System and method for controlling the operating parameters of a setting system
View Patent ↗A system includes a device for setting a material, such as ink, deposited on a textile or graphic. A programmable logic controller includes a power intensity selector and an application module and is operably connected to the device. The application module is capable of generating a power intensity output signal in response to the power intensity selector. The power intensity output signal is transmitted to the device for a predetermined time period.
1. A method for controlling a device for the drying and heat setting of a material placed on a textile as it is processed by a printing machine, comprising the steps of:
connecting a plurality of control modules operably together through a backplane;
programming an application module for controlling the heat generated by the device;
receiving a power intensity value from a power intensity selector module;
initiating a counter stored in a memory of a time selector module;
incrementing the counter by the power intensity;
comparing the counter and a base resolution; and,
transmitting a power intensity output signal to the device based on the counter and the base resolution wherein the power intensity value controls the heat for drying a material on a textile.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of the method are repeated continuously until the expiration of a predetermined period of time.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
selecting the power intensity value via the power intensity selector.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
determining a feature of the device; and,
generating a shutdown signal based on a determination that the feature has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
re-initiating the counter after generating the power intensity output signal.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
selecting at least one of a plurality of lamps to receive the power intensity output signal.
7. A system comprising: controlling a device for heat setting a material placed on a textile printing machine, the device operably connected to a programmable logic controller comprising:
a power intensity value selectable on a power intensity module;
an application module for:
initiating a counter;
incrementing the counter by the power intensity value;
comparing the counter and a base resolution; and,
generating a power intensity output signal based on the comparison of the counter and the base resolution to control the heat setting generated by the device.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein a shutdown signal is generated for the system upon the expiration of a predetermined period of time.
9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a time cycle selector for determining the predetermined period of time.
10. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a power intensity selector for determining the power intensity value.
11. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a sensor for determining a feature of the system.
12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising an actuator for generating a shutdown signal upon a determination that the feature has exceeded a predetermined threshold value.
13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the application module is also for re-initiating the counter after generating the power intensity output signal.
14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the application module is also for transmitting the power intensity output signal to a device for setting the material.
15. The system of claim 7 , further comprising a selector for selecting at least one of a plurality of lamps to receive the power intensity output signal.
16. A system comprising: controlling a device for heat setting material placed on a textile as it is processed by a printing machine, the device operably connected to a programmable logic controller comprising:
a power intensity selector on a module for selecting a power intensity value;
a time cycle selector on a module for selecting a duration value;
a temperature selector on a module for selecting a temperature value;
a base resolution selector on a module for selecting a base resolution;
a lamp selector on a module for selecting at least one of a plurality of lamps to receive the power intensity output signal;
an application module configured to initiate a counter; increment the counter by the power intensity value; determine whether the counter is greater than the base resolution; upon a determination the counter is greater than the base resolution, generate a power intensity output signal and decrementing the counter by the base resolution; otherwise, increment the counter by the power intensity value; sense the temperature of an element of the system; determine whether the temperature of the element of the system has exceeded the temperature value; upon a determination the temperature of the element of the system has exceeded the temperature value, generate a system shutdown signal; compare the counter and the duration value; and, based upon the comparison of the counter and the duration value, generate a system shutdown signal; and
a backplane operably connecting the modules to each other to provide the communication path between modules to handle input and output signals from each module.
17. A system comprising: controlling a device for heat setting a material placed on a textile as it is processed by a printing machine, the device operably connected to a programmable logic controller comprising:
a backplane operably connecting each module in the programmable logic controller together for generating a power intensity value;
an application module for:
initiating a counter;
incrementing the counter by the power intensity value;
comparing the counter and a base resolution; and,
generating a power intensity output signal based on the comparison of the counter and the base resolution, wherein the base resolution is proportional to the power intensity value.