Automatic material quality inspection method for inside and outside areas of freight train compartment

Abstract

This application discloses an automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages. When a train carriage enters the unloading area, the carriage number is identified and matched with information from an external target system. Based on the carriage number identification result, the arrangement of the train carriages is virtually displayed, and materials are unloaded layer by layer using unloading equipment. During the process, the condition of materials inside the train carriages is monitored in real time using quality inspection auxiliary equipment such as cameras. The unloading video is also saved to hardware devices in real time for later retrieval and traceability. If an alarm signal is issued during the quality inspection process, staff will intervene to handle it. After the anomaly is handled, unloading and quality inspection continue until the bottom of the carriage is detected and there are no materials or foreign objects inside the carriage. The quality inspection results of the carriage are then sent to the target system and / or display device. The automatic quality inspection method provided by this application is a material inspection process proposed for freight trains, realizing full-process quality inspection tracking and control, and improving the efficiency of material quality inspection for freight trains.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of freight quality inspection technology, and in particular to an efficient and reliable automatic quality inspection method that can automatically inspect the quality of materials inside and outside the freight train carriages. Background Technology

[0002] Materials are the primary resource for enterprise production, with extremely high demand. The quality of materials directly impacts an enterprise's production costs and product profits. In the modern logistics industry, due to the need to monitor cargo safety and alert to abnormal events during transportation, the volume and rate of volume change of goods inside truck compartments are typically monitored in real time. In addition, dedicated quality inspectors are assigned to conduct quality control during transportation or unloading.

[0003] Quality inspectors typically use the following methods to control the quality of materials inside freight train carriages: 1. Manual and visual inspection and judgment of the train as it climbs; 2. Inspection inside the carriages; 3. Camera inspection of the material surfaces; 4. Inspection and quality control of objects during the movement of the freight train.

[0004] The above-mentioned method of quality control for materials inside freight train carriages has the following shortcomings:

[0005] 1. Frequent boarding and alighting for inspections poses safety hazards and results in high labor intensity for personnel;

[0006] 2. There is a risk of objects falling from heights, or a risk of falling from heights;

[0007] 3. For goods transported by train, only the surface is examined, and the conditions underneath the object cannot be detected;

[0008] 4. It affects the unloading progress and thus the production process;

[0009] 5. Assigning dedicated personnel to inspect quality results in high labor costs;

[0010] 6. There is no evidence to support the quality claim;

[0011] 7. Existing solutions are merely decentralized systems, failing to form a unified and effective detection loop, which hinders widespread application.

[0012] Therefore, it is urgent to propose a new technical solution to address the problems existing in the current technology. Summary of the Invention

[0013] This application provides an automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages, which solves the problems in the prior art such as inadequate material detection inside freight train carriages, low detection efficiency affecting unloading progress, high cost of manual detection, and safety hazards.

[0014] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0015] This application provides an automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages. The method employs an automatic quality inspection system located in the unloading area. The automatic quality inspection system includes a quality inspection control device and a carriage number identification device, a display device, quality inspection auxiliary equipment, and a storage device, all connected to the quality inspection control device. The automatic quality inspection method includes the following steps:

[0016] S1: After the train enters the unloading area, the carriage number is obtained through the carriage number recognition device. The carriage number is saved as a data set. The quality control device virtually arranges multiple carriages according to the data set, obtains a carriage arrangement image, and displays the virtual carriage arrangement image on the display device.

[0017] S2: The quality control device obtains detailed information about each car from the target user system and displays the detailed information of the car on the display device accordingly.

[0018] S3: Unload the target car layer by layer. During the process, the material information in the car is collected in real time by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The quality inspection control device automatically inspects the material in the target car according to the collected information. The collected images and / or video information are saved in real time in the storage device.

[0019] S4: The quality control device acquires material information from the quality control auxiliary equipment in real time and processes the material information in real time. When an abnormal signal is obtained, the quality control device controls the early warning device to issue an early warning signal, and the operator intervenes and handles the abnormality.

[0020] S5: When the quality control device detects the bottom surface of the car body and there are no foreign objects or materials in the car body, the quality inspection system ends the quality inspection of the target car body and sends the quality inspection result information to the target user system and / or display device.

[0021] In step S1 of the above technical solution, the unloading area has a train entrance and a train exit, and a carriage number identification device is installed at the train entrance; or,

[0022] Install a carriage number identification device at a fixed location on the predetermined stopping section of each carriage; or,

[0023] A fixed area is selected in the unloading area. The fixed area is used to park a car waiting to be unloaded. A car number identification device is set up in the fixed area. Several cars are parked in the fixed area in sequence for quality inspection.

[0024] In step S2 of the above technical solution, the quality control device obtains detailed information about the carriage corresponding to the carriage number from the target user system based on the carriage number in the data set. The detailed information about the carriage includes at least one of the following: supplier information, carriage origin information, carriage destination information, cargo receiving information, and material information inside the carriage. The material information inside the carriage includes at least one of the following: material name, type, hazard, radioactivity, and flammability. The detailed information about the carriage is associated with the target carriage in the carriage arrangement image through the carriage number and displayed through the display device.

[0025] In step S3 of the above technical solution, when the quality control device simultaneously inspects each car, each car is equipped with corresponding unloading equipment and quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The unloading of each car is carried out layer by layer. During the process, the material information in the car is collected in real time through the corresponding quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The quality control device matches the information sent by each quality inspection auxiliary equipment with the corresponding car according to the car number.

[0026] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the quality inspection auxiliary equipment includes at least a 2D camera, a supplementary light, a 3D camera, a distance sensor, and an early warning device; the 3D camera includes a TOF camera and / or a point cloud camera, the distance sensor includes a laser rangefinder and / or a radar rangefinder, and the early warning device includes a sound alarm, a light alarm, and a sound and light alarm.

[0027] In step S3 of the above technical solution, when each car is inspected in sequence, the first car is unloaded layer by layer. During the process, the material information in the car is collected in real time by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The quality inspection control device inspects the material in the first car according to the information received by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. After the quality inspection of the first car is completed, the second car is inspected.

[0028] Optionally, when inspecting each car in sequence, the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment can be moved to inspect each car parked in the unloading area; or, the first car of the train can be parked within the working range of the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment in a fixed position, and the quality inspection of the first car can be achieved through the cooperation of the quality inspection control device and the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. After the quality inspection is completed, the quality inspection control device issues a moving prompt signal, and the operator moves the first car away and moves the second car to park within the working range of the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment in a fixed position.

[0029] Optionally, in the above technical solution, the quality control device includes a storage module and a processing module. The storage module stores the quality standard judgment information of the target material. The quality standard judgment information includes at least a picture of the material's appearance and material characteristic parameter information. The processing module compares the signal obtained by the quality control auxiliary equipment with the quality standard judgment information in the storage module to obtain the quality control result information. The processing module also stores a 3D vision algorithm.

[0030] Optional in the above technical solution, the quality inspection auxiliary equipment includes a radiation detection device. The radiation detection device is located near the train entrance of the unloading area. The radiation detection device is used to detect whether the material is radiant and sends the monitoring results to the quality inspection control device.

[0031] In step S4 of the above technical solution, the material information received by the quality control device from the quality inspection auxiliary equipment includes at least the material's volume information, shape information, and size information.

[0032] In step S5 of the above technical solution, the quality control device determines whether the bottom of the carriage is detected and whether there are no foreign objects or materials in the carriage by obtaining material information from the quality control auxiliary equipment. If the bottom of the carriage is detected and there are no foreign objects or materials in the carriage, a prompt signal indicating the end of the quality control is issued, and the quality control result information is sent to the target user system and / or display device.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages:

[0034] This application provides an automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages. The method is implemented through an automatic quality inspection system. When the train enters the unloading area, the carriage number is obtained through a carriage number recognition device. A virtual carriage arrangement image is generated based on the data set composed of carriage numbers. Material information collected during the quality inspection process is associated with the carriage number and corresponding carriage. Quality inspection auxiliary equipment can collect unloading images and / or videos, which are saved for later tracing and resolution of product disputes. In case of abnormalities during the quality inspection process, an early warning device can alert staff to intervene. The system offers high flexibility in handling abnormal situations. The quality inspection auxiliary equipment performs real-time monitoring and information collection of materials inside the carriages. Once the unloading of the carriages is confirmed, the quality inspection results are sent to the target user system and / or display device, enabling remote quality inspection. As can be seen, the automated quality inspection method provided in this application replaces manual automated quality inspection, avoids the errors that exist in manual visual quality inspection, avoids the safety risks of workers climbing heights, improves quality inspection efficiency, reduces labor costs, and ensures unloading efficiency. In addition, the automated quality inspection method provided in this application is a complete material inspection process for freight trains, forming a unified quality inspection scheme, effectively closing the loop of quality inspection process and quality inspection data, realizing full-process quality inspection tracking and control, and improving the work efficiency of material quality inspection for freight trains. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. It should be understood that the specific shapes and structures shown in the drawings should not generally be regarded as limiting conditions for implementing this application; for example, based on the technical concepts disclosed in this application and the exemplary drawings, those skilled in the art are able to easily make conventional adjustments or further optimizations to the addition / reduction / classification, specific shapes, positional relationships, connection methods, and size ratios of certain units (components).

[0036] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of an automatic quality inspection method provided in this application in one embodiment;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of train carriages in the unloading area in one embodiment of the present application, which shows the installation relationship between the 2D camera and the train;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of train carriages in the unloading area in another embodiment of this application. The diagram shows the installation relationship between the camera, the carriage number identification device and the train. The carriage number identification device in the diagram is fixed in position. All carriages are inspected one by one. All carriages are moved and pass through the carriage number identification device in sequence.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0040] 1. Train carriage; 2. 2D camera; 3. Sliding rail; 4. Drive mechanism; 5. Camera; 6. Carriage number recognition device;

[0041] A. Unloading area. Detailed Implementation

[0042] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0043] In the description of this application: unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. The terms "first," "second," etc., in this application are intended to distinguish the objects referred to and do not have any special meaning in terms of technical connotation (e.g., they should not be construed as an emphasis on importance or order). Expressions such as "comprising," "including," and "having" also mean "not limited to" (certain units, components, materials, steps, etc.).

[0044] The terms "front," "back," and "middle" used in this application are generally for ease of intuitive understanding in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and are not absolute limitations on the positional relationships in the actual product. Changes in these relative positional relationships, without departing from the technical concept disclosed in this application, should also be considered within the scope of this application.

[0045] Existing methods for inspecting the quality of goods on trains are inefficient, inadequate in quality control, affect unloading progress, involve high labor intensity for personnel, and pose certain safety risks. To address these problems, this application provides an automated quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages. This automated method is based on an automated quality inspection system, which is easy to promote and apply, forming a closed-loop detection system. It can adapt to all materials within the train carriages and has a wide range of applications.

[0046] The automatic quality inspection system, which implements the automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages provided in this application, is configured at the unloading site during the loading and unloading of materials in freight trains. It intelligently identifies the materials inside the carriages, replaces manual quality inspection, improves existing quality inspection methods, greatly enhances quality inspection efficiency, ensures thorough quality inspection, reduces personnel involvement, reduces manual intervention, reduces human error, reduces personnel costs, and significantly reduces safety hazards.

[0047] The quality inspection method and system provided in this application are a comprehensive solution for intelligent quality inspection of materials on freight trains. It optimizes and improves the quality inspection implementation method, primarily by identifying carriage information to allow for a virtual reconstruction of the overall train carriage arrangement. The automatic material quality inspection system locates and identifies materials within each carriage, binding each material to a specific carriage to achieve a closed-loop quality inspection process. All systems are directly connected and collaborate during the train's quality inspection, improving on-site production pace and efficiency. Furthermore, the system stores quality inspection process data, providing evidence for any subsequent quality disputes. The following is a detailed description of the automatic quality inspection system and method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages provided in this application.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] This application provides an automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages. It is a process method for quality inspection of materials inside and outside freight train carriages. It combines existing artificial intelligence and automation hardware with integrated machine vision technology and applies it to the quality inspection of materials transported by freight trains. From the identification of train carriage numbers to the logical implementation of the entire quality inspection process, it has completed the optimization of the quality inspection process, reduced the workload of operators, reduced the degree of human intervention, improved safety, and reduced labor costs.

[0050] A method for automatically inspecting the quality of materials inside and outside the freight train carriages provided by this application can be briefly summarized as follows: Identify the freight train carriage information in advance and match and dock it with the peripheral target system to obtain the detailed data information of the carriage. At the gate or entrance of the unloading area (or material yard, batching room, etc.) where the train carriage enters, install an identification device for identifying the carriage number (of course, fixed image acquisition equipment can also be installed at fixed positions on the predetermined stopping sections of each carriage to collect the carriage number; or, set up a fixed area. After each carriage is unloaded, tow away the unloaded carriage and then tow the second fully loaded carriage into this fixed area, and an identification device for collecting the carriage number is set in this fixed area). Then, save the identification result in the database and save it as a data set in the database. Then, the quality inspection system arranges the information for all carriages according to the data set, virtually displays the arrangement of the train carriages, and displays the detailed information inside the train carriages docked with the target system on a PC or projects it on the centralized control center for the convenience of the operators to inspect and view. Then, after the train stops stably, when the quality inspection system starts to automatically inspect the quality of the train, it will automatically move the camera (along the slide rail) to the designated position (of course, according to the actual situation, the camera can also be fixed, and the work linkage of the carriage and inspection auxiliary equipment such as the camera can be achieved by moving the carriage in turn). When unloading the train, the quality inspection system monitors the material situation inside the train carriage in real time and saves the unloading video in the hardware device in real time for subsequent inspection. The final quality inspection result obtained by the quality inspection system can be displayed in real time in the quality inspection hall or on the final used equipment. A terminal can be set up on site, and the quality inspection result can be displayed or not displayed.

[0051] During the quality inspection process, the system will send out warning signals according to the situations encountered during the quality inspection process (such as detecting special situations such as unqualified materials, large impurities, dangerous goods, etc.). After receiving the warning signals, the relevant operators will intervene in the corresponding subsequent operations. When the unloading of the entire carriage is completed, the system detects the bottom surface of the carriage and there is no foreign object or material inside the carriage, automatically ends the quality inspection, sends the data to the target system (such as other external systems such as the ERP system), and gives a prompt through on-site equipment (including but not limited to other hardware devices such as sound, light, and video).

[0052] The quality inspection system and method provided by this application can inspect the quality of each carriage simultaneously or inspect each carriage one by one in sequence.

[0053] An automatic quality inspection system for implementing a method for automatically inspecting the quality of materials inside and outside the freight train carriages provided by this application includes a quality inspection control device, as well as a storage device, a display device, quality inspection auxiliary equipment, and a carriage number identification device respectively connected to the quality inspection control device.

[0054] The carriage number recognition device identifies the train carriage numbers. The recognition results are received by the quality control device and saved as a data set. Based on the data set, the quality control device arranges all carriages and virtually displays the train carriage arrangement, creating a virtual carriage arrangement image. If a target system is present, the quality control device connects with the target system via the carriage number to obtain detailed information about the corresponding train carriages. The virtual carriage arrangement image and detailed carriage information are then displayed on a display device (such as a PC or projected onto a screen in the control center) for easy inspection by operators.

[0055] Quality inspection auxiliary equipment includes, but is not limited to: cameras (2D cameras), supplementary lights, 3D cameras, distance sensors, and sound and light alarms.

[0056] The cameras can be mobile or fixed. They are used to take photos and / or videos of the unloading of the truck bed, and the photos and / or videos can be stored in a storage device. The number and location of the cameras can be determined according to site requirements.

[0057] 3D cameras can be used to capture the three-dimensional shape information of materials, and can also capture unloading action information according to usage requirements. In specific installation and application processes, data that can be obtained through 3D cameras for further analysis can be obtained according to the functions of the 3D cameras.

[0058] 3D cameras can include TOF cameras and / or point cloud cameras. As a special type of 3D camera, point cloud cameras can be used to capture surface geometric information of materials and obtain point cloud data. In specific installation and application processes, other point cloud data that can be used for further analysis can be obtained through the point cloud camera according to its functions.

[0059] The distance sensors include laser rangefinders and / or radar rangefinders. These sensors can acquire volume information of the materials loaded inside the truck bed, and continuously monitor the remaining volume of materials during unloading. This volume information can be used as point cloud data for further analysis and processing using point cloud technology. Of course, the placement, number, and specific usage of the distance sensors in this application can be adapted to the specific installation and application requirements.

[0060] The aforementioned audible and visual alarm can be controlled to issue warning messages, alerting staff to intervene in any special situations that arise during the quality inspection process. Of course, this audible and visual alarm can also be replaced with a sound alarm (buzzer) or a light alarm (warning light).

[0061] In this application, the quality inspection auxiliary equipment is mainly used to collect various signals during the quality inspection process, such as unloading photos and / or unloading videos, as well as the three-dimensional morphological information, surface geometric information and dynamic volume information of the material; the quality inspection control device analyzes and processes the signals collected by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment to realize the quality inspection of the material during the unloading process.

[0062] Therefore, the aforementioned quality control device is the main control component for controlling the implementation of the quality control method. The quality control device includes an information receiving module, an information sending module, a processing module, an output control module, and a storage module.

[0063] The information receiving module of the quality control device is connected to the aforementioned quality control auxiliary equipment and receives various signals output by the auxiliary equipment. These signals are processed and analyzed by the processing module to obtain quality control result information. The quality control result information can be stored in the storage module or sent to the storage device for safekeeping; it can also be sent to the display device for display. If any abnormal information occurs during the processing and analysis, a control signal is sent to the audible and visual alarm through the output control module, and the audible and visual alarm issues a warning signal.

[0064] The quality inspection method provided in this application mainly judges the quality of materials based on their appearance or material-related characteristics. Therefore, the storage module of the quality inspection control device stores the quality standard judgment information of the target material, which includes, but is not limited to, images of the material's appearance and material characteristic parameters. The processing module compares the signals acquired by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment with the quality standard judgment information in the storage module to scientifically determine the quality inspection result. The processing module in this application is equipped with artificial intelligence vision algorithms, including but not limited to point cloud algorithms and 3D vision algorithms.

[0065] Depending on actual needs and the availability of on-site equipment, quality inspection auxiliary equipment may also include radiation detection equipment. The detection information obtained by the radiation detection equipment will be provided to the quality inspection control device for analysis and processing, serving as the basis for subsequent material judgment decisions.

[0066] Therefore, the automatic quality inspection system provided in this application is a detailed configuration scheme for efficient and intelligent quality inspection of materials transported by freight trains. It involves installing quality inspection auxiliary equipment above or near the train carriages (where the interior of the carriages is clearly visible). This auxiliary equipment performs real-time quality inspection and identification of the materials inside the train carriages. It should be noted that the real-time quality inspection and identification process does not distinguish between photographs or frame extraction from video streams to determine quality information. The quality inspection control device, as an intelligent control system, uses artificial intelligence visual algorithms to analyze and infer the data read by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment, classifying, grading, classifying, and segmenting the materials to form a big data set. Through the above process, data is bound with previously identified carriage information, and the quality inspection system ultimately makes decisions and infers the results, then pushes the results to the hall, terminals, or other third-party systems. If there are data discrepancies or other anomalies, real-time warning information will be issued, promptly notifying relevant hardware devices and systems.

[0067] Therefore, this application configures fixed hardware equipment to identify carriage information through a carriage number recognition device (a visual recognition device including a camera), which is not only... Figure 3 The methods of existence also include installing fixed equipment at fixed locations in each carriage to collect carriage numbers. (Alternatively, an image acquisition device is set up at the stopping position of each train carriage, or a fixed area is set up so that after each carriage is unloaded, the unloaded carriage is towed away, and then the next fully loaded carriage is towed away).

[0068] This application involves configuring the system in the unloading area of ​​freight trains, installing hardware equipment on-site, and then collecting quality inspection information through the installed hardware equipment. The quality inspection is then carried out automatically, intelligently, and efficiently through a quality inspection control device equipped with artificial intelligence visual algorithms. This automatic quality inspection system is equipped with a human-computer interaction mode, and users can interact with the automatic quality inspection system through mobile terminal apps, PC applications, web pages, or other intelligent terminals such as intelligent control centers.

[0069] The automatic quality inspection system and method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages provided in this application replace manual, automated intelligent quality inspection, avoiding the safety risks associated with workers climbing to heights, improving quality inspection efficiency, reducing labor costs, and ensuring unloading efficiency. In addition, this application provides a complete inspection process, forming a unified quality inspection scheme and system, with an effective closed loop for the process and quality inspection data, realizing full-process quality inspection tracking and control, and improving the work efficiency of material quality inspection on freight trains. Furthermore, through this quality inspection system, users can perform remote quality inspection via a terminal.

[0070] Example 2

[0071] This embodiment provides an automatic quality inspection method for materials inside freight train carriages (hereinafter referred to as the quality inspection method). This quality inspection method can be applied to all materials loaded on freight trains, including but not limited to: coal, steel, ore, alloys, etc. The quality inspection method provided in this application mainly judges the quality of materials based on their appearance or information related to their properties, determining whether they are qualified.

[0072] The specific procedure for the quality inspection method provided in this application is explained below:

[0073] Process 1: This quality inspection process mainly takes place in the unloading area, which has a train entrance and a train exit. When the train passes through the train entrance, the number of the entering carriage is identified in real time, and the identification results are stored in a data set for later use. The carriage number usually represents the information of the carriage, such as the tonnage and the carriage type (covered car, loose car), etc. Detailed information about the carriage can also be obtained from the target system based on the carriage number.

[0074] Process 2: The quality inspection system obtains detailed information about each car from the target system (such as the user's ERP system, or other systems) through the car number. This information includes: supplier information, car origin and destination information, whether it contains hazardous materials, whether cooling is required, cargo contact person, cargo receiving information (including site, contact information, unloading method, entry time, etc.), and material information inside the car (material information includes material name, type, hazard, whether it is water-sensitive, flammable, whether personnel can approach it, radiation detection, etc.).

[0075] The quality inspection system uses the aforementioned data set to virtually generate a carriage arrangement image. This carriage arrangement image represents the arrangement information of each carriage of the train, including but not limited to 3D renderings and 2D schematic diagrams. The carriage arrangement image can also display detailed carriage information obtained from the target system for each carriage. By virtually displaying the arrangement of the train carriages, the system can quickly calculate and locate carriage information during the overall train transfer and unloading process.

[0076] Step 3: After each car has entered the unloading area and come to a complete stop, the quality inspection system begins to automatically inspect the materials in each car. The system can inspect all cars simultaneously or inspect each car one by one in sequence. The following explains these two scenarios respectively:

[0077] (1) When all car sections are inspected simultaneously, each car section is equipped with corresponding unloading equipment (including but not limited to overhead cranes) and inspection auxiliary equipment. Each car section is unloaded layer by layer. During the process, the material status inside the car section is collected in real time through the corresponding inspection auxiliary equipment, including but not limited to collecting image information and video information. The collected image and video information (unloading video) is stored in the hardware storage device in real time for subsequent inspection. When the inspection system detects that there are no foreign objects or materials inside the car section, it indicates that the unloading of the car section is completed, and the inspection system stops the inspection process of the car section. When the inspection system detects that all car sections have been unloaded, the inspection system automatically ends. The inspection system displays the inspection result information of each car section in the corresponding car section information in the virtual car section arrangement image, and sends the inspection result of each car section to the target system for further storage (the display or sending of the inspection result information of each car section can be independent, for example, the car section that has been inspected first is displayed and sent first; of course, it can also be displayed and sent as a whole after all inspections are completed).

[0078] (2) When each car is inspected in sequence, there are two situations: First, after the train stops, the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment are moved to inspect each car one by one; Second, the first car is stopped within the working range of the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment in a fixed position. The first car is inspected first. After completion, the quality inspection system prompts the on-site personnel to move the car and stop the second car within the working range of the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment in a fixed position. This process continues until all cars are inspected.

[0079] In summary, when each car is inspected sequentially, material is unloaded layer by layer from each car. During this process, the material condition inside the car is collected in real time by corresponding inspection auxiliary equipment, including but not limited to image and video information. The collected images and videos (unloading videos) are saved in real time in hardware storage devices for later inspection. When the inspection system detects that there are no foreign objects or materials inside the car, it indicates that the unloading of the car is complete. The inspection system stops the inspection process for that car and prompts on-site personnel to move the car or the inspection auxiliary equipment to the next car for inspection. At the same time, the inspection system displays the inspection results of the cars that have been inspected in the corresponding car information in the virtual car arrangement image and sends the inspection results of the cars to the target system for further storage. When the inspection system detects that all cars have been unloaded, the inspection system automatically ends.

[0080] Step 4: If the quality inspection system issues an early warning signal during the inspection process, relevant operators will intervene and perform corresponding handling operations. After the handling is completed, automatic quality inspection will continue. During the quality inspection process, early warnings will be issued for some materials that are unqualified, contain large amounts of impurities, are highly controversial and difficult to determine, or contain hazardous materials.

[0081] Step 5: A display terminal can be set up to display the virtual carriage arrangement image on the display terminal. This display terminal can be set up in the quality inspection hall, or it can be set up without displaying image information.

[0082] Based on actual needs and on-site equipment conditions, in process 1 above, the train can pass through the radiation detection equipment after entering the unloading area. The detection information obtained by the radiation detection equipment will be provided to the quality inspection system as a basis for subsequent material judgment decisions. That is, the radiation detection equipment is set up in the unloading area and close to the train entrance, so that each car will be detected by the radiation detection equipment, and the detection results will correspond to the car number.

[0083] The quality inspection auxiliary equipment mentioned in process 3 above includes, but is not limited to: cameras, supplementary lighting, audible and visual alarms, 3D cameras for 3D inspection, point cloud cameras for point cloud technology, laser rangefinders, radar rangefinders, and other testing instruments. Among these, cameras can be installed in various ways. Depending on the usage requirements, cameras can be fixed or movable. For example, a camera can be mounted on a slide rail, with the slide rail's position determined by the shooting angle and location. Generally, the slide rail is installed on one or both sides along the length of the train (it can be installed on the unloading side as needed). A camera and a drive mechanism to move the camera along the slide rail are mounted on the slide rail, thus forming a movable camera. Of course, other quality inspection auxiliary equipment can also be mounted on the slide rail as needed. Another example is pre-installing a fixed monitoring pole at a selected location in the unloading area and fixing the camera to the monitoring pole. Alternatively, the camera can be fixed to a light stand or gantry that meets the installation requirements. Other quality inspection auxiliary equipment can be placed in appropriate locations as needed.

[0084] If the material in the car is scrap steel, the quality inspection system provided in this application can perform grading, identification, and classification of scrap steel during the quality inspection process using the judgment conditions stored in the system. Of course, if it is other materials, the corresponding quality inspection and classification operations can be completed by changing the material quality inspection and classification conditions set in the system. The final quality inspection results obtained by the quality inspection system provided in this application can be displayed in real time in the quality inspection hall or on the equipment used. Terminals can be set up at the quality inspection site, and the quality inspection results can be displayed on the terminals or not. After a car has completed the quality inspection, the quality inspection system sends the quality inspection results of the car to the target system (such as an ERP system) and provides prompts through on-site equipment (no restrictions on any other hardware devices such as sound, light, voice, or video).

[0085] This application provides an automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages. It is a process method for quality inspection of materials in and outside freight train carriages. It combines existing artificial intelligence and automation hardware with integrated machine vision technology and applies it to the quality inspection of materials transported by freight trains. From the identification of train carriage numbers to the logical implementation of the entire quality inspection process, it has completed the optimization of the quality inspection process, reduced the workload of operators, reduced the degree of human intervention, improved safety, and reduced labor costs.

[0086] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way (as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features). For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described; these embodiments not explicitly written should also be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0087] The present application has been described in a relatively specific and detailed manner above through general descriptions and specific embodiments. It should be understood that, based on the technical concept of the present application, several conventional adjustments or further innovations can be made to these specific embodiments; however, as long as they do not depart from the technical concept of the present application, the technical solutions obtained by these conventional adjustments or further innovations also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages, characterized in that, An automated quality inspection system configured in the unloading area is used. This system includes a quality inspection control device and a vehicle number identification device, a display device, quality inspection auxiliary equipment, and a storage device, all connected to the control device. The automated quality inspection method includes the following steps: S1: After the train enters the unloading area, the carriage number is obtained by the carriage number recognition device. The carriage number is saved as a data set. The quality control device virtually arranges multiple carriages according to the data set to obtain a carriage arrangement image and displays the virtual carriage arrangement image on the display device. S2: The quality control device obtains detailed information about each carriage from the target user system and displays the detailed carriage information on the display device accordingly. S3: Unload the target car layer by layer. During the process, the material information in the car is collected in real time by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The quality inspection control device automatically inspects the material in the target car according to the collected information. The collected images and / or video information are saved in real time in the storage device. S4: The quality control device obtains material information from the quality auxiliary equipment in real time and processes the material information in real time. When an abnormal signal is obtained, the quality control device controls the early warning device to issue an early warning signal, and the operator intervenes and handles the abnormality. S5: When the quality control device detects the bottom surface of the carriage and there are no foreign objects or materials in the carriage, the quality inspection system ends the quality inspection of the target carriage and sends the quality inspection result information to the target user system and / or display device. In step S1, the unloading area has a train entrance and a train exit, and the carriage number identification device is installed at the train entrance; or, One of the aforementioned carriage number identification devices is installed at a fixed position on the predetermined stopping section of each carriage; or, A fixed area is selected in the unloading area, and the fixed area is used to park a car waiting to be unloaded. A car number identification device is set in the fixed area, and several cars are parked in the fixed area in sequence for quality inspection. In step S2, the quality control device obtains detailed information about the carriage corresponding to the carriage number from the target user system based on the carriage number in the data set. The detailed information about the carriage includes at least one of the following: supplier information, carriage origin information, carriage destination information, cargo receiving information, and material information inside the carriage. The material information inside the carriage includes at least one of the following: material name, type, hazard, radioactivity, and flammability. The detailed information of the carriages is associated with the carriage number and the target carriage in the carriage arrangement image, and is displayed through the display device.

2. The automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, when the quality control device simultaneously inspects each car, each car is equipped with corresponding unloading equipment and quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The unloading of each car is carried out layer by layer. During the process, the material information in the car is collected in real time through the corresponding quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The quality control device matches the information sent by each quality inspection auxiliary equipment with the corresponding car according to the car number. The quality inspection auxiliary equipment includes at least a 2D camera, a supplementary light, a 3D camera, a distance sensor, and an early warning device; the 3D camera includes a TOF camera and / or a point cloud camera, the distance sensor includes a laser rangefinder and / or a radar rangefinder, and the early warning device includes a sound alarm, a light alarm, and a sound and light alarm.

3. The automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S3, when each car is inspected in sequence, the first car is unloaded layer by layer. During the process, the material information in the car is collected in real time by the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. The quality inspection control device inspects the material in the first car according to the information received from the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. After the quality inspection of the first car is completed, the second car is inspected.

4. The automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages according to claim 3, characterized in that, When inspecting each car in sequence, the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment are moved to inspect each car parked in the unloading area; or, the first car of the train is parked within the working range of the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment in a fixed position, and the quality inspection of the first car is achieved through the cooperation of the quality inspection control device and the quality inspection auxiliary equipment. After the quality inspection is completed, the quality inspection control device issues a moving prompt signal, and the operator moves the first car away and moves the second car to park within the working range of the quality inspection auxiliary equipment and unloading equipment in a fixed position.

5. The automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages according to claim 1, characterized in that, The quality control device includes a storage module and a processing module. The storage module stores the quality standard judgment information of the target material. The quality standard judgment information includes at least a picture of the material's appearance and material characteristic parameters. The processing module compares the signal obtained from the quality control auxiliary equipment with the quality standard judgment information in the storage module to obtain the quality control result information. The processing module stores 3D vision algorithms.

6. The automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages according to claim 5, characterized in that, The quality inspection auxiliary equipment includes a radiation detection device located near the train entrance of the unloading area. The radiation detection device is used to detect whether the material is radioactive and sends the monitoring results to the quality inspection control device.

7. The automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside the freight train carriages according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the material information received by the quality control device from the quality auxiliary equipment includes at least the material's volume information, shape information, and size information.

8. The automatic quality inspection method for materials inside and outside freight train carriages according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S5, the quality control device determines whether the bottom of the carriage is detected and whether there are no foreign objects or materials in the carriage by obtaining material information from the quality control auxiliary equipment. If the bottom of the carriage is detected and there are no foreign objects or materials in the carriage, a prompt signal indicating the end of the quality control is issued, and the quality control result information is sent to the target user system and / or display device.

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