Water-based coating compositions and systems with improved sag resistance and related methods

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for monitoring and controlling an industrial paint operation, where a five-sided intermodal shipping container is painted with a water-based coating composition. The system includes a paint application system, a drying system with a chamber configured to handle one or more intermodal shipping containers, and modules for monitoring and controlling the application of paint and the drying of the applied paint.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processor-based system for monitoring and optimizing an industrial painting operation, comprising:
 a paint application system;   a drying system including a chamber configured to handle one or more intermodal shipping containers;   at least one data acquisition module configured to receive characteristics of the operation; and   at least one process control module in communication with the operation.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one data acquisition module is integral with the at least one process control module. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one remote access module in communication with at least one of the data acquisition module and the at least one process control module. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an industrial control system in communication with at least one of the data acquisition module and the process control module. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a display module. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the display module is wireless. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a module that includes statistical process control software. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one process control module comprises an output signal, wherein the output signal is a system selected from a group consisting of a visual alert, an audible alert, an alarm, a process adjustment, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the output signal is transmittable to a wireless receiver. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition module comprises at least one evaluation tool, wherein the tool is configured in the paint application system to measure a parameter selected from a group consisting of paint temperature, paint viscosity, tank level, pump pressure, paint flow rate, spray gun performance, ambient temperature, and ambient relative humidity. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition module comprises at least one evaluation tool, wherein the at least one tool is configured in the drying system to measure a parameter selected from a group consisting of air velocity, chamber temperature, chamber humidity, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, the environment within the container, the air velocity and direction within the container, and surface temperature of the inside or outside of the container. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data acquisition module comprises an evaluation tool configured in the drying system to measure the surface temperature of one or more regions of the container as a function of time in the chamber. 
     
     
         13 . A method for monitoring an industrial intermodal container painting operation, the method comprising:
 applying one or more layers of paint to an intermodal shipping container in a paint application system;   introducing the painted container into a drying system, wherein the drying system provides a flow of heated air to at least the inside surfaces of the shipping container;   establishing an acceptable range for at least one characteristic of the operation;   retrieving at least one value corresponding to the at least one characteristic;   analyzing the at least one value; and   assessing whether the at least one value is within the acceptable range.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising identifying a corresponding action if the at least one value is not within the acceptable range. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein modifying a process parameter is performed by an automated tool.