Evaluation of Project Success (cont.)

• 2nd Semester Milestones
• System Implementation (Fully Met)
• Test paint curing system (Fully Met)
• Complete all project documentation (Fully Met)
• Final Report (Fully Met)
• Present project (Fully Met)

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Recommendations for Future Work

• Utilize an advanced temperature controller with
  large amounts of memory to store curing times for
  many different paints
• Ability to control more than one bank of lights
  simultaneously

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Human Budget
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Financial Budget
Item Estimated Cost Actual Cost
Microprocessor temperature controller and solid state relay 370 0
Temperature sensor 90 0
Poster 50 50
Wiring and other connection materials 50 0
Total estimated cost 560 50
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Lessons Learned

• Methods used in the paint curing industry
• How to program a temperature controller
• How infrared temperature sensors work
• Meet at least once a week with group members
• Contact advisors and professors for advice and
  feedback
• You can plug wires into the wall and have it work
• When someone says Alright guys stand back,
  take them seriously

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Closing Summary

• The finished system will
• Automate paint drying process
• Increase productivity, efficiency, and accuracy
  of paint drying process
• Decrease drying time from 2 days to 15 minutes

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Questions