Apparatus and method for configuring material application system

Abstract

A system and related methods for configuring and monitoring a spraying application system for installation and use at a site that is remotely located from the spraying system manufacturing site. The system provides a configuration module that allows a customer or purchaser to configure a system electronically based on the customer's spraying needs. The selected configuration may further be linked to a pricing and inventory database module to allow the customer to order the system components, and obtain price and delivery schedules. In one embodiment, the configuration module is available to the customer via a secure web site over the Internet provided by a server accessed from a computer such as a personal computer at the customer's site. The system also provides a remote access module that provides spraying system operation and parametric information to be monitored at the manufacturing site to determine how the spraying system is operating and whether repair or maintenance should be initiated. Safety related parameters may also be monitored as a backup to the primary monitoring performed at the customer's site. The system also provides an extranet or other suitable site available, for example, via the Internet or other communication link, is used to provide an accessible database for historical data and configuration/installation information.

1 . A system for configuring a material application system, comprising: 
 a user input device remotely located from a manufacturer's site for the system; the manufacturing site being a site where material application components for a material application system may be ordered, purchased or manufactured;    one or more customer sites, each said customer site being remotely located from said manufacturer's site;    a configurator module accessible by said user input device over a communication network;    said configurator module presenting material application component selection options based on input data from said user input device; said configurator module verifying component compatibility;    said configurator module comprising an animation module for presenting to the user a visual representation of a configured system.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said input device comprises a personal computer and said network comprises an Internet connection.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said configurator module accesses a pricing and inventory database.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said Internet connection comprises a secure Web site.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said configured material application system comprises a powder spray system including a spray gun, a nozzle and a powder pump  
   
   
       6 - 13 . (canceled)  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said animation module presents to the user a visual operational animation of a configured system.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein said animation module illustrates spray patterns for selected system configurations, said animation module being interactive to permit a user to make configuration changes and visually observe corresponding spray pattern changes.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said animation module accepts modifications to system related parameters including spray gun position, system temperature or system pressure, and provides a visual animation to the user of system performance based on said modifications.