Systems and methods for automated single tank surface treatment

Abstract

A system and method for automated single tank surface treatment, the system including a process tank, a manifold fluidly coupled to the process tank, a controller coupled to the manifold, and a plurality of holding tanks in fluid communication with the process tank via the manifold. The process tank may include a conductive support configured to hold a workpiece to be anodized and electrically coupled to a power supply source, and one or more cathodes electrically coupled to the power supply source, wherein the power supply source is configured to apply a voltage between the one or more cathodes and the workpiece via the conductive support. The system may also include a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a cooling coil, a heating element, a level sensor, a vacuum outlet, a pressurized air inlet, and a pressure sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for automated single tank surface treatment, the system comprising:
 a process tank;   a manifold fluidly coupled to the process tank;   a controller coupled to the manifold and configured to control operation of the manifold; and   a plurality of holding tanks in fluid communication with the process tank via the manifold.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the process tank comprises:
 a conductive support configured to hold a workpiece to be anodized and electrically coupled to a power supply source; and   one or more cathodes electrically coupled to the power supply source;   wherein the power supply source is configured to apply a voltage between the one or more cathodes and the workpiece via the conductive support.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 a pH sensor;   a temperature sensor;   a cooling coil;   a heating element;   a level sensor;   a vacuum outlet;   a pressurized air inlet; and   a pressure sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the process tank comprises a bottom surface, the bottom surface having a dome shape. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold comprises:
 a plurality of connectors;   a plurality of valves respectively fluidly coupled to the plurality of connectors and to a plurality of input lines;   a plurality of valve actuators respectively coupled to the plurality of valves; and   an output valve fluidly coupled to the plurality of connectors and to an output line.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of input lines is fluidly coupled to one of the plurality of holding tanks. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the outlet valve is fluidly coupled to the process tank. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment is an anodization treatment. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surface treatment is one of an electroplating treatment and a coating treatment. 
     
     
         10 . A system for automated single tank surface treatment of a workpiece, the system comprising:
 a process tank coupled to a power supply;   a plurality of holding tanks, each holding tank holding a fluid that is part of the surface treatment;   a manifold fluidly coupled to the process tank and to the plurality of holding tanks;   an input device;   a processor operatively coupled to the manifold, the process tank, the power supply, the plurality of holding tanks, and the input device; and   a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a set of operations comprising:
 receiving, at the input device, information related to the surface treatment of the workpiece; 
 determining, via the processor, one or more operations to achieve the surface treatment of the workpiece based on the received information; and 
 performing, via the processor, the one or more operations to treat the surface of the workpiece. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the surface treatment comprises an anodization treatment; and   the information comprises at least one of:
 a thickness of an anodized layer; 
 a color of the anodized layer; and 
 a type of sealant of the anodized layer. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the type of sealant comprises one of a heat treatment and an application of a compound. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the process tank comprises at least one cathode facing the workpiece, and the one or more operations comprise at least one of:
 flowing one or more fluids from the holding tanks to the process tank;   when a fluid is in the process tank, at least one of:
 controlling a temperature of the fluid; 
 controlling a pressure in the process tank; 
 controlling a level of the fluid in the process tank; and 
 controlling a pH of the fluid in the process tank; 
   flowing the one or more fluids from the process tank to the holding tanks or to waste; and   applying a voltage between the workpiece and the at least one cathode in the process tank.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the set of operations comprises flowing the one or more fluids from the holding tanks to the process tank and flowing the one or more fluids from the process tank to the holding tanks or to waste according to a sequence, the sequence being determined by the processor based on the received information related to the surface treatment of the workpiece. 
     
     
         15 . The system of any one of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the surface treatment comprises one of an electroplating treatment and a coating treatment; and   the information comprises at least one of:
 a thickness of an electroplated layer; 
 a composition of the electroplated layer; 
 a physico-chemical property of the electroplated layer; and 
 an optical property of the electroplated layer. 
   
     
     
         16 . A method for automated single tank surface treatment of a workpiece, the method comprising:
 receiving information related to the surface treatment of the workpiece;   determining one or more operations to achieve the surface treatment of the workpiece based on the received information; and   performing the one or more operations to treat the surface of the workpiece.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the surface treatment comprises an anodization treatment; and   the information comprises at least one of:
 a thickness of an anodized layer; 
 a color of the anodized layer; and 
 a type of sealant of the anodized layer. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the process tank comprises at least one cathode facing the workpiece, and the one or more operations comprise at least one of:
 flowing one or more fluids from the holding tanks to the process tank;   when a fluid is in the process tank, at least one of:
 controlling a temperature of the fluid; 
 controlling a pressure in the process tank; 
 controlling a level of the fluid in the process tank; 
 controlling a pH of the fluid in the process tank; 
   flowing the one or more fluids from the process tank to the holding tanks or to waste; and   applying a voltage between the workpiece and the at least one cathode in the process tank.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein flowing the one or more fluids from the holding tanks to the process tank and flowing the one or more fluids from the process tank to the holding tanks or to waste are performed according to a sequence, the sequence being determined by the processor based on the received information related to the surface treatment of the workpiece. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the surface treatment comprises one of an electroplating treatment and a coating treatment; and   the information comprises at least one of:
 a thickness of an electroplated layer; 
 a composition of the electroplated layer; 
 a physico-chemical property of the electroplated layer; and 
 an optical property of the electroplated layer.