Flat glass production line cold end two-dimensional plane coordinate type glass tracking and intelligent application method and system

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of flat glass production line cold end two-dimensional plane coordinate type glass tracking and intelligent application method, by establishing unified two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system in cold end, the position coordinates of each flat glass in main line conveying direction and width direction are periodically updated, so that glass obtains continuous, fine space representation in the range of whole production line;By allocating unique index for each glass, size, grade, destination and current position coordinates are simultaneously stored in glass information library, so that glass at any position can be quickly and accurately identified and called;Interaction coordinates and action coordinates are preset at each intelligent device, and the device can directly obtain the complete information of the glass at the interaction coordinates according to the coordinate index to generate control instructions, and accurately execute at the action coordinates, thereby realizing unified driving of spraying, shunting and stacking control based on position and information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of flat glass production line technology, and in particular to a two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application method and system for the cold end of a flat glass production line. Background Technology

[0002] Flat glass is widely used in construction, home appliances, photovoltaics, and electronic displays. With the increasing diversification of product sizes, the refinement of quality requirements, and the growing demand for flexible scheduling of multiple orders, the cold-end processes of flat glass production lines are evolving from traditional simple conveying and stacking operations towards refined management and intelligent control. Especially after the cold-end horizontal bending, the continuous glass strip is divided into multiple independent glass sheets. These sheets continuously flow between multiple roller conveyors, turning stations, branch lines, and multiple stacker cranes. Without precise tracking and management of the spatial position and corresponding information of each glass sheet on the production line, it will be difficult to meet the requirements of modern flat glass production lines for quality traceability, order management, and automated control.

[0003] In existing technologies, tracking of cold-end glass often employs a segmented detection method based on roller conveyor sections and photoelectric detectors. This typically involves placing sensors such as photoelectric switches and encoders at key locations, combined with counting or simple time and distance calculations, to determine the presence and approximate location of glass on a given roller conveyor section. Some solutions only perform linear tracking of the glass in a one-dimensional direction, failing to accurately describe the glass's specific position on the entire production line within a unified coordinate system. Furthermore, in complex layouts with Z-shaped turns, branch line splits, and robotic transfers, the glass moves between different directions and different equipment, making it difficult for traditional methods to continuously and accurately maintain the continuity of the glass's position. Furthermore, existing solutions typically separate information such as the size, grade, and destination of the glass from the location tracking logic. This makes it impossible to bind the information of each piece of glass to its precise coordinates on the production line in a two-dimensional space. Consequently, the motion control of equipment such as powder coating, sorting, and stacking relies heavily on local and scattered signals and empirical rules. It is difficult to optimize and adjust the glass destination in a timely and flexible manner based on production plans and quality information. It is also not conducive to efficient data interaction and process traceability with the upper-level manufacturing execution system.

[0004] Therefore, in the glass tracking and intelligent control process of flat glass cold end production line, the single dimension of glass position representation, the lack of effective binding between glass information and position information, and the poor adaptability to complex working conditions of multiple workstations have become problems that urgently need to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application method and system for the cold end of a flat glass production line, aiming to solve the problems of the existing technology in the glass tracking and intelligent control process of the cold end of a flat glass production line, such as the single dimension of glass position representation, the lack of effective binding between glass information and position information, and poor adaptability to complex working conditions of multiple workstations.

[0006] In a first aspect, a method for two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application in the cold end of a flat glass production line is provided, the method comprising:

[0007] A two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is established within the cold end conveying line of the flat glass. The first coordinate axis of the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is set along the conveying direction of the flat glass on the cold end main line, and the second coordinate axis is set along the width direction of the flat glass.

[0008] For each piece of flat glass formed by horizontal bending, a unique index is assigned to it, a glass record corresponding to the unique index is established in the glass information database, and the size information, grade information, destination information and position coordinates in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system of the flat glass are stored in the glass record.

[0009] The cold end controller acquires the running speed and running direction status of each conveying section of the cold end conveying line at a preset cycle. Based on the current position coordinates of each flat glass, it determines the conveying section and conveying direction, selects the running speed corresponding to the conveying section and conveying direction, and updates the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system.

[0010] Construct a coordinate index structure corresponding to the coordinate intervals in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and store the unique index of the flat glass in each coordinate interval in the coordinate index structure, so that the coordinate index structure and the glass information database establish a mapping relationship through the unique index;

[0011] Interaction coordinates and action coordinates are pre-set at each smart device at the cold end. During operation, the corresponding unique index is queried in the coordinate index structure according to the interaction coordinates, and the size information, grade information and destination information of the corresponding flat glass are obtained from the glass information database based on the unique index. Control commands corresponding to the smart device are generated, and when the position coordinates of the flat glass are detected to reach the action coordinates, the control commands are output to the smart device.

[0012] According to production needs, multiple flat glass pieces are screened in the glass information database based on at least one of the following conditions: location coordinates, size information, grade information, and destination information. The destination information in the screened glass records is then modified.

[0013] Optionally, for each piece of flat glass, the glass information database also stores the position coordinates of the tail of the flat glass on the first coordinate axis and the position coordinates of the left edge on the second coordinate axis. Based on the relationship between the head position coordinates, the tail position coordinates and the start and end coordinates of each conveying segment, a glass head presence mark, a glass tail presence mark and a glass head approaching the end of the conveying segment mark are set for each conveying segment.

[0014] Optionally, in the above scheme, when obtaining the running speed and running direction of each conveying section of the cold end conveying line, the scheme includes obtaining the forward running, reverse running and stop status of each conveying section. When the conveying section where the flat glass is located is in the reverse running state, the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system are updated according to the reverse running state, so that the update direction of the position coordinates is consistent with the actual conveying direction.

[0015] Optionally, in the above scheme, determining the conveying section where the flat glass is located includes: according to the actual length of each section of roller conveyor on the cold end conveying line, the length of each roller conveyor is sequentially accumulated according to the conveying direction of the flat glass on the main line to obtain the boundary position coordinates between each adjacent roller conveyor, and the boundary position coordinates are compared with the position coordinates of the flat glass on the first coordinate axis to determine the conveying section where the flat glass is located.

[0016] In the above scheme, optionally, the coordinate index structure is a coordinate index array, which is divided into multiple coordinate intervals along the first coordinate axis according to a preset length. Each coordinate interval corresponds to an array unit, and each array unit stores the unique index of the flat glass located in the coordinate interval. When there is no flat glass in a certain coordinate interval, the unique index stored in the corresponding array unit is a null value.

[0017] Optionally, in the above scheme, the intelligent device includes at least one of a powder spraying machine, a diversion mechanism, and a stacker crane, wherein:

[0018] When the intelligent device is a powder spraying machine, the control command includes the start / stop status of the powder spraying machine and the powder spraying mode parameters;

[0019] When the intelligent device is a diversion mechanism, the control command includes the action position of the diversion mechanism and the diversion direction parameters;

[0020] When the intelligent device is a stacker crane, the control command includes the stacker crane number and stacking station parameters.

[0021] Secondly, a two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent system for the cold end of a flat glass production line, the system comprising:

[0022] The two-dimensional coordinate establishment module is used to establish a two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system within the range of the cold end conveying line of the flat glass, so that the first coordinate axis is set along the conveying direction of the flat glass on the cold end main line, and the second coordinate axis is set along the width direction of the flat glass.

[0023] The glass information database storage module is used to assign a unique index to each flat glass formed by horizontal bending and to establish a glass record corresponding to the unique index. The glass record stores the size information, grade information, destination information and position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system.

[0024] The operation status acquisition module is used to acquire the operating speed and direction of each conveying section of the cold end conveyor line at a preset cycle.

[0025] The position update module is used to determine the conveying segment and conveying direction of each flat glass according to its current position coordinates in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, select the running speed corresponding to the conveying segment and conveying direction, update the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and write the updated position coordinates into the corresponding glass record in the glass information database.

[0026] The coordinate index structure management module is used to construct a coordinate index structure corresponding to the coordinate intervals in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and to store the unique index of the flat glass in each coordinate interval in the coordinate index structure, so that the coordinate index structure and the glass information database establish a mapping relationship through the unique index;

[0027] The equipment control module is used to pre-set interaction coordinates and action coordinates at each intelligent device at the cold end. During operation, it queries the corresponding unique index in the coordinate index structure according to the interaction coordinates, and obtains the size information, grade information and destination information of the corresponding flat glass from the glass information database based on the unique index. It generates control commands corresponding to the intelligent devices, and outputs the control commands to the intelligent devices when it detects that the position coordinates of the flat glass have reached the action coordinates.

[0028] The order adjustment module is used to filter multiple flat glass pieces in the glass information database according to production needs, based on at least one of the following conditions: location coordinates, size information, grade information, and destination information, and to modify the destination information in the filtered glass records.

[0029] The communication interface module is used to exchange data with the host system for glass record information in the glass information database and destination information modified by the order adjustment module.

[0030] Optionally, in the above scheme, the glass information database storage module is further used to store the position coordinates of the tail of each flat glass on the first coordinate axis and the position coordinates of the left edge on the second coordinate axis in the glass record, and to store the glass head presence mark, glass tail presence mark and glass head near the end of the conveying section mark corresponding to each conveying section. The position update module and the coordinate index structure management module update and manage the segmented positions of the flat glass according to the position coordinates and the marks.

[0031] In the above scheme, optionally, the coordinate index structure management module divides the first coordinate axis into multiple coordinate intervals according to a preset length. Each coordinate interval corresponds to an array unit, and each array unit stores the unique index of the flat glass located in the coordinate interval. When there is no flat glass in a certain coordinate interval, the unique index stored in the corresponding array unit is null.

[0032] In the above scheme, optionally, the cold end controller is a programmable logic controller or an industrial control computer, the operating status acquisition module obtains the operating status of each conveying section through encoder signals or driver feedback signals, and the equipment control module is connected to the powder spraying machine, the diversion mechanism and the stacker crane through a digital interface or an industrial communication bus.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0034] Based on further analysis and research of existing technical problems, this application recognizes that existing technologies in the glass tracking and intelligent control process of flat glass cold-end production lines suffer from issues such as a single dimension of glass position representation, a lack of effective binding between glass information and position information, and poor adaptability to complex multi-station working conditions. This application addresses these problems by establishing a unified two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system at the cold end, periodically updating the position coordinates of each flat glass piece in the main conveying direction and width direction, thus enabling continuous and precise spatial representation of the glass throughout the entire production line. Furthermore, by assigning a unique index to each glass piece, the application simultaneously stores size, grade, destination, and current position in the glass information database. By establishing coordinates and constructing a coordinate index structure corresponding to the coordinate intervals, a one-to-one mapping relationship is formed between coordinates, indexes, and the information database, enabling glass at any location to be quickly and accurately identified and retrieved. Interactive coordinates and action coordinates are preset at each intelligent device. The device can directly obtain complete information about the glass at the interactive coordinate based on the coordinate index to generate control commands, and execute them precisely at the action coordinate, thereby achieving unified control of powder spraying, diversion, and stacking based on location and information. Simultaneously, it supports screening and modifying the destination information of glass in production according to conditions such as location, size, grade, and destination, allowing production plan changes to be directly implemented in cold-end control. This solves the problems of the background technology, such as the single dimension of glass position representation, the separation of position information and glass information, and the difficulty in achieving continuous tracking and intelligent control under conditions of multi-segment roller conveyors, complex paths, and flexible production with multiple orders. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application method for the cold end of a flat glass production line, provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a linear cold-end production line provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the establishment of position variables and inserts in one embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of speed source replacement provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the two-dimensional implementation of a flat surface according to an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a glass information tracking data block provided in one embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the establishment of a tracking coordinate index according to one embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating synchronous tracking via a coordinate indexing system, provided as an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0043] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0044] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, a two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application method for the cold end of a flat glass production line is provided, including the following steps:

[0045] A two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is established within the cold end conveying line of the flat glass. The first coordinate axis of the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is set along the conveying direction of the flat glass on the cold end main line, and the second coordinate axis is set along the width direction of the flat glass.

[0046] For each piece of flat glass formed by horizontal bending, a unique index is assigned to it, a glass record corresponding to the unique index is established in the glass information database, and the size information, grade information, destination information and position coordinates in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system of the flat glass are stored in the glass record.

[0047] In the cold end controller, the running speed and running direction of each conveying section of the cold end conveying line are obtained at a preset cycle. Based on the current position coordinates of each flat glass, its conveying section and conveying direction are determined, and the running speed corresponding to the conveying section and conveying direction is selected to update the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system.

[0048] Construct a coordinate index structure corresponding to the coordinate intervals in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and store the unique index of the flat glass in each coordinate interval in the coordinate index structure, so that the coordinate index structure and the glass information database establish a mapping relationship through the unique index;

[0049] Interaction coordinates and action coordinates are pre-set at each smart device at the cold end. During operation, the corresponding unique index is queried in the coordinate index structure according to the interaction coordinates, and the size information, grade information and destination information of the corresponding flat glass are obtained from the glass information database based on the unique index. Control commands corresponding to the smart device are generated, and when the position coordinates of the flat glass are detected to reach the action coordinates, the control commands are output to the smart device.

[0050] According to production needs, multiple flat glass pieces are screened in the glass information database based on at least one of the following conditions: location coordinates, size information, grade information, and destination information. The destination information in the screened glass records is then modified.

[0051] It should be noted that the two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application method for the cold end of the flat glass production line provided in this application is implemented by the software program in the cold end controller. The cold end controller can be a programmable logic controller (PLC), an industrial personal computer (IPC), or a combination of the two. Its input end is connected to the encoders, status signals, and detection sensors of each section of roller conveyor drive device, steering mechanism, diversion mechanism, and stacker, and its output end is connected to the control interface of intelligent equipment such as powder spraying machine, diversion mechanism, and stacker.

[0052] First, during the production line commissioning phase, a unified two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is established within the cold-end conveyor line using a two-dimensional coordinate establishment program. Taking a mechanical reference point at the entrance of the cold-end main line or before the horizontal bending station as the origin O, the center line of the roller conveyor arranged along the normal conveying direction of the glass on the cold-end main line is defined as the first coordinate axis X in the controller parameters, and the axis Y, running from left to right along the width of the roller conveyor, is defined as the second coordinate axis, with millimeters used as the coordinate unit. The installation positions of various sections of roller conveyors, turning mechanisms, powder spraying machines, diverting mechanisms, stacker cranes, and other equipment on-site are converted into coordinates in this two-dimensional coordinate system through measurement or design drawings. These coordinates are then used to subsequently set interactive coordinates, action coordinates, and conveyor section boundaries.

[0053] Secondly, when the upstream horizontal bending process breaks the continuous glass strip into single or multiple flat glass pieces, the horizontal bending control unit sends a new plate generation signal to the cold end controller, along with information such as the plate's length, width, thickness, order number, and initial grade. Upon receiving the signal, the cold end controller uses a glass information management program to assign a unique index number to each piece of glass, which can be implemented sequentially or cyclically, and establishes a record corresponding to that index in the glass information database. This record includes at least: a unique index, dimensional information (plate length, width, thickness), grade information, destination information (such as the target stacker or target branch line), current position coordinates (initially including the head's coordinates on the X-axis and the right edge's coordinates on the Y-axis), and other optional status fields. The initial position coordinates can be calculated by adding parameters such as plate width allocation and tool mark offset to a fixed reference point at the horizontal bending machine exit.

[0054] During production, the cold end controller cyclically performs position update tasks at a preset scan cycle (e.g., 10ms or 20ms). The operation status acquisition program reads the current operating speed and direction from the encoders or drivers of each section of the roller conveyor and longitudinal conveyor mechanism within each cycle, storing the speed values ​​and direction markers corresponding to the conveyor section numbers. The position determination program determines the current conveyor section and conveying direction of each piece of glass based on its current position coordinates in the previous cycle, combined with the pre-configured start and end coordinates of each conveyor section in a two-dimensional coordinate system (the specific interval division method is detailed in other embodiments).

[0055] Subsequently, based on the judgment result, the position update program selects the operating speed value corresponding to the conveying section and conveying direction, and calculates the displacement increment of the glass in the two-dimensional coordinate system within the current cycle, combined with the scanning cycle: when the glass is running along the main line, the increment is applied to the position coordinate on the first coordinate axis; when the glass is in the steering mechanism or longitudinal conveying section, or conveyed at 90° or other angles to the main line, the increment is applied to the position coordinate on the second coordinate axis according to the pre-set mapping rules. The position coordinate increases with time when the running direction is positive, and decreases with time when it is negative, thus completing the update of the glass's position coordinate in the two-dimensional coordinate system. The updated coordinate values ​​are written back to the corresponding record in the glass information database, ensuring that the glass information database continuously reflects the latest position of each piece of glass on the entire line.

[0056] To improve the efficiency of querying glass by location, this embodiment constructs a coordinate index structure in the cold-end controller memory corresponding to coordinate intervals in a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, preferably using a coordinate index array divided along the first coordinate axis. The controller divides the first coordinate axis into multiple continuous coordinate intervals according to parameters such as the total length of the main line, scanning cycle, and linear velocity. Each coordinate interval corresponds to an index unit in the coordinate index structure. Within each scanning cycle, the coordinate index management program calculates the interval number of the glass based on its current first coordinate axis coordinate and writes the glass's unique index into the corresponding index unit. If a unit already contains other indexes, multiple indexes can be stored in a queue or linked list. If there is no glass in the interval, the corresponding index unit remains empty. This establishes a fast mapping structure of "coordinate interval → unique index," while the glass information database itself provides an access path of "unique index → ​​glass record."

[0057] At the cold-end intelligent devices, such as powder coating machines, diversion mechanisms, and stacker cranes, control engineers set interactive coordinates and action coordinates for each device in the system parameters. Interactive coordinates refer to the spatial position at a certain distance in front of the device, used to identify glass that is about to arrive at the device; action coordinates refer to the spatial position where the device actually needs to perform actions, corresponding to the powder coating area, diversion point, or stacking gripping position, etc. During operation, the device control program calls the coordinate index structure in each scan cycle, using the device's interactive coordinates as input to query its coordinate range, and reads the unique index of the glass corresponding to that position from the index unit. If a valid index is read, it further accesses the glass information database to obtain the glass's size information, grade information, and destination information, and combines this with the device type and preset control logic to generate control commands corresponding to that device (such as powder coating start / stop and mode parameters, diversion station and direction, stacker crane number and stacking station, etc.). Control commands are temporarily stored inside the controller. When the position update program determines that the position coordinates of the glass have reached the action coordinates of the device, the device control program sends the corresponding control commands to the device control port through digital output or industrial bus to guide the device to perform the corresponding action on the glass.

[0058] Furthermore, to accommodate production plan adjustments and mixed-line production of multiple orders, this embodiment incorporates an order adjustment and filtering program in the cold-end controller. Operators can input filtering criteria via a human-machine interface, such as location coordinate ranges (corresponding to glass still on the production line), size ranges, grade categories, or current destinations. The order adjustment program iterates through records in the glass information database based on these criteria, filters out multiple pieces of glass that meet the conditions, and modifies the destination field in their records. For example, it might change glass originally destined for a certain stacker to be sent to another stacker or a branch line. After modification, the new destination information is directly used by the equipment control program in subsequent operations and simultaneously reported to the upper-level manufacturing execution system via a communication interface, achieving consistency between the production planning layer and the cold-end control layer.

[0059] The method provided in this application establishes a unified two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system within the cold-end conveyor line of flat glass, and periodically updates the position of each piece of glass based on this system. This allows for a continuous and precise description of the spatial position of the glass in both the main conveyor direction and the width direction, overcoming the limitations of existing technologies that only perform coarse position determination in local segments or a single direction. By assigning a unique index to each piece of glass and centrally storing size information, grade information, destination information, and current position coordinates in a glass information database, unified management of glass identity information, quality information, destination information, and spatial position information is achieved, avoiding the problems of information dispersion and the separation of position information from process information in traditional systems.

[0060] By acquiring the operating speed and direction of each conveyor section using a preset cycle, and updating the position coordinates according to the corresponding speed based on the glass's location and conveying direction, the glass position tracking consistently matches the actual operating status of each section of equipment, even with complex layouts including multiple roller conveyors, different speeds, forward and reverse operations, and turning and branch lines. This ensures the continuity and accuracy of position tracking. By constructing a coordinate index structure corresponding to coordinate intervals and storing the unique index of the glass within each interval, combined with a glass information database, a rapid mapping path from "spatial coordinates" to "glass records" is formed. This allows any workstation requiring glass location identification to quickly locate the specific glass and all its information using two-dimensional coordinates.

[0061] In one possible implementation, for each piece of flat glass, the glass information database also stores the position coordinates of the tail of the flat glass on the first coordinate axis and the position coordinates of the left edge on the second coordinate axis, and sets a glass head presence mark, a glass tail presence mark, and a glass head approaching the end of the conveying section mark for each conveying section according to the relationship between the head position coordinates, the tail position coordinates and the start and end coordinates of each conveying section.

[0062] In this embodiment, in order to add descriptions of the glass tail and left edge positions in the glass information database, and to set glass head presence markers, glass tail presence markers, and glass head nearing the end of the conveying section markers for each conveying section, the cold end controller adopts the following specific implementation method.

[0063] First, in the glass information database, each glass record, in addition to storing a unique index, size information, grade information, destination information, and current position coordinates, also includes four position fields: the position of the head on the first coordinate axis (X_head), the position of the tail on the first coordinate axis (X_tail), the position of the right edge on the second coordinate axis (Y_right), and the position of the left edge on the second coordinate axis (Y_left). X_head and Y_right are maintained in real-time by the position update module; X_tail and Y_left are calculated by the controller based on the glass size.

[0064] Specifically, in a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, the positive direction of the first coordinate axis is defined to be consistent with the normal glass conveying direction, and the positive direction of the second coordinate axis is defined to be from the left side of the roller conveyor to the right; when the head position X_head and the length L_glass of a certain glass piece are known, the controller will update the position according to X_tail=X_head after each position update. Calculate the tail position coordinates based on the relationship of L_glass; when the right edge Y_right and the plate width W_glass are known, follow the formula Y_left=Y_right. The coordinates of the left edge of the glass are calculated using the relationship between W_glass and X_tail and Y_left, and then written into the glass's record. In this way, the positions of the glass's head, tail, and left and right sides in the two-dimensional coordinate system are determined at any given time.

[0065] Secondly, in the roller conveyor section parameter table, the starting position coordinates X_start(i) and ending position coordinates X_end(i) of each conveyor roller section are pre-stored. During each scanning cycle, the controller processes each piece of glass online: it reads the X_head and X_tail of the glass and compares them with the start and end coordinates of each conveyor section, generating corresponding flag bits. For the i-th conveyor section, if X_head is within the range of X_start(i) and X_end(i) (the comparison relationship can be set to greater than or equal to the start coordinate and less than the end coordinate), the glass head presence flag HeadExist(i) of that conveyor section is set to 1; otherwise, it is set to 0. Similarly, if X_tail falls within this range, the glass tail presence flag TailExist(i) is set to 1; otherwise, it is set to 0. Since X_head and X_tail are updated in real time with the conveying, these two flag bits are also refreshed synchronously in each scan, accurately reflecting whether the glass head and tail on each conveyor section are within the range of that section.

[0066] Finally, to trigger downstream actions in advance when the glass is about to leave a certain conveyor segment, an "end warning distance" D_end(i) is configured in the parameters of each conveyor segment, such as 500mm, or a distance value calculated based on the production line speed and equipment response time. Within each scanning cycle, when X_head is already in that conveyor segment (i.e., HeadExist(i) = 1) and X_end(i) is satisfied... When X_head ≤ D_end(i), the controller sets the HeadAtEnd(i) flag, indicating that the glass head of the corresponding conveyor segment is near the end, to 1; otherwise, it sets HeadAtEnd(i) to 0. In this way, HeadAtEnd(i) reflects whether the glass head on the conveyor segment is located within a small area near the end. This warning distance D_end(i) can be configured via the human-machine interface to adapt to different production speeds and equipment response times.

[0067] The HeadExist(i), TailExist(i), and HeadAtEnd(i) flags are all stored in the data area corresponding to the roller section number in the cold end controller. The position update module and the equipment control module can directly read these flags to determine whether there is glass in each conveyor section, whether the glass covers the entire section, and whether the glass is about to leave the section. This allows for logical determination of the occupancy status and near-end status of the roller section without adding a large number of field sensors.

[0068] In this embodiment, by explicitly storing the tail position and left edge position of each flat glass in the glass information database, and using the relationship between the head / tail position and the start and end coordinates of each conveying section to generate glass head presence markers, glass tail presence markers, and glass head approaching the end markers, on the one hand, the cold end controller can simultaneously grasp the head and tail positions and lateral edge positions of each glass in a two-dimensional coordinate system, providing an accurate data basis for subsequent determination of whether a certain conveying section is partially or completely occupied by glass; on the other hand, by setting an end warning distance for each conveying section and generating a HeadAtEnd marker accordingly, the system can know this state in advance when the glass head approaches the end of the conveying section, providing timing conditions for the start and stop of the downstream roller conveyor, speed adjustment, or equipment action preset, reducing the delay and instability of relying solely on photoelectric switches to detect the end.

[0069] In one possible implementation, when acquiring the operating speed and direction of each conveying section of the cold end conveying line, the process includes acquiring the forward, reverse, and stop states of each conveying section. When the conveying section containing the flat glass is in the reverse operating state, the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system are updated according to the reverse operating state, so that the update direction of the position coordinates is consistent with the actual conveying direction.

[0070] In this embodiment, when the cold end controller acquires the operating speed and direction of each conveying section, it abstracts the operating direction into a numerical flag, for example, setting it to +1 when running forward, -1 when running in reverse, and 0 when stopped. The positive direction of the first coordinate axis of the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is always fixed along the normal conveying direction of the flat glass on the cold end main line, and does not change with the switching of the forward and reverse directions of the conveying sections.

[0071] Within each scanning cycle, for a flat glass piece located on the conveyor segment along the first coordinate axis, when the conveyor segment is determined to be in forward operation, the controller reads the absolute value of the linear velocity of the conveyor segment and calculates the displacement increment of the flat glass along the first coordinate axis within this scanning cycle by combining the operation direction flag +1. This displacement increment is then accumulated positively into the current position coordinate. When the conveyor segment is determined to be in reverse operation, the controller similarly reads the absolute value of the linear velocity of the conveyor segment, but by combining the operation direction flag -1, the displacement increment within this cycle is considered as displacement along the negative direction of the first coordinate axis, and is correspondingly subtracted from the current position coordinate. This can be understood as follows: in practice, the reference direction of the coordinate axis is not changed; instead, the same absolute value of linear velocity is added with a corresponding positive or negative sign during calculation based on the operation direction, thus increasing the position coordinate with time during forward operation and decreasing it with time during reverse operation.

[0072] For the turning section or longitudinal conveying section that is conveyed along the second coordinate axis, the same processing method can be used to establish a correspondence between the running direction of the conveying section and the positive direction of the second coordinate axis. When running in the forward direction, the position coordinate of the flat glass on the second coordinate axis is increased according to the positive direction of the second coordinate axis, and when running in the reverse direction, the corresponding position coordinate is decreased according to the negative direction of the second coordinate axis, so that the direction of position coordinate change in the reverse running state is consistent with the actual conveying direction of the flat glass.

[0073] In one possible implementation, determining the conveying section where the flat glass is located includes: based on the actual length of each section of roller conveyor on the cold end conveying line, sequentially accumulating the length of each roller conveyor according to the conveying direction of the flat glass on the main line to obtain the boundary position coordinates between each adjacent roller conveyor, and comparing each boundary position coordinate with the position coordinates of the flat glass on the first coordinate axis to determine the conveying section where the flat glass is located.

[0074] In this embodiment, the determination of the conveying section where the flat glass is located is achieved in the cold end controller through a "roller section parameter table". First, during the production line installation and commissioning phase, process or equipment engineers measure each section of the roller conveyor on the cold end conveyor line or determine its effective conveying length according to the design drawings, denoted as L_101, L_102, L_103, etc.; where "effective conveying length" refers to the range within which the glass head can be normally conveyed after entering the roller section, excluding mechanical gaps and transition areas between it and the preceding and following equipment. The above length parameters are entered into the cold end controller through the human-machine interface and stored internally in the form of a table. Each row corresponds to a conveying section and includes at least the fields of conveying section number, starting position coordinates, ending position coordinates, and corresponding drive motor number.

[0075] After establishing a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, the controller uses the entrance of the first section of the main roller conveyor as the zero point of the first coordinate axis. For the first section of the roller conveyor, its starting position coordinate is directly set to 0, and its ending position coordinate is set to L_101; for the second section of the roller conveyor, its starting position coordinate is set to L_101, and its ending position coordinate is set to L_101+L_102; and so on. The starting position coordinate of the nth section of the roller conveyor is the sum of the lengths of the previous n-1 sections, and the ending position coordinate is the sum of the lengths of the previous n sections. During initialization, the cold end controller automatically completes this "sequential accumulation" calculation process based on the above length parameters and writes the obtained starting and ending position coordinates of each section into the "starting coordinate" and "ending coordinate" fields of the roller conveyor section parameter table for subsequent runtime calls.

[0076] During system operation, the position update module obtains the current position coordinates X_pos of each flat glass panel on the first coordinate axis in each scanning cycle. To determine the current conveyor segment of a glass panel, the controller calls the roller conveyor segment parameter table and compares each segment record in the table sequentially: when X_pos is greater than or equal to the starting position coordinate of a roller conveyor segment and less than the ending position coordinate of that segment, the glass panel is considered to be on that segment, and the number of that roller conveyor segment is output as the determination result of "current conveyor segment". For cases where X_pos is exactly equal to the ending coordinate of a segment, the comparison condition can be set to "less than or equal to the ending coordinate and greater than the starting coordinate" or uniformly attributed to the starting coordinate of the downstream roller conveyor, to avoid repeated determination of boundary points. In specific implementation, to improve efficiency, the controller can arrange the parameter table according to the roller conveyor sequence, compare segments one by one from front to back, and stop the comparison once the condition is met, obtaining a unique conveyor segment result.

[0077] For production lines with branches or Z-shaped turns, this embodiment preferably configures separate roller conveyor section parameter tables for the main line and branch lines, and adds a "current line flag" field to the glass information record. When glass is switched to a branch line through the diversion mechanism, the line flag in the glass record is updated. Subsequent conveying section determination is then performed by comparing the positions in the corresponding line's roller conveyor section parameter table, thereby ensuring that the "sequential accumulation" and "boundary position coordinates" of the main line and branch line are consistent with the actual mechanical structure.

[0078] In this embodiment, the controller pre-accumulates the starting and ending position coordinates of each roller conveyor segment according to the actual length of each segment along the main conveying direction. During operation, the current position coordinates of the flat glass on the first coordinate axis are compared with these boundary coordinates to determine its current conveying segment. This ensures that the conveying segment determination is based entirely on coordinate intervals consistent with the mechanical layout, without relying on additional on-site photoelectric or complex logic judgments. On one hand, this guarantees a one-to-one correspondence between each "coordinate interval" and the actual physical range of the roller conveyor. When the length or layout of the roller conveyor is adjusted, only the length parameter needs to be updated to automatically generate new boundary coordinates, providing good maintainability and scalability. On the other hand, the comparison algorithm between the current position coordinates and the starting and ending coordinates of each segment is simple and highly deterministic, providing a unique "current conveying segment" for each piece of glass at any given time. This allows for the stable selection of the correct conveying segment's operating speed as the speed source for position updates, ensuring that glass position tracking remains consistent with the actual operating state of each roller conveyor segment. This avoids position update errors caused by ambiguous conveying segment determination, providing accurate basic information for subsequent two-dimensional coordinate tracking and intelligent equipment control.

[0079] In one possible implementation, the coordinate index structure is a coordinate index array, which is divided into multiple coordinate intervals along the first coordinate axis by a preset length. Each coordinate interval corresponds to an array unit, and each array unit stores a unique index of the flat glass located in the coordinate interval. When there is no flat glass in a certain coordinate interval, the unique index stored in the corresponding array unit is a null value.

[0080] In this embodiment, the coordinate interval length (i.e., the preset length) of the coordinate index array is determined by combining factors such as the total length of the cold end main line, the maximum operating speed of the conveyor line, the scanning cycle, and the minimum size of the glass.

[0081] Specifically, assuming the total length of the cold-end main line is L_line, the scanning cycle of the cold-end controller is T_scan, the maximum linear speed of the cold-end conveyor line under maximum capacity conditions is V_max, and the minimum plate length of the flat glass produced on the line is L_min, then the preset length preferably satisfies the following relationship:

[0082] The preset length is greater than or equal to the maximum displacement of the glass in a single scan cycle to avoid the same piece of glass crossing multiple coordinate intervals in two adjacent scans, which would make index jumps difficult to track. At the same time, the preset length is less than or equal to half of the minimum board length to ensure that the same coordinate interval does not contain the head position of too many pieces of glass, thereby maintaining the distinguishability of the index interval.

[0083] In terms of engineering configuration, the maximum displacement of the glass in a single scan can be calculated based on the maximum linear velocity V_max and the scanning period T_scan. Then, combined with the glass size specifications on site, the preset length can be configured within an empirical range, such as 100mm to 300mm.

[0084] During controller initialization or parameter setting, parameters such as L_line, T_scan, and V_max (minimum glass size) are input through the human-machine interface. The system provides a recommended coordinate interval length based on the aforementioned principles, and operators can also fine-tune the system-recommended coordinate interval length. Subsequently, the coordinate index structure management program divides the first coordinate axis from 0 to L_line into several coordinate intervals according to the coordinate interval length, with each coordinate interval corresponding to an array cell in the coordinate index array.

[0085] In this embodiment, by selecting the length of the coordinate interval and constructing a coordinate index array, on the one hand, it is ensured that each piece of glass will not cross too many coordinate intervals between two adjacent scans. Combined with the precise position coordinates recorded in the glass information database, the range of glass to be queried can be quickly narrowed down within a limited number of array units, realizing rapid positioning from "device interaction coordinates" to "target glass index". On the other hand, the length of the coordinate interval is matched with the minimum size of the glass, which limits the number of glass contained in a single coordinate interval. After finding the corresponding interval in the index array, identification can be completed by performing precise position comparison among a small number of candidate glasses. Thus, while ensuring that the size of the index array is controllable, sufficient spatial resolution is obtained.

[0086] In one possible implementation, the smart device includes at least one of a powder sprayer, a diversion mechanism, and a stacker crane.

[0087] In this embodiment, the cold end controller has a dedicated equipment control program to generate corresponding control commands based on the control requirements of different types of intelligent devices. The intelligent devices include at least one of a powder sprayer, a flow distribution mechanism, and a stacker crane; in practical applications, these three devices are usually present simultaneously.

[0088] When the intelligent device is a powder spraying machine, the control commands include the start / stop status of the powder spraying machine and the powder spraying mode parameters.

[0089] The powder coating machine is usually located at a fixed position on the main line or branch line, and its control terminal is connected to the cold end controller through digital output points or fieldbus (such as Profibus, Profinet, etc.).

[0090] In the system parameters, interactive coordinates and action coordinates corresponding to the position are set for each powder spraying machine. At the same time, several powder spraying modes are configured for the powder spraying machine, such as regular powder spraying mode, enhanced powder spraying mode, local powder spraying mode, etc. Each mode corresponds to a powder spraying mode parameter value in the controller.

[0091] During operation, when a piece of glass approaches the interactive coordinates of the powder coating machine, the equipment control program obtains the unique index of the glass through the coordinate index structure and reads the glass's size, grade, and destination information from the glass information database. It also considers rules set by the operator on the screen (e.g., no powder coating for glass below a certain grade, or no powder coating for glass destined for a specific stacker). If the determination indicates that powder coating is required, the start / stop status parameter of the powder coating machine is set to "start," and a powder coating mode is selected based on the glass size, grade, or current production line conditions. The corresponding powder coating mode parameter is written to the powder coating control register. If the determination indicates no powder coating, the start / stop status parameter is set to "stop." When the position update program determines that the glass has reached the action coordinates of the powder coating machine, the equipment control program sends the aforementioned start / stop status and powder coating mode parameters to the control port of the powder coating machine, driving the powder coating machine to perform the corresponding action.

[0092] When the intelligent device is a diversion mechanism, the control command includes the action position of the diversion mechanism and the diversion direction parameters.

[0093] The flow distribution mechanism typically uses a swing arm, push plate, or rotating roller to distribute the glass between different roller tracks. Its control end is connected to the cold end controller via digital output or bus control.

[0094] In the system parameters, each diversion mechanism is configured with a set of action station numbers to represent the multiple diversion positions that the diversion mechanism can switch. A diversion direction parameter table is also configured to correspond to the action commands for different diversion directions (e.g., diversion to the left, diversion to the right, straight through).

[0095] During operation, when a glass piece approaches the interactive coordinates of a distribution mechanism, the equipment control program retrieves its destination and size information from the glass information database based on the glass's unique index. It then determines the branch line or stacking area the glass should enter according to pre-set rules, thereby determining the appropriate action station and corresponding distribution direction parameters for the distribution mechanism. For example, for glass destined for "branch line A," the action station parameter is set to "station 1," and the distribution direction parameter is set to "left"; for glass destined for "straight through," the action station parameter is set to "station 0," and the distribution direction parameter is set to "straight." When the glass's position coordinates reach the action coordinates of the distribution mechanism, the equipment control program sends the action station and distribution direction parameters to the distribution mechanism controller, controlling the swing arm or pusher to accurately distribute the glass to the corresponding conveyor line.

[0096] When the intelligent device is a stacker crane, the control command includes the stacker crane number and stacking station parameters.

[0097] Stacker cranes are located at the end of the cold end production line or the end of the branch line and are used to stack glass. Their control system usually has stacker number, target stack position number, lifting, walking and adsorption / dispensing control interface.

[0098] When configuring the controller, assign a unique stacker number to each stacker and configure the physical location and available stacking stations (e.g., different stacking stations, different pallet positions) of each stacker in the system parameters.

[0099] As the glass passes the last sorting station and approaches the stacker crane's interactive coordinates, the equipment control program reads the glass's destination information (such as a specific stacker number and target stack location) from the glass information database. It then combines this information with the glass's dimensions, thickness, and stacking rules to determine the final stacker number and stacking station parameters. For glass requiring delivery to a specific stacker crane, the stacker number in the control command is set to that crane's number, and the stacking station parameters are set to the corresponding stack location or pallet position for that glass.

[0100] Subsequently, when the glass head reaches the stacker's action coordinate, the controller sends a control command containing the stacker number and stacking station parameters to the corresponding stacker. The stacker control system drives the walking mechanism and lifting mechanism according to the command to grab the glass from the conveyor line and place it at the designated stacking position.

[0101] In this embodiment, the cold-end controller defines a set of control command parameters containing key control quantities for different types of intelligent devices: for the powder coating machine, the start / stop status is combined with the powder coating mode parameters, enabling the powder coating machine to perform differentiated powder coating according to the size, grade, and destination of the glass; for the diversion mechanism, the destination of the glass is mapped one-to-one with the specific mechanical action through the action station and diversion direction parameters, ensuring that the glass is delivered to the correct branch line or downstream equipment according to the plan; for the stacker, each piece of glass is accurately assigned to the designated stacker and its corresponding stacking position through the stacker number and stacking station parameters. This implementation method, with parameterized control commands at its core, unifies the control interfaces of various intelligent devices at the cold end logically. The controller only needs to generate corresponding parameters based on the destination and production line configuration in the glass information database to drive different devices to complete the corresponding actions, avoiding the need to hard-code complex logic on the device side. By combining with two-dimensional coordinate tracking and a glass information database, equipment control can be precisely triggered when the glass reaches the action coordinates of each device, reducing manual intervention and misoperation, and improving the consistency and traceability between processes such as powder spraying, diversion, and stacking and glass information, thereby laying a stable execution foundation for the overall intelligent control of the cold end.

[0102] This embodiment addresses the needs of cold-end wired control systems, which require real-time glass position monitoring, real-time glass movement control, intelligent control of individual machine actions on the line based on glass information, and real-time glass information feedback to the factory management system. A novel two-dimensional planar coordinate tracking system is established to facilitate the construction of a comprehensive flexible control system for the cold-end transport line. This, combined with an optimized cutting system, enables intelligent and information-based multi-order production.

[0103] In this embodiment, a coordinate system is established with the point where the horizontal bending roller breaks as the origin of the horizontal X-coordinate, and the direction of glass movement as the positive direction. A two-dimensional horizontal coordinate is established with a unit length of 1 mm. In addition, the left side of the roller conveyor in the direction of glass movement is taken as the origin of the vertical Y-coordinate, and the direction to the right is the positive direction. Similarly, a two-dimensional vertical coordinate is established with a unit length of 1 mm.

[0104] Establish position variables: Create a position variable for the glass head, recording the X coordinate of the head: PositionX; and create a position variable for the right side of the glass, recording the Y coordinate of the right side: PositionY. For ease of description, these will be denoted as (X, Y) below. When a new glass is produced, its insertion position is directly written into the position storage variables of the glass head and the right side of the glass.

[0105] Position variable update (X0,Y0) → (X1,Y1) → (Xn,Yn): When the glass is transported downstream or to the right, the coordinate position is updated in real time according to the speed.

[0106] Simultaneously, glass data storage areas are established: M1 to M60. These correspond to 60 pieces of glass online and can be mapped via indexes, i.e., Index1 corresponds to storage area M1, and Index2 corresponds to storage area M2.

[0107] At the same time, establish a coordinate system storage variable array P(X): update the glass storage address index to the same coordinate position in real time, so that the coordinate can be bound to the storage unit of the glass information. For example, if the glass head position X=100, the glass information index is Index1, that is, P(100) is assigned the value of Index1, so that the glass coordinates correspond one-to-one with the glass information, and the glass position and information are tracked synchronously.

[0108] Establish a comprehensive head-tail and left-right tracking system: After establishing the tracking system for the glass head and the right side of the glass, subtract the plate length from the glass head position and the plate width from the glass right side position to obtain the glass tail and left side positions. Then, use the same method to synchronize the glass tail and left side positions with the information.

[0109] Intelligent application: By reading the actual value of the coordinate system storage variable array P(X), the glass storage index can be obtained, and then the glass information can be obtained. Using this method, the real-time glass information of a certain workstation can be analyzed, and the operation can be completed intelligently.

[0110] Systematic Adjustment: The glass storage data area is an independent storage area, and the M1 to M60 storage areas can be quickly and systematically adjusted in batches through polling.

[0111] This solution effectively establishes a tracking and control system for roller conveyor equipment in the cold end production line of flat glass.

[0112] Glass information can be read at fixed workstations, allowing for different production methods to be applied to different types of glass. Simultaneously, real-time tracking of the position and information of each piece of glass enables batch or targeted processing. The combination of these two features enables intelligent production of multiple orders, directly improving production efficiency.

[0113] In addition, the operation of related equipment can also be monitored at fixed testing stations. If any abnormalities are found, the system can adapt and flexibly adjust production in a timely manner, thereby improving system stability.

[0114] Furthermore, the tracking system can provide real-time feedback of glass information to the factory's upper-level system, strengthening the construction of a centralized management platform for the factory area, giving users greater control over production line information, and optimizing production structure arrangements.

[0115] Specifically, in this embodiment, a coordinate system is defined as follows: the origin of the horizontal X-axis is established at the point where the horizontal bending roller breaks, with the direction of glass movement as the positive direction, and a two-dimensional horizontal axis is established with a unit length of 1 mm. Additionally, the left edge of the roller conveyor in the direction of glass movement is taken as the origin of the vertical Y-axis, with the rightward direction as the positive direction, and a two-dimensional vertical axis is also established with a unit length of 1 mm. A schematic diagram of a linear cold-end production line is shown below. Figure 2 As shown.

[0116] Establish position variables and inserts: Establish a position variable for the glass head, recording the X-coordinate of the head: PositionX; establish a position variable for the right side of the glass, recording the Y-coordinate of the right side: PositionY. For ease of description, denote them as (X, Y). When a new glass is generated, its insertion position is directly written into the position storage variables of the glass head and the right side of the glass. Taking a set of two equally divided plates as an example, generated at the horizontal bend, as follows... Figure 3 As shown.

[0117] Figure 3 A set of two equally divided plates is separated from the glass conveyor belt by a horizontal bending roller. At this point, based on the distance Dmark from the left edge of the roller conveyor on the left side of the entire plate, sent by the cutting system, and the size of the glass plates, the coordinates of the two glass plates are written into the tracking system as follows:

[0118] Board 1PositionX=3660, PositionY=2440+Dmark;

[0119] Board 2PositionX=3660, PositionY=4880+Dmark;

[0120] Additionally, when a process requires inserting glass sheets in the middle of the glass production line (such as when a robot returns sheets), the distance between the glass head and the horizontal bending roller during insertion can be written into the actual position based on the established coordinate system.

[0121] Position variable data updates enable position tracking:

[0122] Position data is updated in real time, meaning the values ​​of PositionX and PositionY are calculated in real time. First, a fixed calculation scan cycle is established for the tracking operation, typically set to 10ms or 20ms depending on the controller's performance.

[0123] Assuming a scan is performed every t ms and the reading speed is vm / min (the linear speed of the roller conveyor), then P new = P old + vt * 1000 / 60 / 1000, meaning that after every t ms, PositionX is incremented by vt / 60.

[0124] The calculus idea is applied here. Since the time period divided by the accumulated distance is very small, even during the process of accelerating startup or decelerating stop, the distance is approximately equal to the actual value, ensuring the accuracy of its calculation.

[0125] In addition, when the transport roller table rotates in reverse, the linear velocity is negative, and PositionX or PositionY will decrease accordingly, realizing the function of tracking during the reverse operation of the equipment.

[0126] Speed source replacement: On the transport line, each section of the roller table may stop waiting for sheets, accelerate separation and other variable-speed processes during operation. Therefore, it is necessary to switch the actual roller table of the glass operation to the tracking speed source in real time. In this solution, the actual position of the intersection point of each section of the roller table from the horizontal breaking roller is also recorded in the coordinate system as key points, represented by L1, L2, L3,..., Ln. As Figure 4 shown, L1 = the length of roller table 1, L2 = L1 + the length of roller table 2, L3 = L2 + the length of roller table 3,..., and so on. Ln = Ln-1 + the length of roller table n. In the solution, the relationship between PositionX and Ln is compared in real time. When 0 < PositionX ≤ L1, the linear velocity of roller table 1 is used, that is, the speed feedback of motor 1. When L1 < PositionX ≤ L2, the speed feedback of motor 2 is used. When L2 < PositionX ≤ L3, the speed feedback of motor 3 is used,..., and so on. When reaching the corresponding position and using the corresponding speed, it ensures the accuracy of the synchronization between position tracking and the actual carrying situation, ensuring the role of tracking.

[0127] Implementation of two-dimensionalization: In a production line with branch lines or other steering processes, typically such as the "Z" - type turning process, the glass needs to be turned 90° for transfer. Correspondingly, its tracking also needs to be updated longitudinally, that is, two - dimensionalization is required, as Figure 5 shown.

[0128] In this solution, a flag variable for the running direction: Flag_Run_Direction is added to the storage of glass position tracking data.

[0129] As Figure 5 shown, the initial position of the glass is at equipment 101, the set initial value of operation is 0, its speed source is 101m1, and the position variable PositionX is updated in real time. During its operation downstream, the speed source is continuously changed following its position, and the position value is updated at the same time. When the glass is transported to the initial horizontal transport equipment, equipment 103, when it is lifted at a 90 - degree turn, the flag is set to 1. At this time, the speed source is switched to the motor running longitudinally, and the accumulation calculation of the longitudinal position PositionY starts and the accumulation of the horizontal position stops, thus realizing two - dimensional tracking.

[0130] Similarly, when glass is transported to, initially on a longitudinal conveying device, such as... Figure 5 In the second turn of the Z-type production line, equipment 105, after its 90-degree turn is raised, resets the flag to 0, switches the speed source to 105m2, and re-accumulates the position of PositionX.

[0131] Specifically, during the process of the glass being lifted and rotated on the turning device, its intermediate trajectory is not continuously calculated. Instead, the intersection point between the turning device and the adjacent conveyor section is defined as the switching point of the glass's position coordinates. When the glass is detected to be lifted by device 103 and enter the turning state, its current position in the two-dimensional coordinate system is fixed as the coordinates (X_T, Y_T) of the turning intersection point, and Flag_Run_Direction is set from 0 to 1. When the glass falls onto the longitudinal conveyor section, the preset longitudinal starting coordinates are used as the initial value of PositionY, and PositionY is updated only according to the running speed of the longitudinal conveyor section, without updating PositionX. When the glass turns back to the main line at device 105, its position coordinates are switched to the coordinates of another turning intersection point in the same way, and Flag_Run_Direction is set from 1 to 0. After that, PositionX is updated only according to the running speed of the main line conveyor section.

[0132] Establishing a glass information tracking data block: In the program storage unit, we package all glass data into a large data block, such as... Figure 6 As shown. When there is speed feedback, the position variable is updated in real time. Similarly, if there is a change in information, such as the glass grade, the production line will automatically or manually downgrade the glass grade based on the appearance damage. When the system detects a downgrade instruction, it will change the grade value in the glass information accordingly.

[0133] Once a glass information data packet is established, sufficient data storage areas for the glass can be directly copied and established. With the current technology of flat glass production lines, M1 to M60 can be established to store 60 pieces of glass on the production line. Furthermore, it can be mapped through index variables, i.e., Index1 corresponds to the M1 storage area, Index2 corresponds to the M2 storage area, and so on.

[0134] Establish tracking coordinate index: First, establish an array-type storage variable P[PositionX] similar to a coordinate system architecture. Taking a glass production line with a length of 100 meters after horizontal bending as an example, the array variables are P[0mm], P[1mm], P[2mm]...P[100000mm], and each variable can store an index value.

[0135] It's easy to see that if a storage variable is created for every 1mm, 100 meters would require 100001 storage variables, resulting in an excessively large database. Therefore, we can choose 200mm as an interval, denoted as a "bit", such as... Figure 7 As shown, it is simplified to P[0] to P

[500] .

[0136] Based on the actual data of the position value in the glass information, it is mapped to the corresponding coordinate position, thereby realizing the effective binding of the position coordinate and the storage unit of the glass information. For example, when a new glass with the data index Index1 is inserted, its head position is 5 meters downstream of the horizontal bending roller of the production line, that is, PositionX=5000, at this time the index Index1 can be stored in the value of P

[25] . In this way, a binding relationship is formed between the glass position coordinate and the glass information, and its related information can be synchronously tracked through the coordinate index system, such as Figure 8 As shown.

[0137] Tracking system expansion:

[0138] To achieve tail tracking: Since the size of the glass block is fixed during transport on the production line, subtract the plate length from PositionX to obtain TailPositionX, and subtract the plate width from PositionY to obtain TailPositionY. After obtaining these two sets of data, the respective tracking information can be established using the method described above.

[0139] Other commonly used extended tracking variables:

[0140] Based on the real-time position value of the glass and its relationship with the position of the roller conveyor, the following tracking variables can be obtained:

[0141] The roller conveyor has a glass head (HeadExist) and a head position (HeadPositionX) that is greater than the beginning position of a certain roller conveyor and less than the end position of that roller conveyor.

[0142] The roller conveyor has a glass tail, TailExist, where TailPositionX is greater than the beginning position of a certain roller conveyor and less than the end position of that roller conveyor.

[0143] The glass head is at the end of the roller conveyor (HeadAtEnd), and the distance from HeadPositionX to the end position of a certain roller conveyor is less than 1000mm.

[0144] Intelligent application methods:

[0145] The application of this tracking system on flat glass production lines typically involves two methods: first, controlling equipment actions through interactive glass information; and second, batch planning by selecting a specific type of glass.

[0146] Steps for the first application method:

[0147] S1: Determine the actual interaction point and action point between a certain process or equipment on the line and the tracking. Generally, the interaction point is upstream, and the action point is the actual position of the equipment's action.

[0148] S2: At the interaction point, or with the interaction point as the end, scan upstream to form an interaction area and extract the glass information away from the interaction point;

[0149] S3: Based on glass information, user settings, and the actual condition of the equipment, a comprehensive intelligent judgment is made on whether to take action and how to take action;

[0150] S4: Detect when the glass reaches the action point or action area, and execute the action;

[0151] S5: Feedback the results of the action execution to the MES or other higher-level management systems to form an information loop.

[0152] First application example – tracking and controlling the automatic operation of a powder coating machine:

[0153] S1: Determine the position of the online powder spraying machine on the roller conveyor, for example, 50 meters away from the horizontal bending roller (P

[250] ), and ensure that the powder spraying machine has sufficient preparation time, and set the interaction point at 49 meters (P

[245] ).

[0154] S2: Read the value of the coordinate index storage variable P

[245] . When it is greater than 0, obtain the glass information index value, and then obtain all the glass information according to the index.

[0155] S3: Based on user settings, such as setting the destination to be glass on a branch line, which does not need to be powder coated, while other glass does need to be powder coated, the system determines whether to spray powder based on the destination and then sends a signal to the powder coating machine.

[0156] S4: Detects that the glass has arrived at the working area of ​​the powder coating machine. If powder coating is required, a glass arrival signal is sent to the powder coating machine, which then performs the powder coating action and provides feedback on the operating status.

[0157] S5: After the glass moves out of the powder spraying area, the glass ID and powder spraying status of the group are fed back to the upper system, which can perform operations such as archiving or data analysis.

[0158] The steps for the second application method are as follows:

[0159] S1: Determine current production needs and planning targets;

[0160] S2: Scan the online glass information database according to specific types to find the planning targets;

[0161] S3: Applying current requirements;

[0162] S4: Feedback the results of the action execution to the MES or other higher-level management systems to form an information loop.

[0163] The second application example – changing the direction of the glass:

[0164] S1: It is determined that the glass of size A and grade A that is currently still on the main line needs to be changed from being picked up by stacker crane No. 1 to being picked up by stacker crane No. 2.

[0165] S2: The tracking system accesses the online glass information database. Based on tracking information such as PositionX and Flag_Run_Direction, it first locks down the glass that is still on the main line, and then filters out the glass with the corresponding order specifications based on the size and grade in the glass information.

[0166] S3: Change the destination from stacker crane 1 to stacker crane 2;

[0167] S4: Feeds the information from the main glass back to the host system, which can then perform operations such as archiving or data analysis.

[0168] In one embodiment, a two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application system for the cold end of a flat glass production line is provided, characterized in that it includes:

[0169] The two-dimensional coordinate establishment module is used to establish a two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system within the range of the cold end conveying line of the flat glass, so that the first coordinate axis is set along the conveying direction of the flat glass on the cold end main line, and the second coordinate axis is set along the width direction of the flat glass.

[0170] The glass information database storage module is used to assign a unique index to each flat glass formed by horizontal bending and to establish a glass record corresponding to the unique index. The glass record stores the size information, grade information, destination information and position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system.

[0171] The operation status acquisition module is used to acquire the operation status of each section of the cold end conveyor line at a preset cycle, including the operating speed and direction of each conveyor section.

[0172] The position update module is used to determine the conveying segment and conveying direction of each flat glass according to its current position coordinates in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, select the running speed corresponding to the conveying segment and conveying direction, update the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and write the updated position coordinates into the corresponding glass record in the glass information database.

[0173] The coordinate index structure management module is used to construct a coordinate index structure corresponding to the coordinate intervals in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and to store the unique index of the flat glass in each coordinate interval in the coordinate index structure, so that the coordinate index structure and the glass information database establish a mapping relationship through the unique index;

[0174] The equipment control module is used to pre-set interaction coordinates and action coordinates at each intelligent device at the cold end. During operation, it queries the corresponding unique index in the coordinate index structure according to the interaction coordinates, and obtains the size information, grade information and destination information of the corresponding flat glass from the glass information database based on the unique index. It generates control commands corresponding to the intelligent devices, and outputs the control commands to the intelligent devices when it detects that the position coordinates of the flat glass have reached the action coordinates.

[0175] The order adjustment module is used to filter multiple flat glass pieces in the glass information database according to production needs, based on at least one of the following conditions: location coordinates, size information, grade information, and destination information, and to modify the destination information in the filtered glass records.

[0176] The communication interface module is used to exchange data with the host system for glass record information in the glass information database and destination information modified by the order adjustment module.

[0177] In this embodiment, the glass information database storage module is also used to store the position coordinates of the tail of each flat glass on the first coordinate axis and the position coordinates of the left edge on the second coordinate axis in the glass record, and to store the glass head presence mark, glass tail presence mark and glass head near the end of the conveying section mark corresponding to each conveying section. The position update module and the coordinate index structure management module update and manage the segment position of the flat glass according to the position coordinates and the marks.

[0178] In this embodiment, the coordinate index structure management module divides the first coordinate axis into multiple coordinate intervals according to a preset length. Each coordinate interval corresponds to an array unit, and each array unit stores the unique index of the flat glass located in the coordinate interval. When there is no flat glass in a certain coordinate interval, the unique index stored in the corresponding array unit is null.

[0179] In this embodiment, the cold end controller is a programmable logic controller or an industrial control computer, the operating status acquisition module obtains the operating status of each conveying section through encoder signals or driver feedback signals, and the equipment control module is connected to the powder spraying machine, the diversion mechanism and the stacker crane through a digital interface or an industrial communication bus.

[0180] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A method for two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent application in the cold end of a flat glass production line, characterized in that, The method includes: A two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is established within the cold end conveying line of the flat glass. The first coordinate axis of the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system is set along the conveying direction of the flat glass on the cold end main line, and the second coordinate axis is set along the width direction of the flat glass. For each piece of flat glass formed by horizontal bending, a unique index is assigned to it, a glass record corresponding to the unique index is established in the glass information database, and the size information, grade information, destination information and position coordinates in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system of the flat glass are stored in the glass record. In the cold end controller, the running speed and running direction of each conveying section of the cold end conveying line are obtained at a preset cycle. Based on the current position coordinates of each flat glass, its conveying section and conveying direction are determined, and the running speed corresponding to the conveying section and conveying direction is selected to update the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system. Construct a coordinate index structure corresponding to the coordinate intervals in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and store the unique index of the flat glass in each coordinate interval in the coordinate index structure, so that the coordinate index structure and the glass information database establish a mapping relationship through the unique index; Interaction coordinates and action coordinates are pre-set at each smart device at the cold end. During operation, the corresponding unique index is queried in the coordinate index structure according to the interaction coordinates, and the size information, grade information and destination information of the corresponding flat glass are obtained from the glass information database based on the unique index. Control commands corresponding to the smart device are generated, and when the position coordinates of the flat glass reach the action coordinates, the control commands are output to the smart device. According to production needs, multiple flat glass pieces are screened in the glass information database according to at least one of the following conditions: location coordinates, size information, grade information, and destination information. The destination information in the screened glass records is then modified. Specifically, for each piece of flat glass, the glass information database also stores the position coordinates of the tail of the flat glass on the first coordinate axis and the position coordinates of the left edge on the second coordinate axis. Based on the relationship between the head position coordinates, the tail position coordinates and the start and end coordinates of each conveying segment, a glass head presence mark, a glass tail presence mark and a glass head approaching the end of the conveying segment mark are set for each conveying segment.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When acquiring the operating speed and direction of each conveying section of the cold end conveying line, the process includes acquiring the forward, reverse, and stop states of each conveying section. When the conveying section containing the flat glass is in the reverse state, the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system are updated according to the reverse state, so that the update direction of the position coordinates is consistent with the actual conveying direction.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the conveying section where the flat glass is located includes: based on the actual length of each section of roller conveyor on the cold end conveying line, sequentially accumulating the length of each roller conveyor according to the conveying direction of the flat glass on the main line to obtain the boundary position coordinates between each adjacent roller conveyor, and comparing each boundary position coordinate with the position coordinates of the flat glass on the first coordinate axis to determine the conveying section where the flat glass is located.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coordinate index structure is a coordinate index array, which is divided into multiple coordinate intervals along the first coordinate axis according to a preset length. Each coordinate interval corresponds to an array unit. Each array unit stores the unique index of the flat glass located in the coordinate interval. When there is no flat glass in a certain coordinate interval, the unique index stored in the corresponding array unit is null.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intelligent device includes at least one of a powder spraying machine, a diversion mechanism, and a stacker crane, wherein: When the intelligent device is a powder spraying machine, the control command includes the start / stop status of the powder spraying machine and the powder spraying mode parameters; When the intelligent device is a diversion mechanism, the control command includes the action position of the diversion mechanism and the diversion direction parameters; When the intelligent device is a stacker crane, the control command includes the stacker crane number and stacking station parameters.

6. A two-dimensional planar coordinate glass tracking and intelligent system for the cold end of a flat glass production line, used to implement the method described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The system includes: The two-dimensional coordinate establishment module is used to establish a two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system within the range of the cold end conveying line of the flat glass, so that the first coordinate axis is set along the conveying direction of the flat glass on the cold end main line, and the second coordinate axis is set along the width direction of the flat glass. The glass information database storage module is used to assign a unique index to each flat glass formed by horizontal bending and to establish a glass record corresponding to the unique index. The glass record stores the size information, grade information, destination information and position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system. The operation status acquisition module is used to acquire the operating speed and direction of each conveying section of the cold end conveyor line at a preset cycle. The position update module is used to determine the conveying segment and conveying direction of each flat glass according to its current position coordinates in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, select the running speed corresponding to the conveying segment and conveying direction, update the position coordinates of the flat glass in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and write the updated position coordinates into the corresponding glass record in the glass information database. The coordinate index structure management module is used to construct a coordinate index structure corresponding to the coordinate intervals in the two-dimensional rectangular coordinate system, and to store the unique index of the flat glass in each coordinate interval in the coordinate index structure, so that the coordinate index structure and the glass information database establish a mapping relationship through the unique index; The equipment control module is used to pre-set interaction coordinates and action coordinates at each intelligent device at the cold end. During operation, it queries the corresponding unique index in the coordinate index structure according to the interaction coordinates, and obtains the size information, grade information and destination information of the corresponding flat glass from the glass information database based on the unique index. It generates control instructions corresponding to the intelligent device, and outputs the control instructions to the intelligent device when it detects that the position coordinates of the flat glass have reached the action coordinates. The order adjustment module is used to filter multiple flat glass pieces in the glass information database according to production needs, based on at least one of the following conditions: location coordinates, size information, grade information, and destination information, and to modify the destination information in the filtered glass records. The communication interface module is used to exchange data with the upper system for glass record information in the glass information database and destination information modified by the order adjustment module. The glass information database storage module is also used to store the position coordinates of the tail of each flat glass on the first coordinate axis and the position coordinates of the left edge on the second coordinate axis in the glass record, and to store the glass head presence mark, glass tail presence mark and glass head near the end of the conveying section mark corresponding to each conveying section. The position update module and the coordinate index structure management module update and manage the segment position of the flat glass according to the position coordinates and the marks.

7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The coordinate index structure management module divides the first coordinate axis into multiple coordinate intervals according to a preset length. Each coordinate interval corresponds to an array unit. Each array unit stores the unique index of the flat glass located in the coordinate interval. When there is no flat glass in a certain coordinate interval, the unique index stored in the corresponding array unit is null.

8. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cold end controller is a programmable logic controller or an industrial control computer. The operating status acquisition module obtains the operating status of each conveying section through encoder signals or driver feedback signals. The equipment control module is connected to the powder spraying machine, the diversion mechanism and the stacker crane through a digital interface or an industrial communication bus.

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