Coating management device and coating management system

Abstract

The coating management device makes it possible to estimate the time for repairs through analysis of the deterioration of the coating applied to the workpiece. [Solution] The coating film management device comprises a wireless communication device that is fixed to a workpiece and covered by a coating film, and a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies. The wireless communication device has an antenna that receives radio waves emitted from the receiver, a control circuit that is powered from the radio waves, and a memory that stores the radio wave strength for each measured frequency. The receiver has a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device and transmits and receives data, a measuring unit that measures the radio wave strength for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, and a deterioration estimation unit that estimates deterioration of the coating film using the radio wave strength measured by the measuring unit.

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] Buildings and other structures, bridges and other structures (hereinafter, buildings and structures are collectively referred to as "structures") are constantly exposed to rain, wind, ultraviolet rays, etc., so they are painted and a coating is formed not only from the viewpoint of aesthetics, but also from the viewpoint of protecting the structure. However, because the coating is formed in the place most susceptible to the effects of rain, wind, and ultraviolet rays, it deteriorates over time, and if this deterioration is left unchecked, it will hasten the deterioration of the structure itself. Therefore, it is desirable to detect the deterioration of the coating at the appropriate time and repaint it.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which an electric current is passed through a coating film to measure the impedance, and the degree of deterioration of the coating film is diagnosed based on the measurement results, thereby estimating the time for repainting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-014067 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The impedance of a coating can be measured by passing a current through a metal substrate. However, the surface of a workpiece is not necessarily made of metal, for example concrete, and it is desirable to be able to predict the deterioration of a coating regardless of the material of the workpiece.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to be able to determine the quality of a coating film, regardless of the material of the base, and to determine when the coating film needs to be redone (repainted).

[0007] The present disclosure has been proposed in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a coating management device that is capable of measuring and diagnosing the deterioration state of a coating applied to a workpiece using radio waves at multiple frequencies, and also managing the information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the coating film management device of the present disclosure comprises a wireless communication device fixed to a workpiece and covered by a coating film, and a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies, 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 the radio wave strength for each measured frequency, and the receiver has a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device and transmits and receives data, a measuring unit that measures the radio wave strength for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, and a deterioration estimation unit that estimates deterioration of the coating film using the radio wave strength measured by the measuring unit.

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the coating film management system of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of wireless communication devices fixed to a workpiece and covered with a coating film, and a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication devices via radio waves of two or more frequencies, 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 the radio wave strength for each measured frequency, the receiver having a transceiver unit for communicating with the wireless communication devices and transmitting and receiving data, a measuring unit for measuring the radio wave strength for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication devices, and a deterioration estimation unit for numerically estimating the deterioration of the coating film as a deterioration index using the radio wave strength measured by the measuring unit. Effect of the Invention

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

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a coating film management 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] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the contents stored in a coating 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] 2 is a diagram showing an example of the contents stored in a coating DB 121 of a storage unit 120 of a wireless communication device 100. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a control process performed by receiver 200 when performing degradation estimation. [Figure 10] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing basic functions of a receiver 500. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a specific example of a correspondence table used by a film thickness estimation unit 534. [Figure 12] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a control process when the receiver 500 estimates a repair time. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a specific configuration of a coating film management system 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the first embodiment, deterioration of a coating film is estimated using radio wave intensities measured at multiple frequencies and multiple points in time. Note that the embodiment described below does not unduly limit the contents of the present disclosure described in the claims. In addition, not all of the components shown in the embodiment are necessarily essential components of the present disclosure.

[0013] (Overall configuration of coating film management device 10) 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a coating film management device 10. The coating film management device 10 is composed of a wireless communication device 100 and a receiver 200. The wireless communication device 100 is installed 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 to form a coating film. 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 in contact with the paint or away from the paint so that the strength of radio waves passing through the thickness of the paint applied to the wireless communication device 100 can be measured and analyzed. The receiver 200 measures the strength of radio waves received from the wireless communication device 100, reads out data stored in the memory 103 of the wireless communication device 100, and stores the data in the memory 103 of the wireless communication device 100. It is preferable to install the receiver 200 and the wireless communication device 100 so that the distance between the receiver 200 and the wireless communication device 100 is always kept constant. This is because, as described later, by keeping the distance between the receiver 200 and the wireless communication device 100 constant, the receiver 200 can accurately measure the strength of radio waves emitted from the wireless communication device 100.

[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, and is formulated not only with materials intended to beautify the workpiece 300, but also with materials intended to protect the workpiece 300, such as waterproofing materials.

[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 or receives radio waves in order to perform wireless communication with the receiver 200. The antenna 101 is configured to be capable of transmitting radio waves of two or more different frequencies.

[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 radio wave intensity, etc. The memory 103 is realized by a non-volatile memory, and retains the stored data even if 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 the material, date and time, radio wave intensity for each frequency, degradation index, and film thickness read from the storage unit 120 via the control unit 130 to the receiver 200. Also, for example, the communication unit 110 communicates with the receiver 200, and stores data such as the material, date and time, radio wave intensity for each frequency, degradation index, and film thickness received from the receiver 200 in the storage unit 120 via the control unit 130.

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

[0027] Providing the wireless communication device 100 with the storage unit 120 makes it possible to store data together with the structure 300, rather than in a system or medium separate from the structure 300. Since the structure 300 generally lasts for several decades until it is demolished and its function is completed, there is a risk of data loss if the data is stored on a separate system or device. By storing data in the wireless communication device 100 installed together with the structure 300 as in the present disclosure, there is no risk of data loss even if the manager or owner is changed. This makes it possible to manage the system without any hassle.

[0028] The control unit 130 controls the operation of the wireless communication device 100 by the control circuit 102 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 the material, date and time, radio wave intensity for each frequency, deterioration index, and film thickness from the storage unit 120, or writes information such as the material, date and time, radio wave intensity for each frequency, deterioration index, and film thickness into the storage unit 120 and stores it therein.

[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 memory unit 120 stores the time (temporal information such as date and time) when the workpiece was completed (when the coating was applied), the material, the coating thickness when completed (when the coating was applied), the radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio wave received by the receiver 200 from the wireless communication device 100, the deterioration index, the coating thickness, the time when these were measured, etc. In addition, the memory unit 120 may store location information and an identifier (ID) relating to the place where the measurements were made, or a part of these elements 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 coating film DB 121 of the storage unit 120. It shows that on October 1, 2000, when the workpiece was completed, the coating 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 in both the 900 MHz and 2.45 GHz bands. 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 in the 900 MHz band and 340 mW in the 2.45 GHz band, and therefore the estimated deterioration index was 0.09 and the estimated coating thickness was 1.8 mm.

[0033] The memory unit 120 stores the date and time of completion of the work, the material, and the film thickness, so that the data can be referenced even if the owner or manager is changed, or the work-related documents are lost. Furthermore, by storing the measurement date and time after the completion of the work, the radio wave strength for each frequency, the deterioration index, the film thickness, etc., it is possible to grasp the elapsed time since the completion of the work and the degree of deterioration of the coating film itself, and use this information for analysis. In addition, by installing the wireless communication device 100 at multiple locations on the work, it is possible to grasp the degree of deterioration at each location on the work 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 stored in the wireless communication device 100, such as the material, date and time, radio wave intensity for each frequency, a degradation index, and a film thickness, 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] Control unit 230 is realized by processor 201 of receiver 200 reading a program stored in storage unit 220 and executing instructions included in the program. Control unit 230 controls the operation of receiver 200. Specifically, control unit 230 fulfills the functions of transmission / reception unit 231, measurement unit 232, and deterioration 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 the material, date and time, radio wave intensity for each frequency, deterioration index, and film thickness 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 radio waves emitted from the antenna 101 of the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210. The communication unit 210 is capable of measuring radio wave intensity at two or more frequencies, and the measuring unit 232 measures the intensity of radio waves emitted from the antenna 101 of the wireless communication device 100 for each frequency. At this time, 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 and frequency information at the time of measurement.

[0044] The measuring unit 232 stores the time information at the time of measurement together with the radio wave intensity in the memory unit 120 of the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210, and can analyze these data to analyze the elapsed time from the completion of the workpiece and the transition of the radio wave intensity. In addition, the measuring unit 232 can obtain basic information for analyzing not only the film thickness but also the degree of deterioration of the coating film by measuring the radio wave intensity for each frequency.

[0045] The deterioration estimation unit 233 estimates the deterioration of the coating of the paint 400 placed on the wireless communication device 100, using the radio wave intensity for each frequency measured by the measurement unit 232. For example, when the coating becomes thinner due to the influence of rain, wind, ultraviolet rays, etc., it is possible to measure the coating thickness by transmitting radio waves between the coating thickness and measuring the radio wave intensity. At this time, by using radio waves of multiple frequency bands, the radio wave intensity received in the frequency band changes according to the change in the quality of the coating, and the frequency characteristics change.

[0046] For example, the degradation estimation unit 233 may use information at multiple points in time regarding the radio wave strength for each frequency estimated by the measurement unit 232, and may calculate the radio wave strength based on changes in the frequency characteristics of the radio wave strength.

[0047] More specifically, the deterioration estimation unit 233 may perform the following calculation. The radio wave strength of frequency f1 at time t1 is P(t1,f1), and the radio wave strength of frequency f2 is P(t1,f2). Similarly, the radio wave strength of frequency f1 at time t2 is P(t2,f1), and the radio wave strength of frequency f2 is P(t2,f2), and the radio wave strength of frequency f1 at time ta is P(ta,f1), and the radio wave strength of frequency f2 is P(ta,f2). If there is no quality change in the coating film, P(t1,f1) / P(t1,f2) and P(ta,f1) / P(ta,f2) will be the same value, but if there is a quality change, the ratio of P(ta,f1) / P(ta,f2) will change. Therefore, the deterioration index is defined as D1, which is the magnitude (absolute value) of (P(ta,f1) / P(ta,f2)-P(t1,f1) / P(t1,f2)), and the magnitude of D1 is defined as the deterioration index, making it possible to estimate the degree of deterioration of the coating film.

number

[0048] As described above, the deterioration estimation unit 233 may estimate the degree of deterioration using as an index the difference between the ratio of radio wave strength for each frequency measured by the measurement unit 232 at a certain time and the ratio of radio wave strength for each frequency measured by the measurement unit 232 at a time immediately after the paint has been applied.

[0049] The deterioration estimation unit 233 may use a threshold value TD and, if D1>TD, determine that deterioration has progressed to the extent that repainting is necessary, and determine whether or not repainting (repair) is necessary.

[0050] (How to Install the Receiver 200 for Measuring Radio Field Intensity) Since receiver 200 analyzes deterioration and estimates film thickness using the radio wave intensity emitted from wireless communication device 100, correct coating film management cannot be achieved if the position of receiver 200 changes each time. Therefore, it is desirable to install receiver 200 in the same position for each measurement.

[0051] Fig. 7 shows an example of a method of installing the receiver 200 when performing deterioration analysis and film thickness estimation. As shown in Fig. 7, a sensor portion for deterioration analysis and film thickness estimation is installed as a probe 240, and the probe 240 is brought into contact with the paint 400 to measure the radio wave intensity. Note that the radio wave intensity may be measured by bringing the radio wave transmitting / receiving unit 231 of the receiver 200 into contact with the paint 400 without installing the probe 240.

[0052] Furthermore, although the wireless communication device 100 has a fixed surface, if the distance between the radio wave transmitting / receiving unit 231 (probe 240 if probe 240 is installed) of the receiver 200 and the antenna 101 of the wireless communication device 100 varies for each measurement, the radio wave intensity cannot be measured correctly. Therefore, for example, the radio wave transmitting / receiving unit 231 (probe 240 if probe 240 is set) of the receiver 200 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 231 (probe 240 if probe 240 is set) of the receiver 200 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.

[0053] Furthermore, rails for moving radio wave transmitting / receiving unit 231 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 strongest value of radio wave intensity may be taken as the measured value. Installing rails allows measurements to be made on the same track, thereby improving the accuracy of deterioration analysis and film thickness estimation.

[0054] The method of installing receiver 200 is not limited to the above. For example, the installation position of 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 paint 400 by a method other than the above.

[0055] (Specific processing method for estimating deterioration) An example of a specific process of the degradation estimation unit 233 is shown. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, when the measurement unit 232 stores the radio wave strengths measured in two frequency bands (900 MHz and 2.45 GHz), the degradation estimation unit 233 calculates the ratio of the observed radio wave strength in each frequency band. In FIG. 4, the first radio wave strength was measured on October 1, 2000, so this is used as a reference. The ratio of the radio wave strengths of 900 MHz and 2.45 GHz on October 1, 2000 is 250 mW / 250 mW=1. Next, when estimating the degree of degradation on September 1, 2014, the ratio of the radio wave strengths of 900 MHz and 2.45 GHz is 510 mW / 630 mW=0.81. When applied to equation 1, 1-0.81=0.19 is obtained. This value is used as a degradation index, and the larger the degradation index, the greater the degree of degradation.

[0056] Another example is shown in Fig. 8. In this example, the degree of deterioration on September 1, 2014 is estimated to be 510mW / 520mW=0.98, which is 1-0.98=0.02 when applied to [Equation 1]. Compared to the example in Fig. 4, this value is smaller, so the deterioration is less. In this way, the deterioration estimation unit 233 may estimate the degree of deterioration using a numerical value, and may rank values ​​above a certain value as severely deteriorated and values ​​above another threshold as still deteriorating, etc.

[0057] (Processing flow) Hereinafter, an example of a control process executed by receiver 200 for degradation estimation will be described with reference to FIG.

[0058] The control unit 230 of the receiver 200 acquires information such as the material, the previously measured radio field intensity, the measurement date and time, and the film thickness from the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210 (step S101).

[0059] Control unit 230 of receiver 200 measures the radio wave intensity of radio waves emitted from wireless communication device 100 via communication unit 210 for a plurality of frequencies (step S102).

[0060] The control unit 230 of the receiver 200 estimates a deterioration index using the measured radio wave intensities of multiple frequency bands, previously measured radio wave intensities, measurement dates and times, etc., using, for example, the formula [1]. If the deterioration index exceeds a threshold, it may display that repairs are necessary (step S103).

[0061] (Explanation of effect) The configuration of the coating film management device 10 in the first embodiment has been described above, but by using the wireless communication device 100, it becomes 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, it becomes possible to grasp information about the film thickness and the material of the paint 400 at the time of construction, and information about deterioration of the coating film measured thereafter, because the data is stored in the wireless communication device 100 installed on the workpiece 300.

[0062] Moreover, by the wireless communication device 100 emitting radio waves at multiple frequencies, the receiver 200 can measure the radio wave intensity and compare it with the radio wave intensity of each frequency measured at an earlier point in time, thereby making it possible to analyze deterioration of the coating film. In this way, it is possible to estimate deterioration and / or thickness of the coating film by using the radio waves for communicating with the wireless communication device 100.

[0063] <Embodiment 2> In the second embodiment, receiver 500 is used instead of receiver 200, and deterioration of the coating film is measured using the measured film thickness in addition to the radio wave intensities at multiple frequencies. Furthermore, it is possible to estimate the time to repair the coating film using the radio wave intensities at multiple frequencies measured at multiple points in time and the measured film thickness.

[0064] 10 is a block diagram for explaining basic functions of receiver 500. Receiver 500 includes communication unit 210, storage unit 220, and control unit 530. Communication unit 210 and storage unit 220 are similar to receiver 200.

[0065] The control unit 530 is realized by the processor of the receiver 500 reading a program stored in the storage unit 220 and executing instructions included in the program. The control unit 530 controls the operation of the receiver 500. Specifically, the control unit 530 fulfills the functions of a transmission / reception unit 231, a measurement unit 232, a deterioration estimation unit 533, a film thickness estimation unit 534, and a repair estimation unit 535. The transmission / reception unit 231 and the measurement unit 232 are similar to the control unit 230, and therefore only the differences from the control unit 230 will be described.

[0066] The deterioration estimation unit 533 in the receiver 500 estimates the deterioration of the coating film using coefficients according to the observed radio wave intensities of multiple frequencies, the film thickness, and the material. The film thickness may be determined using the results of the film thickness estimation unit 534. The radio wave intensity of frequency f1 is P(f1), the radio wave intensity of frequency f2 is P(f2), and the film thickness is d. The coefficient according to frequency f, which corresponds to the transmittance and which satisfies the relationship shown in [Equation 2], is Af.

number

[0067] If the coefficient when there is no degradation is Af and the coefficient including degradation calculated from the actually observed value is A'f, then the degradation index D2, which is an index showing degradation, can be calculated as shown in [Equation 3] using the actually observed radio wave intensity P(fi) and film thickness d when the frequencies for measuring radio wave intensity are f1 and f2.

number

[0068] The deterioration estimation unit 533 can estimate the degree of deterioration by using the deterioration index D2 instead of the deterioration index D1 calculated by the deterioration estimation unit 233. Then, the deterioration index D2 can estimate the degree of deterioration even without time-course data, if there is information on the coefficient A according to the material and the film thickness d in addition to the measured radio wave intensity P.

[0069] The film thickness estimation unit 534 may estimate the film thickness of the paint 400 placed on the wireless communication device 100, for example, by using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232. At this time, 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.

[0070] The film thickness estimation unit 534 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.

[0071] The film thickness estimation unit 534 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

[0072] As described above, the result of estimation by the film thickness estimation unit 534 can be used as the film thickness measured by the receiver 200.

[0073] Furthermore, the film thickness estimation unit 534 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.

[0074] However, the film thickness estimation unit 534 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 534 may estimate the film thickness using such a method.

[0075] The repair estimation unit 535 estimates the time when repair is necessary using the deterioration data of the coating film estimated by the deterioration estimation unit 533 at a plurality of measurement time points. Since the deterioration data estimated by the deterioration estimation unit 533 is estimated based on the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232 and the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit 534, that is, the time when repair is necessary is estimated using these data.

[0076] Regarding the coating film of the workpiece, when the coating film falls below a certain value, repainting is necessary, and also when the deterioration progresses beyond a certain level, repainting is necessary. Therefore, when the film thickness is d, the threshold thickness for repainting the film thickness is Td, the deterioration index is D, and the threshold deterioration index for repainting the deterioration is TD, repainting is performed at the time when d < Td and / or D > TD, that is, when repair is necessary.

[0077] The repair estimation unit 535 estimates the time when d < Td and / or D > TD. The deterioration estimation unit 533 and the film thickness estimation unit 534 store information such as the time point (temporal information) at which the measurement was performed, the radio wave intensity, the estimated film thickness, and the deterioration index in the coating film DB121, and use this information to estimate the time when d < Td and / or D > TD.

[0078] When estimating the time when d < Td and / or D > TD, the repair estimation unit 535 may estimate the time point using a method such as regression analysis. For example, regarding the decrease in the film thickness, the time when d < Td may be estimated using simple regression analysis with the elapsed time from the time when the coating film was formed on the workpiece as the explanatory variable for the film thickness d. Similarly, for the deterioration index D of the coating film, the time when D > TD may be estimated using simple regression analysis with the formula shown in [Equation 3] using the elapsed time as the explanatory variable.

[0079] The repair estimation unit 535 may estimate the time when d TD as the repair time when the film thickness becomes thinner than the threshold value or the deterioration index exceeds the threshold value, or may estimate the time when d TD when the film thickness becomes thinner than the threshold value and the deterioration index exceeds the threshold value as the repair time.

[0080] (Specific processing method for estimating film thickness - when using the correspondence table) An example of film thickness measurement in film thickness estimation by film thickness estimation unit 534 of receiver 500 is shown below. First, probe 240 of receiver 500 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 500 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 500 to measure the radio wave intensity.

[0081] The transmitting / receiving unit 231 of the receiver 500 acquires in advance the material data from the coating film 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 534 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.

[0082] 11 shows a specific example of the correspondence table used by the film thickness estimation unit 534. 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 534 calculates 0.11 mm, which corresponds to 990 mW in the correspondence table, as the film thickness to be estimated.

[0083] (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 500 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 500 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 500 detects the radio waves and measures the radio wave strength.

[0084] The transmitting and receiving unit 231 of the receiver 500 acquires material data and the radio wave intensity P0 emitted by the wireless communication device 100 from the coating film DB121 of the wireless communication device 100 in advance. Also, the storage unit 220 of the receiver 500 stores the transmittance T corresponding to the material. For example, assume that the material is A and its transmittance T = 1.

[0085] Assuming that the strongest radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit 232 is P = 250, the transmittance T = 1, and P0 = 1000, the film thickness estimation unit 534 calculates d = 2 using [Equation 5] and sets this as the film thickness of the estimation result.

[0086] (Specific processing method for repair estimation) A specific example of the repair estimation unit 535 is shown. For example, when the coating completion date of the coating film is set as day 0, the number of elapsed days is N (days), and the film thickness is d (mm), and the combinations of (d, N) are observed as (0.1, 0), (0.095, 740), (0.089, 1440), (0.083, 2220), (0.078, 2930), using regression analysis, N = -130924d + 13118. When the film thickness threshold Td = 0.075, it becomes 3298.7. Therefore, the day when d < Td is 3299 days after the coating completion date, and it is estimated that the coating film should be repainted on this day.

[0087] Another specific example of the repair estimation unit 535 is shown. Regarding D2 represented by [Equation 3] using the coefficient Afi, the observed radio wave intensity P(fi), and the film thickness d, when the combinations of the number of elapsed days N (days) from the coating completion date of the coating film and the calculated D2, (D2, N), are calculated as (0, 0), (0.0001, 740), (0.00015, 1440), (0.00021, 2220), (0.00026, 2930), using regression analysis, N = 11413623D2 - 178. When the threshold TD of D2 = 0.00035, N = 3816.768. That is, the repair estimation unit 535 estimates 3817 days after the coating completion date as the day when D2 > TD, and it is estimated that the coating film should be repainted on this day.

[0088] (Flow of processing) Hereinafter, an example of control processing executed by the receiver 500 for film thickness measurement, deterioration estimation, and repair estimation will be described with reference to FIG.

[0089] The control unit 530 of the receiver 500 acquires information such as the material, the radio field intensity measured in the past, the measurement date and time, and the film thickness from the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210 (step S201).

[0090] Control unit 530 of receiver 500 measures the radio wave intensity of the radio wave emitted from wireless communication device 100 via communication unit 210 (step S202).

[0091] Control unit 530 of receiver 500 estimates the film thickness using the measured radio wave intensity, the acquired information on the material, and other information such as previously measured film thicknesses and measurement dates and times (step S503).

[0092] Control unit 530 of receiver 500 estimates a deterioration index using the measured radio wave intensities in a plurality of frequency bands, information on previously measured radio wave intensities, measurement dates and times, film thickness, and the like (step S504).

[0093] Control unit 230 of receiver 200 estimates the time when repairs will be required using information such as the measurement date and time, the radio wave intensity at the measurement date and time, the film thickness, and the deterioration index (step S505).

[0094] After estimating the film thickness, the control unit 230 of the receiver 200 transmits information such as the measurement date and time, film thickness, and radio wave intensity to the wireless communication device 100 via the communication unit 210 so that the wireless communication device 100 stores data related to the estimated film thickness. At this time, information on a deterioration index and an estimated time when repairs are required may also be transmitted (step S506).

[0095] (Explanation of effect) The configuration of the second embodiment has been described above, but by using the wireless communication device 100, it is possible to store data on 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 useful for analyzing deterioration of the paint film, such as the film thickness and the material of the paint 400 at the time of construction, as well as the film thickness and radio wave intensity measured thereafter.

[0096] 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 coating management as well, it is not necessary to use a separate mechanism for coating thickness measurement, such as a method using ultrasound or electric current, and it is possible to measure the coating thickness of the paint 400 with a simple configuration.

[0097] In addition, since the wireless communication device 100 emits radio waves at multiple frequencies, the receiver 500 can measure the radio wave intensity and compare it with the radio wave intensity of each frequency measured at an earlier point in time, thereby making it possible to analyze the deterioration of the coating film. In this way, it is possible to estimate the deterioration and / or thickness of the coating film by using the radio waves for communicating with the wireless communication device 100.

[0098] Furthermore, analysis of time-series data will also enable prediction of when repairs such as repainting will be required.

[0099] In addition, compared to a general 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 500 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.

[0100] (Paint film management system) The coating film management device 10 may be configured as a coating film management system 1 by including a plurality of wireless communication devices 100 and a single or a plurality of receivers 200 (or receivers 500).

[0101] 13 shows a configuration diagram of the coating management system 1. For example, the coating management system 1 is composed of multiple wireless communication devices 100-1 to 100-N and a receiver 200 (or a receiver 500). Note that the number of receivers 200 (or receivers 500) may be one or more.

[0102] Receiver 200 (or receiver 500) 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.

[0103] 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.

[0104] 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.

[0105] The repair estimation unit 535 of the receiver 500 in the coating management system 1 may be configured as follows to estimate the repair time.

[0106] The repair timing estimation unit 535 estimates the repair timing by calculating the time when, assuming the film thickness is d, the threshold thickness for re - coating the film thickness is Td, the deterioration index is D, and the index for re - coating due to deterioration is TD, d < Td and / or D > TD. At this time, since there are N wireless communication devices from 100 - 1 to 100 - N, the repair timing can be estimated by calculating the time when d < Td and / or D > TD in any of the wireless communication devices.

[0107] On the other hand, the repair timing estimation unit 535 may estimate the repair timing by, for example, setting a threshold TK for the number of wireless communication devices 100 where d < Td and / or D > TD, and calculating the time when the number K of wireless communication devices where d < Td and / or D > TD satisfies K > TK. At this time, after estimating the repair timing for all of the wireless communication devices from 100 - 1 to 100 - N, the time when K + 1 wireless communication devices 100 satisfy d < Td and / or D > TD is estimated.

[0108] This concludes the description of the embodiments. However, the above embodiments are merely examples. Therefore, the specific configurations, processing contents, etc. of the coating film management system 1, the wireless communication device 100, and the receiver 200 (or receiver 500) are not limited to those described in the above embodiments.

[0109] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments, and the present disclosure includes the invention described in the claims and its equivalent scope. Also, the configurations of the devices described in the above embodiments and modification examples can be combined as appropriate as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0110] 1...coating management system, 10...coating management device, 100·100-1 to 100-N...wireless communication device, 101...antenna, 102...control circuit, 103...memory, 110...communication unit, 120...storage unit, 121...coating DB, 130...control unit, 200·500...receiver, 201...processor, 202...memory, 203...storage, 204...communication IF, 205...input / output IF, 210...communication unit, 220...storage unit, 230·530...control unit, 231...transmitting / receiving unit, 232...measuring unit, 233·533...deterioration estimation unit, 534...film thickness estimation unit, 535...repair estimation unit, 240...probe, 300...workpiece, 400...paint, NW...network

Claims

1. A device for managing a coating film of a paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; The receiver is a coating film management device having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, and a deterioration estimation unit that estimates deterioration of the coating film using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit.

2. A device for managing a coating film of a paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; the receiver has a transmitting / receiving unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measuring unit that measures radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio wave received from the wireless communication device, and a deterioration estimation unit that estimates deterioration of the coating film numerically as a deterioration index using the radio wave intensity measured by the measuring unit, A coating film management device in which the deterioration index estimated by the deterioration estimation unit of the receiver is calculated based on changes in frequency characteristics of the radio wave intensity using the radio wave intensity measured at multiple points in time by the measurement unit.

3. A device for managing a coating film of a paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; the receiver has a transmitting / receiving unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measuring unit that measures radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio wave received from the wireless communication device, and a deterioration estimation unit that estimates deterioration of the coating film numerically as a deterioration index using the radio wave intensity measured by the measuring unit, The deterioration index estimated by the deterioration estimation unit of the receiver is calculated by the following formula, where the radio wave strength measured by the measurement unit is P(t1, f1) for frequency f1 at time t1, P(t1, f2) for frequency f2, P(ta, f1) for frequency f1 at time ta, and P(ta, f2) for frequency f2. [006]

4. A device for managing a coating film of a paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; The receiver is a coating film management device having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the coating film, and a deterioration estimation unit that estimates deterioration of the coating film using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit and the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit.

5. A device for managing a coating film of a paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; The receiver is a coating film management device having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the coating film using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit, and a deterioration estimation unit that estimates deterioration of the coating film using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit and the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit.

6. A device for managing a coating film of a paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; The receiver is a coating film management device having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the coating film, and a repair estimation unit that estimates the time for repairs using the radio wave intensities measured by the measurement unit at multiple times and the film thicknesses estimated by the film thickness estimation unit at multiple times.

7. A device for managing a coating film of a paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a wireless communication device fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; The receiver is a coating film management device having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the coating film, a deterioration estimation unit that calculates the degree of deterioration of the coating film as a deterioration index using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit and the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit, and a repair estimation unit that estimates the time when the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit will fall below a threshold and / or the time when the deterioration index estimated by the deterioration estimation unit will exceed a threshold as the time for repair.

8. A system for managing a coating of paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a plurality of wireless communication devices fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; The receiver is a coating film management system having a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measurement unit that measures the radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio waves received from the wireless communication device, a film thickness estimation unit that estimates the film thickness of the coating film, and a deterioration estimation unit that calculates the degree of deterioration of the coating film as a deterioration index using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit and the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit.

9. A system for managing a coating of paint applied to a workpiece, comprising: a plurality of wireless communication devices fixed to the workpiece and covered by the coating; a receiver for communicating with the wireless communication device via radio waves of two or more frequencies; the wireless communication device includes 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 radio wave intensity for each frequency; the receiver has a transceiver unit that communicates with the wireless communication device to transmit and receive data, a measurement unit that measures radio wave intensity for each frequency of the radio wave received from the wireless communication device, a film thickness estimation unit that estimates a film thickness of the coating film, a deterioration estimation unit that calculates a degree of deterioration of the coating film as a deterioration index using the radio wave intensity measured by the measurement unit and the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit, and a repair estimation unit that estimates, as the time for repair, a time when the film thickness estimated by the film thickness estimation unit will fall below a threshold value and / or a time when the deterioration index estimated by the deterioration estimation unit will exceed a threshold value; The repair estimation unit is a coating management system that estimates the time for repair for a number of the wireless communication devices that exceeds a threshold as the final time for repair.

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