An unmanned whole-process flexible detection tracing system for multi-specification gas meters

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of unmanned whole-process flexible detection tracing systems for multi-specification gas meters, comprising hardware verification structure and detection tracing system;Hardware verification structure builds full-process automation conveying assembly line, realizes gas meter unstacking, unpacking, disassembly and assembly of meter cap, sound speed detection, appearance inspection, whole-process physical automation circulation of sealing box;Detection tracing system is composed of front-end acquisition unit, edge gateway processing unit, cloud end traceability management platform, forms batch pre-records, single-piece coding, station data binding, box collection, closed-loop control process of bad traceability, system adapts to 4 / box, 6 / box two kinds of packing specifications.The application realizes full-line unmanned operation and single-product full-life-cycle two-way traceability, solves the industry problems of traditional line data island, complex changeover debugging and traceability difficulty, effectively reduces the cost of verification labor, meets the digital control requirements of mandatory verification of gas meter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for gas meters of various specifications. Background Technology

[0002] Gas meters are legally mandated metrological instruments requiring verification. In accordance with JJG577-2012 "Verification Procedure for Diaphragm Gas Meters" and JJG1190-2022 "Verification Procedure for Ultrasonic Gas Meters", commercial gas meters for trade settlement must undergo mandatory verification upon delivery or expiration. The total annual verification volume of gas meters in China is approximately 45 million units, with Jiangsu Province having an annual verification demand of 1.66 million units. With the expansion of gas users, testing orders are increasing year by year.

[0003] Currently, traditional gas meter calibration lines lack a full-chain digital traceability system: gas meter calibration files are mostly manually entered and archived, and information such as individual gas meter packing information, workstation calibration parameters, fault data, and defective product flow data are fragmented, forming information silos; after a product fails to meet measurement standards, it is impossible to trace back key information such as packing batch, calibration equipment, and testing sequence; it cannot seamlessly connect with the market supervision metrology management system and the gas operating company database, failing to meet the requirements of the mandatory paperless archiving policy for calibration; after the production line specifications change, the data collection rules need to be manually modified item by item, making it difficult to achieve flexible linkage.

[0004] In summary, the industry urgently needs an integrated system that can handle multi-specification flexible co-line testing, unmanned operation of the entire process, and automatic data traceability throughout the entire life cycle. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing gas meter calibration production lines, such as insufficient automation, fragmented data, poor specification adaptability, and lack of end-to-end traceability, this invention provides a fully automated, flexible calibration and traceability system integrating hardware and software.

[0006] An unmanned, flexible, end-to-end inspection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters includes a hardware verification structure and a digital flexible inspection and traceability system. The hardware verification base includes an online inspection area, a transportation area, an unpacking mechanism, a sealing mechanism, a palletizing conveyor line, a depalletizing mechanism, an appearance inspection mechanism, a cap installation and removal mechanism, and a sonic velocity testing mechanism. The hardware verification structure serves as the carrier for the physical flow and project inspection of gas meters, completing the basic conveyor operation of the gas meter from unpacking and unpacking, cap removal and installation, sonic velocity testing, appearance quality inspection to finished product sealing.

[0007] The testing and traceability system comprises a three-tier architecture: a front-end data acquisition unit, an edge gateway processing unit, and a cloud-based traceability management platform. It leverages the data acquisition or marking components provided by each institution within the hardware testing structure to achieve automatic process coding, data binding, real-time uploading, categorized archiving, and two-way traceability.

[0008] The traceability process of the flexible testing and traceability system includes batch pre-filing, unique code assignment for each item, binding of workstation sub-items data, classification of test results, association and collection of whole box codes, reverse traceability of defective products, and synchronous supervision of archives.

[0009] Furthermore, the front-end acquisition unit is deployed at the corresponding workstations of the unpacking mechanism, cap loading and unloading mechanism, sound velocity detection mechanism, appearance inspection mechanism, and sealing mechanism. It includes barcode scanning and coding components, equipment status sensors, and detection data acquisition modules, used to capture single-table codes, equipment operating parameters, and various raw verification data in real time. Through full coverage deployment at all key workstations, it automatically collects multi-dimensional information from the data source, avoiding data omissions and input errors caused by manual recording, and providing a complete original data source for back-end data verification, archiving, and product traceability.

[0010] Furthermore, the edge gateway processing unit connects to all front-end acquisition units, possessing functions such as data caching, format conversion, abnormal data marking, and network disconnection resumption. After completing preliminary data verification locally, it pushes the data to the cloud-based traceability management platform. Relying on local edge computing power to complete the pre-processing of data can buffer the massive amounts of data collected from the production line instantly, prevent data congestion and loss, unify the data format of heterogeneous devices, filter invalid and abnormal data in advance, effectively reduce the computing load on the cloud platform, and ensure the continuity of data transmission across levels.

[0011] Furthermore, the cloud-based traceability management platform includes a basic file module, a process data storage module, a qualified product warehousing module, a defective product collection and traceability module, a regulatory data docking module, and a multi-specification form adaptive module, which can adapt to data grouping and binding for two packing specifications: 4 pieces / box and 6 pieces / box.

[0012] Furthermore, the batch pre-filing process is as follows: Before the gas meters are received and put into storage, operators enter basic information such as manufacturer, meter type, batch number, and packing specifications into the cloud-based traceability management platform. The platform automatically generates a batch traceability number for the entire batch, which serves as the overall index for all batch data collection. Each functional module collaborates to achieve refined classification and management of archives. The multi-specification adaptive module can automatically distinguish packing specifications and complete data collection without manual modification of system configuration, enabling flexible co-line testing data adaptation for gas meters of various specifications on the production line. Simultaneously, it provides a one-stop solution for multiple business needs, including warehousing and storage, problem tracing, and regulatory reporting.

[0013] Furthermore, the unique coding step for each item is as follows: after the carton is unpacked and the meter is taken out by the unpacking and stacking mechanism and the unpacking mechanism, the inkjet printing component of the front-end acquisition unit sprays an independent and unique traceability QR code on each gas meter. The QR code information is automatically bound to the previous batch number and stored in the edge gateway.

[0014] Furthermore, the reverse traceability process for defective products is as follows: After a gas meter that fails to meet metering or appearance standards is diverted, the platform locks the individual product's QR code and, based on the bound data, retrieves the incoming material batch, testing data from each workstation, testing equipment number, and information on the workstation where the anomaly occurred, generating a defective product traceability report. By leveraging the bound data across the entire supply chain, the platform quickly locates the source of the defect, accurately distinguishing whether the defect originates from the raw material batch or the testing equipment and processing steps. This facilitates targeted optimization and rectification by the manufacturer and testing institutions, and the traceability report can also serve as valid evidence for regulatory verification of non-compliant products.

[0015] Traceability Implementation Steps

[0016] Step S1: Pre-file the incoming material batch (pre-launch step)

[0017] Before the gas meters arrive in a stack and are loaded, maintenance personnel log in to the cloud-based traceability management platform and enter the supplier, gas meter type (diaphragm / ultrasonic), product specifications, packing specifications (4 or 6 units), production batch, and arrival date. The platform automatically generates a batch traceability number and establishes a master file for the batch. All subsequent data from gas meters in the same batch are uniformly linked to this master traceability number, achieving unified collection of data for the entire batch.

[0018] Step S2: Unpack individual items, assign codes, and bind batches.

[0019] The entire box of gas meters is separated into individual cartons via a palletizing conveyor and a depalletizing mechanism. The cartons are then fed into an unpacking mechanism to retrieve the meters. At the unpacking station, the front-end data acquisition unit triggers a coding device to spray a unique traceability QR code onto each gas meter. The edge gateway reads the QR code in real time and automatically binds the individual product code to the pre-entered batch total traceability number, forming a "batch-individual product" primary association file.

[0020] Step S3: Data Acquisition of Cap Loading / Unloading Station Motions

[0021] The coded gas meters are transferred to the cap-removing mechanism. The station sensors collect the equipment operation sequence data and equipment number of the robotic arm for cap removal and cap installation. The collected data is uploaded to the edge gateway in real time and bound to the corresponding gas meter QR code, recording the equipment information for the single meter cap removal process.

[0022] Step S4: Binding and archiving calibration data from the sound velocity detection station.

[0023] The gas meter enters the sonic testing agency to complete the gas supply verification. The testing equipment automatically outputs the original verification parameters such as the meter reading, gas supply pressure, and verification time. The front-end acquisition module captures all verification data in real time and binds it to the individual product QR code through the edge gateway. After the data is verified to be correct, it is immediately uploaded to the cloud to generate the original verification file for the single meter.

[0024] Step S5: Marking and storing visual inspection defect information

[0025] Gas meters flow through an appearance inspection agency, where visual inspection equipment identifies defects such as meter body damage and casing defects. Qualified products are marked as having a normal appearance, while defective products are marked with the location and type of defects. All appearance inspection data is then linked to the individual product's QR code and simultaneously uploaded to the cloud for categorized storage.

[0026] Step S6: Seal the finished product into boxes and batch associate the box code with the individual item code.

[0027] After passing inspection, the gas meters are transferred to the sealing mechanism for packing. The sealing station generates a unique box traceability code based on the actual number of meters packed (4 or 6). The cloud platform automatically retrieves the individual QR code information of all gas meters in the box and completes the batch association between the box code and multiple sets of individual codes in the box with one click, distinguishing between the two packing specifications and filing them separately. After sealing, the finished product warehousing information is entered into the archive simultaneously.

[0028] Step S7: Non-conforming product diversion + end-to-end reverse traceability + regulatory data push

[0029] 1) Gas meters with substandard metering or poor appearance are automatically diverted and collected to the storage area. The cloud platform marks the item as defective and creates a separate defective item file.

[0030] 2) Traceability Inquiry: Enter the QR code of a single product to trace back: incoming batch → unpacking time → cap loading and unloading equipment number → original parameters of sonic calibration → appearance defect record of the entire chain of data; enter the total batch number to query the inspection details of all instruments in the entire batch in a forward batch;

[0031] 3) File synchronization: The cloud platform can export the full batch of verification files as needed and directly connect to the local market supervision and metrology system to complete the paperless filing of mandatory verification.

[0032] Beneficial effects:

[0033] This invention relies on a fully automated hardware production line to replace the traditional manual operation mode, eliminating manual transfer and manual filing processes, significantly reducing the labor costs of gas meter verification, and improving the continuous operation efficiency and verification capacity of the entire verification production line. Through a three-level association architecture design that binds batch numbers to unique traceability codes for individual products and collects multiple individual product codes through box codes, it automatically adapts to data grouping and storage for two packaging specifications: 4 units / box and 6 units / box. When the production line changes the meter type and packaging specifications, there is no need to manually adjust the data collection parameters, realizing flexible production management of multiple specifications of products on the same line.

[0034] Meanwhile, by leveraging the data architecture of on-site preprocessing via edge gateways and centralized cloud storage, it is possible to both archive qualified products in batches and trace and locate defective products throughout the entire process using individual product QR codes. Cloud platform data can be directly connected to the market supervision system to implement the mandatory paperless archiving policy for verification and improve the entire lifecycle supervision chain of gas meter measurement. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall layout of an unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for gas meters of various specifications.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters;

[0037] In the diagram: 1. Online inspection area, 2. Transportation area, 3. Unpacking mechanism, 4. Sealing mechanism, 5. Palletizing conveyor line, 6. Depalletizing mechanism, 7. Appearance inspection mechanism, 8. Cap loading and unloading mechanism, 9. Sonic speed detection mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To enhance understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments and accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] Example 1: Application of full-process verification and traceability for diaphragm gas meters with a specification of 4 units / box

[0040] This embodiment targets diaphragm gas meters regulated by the national standard JJG577-2012, and conducts batch verification using a packing specification of 4 units per box.

[0041] S1 Batch Pre-filing: Operators enter the manufacturer, diaphragm gas meter specifications, production batch, and 4 units / box packing parameters into the cloud traceability management platform. The system automatically generates the batch total traceability number and establishes the batch total file.

[0042] S2 Single Item Coding: The stack of gas meters is sent to the destacking mechanism via the palletizing conveyor line to separate the individual cartons. The unpacking mechanism completes the unpacking and meter retrieval. The inkjet printing component at the unpacking station sprays a unique traceability QR code onto each meter body. The edge gateway automatically binds the single item code and the batch total number.

[0043] S3~S5 station data binding: The gas meter passes through the cap installation and removal mechanism, the sonic detection mechanism, and the appearance inspection mechanism in sequence. The sensors and acquisition modules at each station collect the cap installation equipment number, gas pressure, inspection time, and appearance defect information in sequence. All data is bound to the single product QR code and uploaded to the cloud after being verified by the edge gateway.

[0044] S6 Sealing and Collection: Qualified products are sealed in boxes of 4. The sealing station generates a box traceability code, which is automatically linked to the 4 sets of individual product QR codes in the cloud and filed and stored according to specifications.

[0045] S7 Defective Product Traceability: Unqualified products are automatically diverted and isolated. By entering the QR code of a single product, users can reverse-search the incoming batch, equipment information at each workstation, and original test data. The system automatically generates a traceability report, and the calibration file is simultaneously exported to the cloud and uploaded to the local regulatory system to complete paperless filing.

[0046] Example 2: Application of full-process verification and traceability for ultrasonic gas meters with a specification of 6 units / box

[0047] This embodiment is adapted to ultrasonic gas meters corresponding to the JJG1190-2022 verification procedure, and uses a single box of 6 units for batch online verification.

[0048] The production line hardware uses the same calibration assembly line, eliminating the need to change the main equipment structure. The cloud-based traceability management platform automatically switches to a 6-unit / box grouping logic based on a built-in multi-specification form adaptive module. In the initial filing stage, the boxing specification is entered as 6 units / box, and the system generates an independent batch number. The individual product coding and data collection process for each process are consistent with Example 1. During the sealing stage, a box code is generated for every 6 gas meters, and the platform binds 6 individual product traceability codes in batches. In the event of defective products, the platform also achieves reverse traceability from box → individual product → full process data. Batch calibration files are connected to the gas operation company database and market supervision platform as needed.

[0049] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters, characterized in that, It includes a hardware verification structure and a digital flexible testing and traceability system; the hardware verification base includes an online testing area, a transportation area, an unpacking mechanism, a sealing mechanism, a palletizing conveyor line, a depalletizing mechanism, an appearance inspection mechanism, a cap loading and unloading mechanism, and a sonic velocity testing mechanism. The hardware verification structure serves as the carrier for the physical flow and project testing of the gas meter, completing the basic conveying operations of the gas meter from unpacking and unpacking the whole box, opening the box and taking out the meter, cap loading and unloading, sonic velocity gas flow testing, appearance quality inspection to finished product sealing. The testing and traceability system comprises a three-tier architecture: a front-end data acquisition unit, an edge gateway processing unit, and a cloud-based traceability management platform. It leverages the data acquisition or marking components provided by each institution within the hardware testing structure to achieve automatic process coding, data binding, real-time uploading, categorized archiving, and two-way traceability. The traceability process of the flexible testing and traceability system includes batch pre-filing, unique code assignment for each item, binding of workstation sub-items data, classification of test results, association and collection of whole box codes, reverse traceability of defective products, and synchronous supervision of archives.

2. The unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front-end acquisition unit is deployed at the corresponding workstations of the unpacking mechanism, cap loading and unloading mechanism, sound speed detection mechanism, appearance inspection mechanism, and sealing mechanism. It includes a barcode scanning and inkjet printing component, equipment status sensor, and detection data acquisition module, which are used to capture single table codes, equipment operating parameters, and various raw verification data in real time.

3. The unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The edge gateway processing unit connects to all front-end acquisition units and has functions such as data caching, format conversion, abnormal data marking, and network disconnection resumption. After completing the preliminary data verification on-site, it pushes the data to the cloud traceability management platform.

4. The unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cloud-based traceability management platform includes a basic file module, a process data storage module, a qualified product warehousing module, a defective product collection and traceability module, a regulatory data docking module, and a multi-specification form adaptive module, which can adapt to data grouping and binding for two packing specifications: 4 pieces / box and 6 pieces / box.

5. The unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The batch pre-filing steps are as follows: Before the gas meters are put into storage, the operator enters the basic information of the manufacturer, meter type and specifications, incoming batch and packing specifications into the cloud traceability management platform. The platform automatically generates the entire batch traceability number, which serves as the overall index for the collection of all batch data.

6. The unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for assigning a unique code to a single item are as follows: After the carton is unpacked and the meter is taken out by the unpacking and stacking mechanism and the unpacking mechanism, the inkjet printing component of the front-end acquisition unit sprays a unique traceability QR code on each gas meter. The QR code information is automatically bound to the previous batch number and stored in the edge gateway.

7. The unmanned, fully flexible detection and traceability system for multi-specification gas meters according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reverse traceability steps for defective products are as follows: After a gas meter that fails to meet metering or appearance standards is diverted, the platform locks the QR code of the individual product and retrieves the incoming batch, testing data of each workstation, testing equipment number, and information of the workstation where the anomaly occurred based on the bound data, and generates a defective product traceability report.

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