A pipe internal and external appearance inspection system and inspection method

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for inspecting the internal and external appearance of pipe fittings, comprising a workbench, wherein the workbench comprises a plurality of workstations and a transfer device, wherein the transfer device transfers the pipe fittings between the plurality of workstations, wherein the workstations comprise an upstream workstation, an integrated material loading and caching workstation, an endoscopic inspection workstation, an external appearance imaging workstation, a workstation to be determined, an NG product workstation, a coding workstation, a downstream good product area and a connecting workstation; the present invention has the advantages that the internal and external appearance of the pipe fittings can be inspected through transfer, imaging, interpretation and marking, and the quality can be easily managed; the feeding mechanism consists of a separation mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a sliding mechanism, and a single pipe fitting is separated, and is lifted and transferred separately, so that the operation is accurate; when imaging, the pipe fitting is extended into a light source box, and an area array / line array camera arranged around the outside of the pipe fitting in the box is used to capture the image, so that the imaging is accurate and reliable; during the interpretation and marking process, the machine directly operates, and no strain injury is caused to personnel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of pipe fitting inspection, and in particular to a pipe fitting internal and external appearance inspection system and inspection method. Background Art

[0002] During the manufacturing process of metal pipe fittings such as pipe drawing, pickling, alkali washing or processing and manufacturing processes, it is easy to cause irregular defects inside or outside the pipe fittings, and the size and shape are not regular and orderly. Therefore, at this stage, all inspections are carried out manually. In mass production factories, this site has become a bottleneck project. This operation point has more than 8 hours of human eye inspection work a day. Human eye fatigue causes changes in quality standards, resulting in the outflow of defective products. Quality is difficult to manage, and it causes strain injuries to personnel, which is a huge cost for both enterprises and individuals. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a pipe internal and external appearance inspection system and inspection method.

[0004] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is:

[0005] A pipe internal and external appearance inspection system, characterized in that it comprises a workbench, the workbench comprises a plurality of workstations and a transfer device, the transfer device transfers the pipes between the plurality of workstations, the workstations comprising an upstream workstation, a whole-line material buffering workstation, an endoscopic inspection workstation, an external appearance imaging workstation, a workstation to be determined, an NG product workstation, a coding workstation, a downstream good product area and a connecting workstation;

[0006] The endoscope inspection station is provided with a transmission device and an endoscope, wherein the transmission device is used to pull and convey the endoscope into the pipe fitting to take images of the inside of the pipe fitting;

[0007] The appearance imaging station includes an appearance imaging system, and the appearance imaging system is used to image the outside of the pipe;

[0008] The workstation to be determined includes an inspection module, and the inspection module is used to detect whether the pipe fitting is a good product;

[0009] The coding station is used to implement corresponding defect code spraying at the defect position of the pipe fitting;

[0010] The downstream good product area is connected to the subsequent workstation.

[0011] Furthermore, the workbench includes a feeding mechanism, which is located between the integrated feeding buffer station and the endoscopy inspection station. The feeding mechanism consists of a separation mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a sliding mechanism. The separation mechanism is used to separate a single pipe fitting and then lift the single pipe fitting through the lifting mechanism. The sliding mechanism is used to transfer the lifted single pipe fitting and move the single pipe fitting to be tested into the endoscopy inspection station.

[0012] Furthermore, the endoscopic inspection station is provided with an endoscope and a roller clamping and conveying unit, the roller clamping and conveying unit comprises an active pressing wheel and a passive pressing wheel, the passive pressing wheel has a servo transmission power, and the passive pressing wheel is used to control the forward and backward movement of the endoscope.

[0013] Furthermore, the appearance imaging station is provided with a supporting servo roller, which is used to transport the pipe forward and backward. An appearance imaging system is provided in a circular direction on the outside of one side of the appearance imaging station. The appearance imaging system includes a base, a light source box and an area array / line array camera. The pipe passes through the circularly arranged light source box in the process of moving to the other side of the appearance imaging station, and the area array / line array camera inside the light source box completes the appearance imaging of the pipe.

[0014] A method for inspecting the internal and external appearance of a pipe fitting, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0015] Step S1) Perform pre-processing on the pipe fittings. After the pre-processing is completed, the pipe fittings are put into the inspection system and arrive at the upstream station;

[0016] Step S2) the pipes leave the upstream station and enter the whole material buffer station;

[0017] Step S3) the pipes leave the integrated material buffer station, and after being processed by the feeding mechanism, the pipes enter the endoscopy inspection station one by one;

[0018] Step S4) the transmission device pulls and transmits the endoscope into the pipe. During the transmission process, the endoscope obtains the image inside the pipe. After the imaging is completed, the transfer device moves the pipe to the appearance imaging station.

[0019] Step S5) The pipe enters the light source box through the transfer device. A plurality of area array / line array cameras are arranged around the pipe inside the light source box. During the transfer and transportation process of the pipe in the length direction, the area array / line array cameras are used to obtain the appearance image of the pipe. After the image is taken, the transfer device moves the pipe to the station to be determined.

[0020] Step S6) inspect the appearance image and the internal image of the pipe fitting by the inspection module to obtain the defect position of the pipe fitting. If the pipe fitting has no defect position, the inspection result is a good product, and the process goes to step S7. If the pipe fitting has a defect position, the inspection result is a bad product, and the process goes to step S8.

[0021] Step S7) the pipes are distributed to the good product area, and the good product area is connected to the connecting station;

[0022] Step S8) The pipe fittings are allocated to the NG product station, and defect coding spraying is performed on the defective positions of the pipe fittings.

[0023] Furthermore, the step S3 comprises:

[0024] Step S31) the separation mechanism sequentially separates individual pipe fittings from the pipe fittings;

[0025] Step S32) the single pipe is lifted by a lifting mechanism;

[0026] Step S33) The sliding mechanism transfers the lifted single pipe and moves the single pipe to be tested into the endoscopy inspection station.

[0027] Furthermore, the step S6 includes setting up an image interpretation system at the workstation to be determined, the image interpretation system includes a deep learning method for machine learning defect characteristics, and analyzing defect data based on the acquired image. The image interpretation system includes an image of a flawless pipe fitting, and obtains the defect position of the pipe fitting by comparing the photo position information of the image of the pipe fitting to be tested and the image of the flawless pipe fitting.

[0028] The advantages of the present invention are: through transfer, imaging, interpretation and marking, the internal and external appearance of the pipe can be inspected, and the quality can be easily managed;

[0029] The feeding mechanism is composed of a separation mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a sliding mechanism. The individual pipes are separated, lifted and transferred individually, and the operation is accurate.

[0030] When taking images, the pipe is inserted into the light source box, and the area / line array cameras arranged around the outside of the pipe in the box take images, which is accurate and reliable.

[0031] During the reading and marking process, good products are allocated to the good product area or put into the follow-up equipment, and defective products are allocated to the coding area for corresponding coding operations at the defective positions. The machine operates directly without causing strain injuries to personnel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the inspection system of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of an endoscopic inspection station in the inspection system of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the appearance imaging station in the inspection system of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the workstation to be determined in the inspection system of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 is a flow chart of the steps of the inspection method of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a flow chart of step S3 in the inspection method of the present invention.

[0038] Reference numerals:

[0039] 1Upstream station 2Integrated material buffer station 3Endoscopic inspection station 4Appearance imaging station 5To-be-judged station

[0040] 6 NG product station 7 inkjet station 8 downstream good product area 9 transmission device 10 endoscope 11 area scan / line scan camera

[0041] 12 roller clamping transmission unit 13 pipe fittings 14 light source box 15 base 16 supporting servo roller 17 connection station

[0042] 18 distribution agencies. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0044] This embodiment discloses a pipe internal and external appearance inspection system. Figure 1 As shown, it includes a workbench, which includes multiple workstations and a transfer device. The transfer device transfers the pipe 13 between the multiple workstations. The workstations include an upstream workstation 1, an integrated material loading and caching station 2, an endoscopic inspection station 3, an appearance imaging station 4, a station to be determined 5, an NG product station 6, a coding station 7, a downstream good product area 8 and a connecting station 17.

[0045] The workbench includes a feeding mechanism, which is located between the integrated feeding buffer station 2 and the endoscopy inspection station 3. The feeding mechanism consists of a separation mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a sliding mechanism. The separation mechanism is used to separate a single pipe 13 and then lift the single pipe 13 through the lifting mechanism. The sliding mechanism is used to transfer the lifted single pipe 13 and move the single pipe 13 to be tested into the endoscopy inspection station 3.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, the endoscope inspection station 3 is provided with a transmission device 9, and the transmission device 9 is used to pull and convey the endoscope 10 into the pipe 13. The endoscope inspection station 3 is also provided with an endoscope 10 and a roller clamping and conveying unit 12. The roller clamping and conveying unit 12 includes an active pressing wheel and a passive pressing wheel. The passive pressing wheel has a servo transmission power, and the passive pressing wheel is used to control the endoscope 10 to move forward and backward.

[0047] The appearance imaging station 4 includes an appearance imaging system. The tube 13 is conveyed through the appearance imaging system, and the appearance imaging system captures the outer side of the tube.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, the appearance imaging station 4 includes a supporting servo roller 16, and the supporting servo roller 16 is used to transport the tube 13 back and forth. An appearance imaging system is provided in the annular direction outside the tube 13, and the appearance imaging system includes a base 15, a light source box 14 and an area array / line array camera 11. The base 15 is used to support the light source box 14. The tube 13 passes through the annularly arranged light source box 14 during the process of moving to the other side of the appearance imaging station 4, and the area array / line array camera 11 inside the light source box 14 completes the appearance imaging of the tube 13.

[0049] The light source box 14 uses a light source of a specific wavelength, and the light source is diffuse. The pipe 13 is transferred to the waiting judgment station 5, and the waiting judgment system inspects and judges the defects in the photo. Both the endoscopic photo and the appearance photo have the position information corresponding to the pipe 13.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, the workstation 5 to be determined includes an inspection module, which is used to detect whether the pipe fitting is a good product. The workstation 5 to be determined also includes a distribution mechanism 18. If the pipe fitting is determined to be a good product, it is distributed upward by the A plate to the downstream good product area 8. If the pipe fitting is determined to be a defective product, it is distributed upward by the B plate to the NG product station 6. The defective products entering the NG product station 6 continue to enter the subsequent coding station 7. The coding station 7 implements corresponding defect code spraying at the defect position of the pipe fitting 13, and the downstream good product area 8 is connected to the connection station 17.

[0051] This embodiment also discloses a method for inspecting the internal and external appearance of a pipe fitting. Figure 5 As shown, the following steps are included:

[0052] Step S1) Performing a pre-processing operation on the pipe fitting 13, after the pre-processing operation is completed, the pipe fitting 13 is put into the inspection system and arrives at the upstream station 1;

[0053] Step S2) the pipe 13 leaves the upstream station 1 and enters the whole material loading and buffering station 2;

[0054] Step S3) the pipes 13 leave the integrated feeding and buffering station 2, and after being processed by the feeding mechanism, the pipes 13 enter the endoscopy inspection station 3 one by one;

[0055] Step S4) the transmission device 9 pulls and transfers the endoscope 10 into the pipe 13. During the transfer process, the endoscope 10 obtains an image inside the pipe 13. After the image is taken, the transfer device moves the pipe 13 to the appearance image taking station 4.

[0056] Step S5) The tube 13 enters the light source box 14 through the transfer device. A plurality of area array / line array cameras 11 are arranged around the tube 13 inside the light source box 14. During the transfer and transportation process of the tube 13 in the length direction, the area array / line array cameras 11 acquire the appearance image of the tube 13. After the image acquisition is completed, the transfer device moves the tube 13 to the waiting position 5;

[0057] Step S6) inspecting the appearance image and the internal image of the pipe fitting 13 by the inspection module to obtain the defect position of the pipe fitting 13. If the pipe fitting 13 has no defect position, the inspection result is a good product, and the process goes to step S7. If the pipe fitting 13 has a defect position, the inspection result is a bad product, and the process goes to step S8.

[0058] Step S7) the pipe fittings 13 are distributed to the downstream good product area 8, and the downstream good product area 8 is connected to the connecting station 17;

[0059] Step S8) The pipe fitting 13 is allocated to the NG product station 6, and defect coding spraying is performed on the defect position of the pipe fitting 13.

[0060] like Figure 6 As shown, step S3 includes:

[0061] Step S31) the separation mechanism sequentially separates the individual pipe fittings 13 from the pipe fittings 13;

[0062] Step S32) the single pipe 13 is lifted by the lifting mechanism;

[0063] Step S33 ) The sliding mechanism transfers the lifted single pipe 13 , and moves the single pipe 13 to be tested into the endoscopy inspection station 3 .

[0064] In the specific implementation, an image interpretation system is set at the workstation 5 to be judged, and the image interpretation system includes a deep learning method for machine learning defect features, and analyzes the defect data of the acquired image, which includes the image of the flawless pipe 13. The deep learning method includes supervised and unsupervised methods, and does not include reinforcement learning. After the image interpretation system draws a conclusion, the good products are allocated to the downstream good product area 8 or put into the subsequent workstation 17. If it is a defective product, it is allocated to the coding station 7, and the corresponding coding operation of the defective bad position is implemented. The information of the defective bad position of the pipe 13 can be obtained by comparing the position information of the flawless pipe 13 photo. After the coding is completed, the pipe 13 is allocated to the defective product storage area.

[0065] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pipe internal and external inspection system, characterized in that: It includes a workbench, which includes a plurality of workstations and a transfer device, and the transfer device transfers the pipes between the plurality of workstations, and the workstations include an upstream workstation, a whole-line material buffering workstation, an endoscopy workstation, an appearance imaging workstation, a workstation to be determined, an NG product workstation, a coding workstation, a downstream good product area, and a connection workstation; The endoscope inspection station is provided with a transmission device and an endoscope, wherein the transmission device is used to pull and convey the endoscope into the pipe fitting to take images of the inside of the pipe fitting; The appearance imaging station includes an appearance imaging system, and the appearance imaging system is used to image the outside of the pipe; The workstation to be determined includes an inspection module, and the inspection module is used to detect whether the pipe fitting is a good product; The coding station is used to implement corresponding defect code spraying at the defect position of the pipe fitting; The downstream good product area is connected to the connecting station; The workbench comprises a feeding mechanism, which is located between the integrated feeding buffer station and the endoscope inspection station. The feeding mechanism consists of a separation mechanism, a lifting mechanism and a sliding mechanism. The separation mechanism is used to separate a single pipe and then lift the single pipe through the lifting mechanism. The sliding mechanism is used to transfer the lifted single pipe and move the single pipe to be tested into the endoscope inspection station. The endoscope inspection station is provided with an endoscope and a roller clamping and conveying unit, wherein the roller clamping and conveying unit comprises an active pressing wheel and a passive pressing wheel, wherein the passive pressing wheel has a servo transmission power and is used to control the forward and backward movement of the endoscope; The appearance imaging station is provided with a supporting servo roller, which is used to transport the pipe forward and backward. An appearance imaging system is provided in a circular direction on the outside of one side of the appearance imaging station. The appearance imaging system includes a base, a light source box and an area array / line array camera. When the pipe moves to the other side of the appearance imaging station, it passes through the circularly arranged light source box, and the area array / line array camera inside the light source box completes the appearance imaging of the pipe.

2. A method for inspecting the internal and external appearance of pipes using the pipe internal and external appearance inspection system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step S1) Perform pre-processing on the pipe fittings. After the pre-processing is completed, the pipe fittings are put into the inspection system and arrive at the upstream station; Step S2) the pipes leave the upstream station and enter the whole material buffer station; Step S3) the pipes leave the integrated material buffer station, and after being processed by the feeding mechanism, the pipes enter the endoscopy inspection station one by one; Step S4) the transmission device pulls and transmits the endoscope into the pipe. During the transmission process, the endoscope obtains the image inside the pipe. After the imaging is completed, the transfer device moves the pipe to the appearance imaging station. Step S5) The pipe enters the light source box through the transfer device. A plurality of area array / line array cameras are arranged around the pipe inside the light source box. During the transfer and transportation process of the pipe in the length direction, the area array / line array cameras are used to obtain the appearance image of the pipe. After the image is taken, the transfer device moves the pipe to the station to be determined. Step S6) inspect the appearance image and the internal image of the pipe fitting by the inspection module to obtain the defect position of the pipe fitting. If the pipe fitting has no defect position, the inspection result is a good product, and the process goes to step S7. If the pipe fitting has a defect position, the inspection result is a bad product, and the process goes to step S8. Step S7) the pipes are distributed to the good product area, and the good product area is connected to the connecting station; Step S8) The pipe fittings are allocated to the NG product station, and defect coding spraying is performed on the defective positions of the pipe fittings.

3. The method for inspecting the internal appearance of a pipe according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step S3 comprises: Step S31) the separation mechanism sequentially separates individual pipe fittings from the pipe fittings; Step S32) the single pipe is lifted by a lifting mechanism; Step S33) The sliding mechanism transfers the lifted single pipe and moves the single pipe to be tested into the endoscopy inspection station.

4. The method for inspecting the internal appearance of a pipe according to claim 2, characterized in that: The step S6 includes setting up an image interpretation system at the workstation to be determined, wherein the image interpretation system includes a deep learning method for machine learning defect characteristics, and analyzes defect data based on the acquired image. The image interpretation system includes an image of a flawless pipe fitting, and obtains the defect position of the pipe fitting by comparing the photo position information of the image of the pipe fitting to be tested with the image of the flawless pipe fitting.

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