Automatic feeding system in vacuum smelting and control method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic feeding system in vacuum smelting, which comprises an execution subsystem and a calculation subsystem. The execution subsystem comprises a material taking mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a weighing and metering unit, a position sensor and a pressure sensor. The calculation subsystem comprises a bus network, a PID control unit and a PLC controller. The material taking mechanism is used for taking material, the weighing and metering unit is used for measuring the material taking amount, the position sensor is used for detecting the material consumption height, and the pressure sensor is used for detecting the material consumption amount. The PID control unit calculates the theoretical material requirement amount according to the material consumption height and the material consumption amount, and obtains the material taking amount set value through fuzzy PID calculation according to the material taking amount and the theoretical material requirement amount. The PLC controller adjusts the material taking amount of the material taking mechanism according to the material taking amount set value until the deviation value of the material taking amount set values obtained through the fuzzy calculation twice in succession is less than a set threshold value. The material taking mechanism delivers the material to the feeding mechanism, and then the material is sent into a vacuum smelting furnace, so that the feeding process is completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of vacuum smelting equipment technology, and relates to an automated feeding system and its control method in vacuum smelting. Background Technology

[0002] Metallic materials have underpinned the development of my country's high-tech industries, finding wide applications in aviation, aerospace, power, and consumer electronics. However, most metal element extraction methods in my country rely on secondary extraction, specifically extracting high-precision metals from waste metal products. The key technology for this process is vacuum smelting. In recent years, my country's pursuit of high-quality industrial development has placed higher demands on the quality and efficiency of smelting technologies. However, the currently prevalent method of feeding materials in domestic vacuum smelting remains manual, resulting in extremely low efficiency and difficulty in controlling precision, making it unsuitable for current enterprise process requirements. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automated feeding system and control method for vacuum smelting to replace the existing manual feeding method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention aims to provide an automated feeding system and its control method for vacuum smelting, which not only enables continuous production but also ensures product consistency, improves efficiency while guaranteeing excellent quality, and reduces energy consumption and production costs to a certain extent.

[0004] This invention provides an automated feeding system for vacuum smelting, comprising an execution subsystem and a calculation subsystem. The execution subsystem includes: a material handling mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a weighing and metering unit, a position sensor, and a pressure sensor. The calculation subsystem includes: a bus network, a PID control unit, and a PLC controller.

[0005] The material handling mechanism retrieves material from the storage tank according to the instructions of the PLC controller. The weighing and metering unit measures the amount of material retrieved by the material handling mechanism. The position sensor detects the material consumption height in the vacuum smelting furnace, and the pressure sensor detects the amount of material consumed in the vacuum smelting furnace. The execution subsystem uploads the material retrieval amount, material consumption height, and material consumption to the PID control unit via a bus network. The PID control unit calculates the theoretical material requirement based on the material consumption height and material consumption, and performs fuzzy PID calculation based on the material retrieval amount and the theoretical material requirement to obtain the material retrieval amount setpoint. The PLC controller adjusts the material retrieval amount of the material handling mechanism according to the material retrieval amount setpoint until the deviation between the material retrieval amount setpoints calculated by the fuzzy PID controller and the material handling mechanism delivers the material to the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism delivers the material into the vacuum smelting furnace according to the instructions of the PLC controller, completing the feeding process.

[0006] Furthermore, the PID control unit includes: a sensor fusion module, a fuzzy PID module, and a control module; the sensor fusion module calculates the theoretical raw material demand based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption amount using a sensor fusion method; the fuzzy PID module performs fuzzy PID calculations based on the material taking amount and the theoretical raw material demand to obtain a material taking amount setpoint; the control module controls the PLC controller to send the material taking command to the material taking mechanism based on the material taking amount setpoint.

[0007] Furthermore, the execution subsystem also includes a vision sensor for acquiring image information inside the vacuum smelting furnace.

[0008] Furthermore, it also includes a monitoring subsystem, which comprises an image processing unit, a local area network (LAN) unit, a computer, and a human-computer interaction (HCI) unit. The image processing unit processes image information collected by the visual sensor. The computing subsystem uploads data information, namely the received material handling quantity, material consumption height, raw material consumption, and material handling quantity setpoint, to the computer via the LAN unit. The computer processes the image and data information and displays it through the HCI unit, which is controlled by manual clicks to trigger commands to execute the subsystem.

[0009] The present invention also provides a control method for an automated feeding system in vacuum smelting, comprising the following steps:

[0010] S1: The material taking mechanism takes material from the storage tank. The amount of material taken by the material taking mechanism is measured by the weighing and metering unit. The material consumption height and material consumption in the vacuum smelting furnace are detected by the position sensor and pressure sensor, respectively.

[0011] S2: The PID control unit calculates the theoretical demand for raw materials based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption, and performs fuzzy PID calculation based on the material taking amount and the theoretical demand for raw materials to obtain the material taking amount set value. The PLC controller adjusts the material taking amount of the material taking mechanism according to the material taking amount set value until the deviation of the material taking amount set value calculated by the two consecutive fuzzy PID calculations is less than the set threshold. The material taking mechanism then transports the raw materials to the feeding mechanism.

[0012] S3: The feeding mechanism sends the raw materials into the vacuum smelting furnace according to the instructions of the PLC controller, completing the feeding process.

[0013] Furthermore, step S2 specifically includes:

[0014] The sensor fusion module calculates the theoretical raw material requirement based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption amount using a sensor fusion method; the fuzzy PID module performs fuzzy PID calculations based on the material taking amount and the theoretical raw material requirement to obtain the material taking amount set value; the control module controls the PLC controller to send the material taking command to the material taking mechanism based on the material taking amount set value.

[0015] Furthermore, the theoretical raw material demand is calculated using a sensor fusion method as follows:

[0016] use This represents the state of heterogeneous sensor fusion, and the state includes three quantities: raw material consumption level. ,pressure Acceleration due to altitude change ,therefore:

[0017]

[0018] Let the sampling period T be set, assuming the sampling period is very short, i.e. At the same time, the state transition equation is obtained:

[0019]

[0020] Observation Including: quality and volume Two quantities, therefore:

[0021]

[0022] Based on the linear relationship between height and mass, we can obtain:

[0023]

[0024] The mass and volume of the raw materials to be added are obtained through the above observation equations.

[0025] Furthermore, it also includes:

[0026] Image information inside the vacuum smelting furnace is collected by a vision sensor, processed, and sent to a computer. At the same time, the computer receives data information, namely the amount of material taken out, the material consumption height, the raw material consumption, and the set value of the amount of material taken out. The image and data information are processed and displayed through a human-machine interaction unit. The human-machine interaction unit is controlled by manual clicks to trigger commands to control the execution subsystem.

[0027] This invention discloses an automated feeding system and control method for vacuum smelting, which solves the problem of low efficiency in manual feeding in vacuum smelting. The system control introduces fuzzy control technology to achieve precise feeding amount. The automated feeding system can not only produce continuously but also ensure product consistency. It improves efficiency while ensuring excellent quality, and also reduces energy consumption and production costs to a certain extent, thus enabling broader development of the domestic metal manufacturing industry. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1This is a block diagram of an automated feeding system for vacuum smelting according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] like Figure 1 The present invention provides an automated feeding system for vacuum smelting, comprising an execution subsystem and a calculation subsystem. The execution subsystem includes a material handling mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a weighing and metering unit, a position sensor, and a pressure sensor. The calculation subsystem includes a bus network, a PID control unit, and a PLC controller.

[0030] The material handling mechanism retrieves material from the storage tank according to the instructions of the PLC controller. The weighing and metering unit measures the amount of material retrieved by the material handling mechanism. The position sensor detects the material consumption height in the vacuum smelting furnace, and the pressure sensor detects the amount of material consumed in the vacuum smelting furnace. The execution subsystem uploads the material retrieval amount, material consumption height, and material consumption to the PID control unit via a bus network. The PID control unit calculates the theoretical material requirement based on the material consumption height and material consumption, and performs fuzzy PID calculation based on the material retrieval amount and the theoretical material requirement to obtain the material retrieval amount setpoint. The PLC controller adjusts the material retrieval amount of the material handling mechanism according to the material retrieval amount setpoint until the deviation between the material retrieval amount setpoints calculated by the fuzzy PID controller and the material handling mechanism delivers the material to the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism delivers the material into the vacuum smelting furnace according to the instructions of the PLC controller, completing the feeding process.

[0031] The PID control unit includes a sensor fusion module, a fuzzy PID module, and a control module. The sensor fusion module calculates the theoretical raw material requirement based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption amount using a sensor fusion method. The fuzzy PID module performs fuzzy PID calculations based on the material taking amount and the theoretical raw material requirement to obtain the material taking amount setpoint. The control module controls the PLC controller to send the material taking command to the material taking mechanism based on the material taking amount setpoint.

[0032] The execution subsystem also includes a vision sensor for acquiring image information inside the vacuum smelting furnace. In specific implementations, the vision sensor can be an industrial depth camera.

[0033] The feeding system of the present invention also includes a monitoring subsystem, which includes an image processing unit, a local area network unit, a computer, and a human-computer interaction unit. The image processing unit is used to process image information collected by a vision sensor. The calculation subsystem uploads data information, namely the received material feeding amount, material consumption height, raw material consumption amount, and material feeding amount set value, to the computer through the local area network unit. The computer processes the image information and data information and displays it through the human-computer interaction unit. The human-computer interaction unit controls the execution subsystem by manually clicking to trigger commands.

[0034] In practice, the bus network adopts a CAN bus network, the local area network unit can adopt an Ethernet network, the graphics processing unit adopts a GPU, and the human-computer interaction unit adopts a touch screen.

[0035] The monitoring subsystem of the automated feeding system in vacuum smelting of this invention mainly enables manual intervention by issuing confirmation commands, including execution commands and stop commands. The overall operating logic of the feeding system is as follows:

[0036] First, the monitoring subsystem issues a confirmation command. Simultaneously, the execution subsystem collects data from the position sensor, pressure sensor, and weighing unit, and transmits this data to the PID control unit of the computing subsystem via the bus network. The PID control unit calculates the theoretical material requirement based on the sensor fusion method of the sensor fusion module. The fuzzy PID module performs fuzzy PID calculations on the material quantity obtained by the weighing unit and the theoretical material requirement fused from the sensors. When the system first starts, the material quantity taken by the weighing unit is 0, so the integral and derivative in the PID cannot take effect, thus obtaining the set value of the material quantity to be executed. Simultaneously, the PID control unit transmits the material feeding setpoint to the PLC controller. The PLC controller controls the material feeding mechanism to perform the material feeding operation. At the same time, the weighing and metering unit detects the actual loaded material feeding amount and returns it to the PID control unit. The PID control unit performs fuzzy PID calculation based on the material feeding amount and the theoretical material requirement, and obtains the material feeding setpoint again. The PLC controller adjusts the material feeding amount of the material feeding mechanism according to the material feeding setpoint until the deviation between the material feeding setpoints calculated by the two fuzzy PID calculations is less than the set threshold. The material feeding mechanism then transports the raw material to the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism, according to the instructions of the PLC controller, sends the raw material into the vacuum smelting furnace, completing the feeding process.

[0037] The present invention also provides a control method for an automated feeding system in vacuum smelting, comprising the following steps:

[0038] S1: The material taking mechanism takes material from the storage tank. The amount of material taken by the material taking mechanism is measured by the weighing and metering unit. The material consumption height and material consumption in the vacuum smelting furnace are detected by the position sensor and pressure sensor, respectively.

[0039] S2: The PID control unit calculates the theoretical demand for raw materials based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption, and performs fuzzy PID calculation based on the material taking amount and the theoretical demand for raw materials to obtain the material taking amount set value. The PLC controller adjusts the material taking amount of the material taking mechanism according to the material taking amount set value until the deviation of the material taking amount set value calculated by the two consecutive fuzzy PID calculations is less than the set threshold. The material taking mechanism then transports the raw materials to the feeding mechanism.

[0040] In practice, the sensor fusion module calculates the theoretical raw material demand based on the raw material consumption height and the raw material consumption amount using a sensor fusion method; the fuzzy PID module performs fuzzy PID calculations based on the material taking amount and the theoretical raw material demand to obtain the material taking amount set value; and the control module controls the PLC controller to send the material taking command to the material taking mechanism based on the material taking amount set value.

[0041] In practice, the theoretical raw material requirements are calculated using a sensor fusion method as follows:

[0042] use This represents the state of heterogeneous sensor fusion, and the state includes three quantities: raw material consumption level. ,pressure Acceleration due to altitude change ,therefore:

[0043]

[0044] Let the sampling period T be set, assuming the sampling period is very short, i.e. At the same time, the state transition equation is obtained:

[0045]

[0046] Observation Including: quality and volume Two quantities, therefore:

[0047]

[0048] Based on the linear relationship between height and mass, we can obtain:

[0049]

[0050] The mass and volume of the raw materials to be added are obtained through the above observation equations.

[0051] S3: The feeding mechanism sends the raw materials into the vacuum smelting furnace according to the instructions of the PLC controller, completing the feeding process.

[0052] The feeding system control method of the present invention further includes:

[0053] Image information inside the vacuum smelting furnace is collected by a vision sensor, processed, and sent to a computer. At the same time, the computer receives data information, namely the amount of material taken out, the material consumption height, the raw material consumption, and the set value of the amount of material taken out. The image and data information are processed and displayed through a human-machine interaction unit. The human-machine interaction unit is controlled by manual clicks to trigger commands to control the execution subsystem.

[0054] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the ideas of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated feeding system for vacuum smelting, characterized in that, It includes an execution subsystem and a computing subsystem. The execution subsystem includes: a material handling mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a weighing and metering unit, a position sensor, and a pressure sensor. The computing subsystem includes: a bus network, a PID control unit, and a PLC controller. The material handling mechanism retrieves material from the storage tank according to the instructions of the PLC controller. The weighing and metering unit is used to measure the amount of material retrieved by the material handling mechanism. The position sensor is used to detect the material consumption height in the vacuum smelting furnace, and the pressure sensor is used to detect the amount of material consumed in the vacuum smelting furnace. The execution subsystem uploads the material retrieval amount, material consumption height, and material consumption to the PID control unit via a bus network. The PID control unit calculates the theoretical material requirement based on the material consumption height and material consumption, and performs fuzzy PID calculation based on the material retrieval amount and the theoretical material requirement to obtain the material retrieval amount set value. The PLC controller adjusts the material retrieval amount of the material handling mechanism according to the material retrieval amount set value until the deviation between the material retrieval amount set values ​​calculated by the fuzzy PID is less than a set threshold. The material handling mechanism then transports the material to the feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism, according to the instructions of the PLC controller, feeds the material into the vacuum smelting furnace, completing the feeding process. The PID control unit includes: a sensor fusion module, a fuzzy PID module, and a control module; the sensor fusion module calculates the theoretical raw material requirement based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption amount using a sensor fusion method; the fuzzy PID module performs fuzzy PID calculations based on the material taking amount and the theoretical raw material requirement to obtain the material taking amount setpoint; the control module controls the PLC controller to send the material taking command to the material taking mechanism based on the material taking amount setpoint. The theoretical raw material demand is calculated using a sensor fusion method as follows: use This represents the state of heterogeneous sensor fusion, and the state includes three quantities: raw material consumption level. ,pressure Acceleration due to altitude change ,therefore: Let the sampling period T be set, assuming the sampling period is very short, i.e. At the same time, the state transition equation is obtained: Observation Including: quality and volume Two quantities, therefore: Based on the linear relationship between height and mass, we can obtain: The mass and volume of the raw materials to be added are obtained through the above observation equations.

2. The automated feeding system for vacuum smelting as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The execution subsystem also includes a vision sensor for acquiring image information inside the vacuum smelting furnace.

3. The automated feeding system for vacuum smelting as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a monitoring subsystem, which comprises an image processing unit, a local area network (LAN) unit, a computer, and a human-computer interaction (HCI) unit. The image processing unit processes image information collected by the visual sensor. The computing subsystem uploads data information, namely the received material intake, material consumption height, raw material consumption, and material intake setpoint, to the computer via the LAN unit. The computer processes the image and data information and displays it through the HCI unit, which is controlled by manual clicks to trigger commands to execute the subsystem.

4. A control method for an automated feeding system in vacuum smelting, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: The material taking mechanism takes material from the storage tank. The amount of material taken by the material taking mechanism is measured by the weighing and metering unit. The material consumption height and material consumption in the vacuum smelting furnace are detected by the position sensor and pressure sensor, respectively. S2: The PID control unit calculates the theoretical demand for raw materials based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption, and performs fuzzy PID calculation based on the material taking amount and the theoretical demand for raw materials to obtain the material taking amount set value. The PLC controller adjusts the material taking amount of the material taking mechanism according to the material taking amount set value until the deviation of the material taking amount set value calculated by the two consecutive fuzzy PID calculations is less than the set threshold. The material taking mechanism then transports the raw materials to the feeding mechanism. S3: The feeding mechanism sends the raw materials into the vacuum smelting furnace according to the instructions of the PLC controller, completing the feeding process.

5. The control method for an automated feeding system in vacuum smelting as described in claim 4, characterized in that, Step S2 specifically involves: The sensor fusion module in the PID control unit calculates the theoretical raw material requirement based on the raw material consumption height and raw material consumption amount using a sensor fusion method; the fuzzy PID module in the PID control unit performs fuzzy PID calculations based on the material taking amount and the theoretical raw material requirement to obtain the material taking amount setpoint; the control module in the PID control unit controls the PLC controller to send the material taking command to the material taking mechanism based on the material taking amount setpoint.

6. The control method for an automated feeding system in vacuum smelting as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The theoretical raw material demand is calculated using a sensor fusion method as follows: use This represents the state of heterogeneous sensor fusion, and the state includes three quantities: raw material consumption level. ,pressure Acceleration due to altitude change ,therefore: Let the sampling period T be set, assuming the sampling period is very short, i.e. At the same time, the state transition equation is obtained: Observation Including: quality and volume Two quantities, therefore: Based on the linear relationship between height and mass, we can obtain: The mass and volume of the raw materials to be added are obtained through the above observation equations.

7. The control method for an automated feeding system in vacuum smelting as described in claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: Image information inside the vacuum smelting furnace is collected by a vision sensor, processed, and sent to a computer. At the same time, the computer receives data information, namely the amount of material taken out, the material consumption height, the raw material consumption, and the set value of the amount of material taken out. The image and data information are processed and displayed through a human-machine interaction unit. The human-machine interaction unit is controlled by manual clicks to trigger commands to control the execution subsystem.

Images