Patent ID: 6068877
Filing Date: 2000-05-30
Classification: B05B

Abstract:
A method of detecting and coating workpieces in an electrostatic coating system, comprising the steps of:applying a high voltage to a high voltage electrode (17) of at least one electrostatic coating device (66), in which a spray current containing electrical charges for charging particles of a coating material to be sprayed is generated by the high voltage electrode;passing an electrically conductive workpiece (19; 200) to be coated by the at least one coating device;determining the spray current of the high voltage electrode (17);detecting whether the workpiece is in front of the at least one coating device (66) depending on the magnitude of the determined spray current;starting a discharge of the coating material by the at least one coating device when the spray current exceeds a first threshold value of spray current; andstopping the discharge of coating material by the at least one coating device when the spray current falls below a second threshold value of spray current.