Marked honeycomb structures

Abstract

A system, method, and ink for printing a data carrying mark on a green ceramic honeycomb structure is provided. The system includes a printer having an ink jet print head that prints a mark, preferably in the form of a two-dimensional data matrix barcode, on a side wall of the green ceramic honeycomb structure. The ink may be a heat resistant ink that comprises a mixture of a glass or glass ceramic frit and a metal oxide colorant. An optical reader is provided for determining if the data is accurately reproduced in the printed mark, as well as any noise factor which may be present due to defective printing. The system includes a turntable that positions the green body for the printing operation, and then rotates the green body to position the printed mark first in front of a dryer, and then in front of the optical reader to determine the quality of the mark. Marked green and ceramic honeycombs are also provided as well as a method for repairing a defective applied bar code on a honeycomb structure.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a side view of a marking station that forms the system of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a back view of the station illustrated in FIG. 1A;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are each plan views of the station illustrated in FIG. 1A, illustrating the first, second, third and fourth steps of the method of the invention, respectively; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a green ceramic honeycomb structure that has been marked with a two-dimensional bar code and a human-readable, alphanumeric data string in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, wherein like numerals designate like components throughout all the several figures, the system 1 for marking green body or otherwise unfinished ceramic structure 3 of a ceramic honeycomb structure generally comprises a marking station 5, and a station worker 6 for loading and unloading the green body 3. The marking station 5 includes an upper frame 7, an upper shelf 8, and a lower shelf 9. The lower shelf 9 supports a programmable logic controller 11 which controls the operation of the various components mounted on the upper shelf 8. The upper shelf 8 supports a moving assembly 14, a printer 16 for printing a data-carrying mark on the green body 3, an optical reader 18 for reading and determining the overall equality of the printed mark, a dryer 20 for drying the ink that forms the mark, and a bar code removing assembly 22 (shown in FIGS. 2-5) for removing and covering defectively-printed marks from the green body 3. Each of these principal components of the station 5 will now be described in more detail.

The moving assembly 14 includes a turntable 26 rotatably mounted on a driver 28. Although not specifically shown in the drawings, the driver 28 is formed from a combination of a step servo motor whose output is connected to the rotatably mounted turntable 26 via a drive train. The step servo motor of the driver 28 is connected to a power source (also not shown) which in turn is controlled by the programmable lodge controller 11. The controller 11 controls the specific angle that the turntable 26 rotates by controlling the number of power pulses conducted to the step servo motor in a manner well known in the digital control arts. The moving assembly 14 further includes a template 30 formed from a plate 32 that lies on top of the turntable 26. The plate 32 has a recess 34 which is complementary in shape to the bottom edges of a particular model of green ceramic honeycomb structure. The template 30 includes a set of pins 35 (only one of which is shown) that position the plate 32 in proper alignment with the top surface of the turntable 26. While the template 30 has been referred to thus far in singular terms, the system 1 of the invention actually includes a plurality of templates 30 (shown in FIGS. 2-5), each of which has a recess 34 that corresponds to a different sized green honeycomb ceramic body 3. All of these templates 30 serve to position their respective green bodies 3 such that an outer wall 4 of the body 3 is tangent with the outer periphery of the turntable 26. Such positioning insures that the printer 16 and optical reader 18 will be spaced a proper distance from the outer sidewall 4 of the green ceramic body 3, regardless of the particular size of green body 3 being marked in the system 1.

The printer 16 includes an ink jet print head 36 which preferably has at least two ink jets (not shown) so as to be able to expeditiously print a mark containing the combination of a bar code, such as a two dimensional bar code, and a human-readable alphanumeric data string. Printer 16 is provided with an ink reservoir 38 for storing a heat resistive ink which is preferably comprised of a mixture of a particulate glass or glass ceramic frit and a metal oxide colorant in combination with an organic liquid, such as pine oil. The particulate glass or glass ceramic frit may be intimately mixed with particles of the metal oxide colorant (hereinafter referred to as “Approach No. 1”) or the colorant may be melted directly into the glass or glass ceramic flit prior to the application of the resulting ink to the ceramic marine body (hereinafter referred to as “Approach No. 2”). Examples of glass compositions suitable for an Approach No. 1 type ink are set forth in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1
Examples of Frit Compositions - Approach No. 1:
	Glass No.:
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Composition	K2O	8.1	K2O	8.1	K2O	8.1	CaO	22.3	MgO	13.0	Li2O	4.0	Na2O	0.4
(mole %)	Na2O	8.1	BaO	12.8	MgO	4.8	B2O3	5.9	BaO	1.6	CaO	7.0	K2O	7.4
	ZnO	15.4	B2O3	1.2	CaO	11.9	Al2O3	25.6	ZnO	4.9	SrO	18.0	MgO	2.5
	Al2O3	1.3	Al2O3	18.4	Al2O3	20.3	ZrO2	1.7	Al2O3	19.5	Al2O3	3.0	Al2O3	2.4
	ZrO2	2.9	ZrO2	2.0	ZrO2	1.7	SiO2	44.7	SiO2	61.0	B2O3	10.0	TiO2	0.3
	SiO2	64.3	SiO2	59.1	SiO2	57.6					SiO2	58.0	SiO2	77.1
(mole %)

The above mixtures may be prepared by weighing separately the several powdered constituents, adding them to a polycarbonate bottle with some alumina grinding balls, rolling the mixture on low speed for approximately 15 minutes to achieve homogeneity, and then finally sieving the mixture through a 200 mesh screen to separate the grinding balls and to break up any soft agglomerates. Colorant compositions which may be mixed with above glasses in order to form an ink composition include Fe₂O₃, MnO₂, Co₃O₄, NiO, and copper oxide (either Cu₂O and CuO). Examples of frit/colorant ink compositions are set forth in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2
Examples of Frit/Colorant Ink Compositions. Approach No. 1:
	Ink
	Composition No:
		1	2	3	4
	Glass No. 1	50	50	30	30
	Fe2O3	50	0	70	0
	MnO2	0	50	0	70
	Results (fired on AC cordierite,
	1300° C. - 4 hr)
	Ink
	Composition No:
		5	6	7	8
	Glass No. 2	20	0	0	80
	Glass No. 6	0	20	0	0
	Glass No. 7	0	0	20	0
	CO3O4	80	80	80	20
	Ink Composition No:
		9	10	11	12	13
	Glass No. 4	80	80	80	80	80
	Fe2O3	0	20	0	0	0
	Cu2O	0	0	20	0	0
	CuO	0	0	0	20	0
	NiO	0	0	0	0	20
	CO3O4	20	0	0	0
	Ink
	Composition
	No:
		14	15
	Glass No. 5	80	80
	CO3O4	20	—
	Fe2O3	—	20
	(weight %)

Of all the glass compositions set forth in Table No. 1, the inventors found that Example 4 was more preferred, as very little chemical reactivity in the form of corrosion or chemical attack was observed between the composition of Example 4 and cordierite and AT, which are the most common ceramic compositions used to form honeycomb structures. Additionally, when this particular glass composition is mixed with iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) in 80-20 weight percentages as is illustrated in ink composition No. 10 in Table 2, the resulting ink exhibits good color stability as well as little reactivity with cordierite and AT. However, composition nos. 14 and 15 are the most preferred, as these compositions exhibit the positive characteristics of no reactivity on cordierite and AT along with good color stability. Hence, ink composition no. 10 is more preferred over compositions 1-9 and 11-13, while ink composition nos. 14 and 15 are the most preferred. Additionally, the applicants have found that all of the composition nos. 10, 14 and 15 are capable of withstanding firing temperature of over 1000° C. The term withstand firing as used herein means that the markings are not obliterated by such firing, and bar code and alphanumeric data string produced thereby are capable of being read by conventional bar code reading equipment after firing.

Table 3 illustrates two examples of frit/colorant ink compositions that utilize approach No. 2. Interestingly, the Ca-alumino-silicate glass composition that forms the frit is related to glass composition No. 4 which in turn forms the basis of the more-preferred Approach 1-type frit/colorant ink composition No. 10 of Table 2.

TABLE 3
Examples of Frit/Colorant Ink Compositions - Approach No. 2
	Ink Composition No:
		14	15
	CaO	22.5	22.5
	Al2O3	22.5	22.5
	SiO2	45	45
	Fe2O3	10	0
	Co3O4	0	10
	(mole %)

Additional compositions for Approach 2-type frit/colorant compositions are set forth in the table below:

TABLE 4
Further Frit/Colorant Ink Compositions For Approach No. 2:
Ink Comp. No:	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27
CaO	11.9	11.9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MgO	4.8	4.8	13.0	13.0	13.3	13.3	12.9	12.9	13.2	13.2
ZnO	0	0	4.9	4.9	6.7	6.7	6.5	6.5	1.7	1.7
K2O	3.6	3.6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Al2O3	20.3	20.3	19.5	19.5	20.0	20.0	19.4	19.4	19.8	19.9
SiO2	57.6	57.6	61.0	61.0	60.0	60.0	61.2	61.2	60.3	60.3
Fe2O3	10	0	10	0	0	10	0	10	10	0
Co3O4	0	10	0	10	10	0	10	0	0	10
ZrO2	1.8	1.8	1.8	1.8	0	0	0	0	0	0
BaO	0	0	1.6	1.6	0	0	0	0	5.0	5.0
(mole %)

Note in particular the similarities of the glass composition components used in Examples 20 and 21 to glass no. 5.

To help prevent settling of the frit and colorant and to avoid clogging of the ink jets, the particulate frit and colorant is preferably ground or otherwise processed to have a mean diameter between 5 and 20 microns, and more preferably between 5 and 10 microns. To further prevent settling of the frit and colorant within the organic solvent, the ink reservoir 38 is provided with an agitator 40 which may take the form, for example, of a vibrator or motor-operated stirring mechanism. The printer 16 further includes a radial distance adjuster 42 having a knob 43 that moves the print head 36 toward and away from the periphery of the turntable 26 by means of a screw mechanism (not shown), as well as a vertical height adjuster 44 for moving the print head 36 up or down by means of a knob 46 attached to a lead screw 47 threaded through a scissors-type linkage 48. Finally, the printer 16 includes a print head attitude adjuster 50 (best seen in FIG. 1A) so that the ink jets within the print head 36 may be oriented orthogonally with respect to the outer wall 4 of the green ceramic body 3 prior to the marking operation.

The optical reader 18 is may be a commercially-available bar code reader having a housing 52 that encloses the combination of a scanning light source 54 and digital imager 56 (both schematically indicated in phantom). The optical reader 18 further includes a vertical and rotary position adjuster 58 for properly positioning the front end of the housing 52 with respect to the marked sidewall 8 of the green body 3. The combination of the light source 54 and digital imager 56 are commercially-available components which, per se, do not constitute the invention. The output of the optical scanner is connected to the programmable logic controller 11.

The dryer 20 is positioned approximately midway between the printer 16 and optical reader 18, and functions to dry the ink that is applied to the side wall 4 of the green body 3 by the ink jet print head 36 of the printer 16. To this end, the dryer 20 includes a housing 61 that encloses an electrically powered, heated air jet 63. Alternatively, the dryer 20 may be comprised of a source of infrared radiation. While the dryer 20 is part of the preferred embodiment of the marking station 5, it should be noted that the dryer 20 of the system 1 (as well as the drying step of the process of the invention) may not be necessary if the heat resistant ink is sufficiently rapidly-drying.

With reference now to FIGS. 2-4, the station 5 also preferably includes a bar code removal assembly 22 which may contain a combination of a sander 66 and a covering applicator which may take the form of a ceramic cement applicator 67. Sander 66 may include the rotatable wheel having a plurality of small segments of an abrasive paper attached around its periphery so as to lightly sand away a defectively applied mark from the relatively thin side wall of the green body 3. The ceramic cement applicator 68 may include a spray head for applying a thin coat of ceramic cement covering that is compatible with the ceramic material that forms the side wall 4 of the green body 3. The compositions of such ceramic cements are well known and are used to secure portions of the outer skin of the green body 3 over the matrix of thin webs contained within the body 3.

Although sanding may be employed, the method may be further accomplished by only covering the mark (e.g., bar code) with any covering material suitable to cover the mark, such as a titanium dioxide-containing cover material. For example, a covering material may be applied, for example, by brush painting, spraying, sponging, rolling, rubbing, or even by crayon application over the mark to effectively cover the mark. Optionally, an ink may be sprayed overtop the mark, for example by an ink jet printer head similar to that employed to produce the mark. This ink jet repair head may be part of the same apparatus and system used for producing the mark. The degree of cover should be sufficient to adequately cover the mark, such that it cannot be easily seen through the repair, or read by bar code reading equipment. The color of the covering material should be the same or similar color as the fired ceramic, if possible. After the step of covering, the mark (e.g., the barcode and/or human-readable data string) may be reapplied. The mark may be reapplied overtop the repair area, after being dried, or applied in a new, undisturbed area of the structure.

Like the previously described moving assembly 14 and optical reader 18, the printer 16, the dryer 20 and the bar code removal and covering station 22 are electrically connected to and controlled by the programmable logic controller 11.

Turning now to the upper frame 7, the lift assistor 69 is formed from a pair of retractable and extendable forks 70a, b which are moveably mounted via a roller assembly 72 onto the frame 7. The entire lift assistor 24 may be vertically moved away from the station 5 via a crane-type mechanism (not shown) in order to pick up and load unmarked green bodies 3 on the moving assembly 14.

The method of the invention is best understood with reference to FIGS. 2-5. In the first step of the method, a template 30 having a recess 34 that is complimentary in shape to the bottom portions of the particular model of green bodies or otherwise unfinished ceramic structure 3 to be marked is selected, and is positioned on top of the turntable 26 via alignment pins 35. Next, the operator 6 moves the previously described lift assistor 24 to a storage area or conveyor belt where unmarked green bodies 3 are stored. The forks 70a, 70b of the assistor 24 are then retracted to gently grasp an unmarked green body, and the assistor 24 is moved via the previously-described crane-type mechanism back to the frame 7 of the station 5 in the position illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B. The operator 6 then moves the assistor 24 over the recess 34 in the template 30 lying on top of turntable 26, and releases the forks 70a, 70b while manually supporting the green body 3. Once freed, he manually lowers the green body 3 into the recess 34, thus completing the first step of the method.

With reference now to FIG. 3, the system operator 6 then actuates the programmable logic control 11 which in turn rotates the turntable 26 until the side wall 4 of the green body 3 is directly across from the inkjet print head 36 of the printer 16. The controller actuates the printer 16 to apply a pre-selected two-dimensional bar code and line of human-readable data on the side wall 4 of the green body 3.

With reference now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the programmable logic controller 11 again actuates the turntable 26 to bring the sidewall 4 of the green body 3 into a position directly adjacent to the dryer 20. The programmable logic controller 11 then automatically actuates the dryer 30 to dry the ink that forms the freshly printed mark on the side wall 4.

With reference now to FIG. 4, the programmable logic controller 11 then turns the turntable 26 such that the sidewall 4 of the green body 3 is directly in front of the optical reader 18. The optical reader 18 scans the mark, and determines whether or not the data contained in the printed mark is the same as the data in the mark selected by the controller 11. If the answer to the inquiry is affirmative, the programmable logic controller 11 then determines the quality of the mark by comparing the actual optical signal strength of the printed mark with an expected optical signal strength of an ideally printed mark. If the printed mark contains all of the data contained in the pre-selected mark, and if the detected signal strength of the printed mark is above a pre-selected threshold (i.e., if the signal to noise ratio of the detected mark is above a preselected threshold) then the mark is accepted. However, if the printed mark fails either of these two tests, it is rejected.

With reference now to FIG. 5, if the printed mark is accepted, the programmable logic controller 11 rotates the turntable 26 such that the green body 3 is restored to its initial position. The system operator 6 then removes it and replaces it with an unmarked green body 3 and repeats the process. However, if the printed mark fails either of the two aforementioned tests, the programmable logic controller 11 actuates the turntable 26 to position the green body 3 in front of the bar code removal and covering station 22. The sander 66 is actuated to gently abrade away the defective mark, and the resulting shallow depression in the outer skin of the ceramic body 3 is filled in via a spray of ceramic cement from the cement applicator 67. The controller 11 then restores the green body 3 to the initial position illustrated in FIG. 5, where the marking process is repeated after the system operator 6 rotates the green body so that, for example, a different portion of the outer wall 4 is adjacent to the outer peripheral of the turntable 26.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the data carrying mark 73 that the marking station 5 applies to the side wall 4 of a green body 3. The mark 73 may include a bar code, such as a two-dimensional barcode 74 which preferably contains specific manufacturing information, such information as the specific factory and/or kiln that produced the green body 3, the particular batch that the green body 3 belonged to at the time of production, the date of production, and/or a unique individual identification number or code (no two of which are alike for some significant period of time). In a preferred implementation, the unique individual identifier number or code comprises alphanumeric indicia and is placed alongside the bar code. In one particularly useful embodiment, the alphanumeric indicia includes a first digit or set of digits that uniquely identify the station that placed the mark the honeycomb body, additional digits that identify the date (such as a julien date), and additional digits that identify a sequential number of the honeycomb body manufactured on that date (e.g. number 28 or 1410 manufactured that day). The alphanumeric indicia may be all numbers, all letters, or a combination of numbers and letters. The unique identifier may be further encrypted, by a suitable encryption code to make it difficult for the coded information to be reverse engineered, except by the manufacturer, who of course, holds the key to the encryption code. The unique identifier may be placed on the honeycomb structure at any suitable time in the manufacturing sequence. For example, the mark may be printed on the side wall of the honeycomb just after the drying or cutting steps where a high temperature resistant ink is used that can survive firing, or later, after firing, where a low temperature marking ink is used.

Data for each unique individual identifier code or number assigned and relating to an individual honeycomb is stored in a relational database during the manufacturing sequence and may later be extracted at any time. As such, the origin, manufacturing materials and processes used, and equipment and apparatus used to manufacture the honeycomb, as well as performance, properties, and attributes of the honeycomb may be readily looked up. Accordingly, any defect or variation in the honeycomb may be readily related to the materials, processes, and equipment use. Thus, if desired, changes may be made in the raw materials, processes, etc. to effect changes in properties or attributes.

Such a two-dimensional barcode is preferred, since (due to informational redundancies inherent in such codes) up to 30% of the barcode 74 may be obliterated without any loss of information. Preferably, the mark 73 further include a human readable, alpha numeric data string 75. Such a data string not only provides an additional measure of redundancy in the data incorporated in the mark 73, but further allows a human operator to extract the manufacturing information contained in the mark 73 without a barcode reader.

In one embodiment, the unique individual identification number or code is the same information as is contained in machine readable form in the bar code. The unique identifier information is generated by a computer program that ensures that the number or code is unique to that honeycomb, and that honeycomb alone, for significant periods of time, for example, greater than a decade. This allows for traceability of that particular honeycomb to any process it underwent during its manufacture, including traceability to the raw materials used, the specific batches and processes employed, the date of manufacture, specific extruder lines and extrusion dies used, particular kilns and firing cycles, as well as finishing operations employed. The unique identifier numeral or code is placed on the surface of the structure, preferably in the direct vicinity of the bar code, such that both may be read by one reader apparatus.

While this invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment, various modifications, additions, and variations will become evident to the persons in the art. All such variations, additions, and modifications are encompassed within the scope of this invention, which is limited only by the appended claims, and the equivalents thereto.

Claims

1. A ceramic structure, comprising: a data carrying mark containing manufacturing information formed from a fused glass or glass ceramic flit and a colorant.

2. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said data carrying mark includes a bar code.

3. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said bar code is a two dimensional bar code.

4. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said data carrying mark includes a human readable alphanumeric data string.

5. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 4 wherein said data carrying bar code comprises the combination of a two dimensional bar code and the human readable alphanumeric data string.

6. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said frit is substantially comprised of silica and alumina and at least one selected from the group consisting of CaO, BaO, B2O3, ZnO, ZrO2, MgO, K2O, Na2O, Li2O, SrO, and TiO2.

7. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said colorant is at least one selected from the group consisting of NiO, Co3O4, Fe2O3, MnO2, CuO, and Cu2O.

8. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said frit is substantially comprised of silica, alumina, and at least one selected from the group consisting of CaO, BaO, B2O3, ZnO, ZrO2, MgO, and ZnO.

9. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said structure is a ceramic honeycomb structure.

10. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said fused frit forming said mark is no thicker than about 50% of the thickness of an outer skin of said structure.

11. The ceramic structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the mark is formed from an ink including the fused glass or glass ceramic frit and a colorant and is heat resistant at least to about 800° C.

12. A green honeycomb structure, comprising: a honeycomb green body having a bar code printed in a heat resistant ink on a surface thereof.

13. The green honeycomb structure of claim 12 wherein the bar code comprises a two-dimensional bar code.

14. The green honeycomb structure of claim 12 wherein the heat resistant ink is heat resistant at least to about 800° C.

15. The green honeycomb structure of claim 12 further comprising a unique individual alphanumeric identifier printed in a heat resistant ink on the surface.

16. A ceramic honeycomb structure, comprising: a ceramic honeycomb body having a fired bar code thereon.

17. The ceramic honeycomb structure of claim 16 wherein the bar code has been fired to at least to about 800° C. and is machine readable.

18. The ceramic honeycomb structure of claim 16 wherein the bar code comprises a two-dimensional bar code.

19. The ceramic honeycomb structure of claim 16 further comprising a unique identifying mark formed on the ceramic honeycomb body.

20. A ceramic honeycomb structure, comprising: a ceramic honeycomb body having a unique individual identifying mark formed thereon.

21. The ceramic honeycomb structure of claim 20, further comprising a bar code formed on the ceramic honeycomb body.

22. The ceramic honeycomb structure of claim 21 wherein the bar code comprises a two-dimensional bar code.

23. The ceramic honeycomb structure of claim 21 wherein the bar code is formed from a fired heat resistant ink.

24. The ceramic honeycomb structure of claim 20 wherein the unique individual identifying mark comprises a unique alphanumeric human-readable data string.

25. A ceramic honeycomb structure, comprising: a ceramic honeycomb body having marked thereon a combination of a two-dimensional bar code alongside a unique individual human-readable data string.