Ppg Industries Ohio, Inc.

Mary Kimbro

Walter James Robertson

Mark D Lewis

Nathan L Goodnow

Paul Beymore

Penny Neisen

James Pereksta

Thomas Pondelik

Walter J Robertson

Systems for producing, applying and evaluating coating compositions are disclosed. An automatic color matching system includes an automatic coating component dispenser, a container, a mixer for mixing the components of the coating composition and a solvent, an automatic pressurization station to apply pressure to the mixed coating composition, and a robotic arm to transport the container to and from the mixer. A coating composition dispensing system includes a computer to provide a target formulation for a coating composition, an automated component dispenser containing the components of the coating composition, a container positionable adjacent to the component dispenser to receive the components of the coating composition, and an automated component sensor to measure the amounts of each of the components dispensed into the container. The computer is programmed to store data corresponding to the measured amounts of each of the components, and amounts of components contained in the coating compositions may be monitored, along with processing parameters when the coating compositions are applied to various substrates. The characteristics of a produced sample coating may be compared with the characteristics of a target or reference coating to determine if they are sufficiently matched.

Systems for automated production, application and evaluation of coating compositions

A computer system for analyzing a paint sample and generating values that describe various attributes of a proposed matching color can comprise instructions for receiving from a coating-measurement instrument one or more coating variables of a target coating. The system can also comprise instructions for calculating coating texture ratings for the multiple respective proposed coating matches. The coating texture ratings can indicate a similarity between the one or more coating texture characteristics of the target coating and respective coating texture characteristics of each of the respective proposed coating matches. Additionally, the system can comprise instructions for sending instructions to generate a user interface that depicts overall rankings of at least a portion of the proposed coating matches. The overall rankings indicate a similarity between the target coating and each of the at least a portion of the proposed coating matches with respect to the coating texture ratings.

Color and texture match ratings for optimal match selection

A computerized method for displaying matches of a paint sample to various proposed paint coatings includes receiving one or more coating texture variables of a target coating from a coating-measurement instrument. The method also includes displaying, on a digital display device, effect texture ratings for multiple respective proposed coating matches on a digital display device, wherein the effect texture ratings indicate a similarity between the one or more coating texture variables of the target coating and respective coating textures variables of each of the respective proposed coating matches. In addition, the method includes ordering the proposed coating matches, wherein the ordering indicates a strength in similarity between the target coating and each of the proposed coating matches with respect to the effect texture ratings.

Systems and methods for producing, applying and evaluating coating compositions are disclosed. The amounts of components contained in the coating compositions may be monitored, along with processing parameters when the coating compositions are applied to various substrates. In certain embodiments, the characteristics of a produced sample coating are compared with the characteristics of a target or reference coating to determine if they are sufficiently matched.

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Strongsville, OH, United States of America

Mary Kimbro