초록 ▼

An innovative robotic foam application process that integrates system communications, non-contact vehicle insertion point locations, and applications controls to accurately dispense a two-component structural foam at a high volume and flow rate. The process begins by first inserting a baffle within

An innovative robotic foam application process that integrates system communications, non-contact vehicle insertion point locations, and applications controls to accurately dispense a two-component structural foam at a high volume and flow rate. The process begins by first inserting a baffle within the support structure. After an electrocoat application and bake, the baffles expand and are sealed within the support structure to form cavities having a fill hole. A hydraulic driven robotic dispensing system equipped with a high-pressure static mixer senses the respective fill hole, moves a robotic arm to a location sensed, and injects a high volume of mixed two-component viscous material within each of the respective located fill holes at a high fill rate. After dispensing, the viscous material undergoes an exothermic curing reaction to cure and is expanded to substantially fill each cavity.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for reinforcing hollow support structures comprising: providing the hollow support structure having an inner wall and a fill hole; introducing a pair of baffles within the hollow support structure; applying an electrocoat coating to said hollow support structure and

What is claimed is: 1. A method for reinforcing hollow support structures comprising: providing the hollow support structure having an inner wall and a fill hole; introducing a pair of baffles within the hollow support structure; applying an electrocoat coating to said hollow support structure and said pair of baffles; heating said hollow support structure within an oven to expand said pair of baffles to seal to said inner wall of said hollow support structure, therein forming a cavity defined between each of said pair of baffles and within said inner wall; forming a two-component viscous fluid within a robotic viscous fluid application device; injecting a high volume of said two-component viscous fluid from said robotic viscous fluid application device through said fill hole at a high fill rate, wherein said two-component viscous fluid reacts to form a reacted viscous fluid and wherein said reacted viscous fluid expands to form a foam that substantially fills said cavity. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said high fill rate comprises a fill rate of at least 100 cubic centimeters per second and said high volume comprises of volume of at most 3000 cubic centimeters. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein forming a two-component viscous fluid comprises: introducing a first amount of a precursor resin to a static mixer; introducing a second amount of a crosslinking agent to said static mixer; and mixing said first amount and said second amount within said static mixer to form a two-component viscous fluid. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein forming a two-component viscous material comprises: providing a first storage tank having a quantity of a precursor resin and a second storage tanking having a second quantity of a crosslinking agent; coupling said first storage tank to a first shot meter and said second storage tank to a second shot meter; coupling said first shot meter and said second shot meter to a dispensing controller; introducing a first amount of said precursor resin within said first shot meter using said dispensing controller; introducing a second amount of said precursor resin within said second shot meter using said dispensing controller; evacuating said first amount of said precursor resin from said first shot meter to a static mixer; evacuating said second amount of said crosslinking agent to said static mixer; and thoroughly mixing said first amount of said precursor resin with said second amount of crosslinking agent within said static mixer. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting a high volume of said two-component viscous fluid comprises: introducing said hollow support structure within a structural foam injection cell having a robotic viscous fluid application device; moving a robotic arm of said robotic viscous fluid application device such that a tip portion of an anti-drool nozzle of said robotic arm is sealed within said fill hole; and injecting a high volume of said two-component viscous fluid from said robotic viscous fluid application device through said fill hole at a high fill rate, wherein said two-component viscous fluid reacts to form a reacted viscous fluid and wherein said reacted viscous fluid expands to form a foam that substantially fills said cavity. 6. The method of claim 5, moving a robotic arm of said robotic viscous fluid application device such that an anti-drool nozzle of said robotic arm is sealed within said fill hole comprises: sensing said fill hole using a three-dimensional vision system; sending an electrical signal from said three-dimensional vision system to a line controller as a function of said sensed fill hole location; processing said electrical signal within said line controller; sending said processed signal to a robotic controller on said robotic high volume application device; interpreting said processed signal within said robotic controller; and moving said robotic high volume application device as a function of said interpreted processed signal such that a tip portion of an anti-drool nozzle of said robotic arm is sealed within said fill hole. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein injecting a high volume of said two-component viscous fluid from said robotic viscous fluid application device through said fill hole comprises: sending a second electrical signal from said robotic controller to a dispensing controller after said robotic high volume application device is located within said fill hole; sending a third electrical signal from said dispensing controller to a first shot meter and a second shot meter to evacuate a first amount of a precursor resin and said second amount of a crosslinking agent to a static mixer contained on said robotic arm; thoroughly mixing said first amount of said precursor resin and said second amount of said crosslinking agent to form a high volume of a two-component viscous material; and injecting said two-component viscous fluid from said static mixer through an anti-drool nozzle and within said cavity.