Intra-shop connectivity system
View Patent ↗A system includes a terminal configured to intake a vehicle into a service shop, a server configured to store vehicle data associated with the vehicle, and, a scanner configured to identify the vehicle and relay timing and location information about the vehicle to the server.
1. A system, comprising:
an intra-shop connectivity system configured to be positioned within a service shop, comprising:
a terminal configured to intake a vehicle into the service shop;
a server configured to store vehicle data associated with the vehicle, wherein the vehicle data comprises vehicle identification information, ordered job information, color of paint for the vehicle, assigned operator, job start time, and job end time; and
a scanner of a spray gun of a coating system, wherein the scanner is configured to scan a scannable indicia of the vehicle to identify the vehicle and relay the vehicle identification information to the server;
wherein the intra-shop connectivity system is configured to control an amount and color of paint supplied to the spray gun in the service shop based at least in part on the vehicle identification information.
2. The system of claim 1 , comprising the coating system, wherein the coating system comprises a paint mixer configured to trigger mixing of paint in response to identification of the vehicle by the scanner.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the amount and color of paint are determined by the server.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the intra-shop connectivity system comprises sensors to determine environmental conditions within the service shop and convey the environmental conditions to the server, and the amount of paint is determined in part on the environmental conditions.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the server comprises an internet communication protocol configured to deliver the vehicle data to a secure website.
6. A method, comprising:
receiving, with a processor located within a service shop, identification information and service information relating to a coating process for a vehicle within the service shop;
storing the identification information and the service information on a server within the service shop accessible from a plurality of locations within the service shop;
receiving, from a first scanner within the service shop, a first scan of a scannable indicia of the vehicle, the first scan providing a start time of a repair, the coating process, or any combination thereof, and providing an identification of the vehicle; and
determining, with the processor, an amount of paint to be supplied to a spray gun within the service shop and a color of paint to be supplied to the spray gun within the service shop based on the first scan.
7. The method of claim 6 , comprising automatically ordering repair parts based on the service information.
8. The method of claim 6 , sending a signal to a paint mixer, wherein the signal comprises information relating to the color of paint and the amount of paint.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the information is automatically determined, with the processor, based on the identification information and the service information.
10. The method of claim 8 , comprising receiving, from sensors, signals indicative of environmental conditions, wherein the information is based at least in part on the environmental conditions.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the information is based at least in part on previous amounts and corresponding excess amount of paint.
12. The method of claim 8 , comprising providing the start time of the repair, the coating process, or any combination thereof and the identification of the vehicle to an internet website.
13. The method of claim 6 , comprising receiving, from the first scanner or a second scanner, a second scan identifying the vehicle, wherein the second scan indicates an end time of the repair, the coating process, or any combination thereof.
14. The method of claim 6 , comprising monitoring a residual amount of paint leftover after the coating process ends.
15. A system, comprising:
an intra-shop connectivity system in a service shop, comprising:
a scanner of a spray gun, wherein the scanner is configured to scan a scannable indicia of a vehicle in the service shop to identify vehicle information of the vehicle, and wherein the scanner is configured to relay the vehicle information to a server in the service shop;
a coating fluid mixer configured to mix a coating fluid for a coating process; and
a spray coating apparatus configured to spray coating fluid from a reservoir of the coating fluid mixer; and
a processor positioned within the service shop, wherein the processor is configured to receive reservoir data from the coating fluid mixer associated with a residual amount of coating fluid left over in the reservoir after the coating process and modify a mixing process of the coating fluid mixer based at least in part on the reservoir data.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the coating fluid comprises a paint configured for application to the vehicle.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to receive spray condition data associated with spray conditions of the coating process and correlate the spray condition data with the reservoir data associated with the residual amount of coating fluid left over in the reservoir after the coating process.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the spray conditions of the coating process comprise environmental conditions, a manufacturer recommendation, an employee identification, a coating apparatus identification, or any combination thereof.