Material control system, method and program

Abstract

To facilitate material control without operator's presence on the site regarding a material control technology for administering a residual amount of a material in a batcher plant, etc.SOLUTION: A material control system includes: rider sensors (residual amount sensors) 103 (#1, #2, #3) disposed respectively corresponding to aggregate bins 101 (#1, #2, #3) provided in a batcher plant 100 and capable of measuring a residual amount of aggregate stored in the respective aggregate bins; and a control computer 107 that notifies a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal that is operated by a predetermined registered member, of the residual amount of aggregate in the aggregate bin measured using the rider sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a material management system, method, and program for managing the remaining amount of materials in a batcher plant or the like.

Background Art

[0002] In a batcher plant, fine aggregates and coarse aggregates, which are concrete materials, are stored in aggregate bins at the lower part of the plant, placed on a belt conveyor from an aggregate hopper at the upper part of the plant, and fed into a mixer through a weighing device from the belt conveyor, where they are mixed with water, cement, fly ash, etc. Conventionally, the transfer of aggregates from the aggregate bin to the aggregate hopper has been performed by a clam shell bucket (lifting device) suspended from an overhead crane operated by an operator using a remote controller, which lifts the aggregates in the aggregate bin and drops them into the aggregate hopper. In addition, the replenishment of aggregates such as coarse aggregates and fine aggregates into the aggregate bin, and the replenishment of cement and fly ash into the silo have been carried out by the person in charge placing orders daily while checking the remaining amount.

[0003] Conventionally, as a technology for facilitating the automatic operation of a crane device, there has been proposed a technology including a position information acquisition unit that acquires the position of a transport unit with respect to a predetermined reference position as position information in first and second directions orthogonal to each other, and a control unit that automatically operates the crane device based on the acquired position information and a preset target position of the transport unit (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Also conventionally, there has been proposed a technology for a system that detects the filling state of a filling material in a container, which has means for striking the wall surface of the container and means for detecting the striking sound generated by the striking, and can detect the filling state of the filling material in the container quickly and simply by a relatively simple system (for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the prior art, even if the automatic operation of the clam (crane device) is facilitated or the filling status of the filling material in containers such as a cement silo or a fly ash silo can be detected, the work by the operator is still necessary. In addition, the person in charge of material replenishment, etc. cannot always be stationed at the tunnel excavation site, etc., and the material order of aggregates, etc. in the batcher plant cannot always be carried out smoothly.

[0007] In addition, in material management, it is necessary to consider the progress of the construction work, predict the subsequent usage amount of the material, and perform material replenishment, etc. However, if there is an error in the judgment, there are problems such as over-ordering of materials and overflowing from the aggregate bin, or additional charges due to taking the materials home, or conversely, the construction work stops due to insufficient materials.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a material management system, method, and program that enable easy material management.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] The material management system according to the first aspect is installed corresponding to an aggregate bin that stores aggregates in a batcher plant, and includes an aggregate bin residual amount sensor used to measure the remaining amount of the aggregates in the aggregate bin, and a control computer that notifies a terminal device of a predetermined registered member of the remaining amount of the aggregates in the aggregate bin measured using the aggregate bin residual amount sensor.

[0010] In the material management system of the second aspect, the remaining amount sensor for the aggregate bin is installed above the aggregate bin, measures scattered light with respect to laser irradiation that emits light in pulses, and is a lidar sensor that acquires point cloud data indicating the respective distances to a plurality of points on the surface of the aggregate in the aggregate bin. Based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor, the control computer calculates the volume of the aggregate in the aggregate bin or the ratio of the volume to the aggregate capacity that the aggregate bin can store as the remaining amount.

[0011] The material management system of the third aspect is installed in a batcher plant and includes a crane device capable of moving and opening / closing a clam shell bucket at any three-dimensional coordinate position within the three-dimensional orthogonal coordinates defined within the batcher plant, an aggregate hopper installed in the batcher plant for placing the aggregate on a belt conveyor that transports the aggregate, and a remaining amount sensor for the aggregate hopper installed corresponding to the aggregate hopper. The remaining amount sensor for the aggregate hopper measures the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate hopper. When the control computer determines based on the measurement of the remaining amount sensor for the aggregate hopper that the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate hopper has become equal to or less than a threshold value, the control computer moves the clam shell bucket to the three-dimensional coordinate position of the aggregate bin to cause the aggregate stored in the aggregate bin to be lifted, and then moves the clam shell bucket to the three-dimensional coordinate position of the aggregate hopper to drop the aggregate held by the clam shell bucket into the aggregate hopper.

[0012] In the material management system of the fourth aspect, based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor, the control computer calculates the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height at which the aggregate is stacked is the highest within the aggregate bin corresponding to the lidar sensor, and causes the lifting to be performed at the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height is the highest. Based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor, the control computer calculates the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height at which the aggregate is stacked is the lowest within the aggregate hopper corresponding to the lidar sensor, and causes the dropping to be performed at the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height is the lowest.

[0013] In the material management system according to the fifth aspect, when the control computer calculates that the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate hopper has become equal to or less than a threshold value when the aggregate is stored in a plurality of aggregate bins, until the aggregate stored in any one of the plurality of aggregate bins becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, the clam shell bucket is moved to the aggregate bin, and the picking up is performed.

[0014] The material management system according to the sixth aspect further includes a remaining amount detection unit including a plurality of hitting sound devices installed at intervals in the height direction on the side surface of a silo for storing materials for manufacturing concrete by mixing with the aggregate, and a microphone for collecting the hitting sound of the hitting sound device, and the control computer detects the remaining amount of the material in the silo based on a change in the hitting sound collected by each of the microphones in the plurality of remaining amount detection units, and notifies the terminal device operated by the predetermined registered member of the detected remaining amount of the material in the silo.

[0015] The material management system according to the seventh aspect further includes a photographing device for photographing a work video at a work site, and the control computer uses a work process determination model obtained by machine learning the work video to estimate the timing when the concrete manufactured in the batching plant is used based on the work video newly photographed by the photographing device, predicts the usage amount of the concrete material, and notifies the terminal device operated by the predetermined registered member of the predicted usage amount of the material.

[0016] In the material management method according to the eighth aspect, a control computer measures the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin using a remaining amount sensor for the aggregate bin installed corresponding to the aggregate bin for storing the aggregate in the batching plant, and notifies the terminal device of the predetermined registered member of the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin measured using the remaining amount sensor for the aggregate bin.

[0017] The material management program according to the ninth aspect causes a control computer to measure the material of the aggregate in the aggregate bin using an aggregate bin remaining amount sensor installed corresponding to the aggregate bin for storing the aggregate in the batch plant, and notifies the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin measured using the aggregate bin remaining amount sensor to a terminal device of a predetermined registered member.

Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the first aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to easily perform material management.

[0019] According to the second aspect of the present invention, the remaining amount of the aggregate bin or the aggregate hopper can be calculated as the volume of the aggregate in the aggregate bin or the ratio of the volume to the aggregate capacity that the aggregate bin can store, and accurate measurement of the remaining amount of the aggregate and notification to the registered user are possible.

[0020] According to the third aspect of the present invention, the operation of the crane device becomes unnecessary.

[0021] According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to maximize the amount of aggregate grasped at one time by the clam shell bucket. Further, when dropping the aggregate from the clam shell bucket into the aggregate hopper, it becomes possible to prevent the aggregate from flowing out from the aggregate hopper to the surroundings.

[0022] According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it becomes easier to replenish the aggregate bin with the aggregate.

[0023] According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to easily manage the material stored in the silo.

[0024] According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to easily perform material management according to the progress of the work at the site.

[0025] According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a material management method that can realize the same functions as the material management system of the first aspect.

[0026] According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a material management program that can realize the same functions as the material management system of the first aspect.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The first embodiment is a material management system in a system consisting of a batcher plant and a silo. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a side view of the first embodiment as seen in the A direction (Y-axis direction described later) of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the first embodiment as seen in the B direction (X-axis direction described later) of FIG. 1. In the following description, reference will be made to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. 3 as needed.

[0029] The batcher plant is concrete manufacturing equipment installed at a large-scale construction site such as a dam or a tunnel that requires a large amount of concrete. The materials for concrete are cement, fly ash which is ash generated by burning coal, water, sand, gravel, admixtures, etc. Aggregate materials such as sand and gravel are stored in the aggregate bins in the batcher plant for each fine aggregate with fine particles and each coarse aggregate with coarse particles. In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, sand, which is a fine aggregate with a large usage amount, is stored in the first aggregate bin 101 (#1) and the second aggregate bin 101 (#2). Also, gravel, which is a coarse aggregate, is stored in the third aggregate bin 101 (#3). In the following description, the first aggregate bin 101 (#1), the second aggregate bin 101 (#2), and the third aggregate bin 101 (#3) may be collectively referred to as the aggregate bin 101. Each aggregate bin 101 can be directly replenished with aggregates from a dump truck or the like mounted horizontally outside the batcher plant 100.

[0030] The fine aggregate (sand) stored in the first aggregate bin 101 (#1) or the second aggregate bin 101 (#2) is picked up by a clam shell bucket 201 suspended from a crane device described later and is replenished into the first aggregate hopper 102 (#1) arranged above at any time. Similarly, the coarse aggregate (gravel) stored in the third aggregate bin 101 (#3) is picked up by the clam shell bucket 201 and is replenished into the second aggregate hopper 102 (#2) arranged above at any time.

[0031] In the following description, the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) and the second aggregate hopper 102(#2) may be collectively referred to as the aggregate hopper 102.

[0032] The fine aggregate (sand) in the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) and the coarse aggregate (gravel) in the second aggregate hopper 102(#2) are successively placed on the first belt conveyor 104(#1) and the second belt conveyor 104(#2) from the lower holes, respectively. The fine aggregate (sand) dropped onto the first belt conveyor 104(#1) and the coarse aggregate (gravel) placed on the second belt conveyor 104(#2) are respectively conveyed and fed into the first weighing device 105(#1) and the second weighing device 105(#2) provided above the building of the batching plant 100. The first weighing device 105(#1) and the second weighing device 105(#2) respectively weigh a predetermined amount of fine aggregate (sand) and coarse aggregate (gravel) and feed them into the mixer 106.

[0033] The mixer 106 mixes and stirs the fine aggregate (sand) fed from the first weighing device 105(#1), the coarse aggregate (gravel) fed from the second weighing device 105(#2), the cement separately fed through the pressure pipe 210 from the cement silo 108 installed beside the building of the batching plant 100, the fly ash separately fed through the pressure pipe 211 from the fly ash silo 109, and water or warm water (not shown) to produce concrete. The produced concrete is loaded from the hole at the lower part of the mixer 106 into a waiting vehicle (a fresh concrete truck or a mixer truck). The concrete carried into this vehicle is transported to a nearby construction site and used for the construction.

[0034] In the building of the batching plant 100, a three-dimensional coordinate system consisting of X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis that are orthogonal to each other as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 is defined. The origin (0, 0, 0) of the three-dimensional coordinate system is defined at the ground part of the corner of the building of the batching plant 100, which is diagonally below and to the left of the first aggregate bin 101(#1) in the plan view (top view) of FIG. 1, for example.

[0035] Inside the building of the batcher plant 100, the following crane devices are installed.

[0036] First, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of traveling rails 205(#1) and 205(#2) extending in the Y-axis direction are installed at the upper parts of the left and right side walls 209(#1) and 209(#2) of the building of the batcher plant 100. Note that the right side wall 209(#2) forms a wall only at the upper part, and at the lower part, the first belt conveyors 104(#1) and 104(#2) can penetrate from the sides of the first aggregate hoppers 102(#1) and 102(#2) to the sides of the first weighing devices 105(#1) and 105(#2), respectively.

[0037] Next, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, saddles 207(#1) and 207(#2) that can travel on the traveling rails 205(#1) and 205(#2), respectively, and a girder rail 206 connected to the saddles 207(#1) and 207(#2) and extending in the X-axis direction are installed.

[0038] The saddles 207(#1) and 207(#2) and the girder rail 206 are integrated and can move and travel in the Y-axis direction on the traveling rails 205(#1) and 205(#2).

[0039] Furthermore, a trolley 202 that can move and travel in the X-axis direction of FIG. 2 on the girder rail 206, a winch 203 provided on this trolley 202, and a clam shell bucket 201 suspended via a wire 204 that can be wound up by the winch 203 are installed.

[0040] In addition, one or both of the saddles 207(#1) and 207(#2) are provided with a first drive mechanism (not shown) that, under the control from the control PC (control computer) 107 in FIG. 1, moves the integrated structure of the saddles 207(#1) and 207(#2) and the girder rail 206 on the traveling rails 205(#1) and 205(#2) to the Y coordinate position specified by the control PC 107 in the Y-axis direction of FIG. 3.

[0041] Similarly, the trolley 202 is provided with a second drive mechanism (not shown) that moves the trolley 202 to the X coordinate position specified by the control PC 107 in the X-axis direction in FIG. 2 on the girder rail 206 under the control from the control PC 107 in FIG. 1.

[0042] Also, the winch 203 installed on the trolley 202 moves the clam shell bucket 201 to the Z coordinate position specified by the control PC 107 in the Z-axis direction in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 by winding up or paying out the wire 204 under the control from the control PC 107 in FIG. 1.

[0043] In addition, the clam shell bucket 201 is provided with a third drive mechanism (not shown) that opens and closes the buckets 301(#1) and 301(#2) about the hinge axis 212 shown in FIG. 3 under the control from the control PC 107 in FIG. 1.

[0044] Using the crane device having the above structure, the control PC 107 can move the clam shell bucket 201 to the three-dimensional coordinate position by designating an arbitrary three-dimensional coordinate position to the crane device, and open and close the buckets 301(#1) and 301(#2) of the clam shell bucket 201 there.

[0045] Next, inside the building of the batcher plant 100, on the side wall 302(#1) shown in FIG. 3, at the upper positions of the first aggregate bin 101(#1), the second aggregate bin 101(#2), and the third aggregate bin 101(#3) of the beam 208(#1) installed in the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. 2, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors 103(#1), 103(#2), and 103(#3), which are remaining amount sensors, are installed. Similarly, inside the building of the batcher plant 100, at positions above the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) and the second aggregate hopper 102(#2) of the beam 208(#2) installed in the X-axis direction as shown in FIG. 2 on the side wall 302(#2) shown in FIG. 3, rider sensors 103(#4) and 103(#5), which are remaining quantity sensors, are installed.

[0046] The rider sensors 103(#1), 103(#2), and 103(#3) are sensors for measuring the remaining quantity of aggregates in the first aggregate bin 101(#1), the second aggregate bin 101(#2), and the third aggregate bin 101(#3), respectively. They measure the scattered light with respect to the laser irradiation that emits light in a pulsed manner from above each aggregate bin 101, and acquire point cloud data indicating the respective distances to a plurality of points on the surface of the aggregates in each aggregate bin 101. Similarly, the rider sensors 103(#4) and 103(#5) are sensors for measuring the remaining quantity of aggregates in the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) and the second aggregate hopper 102(#2), respectively. They measure the scattered light with respect to the laser irradiation that emits light in a pulsed manner from above each aggregate hopper 102, and acquire point cloud data indicating the respective distances to a plurality of points on the surface of each aggregate hopper 102. In the following description, the rider sensors 103(#1), 103(#2), 103(#3), 103(#4), and 103(#5) may be collectively referred to as the rider sensor 103.

[0047] The control PC 107 shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 calculates, as the remaining quantity, the volume of the aggregates in the aggregate bin 101 or the aggregate hopper 102, or the ratio of the volume to the storable aggregate capacity based on the respective point cloud data acquired by the rider sensors 103(#1) to 103(#5).

[0048] FIGS. 4(a), (b), and (c) are diagrams showing examples of display when the point cloud data of the first aggregate bin 101(#1), the second aggregate bin 101(#2), and the third aggregate bin 101(#3) acquired from the rider sensors 103(#1), 103(#2), and 103(#3) are displayed on the display of the control PC 107 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3. For example, the point cloud data in Fig. 4(a) is data indicating the distances from the lidar sensor 103(#1) installed above the first aggregate bin 101(#1) to each position on the surface of the aggregate in the first aggregate bin 101(#1). Similarly, for example, the point cloud data in Fig. 4(b) is data indicating the distances from the lidar sensor 103(#2) installed above the second aggregate bin 101(#2) to each position on the surface of the aggregate in the second aggregate bin 101(#2). Furthermore, similarly, for example, the point cloud data in Fig. 4(c) is data indicating the distances from the lidar sensor 103(#3) installed above the third aggregate bin 101(#3) to each position on the surface of the aggregate in the third aggregate bin 101(#3).

[0049] Based on these point cloud data, the control PC 107 calculates the remaining volume of the aggregate in the first aggregate bin 101(#1), the second aggregate bin 101(#2), and the third aggregate bin 101(#3) as the filling rate % (volume ÷ aggregate bin capacity × 100), and as shown in Figs. 4(a), (b), and (c), displays it on the display of the control PC 107 or the like.

[0050] Then, in the first embodiment, the control PC 107 executes the following first control process. In this first control process, the control PC 107 uses network software such as mail, SNS, or business chat to notify a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal operated by a predetermined registered member of the remaining amount of each aggregate in the first aggregate bin 101(#1), the second aggregate bin 101(#2), and the third aggregate bin 101(#3) measured by the lidar sensors 103(#1), 103(#2), and 103(#3) which are remaining amount sensors, for example, the volume and the filling rate. The notification may be performed at a predetermined time interval, or may be performed when the remaining amount falls below a predetermined threshold value.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows the remaining volume information in the first aggregate bin 101(#1) (displayed as "sand 1" in FIG. 5), the second aggregate bin 101(#2) (displayed as "sand 2" in FIG. 5), and the third aggregate bin 101(#3) (displayed as "gravel" in FIG. 5), which is notified to registered users using, for example, business chat in the first embodiment. The unit of the remaining volume is cubic meters (m 3 ). This is an example of a display screen on the display of a terminal device such as a registered user's smartphone or tablet terminal, showing the filling rate (%).

[0052] By the first control process performed by the control PC 107 in the above first embodiment, it becomes possible to easily grasp the remaining amount of aggregate in the aggregate bin 101.

[0053] Next, in the first embodiment, the control PC 107 executes the following second control process. In this second control process, first, when the control PC 107 determines that the remaining amount of aggregate in the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) has fallen below a threshold value based on the measurement results of the point cloud data from the lidar sensors 103(#4) and 103(#5), the clam shell bucket 201 is moved to the three-dimensional coordinate position of the first aggregate bin 101(#1) or the second aggregate bin 101(#2).

[0054] Specifically, when the control PC 107 determines that the remaining amount of fine aggregate (sand) in the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) has fallen below the threshold value, the clam shell bucket 201 is moved to the three-dimensional coordinate position of one of the aggregate bins 101, either the first aggregate bin 101(#1) or the second aggregate bin 101(#2). When the aggregate to be replenished in the first aggregate hopper 102 (#1) is stored in a plurality of aggregate bins such as the first aggregate bin 101 (#1) and the second aggregate bin 101 (#2), it is preferable to replenish the aggregate from the relevant aggregate bin until the amount of the aggregate stored in any one of the aggregate bins reaches a certain amount or less. This makes it easier to replenish the aggregate bins. Also, when the control PC 107 determines that the remaining amount of the coarse aggregate (gravel) in the second aggregate hopper 102 (#2) has reached or fallen below the threshold value, it moves the clam shell bucket 201 to the three-dimensional coordinate position of the third aggregate bin 101 (#3).

[0055] Based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor 103 corresponding to the aggregate bin 101 determined as described above, the control PC 107 preferably calculates, as the three-dimensional coordinate position of the aggregate bin, the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height at which the aggregate is stacked is the highest within the aggregate bin 101 corresponding to the lidar sensor 103. As a result, by moving to the three-dimensional coordinate position where the stacking height is the highest and picking up the aggregate, it becomes possible to maximize the amount of aggregate picked up at one time.

[0056] As a result of the above control process, the clam shell bucket 201 of the crane device described above moves to the three-dimensional coordinate position of any one of the aggregate bins 101 specified by the control PC 107 as described above. Then, by performing the operation of opening and subsequently closing the buckets 301 (#1) and 301 (#2) (see FIG. 3) of the clam shell bucket 201, the aggregate stacked in the aggregate bin 101 is picked up.

[0057] In the second control process, the control PC 107 then moves the clam shell bucket 201 that has picked up the aggregate to the three-dimensional coordinate position of the aggregate hopper 102 in which the shortage of the remaining amount has been detected.

[0058] Based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor 103 corresponding to the aggregate hopper 102 in which the shortage of remaining amount is detected, the control PC 107 preferably calculates the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height of the aggregate piled up in the aggregate hopper 102 is the lowest as the three-dimensional coordinate position of the aggregate hopper 102. By moving to the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height of the stack is the lowest and dropping the aggregate from the clam shell bucket 201 into the aggregate hopper 102, it becomes possible to prevent the aggregate from spilling from the aggregate hopper 102 to its surroundings.

[0059] As a result of the above control process, the clam shell bucket 201 of the crane device described above moves to the three-dimensional coordinate position of any one of the aggregate hoppers 102 specified by the control PC 107 as described above. Then, by performing the operation of opening the buckets 301(#1) and 301(#2) (see FIG. 3) of the clam shell bucket 201, the aggregate is dropped into the aggregate hopper 102 and replenished.

[0060] As described above, based on the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin and the aggregate hopper measured by the lidar sensor 103, when the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate hopper 102 decreases due to the crane device, the aggregate in the aggregate bin 101 can be automatically moved to and replenished in the aggregate hopper 102.

[0061] In the first embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, the cement silo 108 and the fly ash silo 109 store the fine aggregate (sand) and the coarse aggregate (gravel) supplied from the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) and the second aggregate hopper 102(#2) in the batcher plant 100 via the first belt conveyor 104(#1) and the second belt conveyor 104(#2), respectively, and the cement and fly ash mixed by the mixer 106.

[0062] In the first embodiment, the control PC 107 executes a third control process for detecting the remaining amount of cement and fly ash in these silos 108 or 109. FIG. 6 is a side view showing an example of the remaining amount detection unit of the silo in the first embodiment. In the cement silo 108 and the fly ash silo 109, as illustrated in FIG. 6, a plurality of remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5) are installed at equal intervals, for example, on the side wall 605 in the height direction of the silo 108 or 109. In the following description, the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5) may be collectively referred to as the remaining amount detection unit 601.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 6, the remaining amount detection unit 601 includes a plurality of magnets 604 for magnetic installation on the side wall 605 of the silo 108 or 109. Note that the installation method is not limited to magnetic means. The remaining amount detection unit 601 includes a striking sound device 602 that strikes the side wall 605 of the silo at the location where it is installed by, for example, the force of an electromagnet, and a microphone 603 that collects the striking sound of the striking sound device 602.

[0064] In the third control process, the control PC 107 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 captures each sound collected by each microphone 603 in the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5), and based on the changes thereof, detects the remaining amount position 606 of the cement or fly ash in the silo 108 or 109.

[0065] Subsequently, the control PC 107 executes a fourth control process of notifying the remaining amount of cement or fly ash in the silo 108 or 109 detected by the third control process to a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal operated by a predetermined registered member. The notification may be performed at a predetermined time interval or when the remaining amount falls below a predetermined threshold.

[0066] By the above-described third and fourth control processes, the remaining amounts of materials such as cement and fly ash in the silos 108 or 109 operating together with the batcher plant 100 are notified to a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal operated by a predetermined registered member at a predetermined time interval, in the same manner as the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin 101. Thus, it becomes possible to easily manage the materials in the silos 108 and 109 even when not on site.

[0067] FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the control PC 107 shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3 in the first embodiment. The control PC 107 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 701, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 702, a RAM 703 (Random Access Memory), an external storage device 704, an input unit 705, a display unit 706, an interface unit 707, and a network communication unit 708, which are interconnected by a system bus 709.

[0068] The CPU 701 loads the control processing program stored in the ROM 702 into the RAM 703 and executes it. By executing this program, the first to fourth control processes by the control PC 107 in the above-described first embodiment are realized.

[0069] The ROM 702 is a non-volatile memory that stores the control processing program.

[0070] The RAM 703 is a memory that allows random access. The CPU 701 loads program data from the ROM 702 into the RAM 703 and executes it when executing the control processing program. Also, the RAM 703 is used as a work memory when executing the control processing program.

[0071] The external storage device 704 is, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive) or a hard disk, and stores data input from the rider sensor 103 and the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5), data to be transmitted to the registered user, and the like.

[0072] The input unit 705 is, for example, a keyboard or a mouse input device, and inputs data, parameters, etc. that require input during the execution of the control processing program.

[0073] The display unit 706 is, for example, a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Cristal Display), an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel, or an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and displays the point cloud data acquired from the lidar sensor 103 illustrated in FIG. 4, information such as the volume and filling rate of the aggregate.

[0074] The interface unit 707 converts the point cloud data from the lidar sensor 103 from analog data to digital data by an A / D converter (not shown) and stores it in the external storage device 704 (which may be the RAM 703). Also, the interface unit 707 outputs hitting instruction data to the hitting device 602 in the remaining amount detection unit 601 described in FIG. 6, and converts the voice signal collected by the microphone 603 in the remaining amount detection unit 601 from an analog voice signal to a digital voice signal by an A / D converter (not shown) and stores it in the external storage device 704 (which may be the RAM 703).

[0075] The network communication unit 708 transmits data such as the remaining amount information (volume, filling rate) of the aggregate, the remaining amount information of cement or fly ash, etc. to be transmitted to a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal of a registered user that can communicate via the Internet (not shown) via the Internet (not shown) to the block network or the Internet (not shown).

[0076] FIGS. 8 and 9 are flowcharts showing an example of the control processing program executed by the control PC 107 in the first embodiment. This control processing program starts running and starts execution when the batcher plant 100 starts operating.

[0077] First, the CPU 701 resets, for example, a notification timer, which is a variable on the RAM 703 that counts the time interval for notifying the registered user, to a value of 0 (step S801 in FIG. 8). The value of this notification timer automatically times out as time elapses by a timer interrupt process (not shown).

[0078] Next, after the CPU 701 initializes the value of the variable i on the RAM 703 to 1 in step S802 of FIG. 8, while sequentially incrementing the value of the variable i by +1 in step S807 of FIG. 8, the CPU 701 repeatedly executes the processes from steps S803 to S807 in sequence until it is determined in step S806 of FIG. 8 that the value is equal to 3.

[0079] In this series of processes, first, the CPU 701 acquires the point cloud data of the first aggregate bin 101 (#1) of the i = 1st from the rider sensor 103 (#1) (step S803 in FIG. 8).

[0080] Next, based on the point cloud data acquired in step S803, the CPU 701 calculates the volume and filling rate of the remaining amount of the aggregate in the first aggregate bin 101 (#1) of the i = 1st (step S804 in FIG. 8).

[0081] Furthermore, the CPU 701 calculates the three-dimensional coordinate position with the highest stacking height of the aggregate in the first aggregate bin 101 (#1) of the i = 1st (step S805 in FIG. 8).

[0082] After that, the CPU 701 determines whether the value of the variable i has become equal to 3 (step S806 in FIG. 8).

[0083] If the determination in step S806 is NO, the CPU 701 increments the value of the variable i by +1 (step S807 in FIG. 8) and returns to the process of step S803 in FIG. 8.

[0084] In the above manner, for each of the first aggregate bin 101 (#1), the second aggregate bin 101 (#2), and the third aggregate bin 101 (#3), point cloud data is respectively acquired from the lidar sensors 103 (#1), 103 (#2), and 103 (#3), the volume and filling rate of the remaining amount of aggregate in each aggregate bin 101 are calculated, and the three-dimensional coordinate position with the highest stacking height of each aggregate is calculated.

[0085] Next, after the CPU 701 initializes the value of the variable j on the RAM 703 to 1 in step S808 of FIG. 8, while sequentially incrementing the value of the variable j by +1 in step S813 of FIG. 8, the CPU 701 repeatedly executes the processes of steps S809 to S813 in sequence until it is determined in step S812 of FIG. 8 that the value is equal to 2.

[0086] In this series of processes, first, the CPU 701 acquires the point cloud data of the first aggregate hopper 102 (#1) of the j = 1st from the lidar sensor 103 (#5) (step S809 of FIG. 8).

[0087] Next, the CPU 701 calculates the volume of the remaining amount of aggregate in the first aggregate hopper 102 (#1) of the j = 1st based on the point cloud data acquired in step S809 (step S810 of FIG. 8).

[0088] Furthermore, the CPU 701 calculates the three-dimensional coordinate position with the lowest stacking height of the aggregate in the first aggregate hopper 102 (#1) of the j = 1st (step S811 of FIG. 8).

[0089] After that, the CPU 701 determines whether the value of the variable j has become equal to 2 (step S812 of FIG. 8).

[0090] If the determination in step S806 is NO, the CPU 701 increments the value of the variable j by +1 (step S813 of FIG. 8) and returns to the process of step S808 of FIG. 8. In the second loop, point cloud data is acquired from the lidar sensor 103 (#5).

[0091] In the above manner, for each of the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) and the second aggregate hopper 102(#2), point cloud data is acquired from the rider sensors 103(#4) and 103(#5), respectively, the volume of the remaining amount of aggregate in each aggregate hopper 102 is calculated, and the three-dimensional coordinate position with the lowest stacking height of each aggregate is calculated.

[0092] Subsequently, after the CPU 701 re-initializes the value of the variable j on the RAM 703 to 1 at step S814 in FIG. 9, while sequentially incrementing the value of the variable j by +1 at step S823 in FIG. 9, the CPU 701 repeatedly executes the processes from step S815 to S823 sequentially until it is determined that the value is equal to 2 at step S822 in FIG. 9.

[0093] In this series of processes, first, the CPU 701 determines whether the volume of the remaining amount of the first aggregate hopper 102(#1) calculated at step S810 in FIG. 8 when the variable j = 1 is smaller than a predetermined threshold value (step S815 in FIG. 9).

[0094] If the determination at step S815 is NO, the CPU 701 skips the processes from step S816 to S821 and proceeds to the process at step S822.

[0095] If the determination at step S815 is YES, the j-th aggregate hopper 102 is in a state where replenishment is required. In this case, the CPU 701 first determines whether the value of the variable j is 1 (step S816 in FIG. 9).

[0096] If the determination at step S816 is YES, replenishment is required for the first aggregate hopper 102(#1). Since there are two aggregate bins 101, namely the first aggregate bin 101(#1) and the second aggregate bin 101(#2), it is necessary to select one of them as the replenishment source. Therefore, the CPU 701 sets the three-dimensional coordinate position of the larger of the remaining volumes of the aggregates calculated in step S804 of FIG. 8 in either the first aggregate bin 101 (#1) or the second aggregate bin 101 (#2) as the replenishment source coordinate position (step S817 of FIG. 9).

[0097] On the other hand, if the determination in step S816 is NO, replenishment of the second aggregate hopper 102 (#2) is required, and the corresponding aggregate bin 101 is only one of the third aggregate bins 101 (#3). Therefore, the CPU 701 sets the three-dimensional coordinate position of the third aggregate bin 101 (#3) as the replenishment source coordinate position (step S818 of FIG. 9).

[0098] After the process of step S817 or S818, the CPU 701 moves the clam shell bucket 201 to the replenishment source coordinate position set in step S817 or S818. Then, the CPU 701 causes the buckets 301 (#1) and 301 (#2) (see FIG. 3) of the clam shell bucket 201 to open and then close towards the highest position of the aggregates in the aggregate bin 101, thereby lifting the aggregates (above, step S819 of FIG. 9).

[0099] Subsequently, the CPU 701 sets the three-dimensional coordinate position calculated in step S811 of FIG. 8 of the j-th aggregate hopper 102 where the shortage of the remaining amount was detected in step S815 of the aggregate-lifted clam shell bucket 201 as the replenishment destination coordinate position (step S820 of FIG. 9).

[0100] The CPU 701 moves the clam shell bucket 201 to the replenishment destination coordinate position set in step S820. Then, the CPU 701 executes an operation of opening the buckets 301 (#1) and 301 (#2) (see FIG. 3) of the clam shell bucket 201 to drop and replenish the aggregates towards the lowest position in the aggregate hopper 102 (above, step S821 of FIG. 9).

[0101] After that, the CPU 701 determines whether the value of the variable j has become equal to 2 (step S822 in FIG. 9).

[0102] If the determination in step S822 is NO, the CPU 701 increments the value of the variable j by +1 (step S823 in FIG. 9), and returns to the process of step S815 in FIG. 9.

[0103] As described above, for each of the first aggregate hopper 102 (#1) and the second aggregate hopper 102 (#2), it is determined whether the remaining amount of the aggregate is insufficient, and the shortage is automatically replenished from the aggregate bin 101.

[0104] After that, the CPU 701 determines whether the value of the notification timer, which is a variable on the RAM 703, has timed out (become equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value) due to the elapse of a predetermined time from the previous notification time (step S824 in FIG. 9).

[0105] If the determination in step S824 is NO, the CPU 701 returns to the process of step S802 in FIG. 8 without executing the notification operation after step S825, and repeatedly executes the operation of measuring the remaining amounts of the aggregate bin 101 and the aggregate hopper 102.

[0106] When the determination in step S824 becomes YES due to the notification timer timing out, the CPU 701 transmits, via the network communication unit 708, display data such as that illustrated in FIG. 5 described above, which summarizes the volumes and filling rates of the remaining amounts of the aggregates in the first aggregate bin 101 (#1), the second aggregate bin 101 (#2), and the third aggregate bin 101 (#3) calculated by the repetitive process of step S804 in FIG. 8, to the terminal devices of the registered members registered separately in advance.

[0107] Subsequently, the CPU 701 calculates the remaining amount positions of the cement and fly ash for each of the cement silo 108 and the fly ash silo 109 (step S826 in FIG. 9). Specifically, in step S826, the CPU 701 first sequentially executes operations on each of the impact sound devices 602 of the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5) provided on the side wall 605 of the cement silo 108. As a result, the impact sounds collected by the microphones 603 of the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5) are captured into the external storage device 704 (which may be the RAM 703) via the interface unit 707. Next, in step S826, the CPU 701 performs frequency analysis (for example, fast Fourier transform) on each of the impact sounds captured for each of the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5), and detects the peak frequency of the impact sound with the largest frequency power. Then, in step S826, the CPU 701 determines the peak frequencies of the impact sounds detected for each of the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5) in order from the #1 remaining amount detection unit 601 corresponding to the lower position of the cement silo 108, and detects the height of the side wall 605 where the previous remaining amount detection unit 601 before the remaining amount detection unit 601 with a changed frequency is provided as the remaining amount position 606 (see FIG. 6) of the cement silo 108.

[0108] In step S826, the CPU 701 also performs the same processing as in the case of the cement silo 108 on the remaining amount detection units 601(#1) to 601(#5) provided on the side wall 605 of the flash silo 109. As a result, in step S826, the CPU 701 detects the remaining amount position 606 of the flash silo 109.

[0109] Subsequently, the CPU 701 transmits the remaining amounts of cement and flash of the cement silo 108 and the flash silo 109 calculated in step S826 of FIG. 9 to the terminal devices of the registered members in the same manner as in step S825 of FIG. 9 (step S827 of FIG. 9).

[0110] Finally, the CPU 701 resets the value of the notification timer, which is a variable on the RAM 703, to 0 (step S828 of FIG. 9). Thereafter, the CPU 701 returns to the process of step S802 in FIG. 8 and repeatedly executes the operation of measuring the remaining amounts of the aggregate bin 101 and the aggregate hopper 102.

[0111] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, there is provided, for example, a network camera (imaging device) 1001 that automatically captures work images within a construction work site, for example, a tunnel excavation work site 1002 as shown in FIG. 10.

[0112] Then, a control computer similar to the control PC 107 in the first embodiment, or a control computer that is a server computer prepared on the cloud of the Internet, uses a work process determination model obtained by machine learning of work images previously captured at a tunnel excavation work site, for example, to infer the work process based on the work images newly captured by the network camera 1001.

[0113] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the work process inferred in the second embodiment. In FIG. 11, the work times of a day for work processes such as drilling and charging work, blasting work, squeezing and carrying out work, and spraying work are inferred.

[0114] After inferring the work process in this way, the control computer infers the timing of using the concrete manufactured by the batching plant and executes a fifth control process for predicting the usage amounts of materials such as aggregates and cement.

[0115] Furthermore, the control computer executes a sixth control process of notifying, at a predetermined time interval, the usage amount of the materials required for the spraying work predicted by the fifth control process to a terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal operated by a predetermined registered member.

[0116] According to the above second embodiment, it becomes possible to easily perform material management in accordance with the progress of the work at the site.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0117] 100 Batch Plant 101 Aggregate Bin 101(#1) First Aggregate Bin 101(#2) Second Aggregate Bin 101(#3) Third Aggregate Bin 102 Aggregate Hopper 102(#1) First Aggregate Hopper 102(#2) Second Aggregate Hopper 103, 103(#1), 103(#2), 103(#3), 103(#4), 103(#5) Lidar Sensor 104(#1) First Belt Conveyor 104(#2) Second Belt Conveyor 105(#1) First Weighing Scale 105(#2) Second Weighing Scale 106 Mixer 107 Control PC 108 Cement Silo 109 Fly Ash Silo 201 Clam Shell Bucket 202 Trolley 203 Winch 204 Wire 205(#1), 205(#2) Travel Rail 206 Girder Rail 207(#1), 207(#2) Saddle 208(#1), 208(#2) Beam 209(#1), 209(#2) Left and Right Side Walls 210, 211 Pressure Pipe 212 Hinge Axis 301(#1), 301(#2) Bucket 302(#1), 302(#1) Side Wall 601, 601(#1), 601(#2), 601(#3), 601(#4), 601(#5) Remaining Quantity Detection Unit 602 Impact Sound Device 603 Microphone 604 Magnet 605 Side Wall 606 Remaining Quantity Position 701 CPU 702 ROM 703 RAM 704 External memory device 705 Input unit 706 Display unit 707 Interface unit 708 Network communication unit 709 System bus 1001 Network camera 1002 Tunnel excavation work site

Claims

1. An aggregate bin residual amount sensor that is installed corresponding to an aggregate bin for storing aggregates in a batcher plant and is used to measure the remaining amount of aggregates in the aggregate bin, and A control computer that notifies a terminal device of a predetermined registered member of the remaining amount of the aggregates in the aggregate bin measured using the aggregate bin residual amount sensor, A material management system comprising.

2. The aggregate bin residual amount sensor is installed above the aggregate bin, measures scattered light with respect to laser irradiation that emits light in pulses, and is a lidar sensor that acquires point cloud data indicating each distance to each of a plurality of points on the surface of the aggregates in the aggregate bin, Based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor, the control computer calculates the volume of the aggregates in the aggregate bin or the ratio of the volume to the aggregate capacity that the aggregate bin can store as the remaining amount, The material management system according to claim 1.

3. A crane device installed in a batcher plant and capable of moving and opening / closing a clam shell bucket at any three-dimensional coordinate position within a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate defined within the batcher plant, An aggregate hopper installed in the batcher plant and placing the aggregates on a belt conveyor that transports the aggregates, An aggregate hopper residual amount sensor installed corresponding to the aggregate hopper, Further comprising, The aggregate hopper residual amount sensor measures the remaining amount of the aggregates in the aggregate hopper, The control computer, When it is determined based on the measurement of the aggregate hopper residual amount sensor that the remaining amount of the aggregates in the aggregate hopper has become equal to or less than a threshold value, the clam shell bucket is moved to the three-dimensional coordinate position of the aggregate bin to pick up the aggregates stored in the aggregate bin, and then the clam shell bucket is moved to the three-dimensional coordinate position of the aggregate hopper, and the aggregates held by the clam shell bucket are dropped into the aggregate hopper, The material management system according to claim 2.

4. The control computer, Based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor, calculates the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height at which the aggregates are stacked is the highest within the aggregate bin corresponding to the lidar sensor, The picking up is performed at the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height is the highest, Based on the point cloud data acquired by the lidar sensor, calculate the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height at which the aggregate is stacked in the aggregate hopper corresponding to the lidar sensor is the lowest. Cause the dropping to be performed at the three-dimensional coordinate position where the height is the lowest. The material management system according to claim 3.

5. The control computer When it is calculated that the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate hopper has reached or fallen below a threshold value when the aggregate is stored in a plurality of aggregate bins, until the amount of the aggregate stored in any one of the plurality of aggregate bins reaches or falls below a predetermined amount, move the clam shell bucket to the aggregate bin and cause the picking up to be performed. The material management system according to claim 3.

6. On the side surface of the silo for storing the materials for manufacturing concrete by mixing with the aggregate, a plurality of sound hitting devices are installed at intervals in the height direction, each hitting the side wall of the silo at the installed location, and a microphone for collecting the sound of the sound hitting device are further provided, and a remaining amount detection unit is included. The control computer Detect the remaining amount of the material in the silo based on the change in the sound collected by each of the microphones in the plurality of remaining amount detection units. Notify the detected remaining amount of the material in the silo to the terminal device operated by the predetermined registered member. The material management system according to claim 1.

7. Further include a photographing device for photographing the work video at the work site. The control computer Using the work process determination model obtained by machine learning the work video, based on the work video newly photographed by the photographing device, estimate the timing when the concrete manufactured by the batching plant is used, and predict the usage amount of the concrete materials. Notify the predicted usage amount of the materials to the terminal device operated by the predetermined registered member. The material management system according to claim 1.

8. The control computer Measure the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin using the aggregate bin remaining amount sensor installed corresponding to the aggregate bin for storing the aggregate in the batching plant. Notify the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin measured using the aggregate bin remaining amount sensor to the terminal device of a predetermined registered member. Material management method.

9. To the control computer Cause the material of the aggregate in the aggregate bin to be measured using the aggregate bin remaining amount sensor installed corresponding to the aggregate bin for storing the aggregate in the batching plant. A program that causes a process to notify a terminal device of a predetermined registered member of the remaining amount of the aggregate in the aggregate bin measured using the remaining amount sensor for the aggregate bin. A program that executes the process.

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