Structure of the Five-axis Automatic Spraying Machine

Mechanical Structure Part

• Base and Support

• The base is the foundational part of the entire spraying machine, providing stable support for other components. It is usually made of solid metal materials like steel to ensure that the machine will not shift due to factors such as vibration during operation.

• The support is used to connect the base and other moving axis components. Its structural design needs to take into account the ability to withstand the forces generated during the movement of each axis and ensure sufficient rigidity to guarantee the accuracy of the movement of the spray nozzle. For example, some supports are made of high-strength aluminum alloy materials through precision casting and machining processes, which not only reduce weight but also ensure strength.

• Five-axis Motion System

• X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis: These three axes form the basic framework of the rectangular coordinate system in space, similar to the movement directions of length, width, and height in three-dimensional space. The X-axis is usually responsible for the left and right movement of the spray nozzle in the horizontal direction, the Y-axis controls the forward and backward movement of the spray nozzle, and the Z-axis realizes the up and down movement of the spray nozzle in the vertical direction. The movement of these axes is driven by high-precision linear guides and servo motors. For example, the linear guide adopts a ball screw structure, which can provide high-precision and high-rigidity linear motion, and the servo motor can precisely control the speed and position of the movement, with a positioning accuracy that can reach the millimeter level or even higher.

• A-axis and C-axis: The A-axis and C-axis are mainly used to realize the rotational movement of the spray nozzle to adapt to spraying at different angles. The A-axis is generally the rotation axis around the X-axis direction, and the C-axis is the rotation axis around the Z-axis direction. These two rotation axes enable the spray nozzle to flexibly adjust angles in three-dimensional space, so that it can spray objects with complex curved surfaces. Their driving methods usually adopt high-precision slewing bearings and torque motors, which can achieve smooth and precise rotational movement, and the rotation angle accuracy can reach several degrees or even smaller.

Spraying System Part

• Paint Supply System

• Paint Storage Container: It is used to store paint, and its size depends on the usage requirements of the machine. The material of the container should be compatible with the chemical properties of the paint. For example, for some organic solvent-based paints, the container is usually made of stainless steel to prevent chemical reactions between the paint and the container. The container is also equipped with a liquid level sensor to monitor the paint level in real time and can issue an alarm when the paint is insufficient.

• Paint Delivery Pipeline: It transports paint from the storage container to the spray nozzle. The material of the pipeline is generally a chemical-resistant material, such as Teflon tube. The inner diameter of the pipeline is appropriate to ensure the smooth flow of the paint, and at the same time, the pressure resistance performance of the pipeline needs to be considered because in some high-pressure spraying situations, a certain pressure is required for paint delivery. A flow regulating valve is also installed on the delivery pipeline to precisely control the flow rate of the paint according to the spraying requirements.

• Pressure Regulating Device: It is used to adjust the delivery pressure of the paint. Different paints and spraying processes require different pressures. For example, some high-viscosity paints need higher pressure to be sprayed smoothly. The pressure regulating device can adjust the pressure by controlling the pressure of compressed air or by using a special paint pump to ensure that the paint reaches the spray nozzle at an appropriate pressure.

• Spray Nozzle Assembly

• Spray Nozzle Body: It is a key component for paint spraying. The design of the spray nozzle needs to consider the atomization effect of the paint. Generally, a special nozzle structure is adopted. For example, an air-atomizing spray nozzle mixes the paint with high-speed compressed air to atomize the paint into tiny particles, so that it can be evenly sprayed on the surface of the object. The material of the spray nozzle is usually a wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant metal material, such as stainless steel or cemented carbide, to ensure its service life.

• Spray Nozzle Adjusting Device: It can adjust the spray shape, spray angle, and spray width of the spray nozzle. By adjusting these parameters, it can adapt to the spraying of objects of different shapes and sizes. For example, for large flat objects, the spray width can be widened; for some small parts, the spray shape can be adjusted to a narrow fan shape to improve the spraying accuracy.

Control System Part

• Controller Hardware

• Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or industrial personal computers (IPCs) are usually used as the core control components. PLCs have the advantages of high reliability, strong anti-interference ability, and simple programming, and can accurately control the movement of each axis and the operation of the spraying system. IPCs have stronger computing and storage capabilities and are suitable for processing complex spraying process programs and data storage. The controller is also equipped with various input and output interfaces for connecting external devices such as motor drivers, sensors, and operation panels.

• Control Software

• The control software is the key to realizing the automatic operation of the spraying machine. It can program the motion trajectory. Operators can design the movement path of the spray nozzle on the software interface according to the shape of the object to be sprayed and the spraying requirements. For example, for an automotive part with a complex curved surface, the five-axis linked motion trajectory can be precisely set through the software, so that the spray nozzle can spray evenly along the surface of the part. The control software also has a parameter setting function. Parameters such as paint flow rate, spraying speed, and spraying distance can be adjusted in the software. At the same time, it can also monitor the running state of the machine, display information such as the position of each axis and the paint flow rate in real time, and can issue an alarm and take corresponding measures in case of abnormal situations (such as axis movement failure, abnormal paint flow rate, etc.).