Identification of small diameter metal pipe

Abstract

To provide a method for managing individual pipes of small diameter metal pipes using IDs (bar codes) without concerns about tags falling off or stickers peeling off.SOLUTION: A small diameter metal pipe 1 is held by a rotatable roller 3. Upon receiving a signal of a laser marker 2, printing of a bar code (representing a unique ID) is performed on a whole circumference of the small diameter metal pipe by the laser marker having a system in which the roller can be rotated by a controller.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the addition of identification to small diameter metal pipes. [Background technology]

[0002] Small diameter metal pipes (here meaning metal pipes with an inner diameter of 2 mm or less) used in medical equipment and analytical equipment are Gases and liquids need to flow smoothly inside the pipes, so the inner surface is polished to make it smooth. For quality control, small diameter metal pipes are usually lot-managed. Small diameter metal pipes used in medical and analytical equipment are, of course, precision parts, and for quality control of precision parts, it would be ideal to identify each individual pipe. When identifying each individual pipe, it is possible to attach an identification tag, for example. There is a prior art method for attaching an identification tag, such as "JP Patent Publication 8-140816", but this example attaches a barcode chip to a clothing hanger, and takes into consideration the possibility of removing the barcode chip. In order to attach the barcode chip, an inset shape is provided in the hanger and the barcode chip. This example is similar to the inset shape being provided in a small diameter metal pipe, and is not suitable for small diameter metal pipes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 8-140816 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The small diameter of small metal pipes makes it difficult to attach identification tags, and even if they are attached, there is a concern that the tags will fall off during the pipe manufacturing process.

[0005] Instead of tags, it is possible to wrap and attach a sticker with a barcode or two-dimensional code for identification on the surface of the pipe, but the thickness of the sticker is generally an issue for precision parts with strict tolerances. There is also the concern that the sticker may peel off. Furthermore, to authenticate the barcode or two-dimensional code with a camera, the pipe needs to be moved directly under the camera, and in the process, the pipe may rotate, making the position of the barcode or two-dimensional code unknown. In that case, the pipe or the camera must be rotated to find where the barcode or two-dimensional code is located on the circumference of the pipe, which makes the authentication device a very complicated mechanism.

[0006] It is also possible to print barcodes and 2D codes directly onto metal pipes instead of onto stickers with a laser marker, which eliminates the issues of sticker thickness and concerns about peeling off, but it does leave issues when authenticating barcodes and 2D codes with a camera (finding where on the circumference of the metal pipe the code is printed). Also, printing with a laser marker is usually done by focusing on the printing surface. This makes it suitable for flat surfaces, but for surfaces with different heights, such as pipe surfaces, the printing becomes blurred the further away from the focus, which raises concerns that even if a barcode or 2D code is printed on the surface of the pipe, the recognition range of the barcode or 2D code with a camera will be narrow.

[0007] For the reasons stated above, it is considered difficult to carry out quality control on small diameter metal pipes by individually identifying the pipes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A small diameter metal pipe is held by a rotatable roller, and when a signal from the laser marker is received, the laser marker has a system that allows the roller to rotate via a controller, and a barcode (representing a unique ID) is printed all around the small diameter metal pipe.

[0009] When printing a barcode, a small diameter metal pipe to be printed with a laser marker is placed on two rollers that can be rotated by a motor. At this point, it is controlled by a laser marker controller, which outputs a signal to start printing to the laser marker and receives a signal to end printing from the laser marker. The controller is also connected to a motor that can rotate one of the rollers, and after receiving a signal from the laser marker to end printing, the controller is able to output a rotation signal to the motor.

[0010] The range of bar codes that can be printed on small diameter metal pipes with a laser marker is the range where the laser can be focused, so for example, bar codes are printed over an area of ​​120° around the circumference of the pipe, or 1 / 3 of the circumference.

[0011] Next, the roller holding the small diameter metal pipe is rotated 120 degrees. The roller rotates when the laser marker outputs a signal to the controller to indicate that barcode printing is complete, and the controller outputs a signal to the motor to rotate 120 degrees. As the roller rotates, the pipe placed on the roller also rotates 120 degrees. The same barcode as before is then printed. This means that the barcode has been printed over 2 / 3 of the circumference.

[0012] Once printing is complete, rotate the roller again 120 degrees. Then print the same barcode. By doing this, the barcode is printed on the entire circumference (3 / 3 of the circumference) of the small diameter metal pipe. Effect of the Invention

[0013] There is no need to worry about tags falling off or stickers peeling off, and small diameter metal pipes can be individually managed using ID (barcodes).

[0014] Since the barcode is printed around the entire circumference of the pipe, when ID authentication is performed using a camera, the pipe can be brought up to the camera without worrying about the direction in which the barcode is printed, and there is no need to add complex functions to the ID authentication mechanism, such as rotating the pipe to face the barcode toward the camera. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the present invention. [Diagram 2] This is a diagram of the printing range of a barcode on a small diameter metal pipe by a laser marker per one pass. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention. [Figure 4] 2 is a flowchart of the present invention. [Diagram 5] Small diameter metal pipes that are the subject of this invention (examples). [Figure 6] Examples of small diameter metal wires that are the subject of this invention: [Figure 7] Pipes with multiple diameters that are the subject of this invention and where the diameter changes gradually (example). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a small-diameter metal pipe, a laser marker that prints a barcode on the small-diameter metal pipe, and a roller on which the small-diameter metal pipe is placed. The small diameter metal pipe is placed between two rollers, and when the rollers rotate, the small diameter metal pipe also rotates.

[0018] The laser marker is positioned directly above the small metal pipe, and prints (laser marks) a barcode (ID) on the small metal pipe directly below. Laser marking can only be done within the range where the laser light is focused (in this case, the surface of the small metal pipe). In this embodiment, the laser marker can only print a barcode within a 120° circumference of the small diameter metal pipe at one time (Figure 2). In other words, to print the entire circumference, the barcode needs to be printed three times.

[0019] Figure 3 shows a block diagram for printing barcodes and rotating the roller. The controller is connected to the laser marker that prints the barcode and the motor that drives the roller. The controller sends a "print start signal" of the barcode to the laser marker, and when printing of the barcode is completed, the controller receives a "print end signal" from the laser marker. The controller then sends a "motor 120° rotation start signal" to the motor, and the roller rotates 120°, that is, the small diameter metal pipe (omitted in Figure 3) rotates 120°. The small diameter metal pipe then sends a "print start signal" of the barcode to the laser marker, and when printing with the laser marker is completed, the small diameter metal pipe is rotated 120° again to print the barcode. The controller is equipped with a program that counts the number of times the print end signal is received, and when the count reaches 3, printing on this small diameter metal pipe is completed. The program flowchart is shown in Figure 4. EXAMPLES

[0020] A small diameter metal pipe is placed between the rollers 3. The controller 4 sends a “print start signal” to the laser marker 2. A laser beam 22 is radiated from a laser emission port 21 of a laser marker 2, the laser of which is focused on the surface of the small-diameter metal pipe 1 in advance, to print a bar code on the surface of the small-diameter metal pipe 1. The barcode is printed over a range of 120°, or 1 / 3, of the circumference of the small diameter metal pipe. After printing the barcode, the laser marker 2 sends a “printing end signal” to the controller 4.

[0021] The controller 4 internally counts the number of times it has received a "print end signal," and upon receiving the first "print end signal," it sends a "motor 120° rotation start signal" from the controller 4 to the motor 5. Upon receiving this signal, the motor 5 and roller 3 rotate 120°, and the small diameter metal pipe 1 placed on the roller 3 also rotates 120°. Once the motor 3 has rotated 120°, the motor 3 sends a "rotation end signal" to the controller 4.

[0022] The controller 4 sends a "printing start signal" to the laser marker 2. The laser marker 2 prints a barcode on the surface of the small diameter metal pipe 1 that has been rotated 120°. Note that the barcode printing this time covers an area of ​​240°, or 2 / 3 of the entire circumference of the small diameter metal pipe. After printing the barcode, the laser marker 2 sends a “printing end signal” to the controller 4.

[0023] As described above, the controller 4 internally counts the number of times it has received the "print end signal," and upon receiving the second "print end signal," it sends a "motor 120° rotation start signal" from the controller 4 to the motor 5. Upon receiving this signal, the motor 5 and roller 3 rotate 120°, and the small diameter metal pipe 1 placed on the roller 3 also rotates 120°. Once the motor 3 has rotated 120°, it sends a "rotation end signal" from the motor 3 to the controller 4.

[0024] The controller 4 sends a "printing start signal" to the laser marker 2. The laser marker 2 prints a barcode on the surface of the small diameter metal pipe 1 that has been rotated 120°. Note that with this barcode printing, the entire circumference of the small diameter metal pipe has been printed. After printing the barcode, the laser marker 2 sends a "printing end signal" to the controller 4.

[0025] The controller 4 completes the printing of the bar code on this small diameter metal pipe, removes the small diameter metal pipe 1 on which printing has been completed, and carries out a process to prepare the small diameter metal pipe 1 for the next bar code printing. [Industrial Applicability]

[0026] This is not limited to small diameter metal pipes (Fig. 5), but can also be used to manage small diameter metal wires (Fig. 6) that can be laser marked (printed). By linking the manufacturing information and usage information to the printed ID, it is possible to provide a traceability function. The same function can be provided not only for pipes with a uniform diameter, but also for pipes or nozzles with multiple diameters or those with gradually changing diameters. (Figure 7) [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1. Small diameter metal pipe 2 Laser marker 3. Roller 4. Controller 5 Motor 21 Laser exit port 22 Laser Light

Claims

1. Laser marking (printing) of a barcode (ID) on the entire outer circumference of a small diameter metal pipe.

2. Laser marking (printing) of barcodes (ID) on the entire outer circumference of small diameter multi-stage metal pipes with multiple diameters

3. Laser marking (printing) of a barcode (ID) on the entire outer circumference of a small diameter metal pipe with a tapered shape where the diameter gradually changes.

4. A barcode (ID) is laser marked (printed) on the entire outer circumference of a small diameter metal pipe having both claims 2 and 3.

5. Laser marking (printing) of barcodes (ID) on the entire outer circumference of small diameter metal wires and columns.

6. Laser marking (printing) of barcodes (ID) on the entire outer circumference of small diameter multi-stage metal wires and small diameter multi-stage metal columns with multiple diameters

7. Laser marking (printing) of barcodes (ID) on small diameter metal wires and columns with tapered shapes where the diameter gradually changes.

8. A laser marking (printing) of a barcode (ID) on a small diameter metal wire or a small diameter metal pole having both claims 6 and 7.

9. A rotating device for small diameter metal pipes for carrying out claims 1 to 8.

10. A process in which claim 9 and laser marking (printing) are linked to implement claims 1 to 8.

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