Film thickness control device and film thickness control system

Abstract

To provide a film thickness control device for measuring and storing a film thickness of a paint on a work and preventing loss of information by fixing a radio communication device for storing the information, to the work.SOLUTION: A film thickness control device includes a radio communication device fixed to a work and covered with a paint, and a receiver for communicating with the radio communication devices via radio waves. The radio communication device includes an antenna for receiving radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit for supplying power from the radio waves, and a memory for storing a measured film thickness.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a film thickness control device and a film thickness control system. [Background technology]

[0002] Buildings and other structures, bridges and other structures (hereafter, buildings and structures are collectively referred to as "structures") are constantly exposed to rain, wind, ultraviolet rays, vibrations caused by earthquakes, etc., and deteriorate over time. In general, there is a guideline that major repairs should be carried out after a certain number of years have passed, but the degree of deterioration varies depending on the environment, and even within the same structure, there are different parts that are more susceptible to the effects of sunlight, rain, and wind, and different parts within the structure depending on the properties of the material, etc.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a sensor for measuring strain is attached to a workpiece and connected to an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to transmit strain information by wireless communication. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-12346 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The maintenance of the condition of a workpiece is not limited to the distortion of rebars, but also to the paint applied to the workpiece. The paint on the workpiece is applied to protect the workpiece from rain, wind, ultraviolet rays, etc., and deteriorates day by day. If the paint deteriorates, the material underneath the workpiece, such as concrete, will deteriorate faster. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to grasp the deterioration state of the paint film thickness on the workpiece and to be able to grasp that information appropriately.

[0006] Some structures have a long service life, but over time the contractor who constructed them or the company that managed them may go out of business, and the owner of the structure may no longer be able to obtain information about the history of the paint film.

[0007] The present invention has been proposed in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a film thickness control device that is capable of measuring the deterioration state of paint applied to a workpiece, i.e., the film thickness, and managing the information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the film thickness control device of the present disclosure comprises a wireless communication device that is fixed to a workpiece and covered with paint, and a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves, the wireless communication device having an antenna that receives the radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit that is powered by the radio waves, and a memory that stores the measured film thickness.

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the film thickness control system of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of wireless communication devices fixed to a workpiece and covered with paint, and a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication devices via radio waves, the wireless communication device having an antenna for receiving radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit powered by the radio waves, and a memory for storing estimated film thicknesses at a plurality of locations on the workpiece, and the receiver has a transceiver unit for communicating with the wireless communication devices and transmitting and receiving data, a measuring unit for measuring the radio wave intensity of the radio waves received from the wireless communication devices, and a film thickness estimation unit for estimating the film thickness of the paint using the radio wave intensity measured by the measuring unit. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present disclosure, by installing a wireless device for managing the film thickness under the paint applied to the workpiece, it is possible to easily manage the film thickness. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a film thickness control device 10. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a wireless communication device 100. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing basic functions of a wireless communication device 100. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the contents stored in a film thickness DB 121 of a storage unit 120 of a wireless communication device 100. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of a receiver 200. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing basic functions of a receiver 200. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a method for installing a receiver 200 when measuring a film thickness. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram showing a specific example of a correspondence table used by a film thickness estimation unit 233. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a control process when the receiver 200 performs film thickness measurement. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a specific configuration of a film thickness management system 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below do not unduly limit the contents of the present disclosure described in the claims. In addition, not all components shown in the embodiments are necessarily essential components of the present disclosure.

[0013] <Explanation of film thickness control device> 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a film thickness management device 10. The film thickness management device 10 is made up of a wireless communication device 100 and a receiver 200. The wireless communication device 100 is placed between a workpiece 300 and paint 400. Specifically, the wireless communication device 100 is fixed to the workpiece 300 with double-sided tape, adhesive, or the like, and the paint 400 is applied thereon. By applying the paint 400, the wireless communication device 100 can be protected from rain, wind, ultraviolet rays, and the like.

[0014] The wireless communication device 100 can be configured with a circuit called an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), an RF tag, an IC tag, a wireless tag, or the like. The wireless communication device 100 is fixed to the workpiece 300, and is installed covered with paint by applying paint thereon. The wireless communication device 100 receives radio waves emitted from the receiver 200, supplies power, and performs wireless communication with the receiver 200. The wireless communication device 100 can be installed between the workpiece 300 and the paint 400 by configuring it with a small circuit such as an RFID, and thus the wireless communication device 100 is protected from rain, wind, and ultraviolet rays. Furthermore, the wireless communication device 100 can be set without affecting aesthetics.

[0015] The receiver 200 transmits radio waves to the wireless communication device 100 and performs wireless communication. The receiver 200 is installed on top of the paint or away from the paint so that the thickness of the paint applied to the wireless communication device 100 can be measured using radio waves. The receiver 200 measures the intensity of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device 100, reads out data stored in the memory of the wireless communication device 100, and stores the data in the memory of the wireless communication device 100. It is desirable to install the receiver 200 and the wireless communication device 100 so that the distance therebetween is always kept constant. This is because, as will be described later, the receiver 200 measures the intensity of the radio waves emitted from the wireless communication device 100, so it is desirable to keep the distance constant.

[0016] The workpiece 300 is a structure such as a building, a bridge, a steel tower, or the like, which is fixed to the ground and to which paint is to be applied.

[0017] The paint 400 is applied to the workpiece 300 and is made of a material that adheres to the workpiece 300 when it dries. The paint 400 is made of a material that not only beautifies the workpiece 300, but also contains materials such as waterproofing materials that protect the workpiece 300.

[0018] (Description of Wireless Communication Device 100) 2 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of wireless communication device 100. Wireless communication device 100 includes antenna 101, control circuit 102, and memory 103. In addition to these, wireless communication device 100 may also include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a volatile memory.

[0019] The antenna 101 transmits and receives radio waves in order to perform wireless communication with the receiver 200 .

[0020] The control circuit 102 is a circuit for controlling the wireless communication device 100. For example, it includes a circuit for modulating and demodulating radio waves transmitted and received by the antenna 101, a circuit for supplying power from radio waves received by the antenna 101, a circuit for reading data from the memory 103, and a circuit for writing data to the memory 103.

[0021] The control circuit 102 is connected to the antenna 101, demodulates radio waves received by the antenna 101, and modulates data to transmit it via the antenna 101. The control circuit 102 is also connected to a memory 103, and writes data to the memory 103 and reads data from the memory 103.

[0022] The memory 103 stores data. The data stored in the memory 103 includes measured film thicknesses, etc. The memory 103 is realized by a non-volatile memory, and retains the stored data even when the power is cut off.

[0023] Although details will be described later, by providing a memory 103 in the wireless communication device 100, it becomes possible to store data relating to the workpiece 300 on the workpiece 300.

[0024] 3 is a block diagram for explaining basic functions of wireless communication device 100. Wireless communication device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit .

[0025] The communication unit 110 performs processing for communicating with the receiver 200. For example, the communication unit 110 communicates with the receiver 200, and transmits data such as film thickness, material, date and time, and radio wave intensity read from the storage unit 120 via the control unit 130 to the receiver 200. For example, the communication unit 110 communicates with the receiver 200, and stores data such as film thickness, material, date and time, and radio wave intensity received from the receiver 200 in the storage unit 120 via the control unit 130.

[0026] The storage unit 120 stores data stored by the wireless communication device 100. For example, the storage unit 120 stores data such as film thickness, material, date and time, and measured radio wave intensity. In addition, the storage unit 120 may store location information and an identifier (ID) relating to the location where the measurement was performed.

[0027] Providing the wireless communication device 100 with the storage unit 120 allows data to be stored together with the structure 300, rather than in a system or medium separate from the structure 300. Since the structure 300 generally exists for several decades until it is demolished and its role is completed, there is a risk of data loss if the data is stored in a separate system or device. By storing data in the wireless communication device 100 installed together with the structure 300 as in the present invention, it becomes possible to manage the data without data loss even if the manager, owner, etc. are changed.

[0028] The control unit 130 controls the operation of the wireless communication device 100 by a control circuit of the wireless communication device 100. Specifically, the control unit 130 includes a circuit for supplying power to the wireless communication device 100 by using electromagnetic induction of radio waves received by the antenna 101. The control unit 130 also demodulates data received by the communication unit 110 from the receiver 200, and modulates data for the communication unit 110 to transmit to the receiver 200. The control unit 130 also reads information such as film thickness, material, date and time, and radio wave intensity from the storage unit 120, or writes information such as film thickness, material, date and time, and radio wave intensity into the storage unit 120 to store it.

[0029] Supplying power using electromagnetic induction of radio waves received by the antenna 101 has the advantage that it eliminates the need for a power storage device or wiring for power supply and allows for miniaturization, making it easy to install the wireless communication device 100 inside the paint 400.

[0030] (Specific examples of data stored in wireless communication device 100) The storage unit 120 stores the time when the workpiece was completed (temporal information such as date and time), the material, the film thickness, the radio wave intensity of the radio wave received by the receiver 200 from the wireless communication device 100, the time when the radio wave intensity was measured, etc. In addition, location information and an identifier (ID) relating to the place where the measurement was made may be stored.

[0031] Furthermore, when multiple wireless communication devices 100 are installed within the structure 300, the storage unit 120 may store not only information on the location where the wireless communication device 100 is installed, but also information on the locations where other wireless communication devices 100 installed in the structure 300 are installed. At this time, by storing the information together with information such as location information or an identifier, it is possible to identify which wireless communication device 100 the information pertains to. By storing information in multiple wireless communication devices 100 in this way, it is possible to obtain the information from the other wireless communication devices 100 in the unlikely event that the information is lost.

[0032] 4 shows the specific contents stored in the film thickness DB 121 of the storage unit 120. It shows that on October 1, 2000, when the workpiece was completed, the film thickness was 2 mm, and the radio wave intensity of the radio waves received by the receiver 200 from the wireless communication device 100 was 250 mW. It also shows that in a subsequent measurement on October 1, 2006, the radio wave intensity of the radio waves received by the receiver 200 from the wireless communication device 100 was 310 mW, and the film thickness estimated from this was 1.8 mm.

[0033] The memory unit 120 stores the date and time, material, and film thickness when the workpiece is completed, making it possible to refer to the data even if the owner or manager is changed, or if the workpiece-related materials are lost. Furthermore, by storing the date and time of measurement, radio wave intensity, film thickness, etc. after the workpiece is completed, it is possible to understand the time and the degree of deterioration and use this information for analysis. In addition, by installing the wireless communication device 100 at multiple locations on the workpiece, it is possible to understand the degree of deterioration at each location on the workpiece and use this information for analysis.

[0034] (Description of receiver 200) 5 is a diagram showing a hardware configuration of receiver 200. Receiver 200 can be configured using a general-purpose computer.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the receiver 200 includes a processor 201, a memory 202, a storage 203, a communication IF 204 (note that IF is written as an abbreviation of Interface), and an input / output IF 205.

[0036] The processor 201 is hardware for executing an instruction set described in a program, and is composed of an arithmetic unit, a register, a peripheral circuit, and the like. The memory 202 is for temporarily storing programs and data processed by the programs, and is realized by a volatile memory such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). The storage 203 is a storage device for saving data such as programs, and is realized by a flash memory, a solid state drive (SSD), or a hard disk drive (HDD). The communication IF 204 is an interface for transmitting and receiving signals so that the receiver 200 communicates with the wireless communication device 100. For example, the communication IF 204 includes an interface for transmitting and receiving signals for reading data and signals for writing data between the wireless communication device 100. The input / output IF 205 functions as an interface for input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, and numeric keypad for receiving input from a user, and an interface for an output device such as a display for presenting information to a user.

[0037] 6 is a block diagram for explaining basic functions of receiver 200. Receiver 200 includes a communication unit 210, a storage unit 220, and a control unit 230.

[0038] The communication unit 210 performs processing for communicating with the wireless communication device 100. For example, the communication unit 210 of the receiver 200 performs wireless communication with the wireless communication device 100, and acquires data such as film thickness, material, date and time, and radio wave intensity stored in the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 110 of the wireless communication device 100, and / or transmits the data via the communication unit 110.

[0039] The storage unit 220 stores data and programs used by the receiver 200 .

[0040] The control unit 230 is realized by the processor of the receiver 200 reading a program stored in the storage unit 220 and executing instructions included in the program. The control unit 230 controls the operation of the receiver 200. Specifically, the control unit 230 fulfills the functions of a transmission / reception unit 231, a measurement unit 232, and a film thickness estimation unit 233.

[0041] The transmitting / receiving unit 231 communicates with the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210, and receives and acquires data such as film thickness, material, date and time, and radio wave intensity stored in the wireless communication device 100. In addition, the transmitting / receiving unit 231 displays the acquired data via the input / output IF 205.

[0042] The transmitter / receiver unit 231 communicates with the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210, transmits data input via the input / output IF 205 and data calculated by other functions of the control unit 230 to the wireless communication device 100, and stores it in the memory unit 120 of the wireless communication device 100.

[0043] The measuring unit 232 measures the radio wave intensity of the radio waves emitted from the antenna 101 of the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210. The measured radio wave intensity is stored in the memory unit 120 of the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210 together with time information at the time of measurement.

[0044] The measurement unit 232 stores the time information and radio wave intensity at the time of measurement in the memory unit 120 of the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210, making it possible to analyze this data and analyze the changes in the time and radio wave intensity of the workpiece.

[0045] The film thickness estimation unit 233 estimates the film thickness of the paint 400 placed on the wireless communication device 100, using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232. Since the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232 attenuates in proportion to the square of the distance between the wireless communication device 100 and the receiver 200, the distance may be calculated from the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232 based on this.

[0046] The film thickness estimation unit 233 may, for example, create a correspondence table between radio wave intensity and film thickness for each material in advance, and estimate the film thickness of the paint 400 using the type of material stored in the memory unit 120 of the wireless communication device 100 and the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232.

[0047] The film thickness estimation unit 233 may estimate the film thickness of the paint 400 as follows. If the radio wave intensity emitted from the wireless communication device 100 is P0, the film thickness is d, the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232 of the receiver 200 is P, and the radio wave transmittance of the material of the paint 400 is T, then the measured radio wave intensity P can be expressed by the following model.

number

number

[0048] As described above, the result of estimation by the film thickness estimation unit 233 can be used as the film thickness measured by the receiver 200.

[0049] Furthermore, the film thickness estimation unit 233 estimates the film thickness using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232, which makes it possible to omit mechanisms required in comparison with using conventional methods such as electromagnetic, eddy current, infrared, and ultrasonic, etc. This contributes to cost reduction and miniaturization.

[0050] However, the film thickness estimation unit 233 is not limited to using radio wave intensity as described above, and may be provided with a mechanism that uses a conventional method such as electromagnetic, eddy current, infrared, or ultrasonic, and the film thickness estimation unit 233 may estimate the film thickness using such a method.

[0051] (How to Install the Receiver 200 for Film Thickness Measurement) Since receiver 200 measures the film thickness using the intensity of the radio wave emitted from wireless communication device 100, accurate film thickness measurement cannot be realized if the position of receiver 200 changes each time. Therefore, it is desirable to install receiver 200 in the same position for each measurement.

[0052] Fig. 7 shows an example of a method for installing the receiver 200 when measuring a film thickness. As shown in Fig. 7, it is preferable to install a sensor portion for film thickness measurement as a probe 240 and to measure the radio wave intensity by bringing the probe 240 into contact with the paint 400. Note that the radio wave intensity may be measured by bringing the radio wave transmitting / receiving portion of the receiver 200 into contact with the paint 400 without installing the probe 240.

[0053] Furthermore, although the wireless communication device 100 has a fixed surface, if the distance between the radio wave transmitting / receiving unit of the receiver 200 (the probe 240 when the probe 240 is installed) and the antenna 101 of the wireless communication device 100 varies for each measurement, the film thickness cannot be measured correctly. Therefore, for example, the radio wave transmitting / receiving unit of the receiver 200 (the probe 240 when the probe 240 is set) may be attached to wheels so that the radio wave intensity can be measured while being in contact with the paint 400, and the radio wave transmitting / receiving unit of the receiver 200 (the probe 240 when the probe 240 is set) may be moved evenly around the antenna 101 of the wireless communication device 100, and the film thickness may be measured with the strongest radio wave intensity value as the measured value.

[0054] Furthermore, rails for moving the radio wave transmitting / receiving section of receiver 200 (probe 240 if probe 240 is set) may be installed on the paint covering wireless communication device 100. Receiver 200 may be configured to receive radio waves from wireless communication device 100 and measure radio wave intensity while in contact with paint 400, and the film thickness may be measured with the strongest radio wave intensity as the measured value. Installing rails allows measurements to be made on the same track, thereby improving the accuracy of film thickness measurement.

[0055] The method of installing the receiver 200 for film thickness measurement is not limited to the above. For example, the installation position of the receiver 200 may be determined in advance, and the radio wave intensity may always be measured from that position, or the radio wave intensity may be measured while in contact with the paint 400 by a method other than the above.

[0056] (Specific processing method for estimating film thickness - when using the correspondence table) An example of film thickness measurement by film thickness estimation using film thickness estimation unit 233 of receiver 200 will be shown below. First, probe 240 of receiver 200 is moved evenly over paint 400 near wireless communication device 100 to scan radio wave intensity and measure the strongest radio wave intensity. At this time, radio waves emitted from receiver 200 generate radio waves due to electromagnetic induction caused by antenna 101 of wireless communication device 100, and the radio waves are sensed by probe 240 of receiver 200 to measure the radio wave intensity.

[0057] The transmitting / receiving unit 231 of the receiver 200 acquires in advance material data from the film thickness DB 121 of the wireless communication device 100. If the strongest radio wave intensity measured by the measuring unit 232 is P, the film thickness estimation unit 233 acquires the film thickness d corresponding to the radio wave intensity P from a correspondence table that shows the film thickness according to the radio wave intensity created for each paint, and sets this as the estimated film thickness.

[0058] 8 shows a specific example of the correspondence table used by the film thickness estimation unit 233. For example, if the material of the paint 400 is A and the received radio wave intensity is 990 mW, the film thickness estimation unit 233 calculates 0.11 mm, which corresponds to 990 mW in the correspondence table, as the film thickness to be estimated.

[0059] (Specific processing method for estimating film thickness - when using a modeled formula) As in the case of using a correspondence table, first, the probe 240 of the receiver 200 is moved evenly over the paint 400 near the wireless communication device 100 to scan the radio wave strength and measure the strongest radio wave strength. At this time, the radio waves emitted from the receiver 200 generate radio waves due to electromagnetic induction caused by the antenna 101 of the wireless communication device 100, and the probe 240 of the receiver 200 detects the radio waves and measures the radio wave strength.

[0060] The transmitting / receiving unit 231 of the receiver 200 acquires in advance material data and radio wave intensity P0 emitted by the wireless communication device 100 from the film thickness DB 121 of the wireless communication device 100. Also, the transmittance T corresponding to the material is stored in the storage unit 220 of the receiver 200. For example, it is assumed that the material is A and its transmittance T=1.

[0061] If the strongest radio wave intensity measured by the measuring unit 232 is P=250, the transmittance T=1, and P0=1000, the film thickness estimation unit 233 uses equation 2 to calculate that d=2, and sets this as the estimated film thickness.

[0062] (Explanation of effect) The configuration of the film thickness management device 10 has been described above, but by using the wireless communication device 100, it is possible to store data in the workpiece 300. As a result, even if the manager or owner of the workpiece 300 is changed and materials and data are not properly handed over, since the data is stored in the wireless communication device 100 installed on the workpiece 300, it is possible to grasp information on the film thickness measured thereafter, in addition to the film thickness and the material of the paint 400 at the time of construction.

[0063] Furthermore, in order to obtain data from the wireless communication device 100, communication using radio waves is required. However, by using these radio waves for film thickness measurement as well, there is no need to use a separate mechanism for film thickness measurement, such as a method using ultrasonic waves or electric current, and it is possible to measure the film thickness of the paint 400 with a simple configuration.

[0064] In addition, compared to a typical film thickness gauge, the film thickness measured may be affected by the distance from the wireless communication device 100, but the above problem can be solved and correct film thickness measurement can be achieved by installing a probe 240 or the like on the receiver 200 and moving it evenly over the paint 400 to measure the strongest radio wave intensity. Furthermore, by providing wheels on the probe 240 or installing rails for moving the probe 240, it becomes possible to easily move the probe 240 evenly.

[0065] (Processing flow) Hereinafter, an example of a control process executed by the receiver 200 for film thickness measurement will be described with reference to FIG.

[0066] The control unit 230 of the receiver 200 acquires information such as the material, the film thickness measured in the past, the measurement date and time, and the radio wave intensity from the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210 (step S101).

[0067] Control unit 230 of receiver 200 measures the radio wave intensity of the radio wave emitted from wireless communication device 100 via communication unit 210 (step S102).

[0068] Control unit 230 of receiver 200 estimates the film thickness using the measured radio wave intensity, the acquired information on the material, and other information such as film thicknesses measured in the past and measurement dates and times (step S103).

[0069] After estimating the film thickness, the control unit 230 of the receiver 200 transmits the measurement date and time and the film thickness to the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210 so that the wireless communication device 100 can store data related to the estimated film thickness (step S104).

[0070] (Film thickness control system) The film thickness management device 10 may include a plurality of wireless communication devices 100 and a single or a plurality of receivers 200, and may be configured as a film thickness management system 1.

[0071] 10 shows a configuration diagram of the film thickness control system 1. For example, the film thickness control system 1 is composed of a plurality of wireless communication devices 100-1 to 100-N and a receiver 200. Note that the number of receivers 200 may be one or more.

[0072] Receiver 200 can communicate with wireless communication devices 100-1 to 100-N, and by communicating with wireless communication devices 100-1 to 100-N, measures film thickness and stores the film thickness data in wireless communication devices 100-1 to 100-N, respectively. This makes it possible to store film thickness data for each location in wireless communication device 100.

[0073] Furthermore, wireless communication devices 100-1 to 100-N may store not only data related to the film thickness at the relevant location, but also film thickness data related to other wireless communication devices 100 on workpiece 300.

[0074] Each of the wireless communication devices 100-1 to 100-N stores not only the film thickness data from the past to the present on the wireless communication device, but also the film thickness data on the other wireless communication devices 100, so that even if data on a certain wireless communication device 100-K is lost, the data can be restored from the other wireless communication devices 100-L. In particular, the workpiece 300 installed outdoors is prone to deterioration due to the effects of ultraviolet rays, rain, wind, etc. depending on the location, and there is a possibility that data will be lost. Therefore, such a redundant configuration makes it possible to protect the data.

[0075] Although the description of the embodiment is finished above, the above embodiment is merely an example, and therefore the specific configurations and processing contents of the film thickness management system 1, the wireless communication device 100, and the receiver 200 are not limited to those described in the above embodiment.

[0076] Although the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiment, and the present disclosure includes the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. In addition, the configurations of the devices described in the above embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate as long as no technical contradiction occurs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1...film thickness control system, 10...film thickness control device, 100, 100-1 to 100-N...wireless communication device, 101...antenna, 102...control circuit, 103...memory, 110...communication unit, 120...storage unit, 121...film thickness DB, 130...control unit, 200...receiver, 201...processor, 202...memory, 203...storage, 204...communication IF, 205...input / output IF, 210...communication unit, 220...storage unit, 230...control unit, 231...transmitting / receiving unit, 232...measuring unit, 233...film thickness estimation unit, 240...probe, 300...workpiece, 400...paint, NW...network

Claims

1. A device for controlling the thickness of a coating applied to a workpiece, a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered with the paint; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves; The wireless communication device is a film thickness control device having an antenna for receiving the radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit for supplying power from the radio waves, and a memory for storing the measured film thickness.

2. A device for controlling the thickness of a coating applied to a workpiece, a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered with the paint; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves; the wireless communication device has an antenna for receiving the radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit for supplying power from the radio waves, and a memory for storing the measured film thickness; The receiver is a film thickness control device having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to send and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, and a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the paint using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit.

3. 3. The film thickness control device according to claim 1, wherein a rail is placed on the paint covering the wireless communication device, and the receiver receives the radio waves from the wireless communication device while being in contact with the paint.

4. 3. The film thickness control device according to claim 2, wherein the film thickness estimating section in the receiver estimates the film thickness using a correspondence table indicating film thickness corresponding to radio wave intensity created for each paint.

5. 3. The film thickness control device according to claim 2, wherein the film thickness estimation unit in the receiver estimates the film thickness d by the following equation 3, where P0 is the radio wave intensity emitted from the wireless communication device, T is the transmittance of the paint, and P is the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit in the receiver. [0030]

6. A system for managing the thickness of a coating applied to a workpiece, comprising: a plurality of wireless communication devices fixed to the workpiece and covered with the paint; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves; the wireless communication device has an antenna for receiving the radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit for supplying power from the radio waves, and a memory for storing the measured film thickness; The receiver is a film thickness management system having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to send and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, and a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the paint using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit.

7. A system for managing the thickness of a coating applied to a workpiece, comprising: a plurality of wireless communication devices fixed to the workpiece and covered with the paint; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves; the wireless communication device has an antenna for receiving the radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit for supplying power from the radio waves, and a memory for storing estimated film thicknesses at a plurality of points within the workpiece; The receiver is a film thickness management system having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to send and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, and a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the paint using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit.

Images