Temperature Controller for Infrared Paint Curing September 13, 2001 Dec01-11 Team Members Michael Burman, CprE Jonathan Johnson, EE Matthew McMullen, CprE.

Temperature Controller for Infrared Paint Curing

September 13, 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

H&S AutoshotCenterville, IA

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?

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 sensor must operate without contacting the surface.

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 require various curing times and temperatures

Design Objectives (cont.)

Intended Users• Auto body 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

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

End-Product Description

• 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

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

End-Product Description (cont.)

Upper level temperature is set to 90 degrees Fahrenheit

Temperature sensor detects room temperature Upper level temperature has been reached

Assumptions• Temperature controller will display the temperature of the

surface

• Temperature sensor will be accurate within ±2° Fahrenheit

• 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

• Limited electrical technology knowledge of users implies that the device should be simple to operate

Limitations• Paint surface cannot be touched to detect temperature

• Device must be mobile

• Temperature sensors and controllers may be very expensive

• Project completion time is limited

• Temperature sensor accuracy decreases as distance from the surface increases

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

Technical Approach• Utilize infrared temperature sensor to read surface

temperature

• Utilize the temperature controller to select, set, and control parameters of the process

• Utilize temperature controller to regulate lamp temperature

• Continue to read and adjust surface temperature until curing is complete

Technical Approach (cont.)

Evaluation of Project Success

1st Semester Milestones

• Project Plan (Fully Met)

• Project Poster (Fully Met)

• Design Report (Fully Met)

• Select temperature controller (Partially Met)

• Select non-contact infrared temperature sensor (Fully Met)

• Learn how to use temperature controller and how to program it (Fully Met)

Evaluation of Project Success (cont.)

2nd Semester Milestones

• System Implementation (Partially Met)

• Test paint curing system (Partially Met)

• Complete all project documentation (Partially Met)

• Final Report (Not Started)

• Present project (Not Started)

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

Human Budget

Human Budget (to date)

0 100 200 300 400

Hours

EstimatedActual

Financial BudgetItem Estimated

CostActual Cost

Microprocessor temperature controller $ 250 $0

Temperature sensor $ 90 $0

Poster $ 50 $50

Wiring and other connection materials $ 50 $0

Total estimated cost $ 440 $50

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

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

Questions