RFID monitoring of paint curing line
03 February 2020
A manufacturer of automotive-suspension coil springs uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to identify parts and monitor process status in an automated paint shop.
Parts travel on dedicated transport frames; each transport frame, suspended from an overhead conveyor, is fitted with a high-frequency, high-temperature RFID tag. During the paint-curing cycle, temperatures may rise to 250°C for more than 30 minutes. Contrinex high-temperature transponders operate reliably in this range.
Customer application
Automotive suspension components require highly durable surface finishes. A German manufacturer of suspension coil springs operates an automated paint-processing plant that degreases, spray-paints and heat-cures parts.
Springs travel through the plant on dedicated transport frames. RFID tags, mounted on the frames, identify individual parts. Throughout the process, read/write modules (RWMs), compatible with ISO/IEC 15693, interrogate the tags and update a centralised control system.
During the heat-curing process, the entire transport frame, complete not only with parts but also with transponder, passes through the curing oven. Curing temperatures reach 250°C for more than 30 minutes. Temperatures this high are beyond the capabilities of many RFID tags. In the past, complex mechanical arrangements were needed to shield devices from elevated-temperature areas.
Read the full article in the February issue of DPA.
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