Belt management device and belt management method

Abstract

The belt management device (10) is a belt management device that manages the damage state of a belt driven by a drive mechanism, and includes a belt surface measuring device (11) that measures the surface shape of the belt, a calculation device (12) that generates time-series data that associates information on the measured time-series belt surface shape with information on the measurement position on the belt, and an analysis device (14) that predicts the future damage state of the belt based on the time-series data.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a belt management device and a belt management method. [Background technology]

[0002] A belt conveyor, which has a conveyor belt wound around a pair of pulleys as a drive mechanism, is known as a conveying device for conveying materials such as raw materials. In a belt conveyor, the thickness of the conveyor belt needs to be controlled to prevent the conveyor belt from breaking.

[0003] In relation to the management of the thickness of a conveyor belt, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose an apparatus and a system for measuring the unevenness of the surface of a conveyor belt by a light cutting method using a line laser. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-76767 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-32346 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The techniques of Patent Documents 1 and 2 measure the unevenness of the conveyor belt surface to determine the damage state of the conveyor belt at the time of measurement. Here, stopping and replacing the conveyor belt must be carried out in a planned manner (at a set timing) because it affects the entire operation. Therefore, there is a demand for a technique to predict the damage state of the conveyor belt after the time of measurement.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a belt management device and a belt management method that can predict the damage state of a conveyor belt after measurement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) A belt management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: A belt management device for managing a damage state of a belt driven by a drive mechanism, a belt surface measuring device for measuring the surface shape of the belt; a computing device that generates time-series data that associates information on the measured surface shape of the belt over time with information on measurement positions on the belt; and an analysis device that predicts the future damage state of the belt based on the time-series data.

[0008] (2) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (1), The analysis device calculates the remaining thickness of the belt from the surface shape of the belt, and predicts the future damage state of the belt based on the amount of change in the remaining thickness.

[0009] (3) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (2), The analysis device issues an alarm when it determines that the remaining thickness is equal to or less than a threshold value.

[0010] (4) As an embodiment of the present disclosure, in (2) or (3), The analysis device issues an alarm when the amount of change in the remaining thickness of the belt exceeds a change threshold based on the time-series data.

[0011] (5) As an embodiment of the present disclosure, in any one of (1) to (4), The analysis device estimates the cause of the damage to the belt based on the predicted state of damage to the belt.

[0012] (6) A belt management method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: A belt management method for managing a damage state of a belt driven by a drive mechanism, comprising: a belt surface measuring step of measuring the surface shape of the belt; a calculation step of generating time-series data that associates information on the measured surface shape of the belt over time with information on measurement positions on the belt; and an analysis step of predicting a future damage state of the belt based on the time-series data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a belt management device and a belt management method that can predict the damage state of a conveyor belt after measurement. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a belt management device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating how the surface shape (surface position) of a conveyor belt is measured by a belt surface measuring device. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a diagram for explaining the influence of the tilt and eccentricity of the pulley on the surface shape data of the conveyor belt. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a diagram for explaining the influence of the tilt and eccentricity of the pulley on the surface shape data of the conveyor belt. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a belt management method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A is a diagram for explaining a method for correcting the influence of the tilt of the pulley. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a diagram for explaining a method for correcting the influence of the tilt of the pulley. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is a diagram for explaining a method for correcting the influence of eccentricity of a pulley. [Figure 6B] FIG. 6B is a diagram for explaining a method for correcting the influence of eccentricity of a pulley. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining detection of rotation of the conveyor belt. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a joint portion of a conveyor belt. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a belt management device made up of a plurality of devices. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of conveyor belt management. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A belt management device 10 (see FIG. 1) and a belt management method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of identical or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0016] <Belt management device> FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a belt management device 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 shows how the belt surface measuring device 11 of the belt management device 10 measures the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 of the belt conveyor 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the belt management device 10 measures the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 wound around a pulley 20. Here, the pulley 20 is an example of a drive mechanism. The conveyor belt 30 is an example of a belt. The belt management device 10 measures the surface shape of a belt driven in the traveling direction by a drive mechanism and manages the damage state of the belt. Although the belt is not limited to the conveyor belt 30, in this embodiment, the belt is described as a conveyor belt 30 driven by a pulley 20. Here, the traveling direction is the direction in which the belt moves due to the driving force from the drive mechanism. In this embodiment, the traveling direction is also referred to as the conveying direction or the circumferential direction. The conveying direction is the direction in which transported objects loaded on the surface 31 of the conveyor belt 30 move during operation. The conveyor belt 30 wound around the pair of pulleys 20 is driven to rotate, and the circumferential direction means the direction in which the conveyor belt 30 moves during the rotation.

[0017] In the belt conveyor 1, it is necessary to manage the thickness of the conveyor belt 30 so that the conveyor belt 30 does not break. The thickness of the conveyor belt 30 can be managed by calculating the thickness of the conveyor belt 30 from the surface shape measured by the belt management device 10. If the surface shape can be measured accurately, the thickness of the conveyor belt 30 can be accurately obtained by calculation. Here, the surface shape refers to the shape including the irregularities of the surface 31 of the conveyor belt 30. For example, a portion on the surface 31 of the conveyor belt 30 that is recessed from the surrounding area can indicate that the thickness of the conveyor belt 30 is thinner than the surrounding area.

[0018] The belt management device 10 includes a belt surface measuring device 11, a computing device 12, and an analyzing device 14. As shown in FIG. 1, the belt management device 10 may further include a display device 16. The belt surface measuring device 11, the computing device 12, and the analyzing device 14 work in cooperation with each other to measure the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 and manage the damage state of the belt. The computing device 12 obtains conveyor belt operation information 13 as needed. The conveyor belt operation information 13 is information about the operation and state of the conveyor belt 30 and is obtained, for example, from a control device of the belt conveyor 1. The belt surface measuring device 11, the computing device 12, the analyzing device 14, and the display device 16 may be connected via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), enabling transmission and reception of information obtained by measurement (measurement data) (see FIG. 9). The control device of the belt conveyor 1 may also be connected via the same network such as a LAN. Details of the components of the belt management device 10 will be described later.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 2, the conveyor belt 30, which is the object of measurement by the belt management device 10, is wound around a pulley 20. When the pulley 20 rotates, the conveyor belt 30 moves, and an object placed on a surface 31 of the conveyor belt 30 can be conveyed. Here, the surface 31 of the conveyor belt 30 is the surface (outer surface) opposite to the surface of the conveyor belt 30 facing the pulley 20 (inner surface).

[0020] <Belt surface measuring device> As shown in FIG. 2 , the belt surface measuring device 11 measures the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30. In this embodiment, the belt surface measuring device 11 also measures the surface shape of the pulley 20. The belt surface measuring device 11 can identify the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 through measurements. In other words, it can be said that local information on the surface shape is the surface position. Therefore, hereinafter, measurements by the belt surface measuring device 11 may be referred to as "measuring the surface position." The belt surface measuring device 11 can simultaneously measure the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 at the portion where the conveyor belt 30 contacts the pulley 20. In this embodiment, the belt surface measuring device 11 is a non-contact measuring device that measures the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 without contacting them. In this embodiment, the belt surface measuring device 11 performs measurements while the pulley 20 and the conveyor belt 30 are rotating. However, the belt surface measuring device 11 can also perform measurements while the pulley 20 and the conveyor belt 30 are stopped. The belt surface measuring device 11 preferably measures the surface position of at least the entire length of the conveyor belt 30 in the conveying direction.

[0021] In this embodiment, the belt surface measuring device 11 is a laser light-cutting type device such as a light-cutting shapemeter. The belt surface measuring device 11 can measure the surface position of the entire width (total length in the width direction) of the conveyor belt 30 by irradiating the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 with a linear laser beam. The belt surface measuring device 11 can measure the surface position of both ends of the pulley 20 in the width direction that are exposed from the ends of the conveyor belt 30 in the width direction.

[0022] The belt surface measuring device 11 is provided at a portion where the conveyor belt 30 contacts the pulley 20 so as to simultaneously measure the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20. For example, the belt surface measuring device 11 is provided at a position where it can irradiate the conveyor belt 30 with a laser beam from above or diagonally above the pulley 20. The belt surface measuring device 11 may be configured to be held near the pulley 20 by a holding member 40 installed on the ground. In this case, to accurately measure the thickness direction of the conveyor belt 30, the belt surface measuring device 11 is installed so that the direction of irradiation of the laser beam passes through the center 22 of the pulley 20. Since the belt surface measuring device 11 measures the surface position of the conveyor belt 30 at a portion where the conveyor belt 30 contacts the pulley 20, the conveyor belt 30 does not shake up and down, and the conveyor belt 30 can be measured in a stable position. Furthermore, the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 can be measured simultaneously at the same position. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 are measured separately using two measuring devices, the number of measuring devices can be reduced, and the surface position of the conveyor belt 30 can be accurately corrected according to the surface position of the pulley 20.

[0023] In this way, the belt surface measuring device 11 performs measurements to obtain information on the surface position of the conveyor belt 30 and information on the surface position of the pulley 20. However, the obtained information on the surface position of the conveyor belt 30 includes the eccentricity and inclination of the pulley 20.

[0024] As another configuration example, a device other than the laser light cutting type can be used as the belt surface measuring device 11. However, it is preferable that the belt surface measuring device 11 is a non-contact type measuring device that can measure the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 without contacting them so that the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 can be measured while they are rotating.

[0025] The calculation device 12, the analysis device 14, and the display device 16 may be realized by one or more calculation processing devices. The calculation processing device may be, for example, a computer. The calculation processing device may be configured to include a processor that performs calculations, a memory unit that stores data used in the calculations (e.g., surface position information), and a display unit that displays the calculation results. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, but is not limited to these and may be any processor. The memory unit is one or more memories. The memory may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, etc., but is not limited to these and may be any memory. The display unit may be, for example, various types of displays such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). When the calculation device 12, the analysis device 14, and the display device 16 are realized by multiple calculation processing devices connected via a network, a shared memory accessible from each of the calculation processing devices may be used.

[0026] <Arithmetic device> The calculation device 12 calculates the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 over the entire length in the conveying direction based on the measurement data, which is information on the surface position, from the belt surface measuring device 11 and conveyor belt operation information 13 acquired as needed. Here, the entire length in the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 30 may be referred to as the entire length in the circumferential direction. The calculation device 12 also removes the effects of the tilt and eccentricity of the pulley 20 from the calculated information on the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30. The calculation device 12 also identifies the measurement position of the conveyor belt 30 using information such as the eccentricity of the pulley 20 and the thickness of the conveyor belt 30. The rotation of the conveyor belt 30 is detected, and information on the entire length in the circumferential direction of the conveyor belt 30 is extracted.

[0027] In this embodiment, the calculation device 12 generates time-series data that associates information on the measured belt surface shape over time with information on measurement positions on the belt. Then, the calculation device 12 can generate a map (for example, a two-dimensional color map colored according to thickness, which will be described later) based on the time-series data.

[0028] <Analysis equipment> The analysis device 14 predicts the future damage state of the belt based on the time-series data generated by the calculation device 12. For example, the analysis device 14 analyzes the thickness distribution or remaining thickness of the conveyor belt 30 from the data on the thickness of the entire circumferential length and the entire width of the conveyor belt 30 in the time-series data, and predicts the future damage state of the conveyor belt 30. The remaining thickness is an index that indicates the state of the conveyor belt 30 and is statistically calculated from the thickness distribution.

[0029] The analysis device 14 may calculate the remaining thickness of the belt from the surface shape of the belt and predict future belt damage based on the change in the remaining thickness. Here, the "change in remaining thickness" is an index indicating the amount of decrease in the remaining thickness of the belt over a specific time interval. For example, it is calculated as the difference in the remaining thickness from the previous measurement to the current measurement divided by time. This change indicates the belt's wear rate and is used to predict future belt damage. The analysis device 14 may also issue an alarm if it determines that the remaining thickness is equal to or less than a threshold value. The analysis device 14 may also issue an alarm if the change in the remaining thickness of the belt based on time-series data exceeds a change threshold value. The analysis device 14 may also estimate the cause of belt damage based on the predicted belt damage state. The threshold value and change threshold value may be determined based on past experimental data or performance data, or may be determined based on the initial belt thickness. The change threshold may be determined by analyzing past belt wear data and setting a normal wear rate range based on the statistical distribution of wear rates, and then setting the change threshold to the amount of change that exceeds that range. Furthermore, the faster the belt conveying speed, the more frequently the belt comes into contact with the conveyed object, and the heavier the conveyed object, the greater the pressure on the belt, which increases the belt wear rate. Therefore, the change threshold may be changed depending on the belt conveying speed or the weight of the conveyed object.

[0030] <Display device> Display device 16 displays the analysis results obtained by analysis device 14. For example, display device 16 may display a map when analysis device 14 generates a map, or may display an alarm when analysis device 14 issues an alarm. Display device 16 may be realized by a display unit of a processing unit. In other words, display device 16 may be any of various displays.

[0031] <Belt management method> The following describes a belt management method executed by the belt management device 10. The belt management method according to this embodiment mainly includes a belt surface measurement step, a calculation step, and an analysis step.

[0032] <Belt surface measurement process> 2, in this embodiment, the belt surface measuring device 11 measures the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 over the entire circumferential length and width.

[0033] <Calculation process> The calculation step generates time-series data that correlates the measured time-series information on the belt surface shape with information on the measurement position on the belt. In this embodiment, the calculation step generates time-series data from the surface shape data of the conveyor belt 30 obtained in the belt surface measurement step. FIGS. 3A and 3B show the surface shapes of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 displayed as grayscales based on the measurement data obtained by the belt surface measuring device 11. In this embodiment, the surface position is obtained as a height position (hereinafter referred to as "height"), with the radial direction from the center 22 of the cylindrical pulley 20 being the height direction. The surface position of the conveyor belt 30 may be expressed as being farther from the center 22 in the radial direction of the pulley 20 as "high" and as being closer to the center 22 as "low." In FIGS. 3A and 3B, black areas, such as those near the center in the width direction, indicate a higher surface position compared to white areas. FIG. 3A shows data that includes the effects of the tilt and eccentricity of the pulley 20. For example, black lines can be seen across the entire width due to the effects of eccentricity. Additionally, an asymmetric color distribution in the width direction is also observed. Figure 3B shows data from which the effects of tilt and eccentricity of the pulley 20 have been removed. In Figure 3B, black lines and asymmetric color distribution are not visible. By performing the correction process described below, data on the surface shapes of the conveyor belt 30 and pulley 20 shown in Figure 3B can be obtained.

[0034] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of a belt management method executed by the belt management device 10 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 4 is executed before the analysis step is executed.

[0035] The belt management device 10 waits when it determines that the conveyor belt 30 is not in operation based on the signal obtained from the conveyor belt operation information 13 (NO in step S1). If the conveyor belt 30 is in operation (YES in step S1), the belt management device 10 performs measurement with the belt surface measuring device 11 (step S2).

[0036] The belt management device 10 measures data for a predetermined time while the conveyor belt 30 is in operation. The predetermined time is not limited to a specific value as long as it corresponds to multiple revolutions of the conveyor belt 30. The predetermined time is, for example, the time required for the conveyor belt 30 to rotate once multiplied by two (the time for two revolutions).

[0037] If the belt management device 10 has not yet measured data for the predetermined time period (NO in step S3), it continues measurement. If the belt management device 10 has measured data for the predetermined time period (YES in step S3), it combines the data for the predetermined time period (step S4). Here, depending on the measurement position, there may be multiple measurement data. In this case, any one of the multiple measurement data may be used as a representative value, or the average value of the multiple measurement data may be used.

[0038] Here, the surface shape data obtained in step S3 includes the influence of the surface position (tilt and eccentricity) of the pulley 20. Therefore, the belt management device 10 analyzes the correct surface shape data of the conveyor belt 30. The belt management device 10 corrects the surface position of the conveyor belt 30 based on the surface position (tilt and eccentricity) of the pulley 20, and calculates the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 from which the influence of the tilt and eccentricity of the pulley 20 has been removed (step S5).

[0039] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a method for correcting the effect of the inclination of the pulley 20. Here, the pulley 20 and the conveyor belt 30 wound around the pulley 20 can be distinguished in the width direction because a sudden difference in height (step) occurs at both ends (boundaries) of the conveyor belt 30. The pulley portion in FIGS. 5A and 5B is the portion where the pulley 20 is determined to be exposed. The belt portion in FIGS. 5A and 5B is the portion where the conveyor belt 30 is determined to be present. FIG. 5A shows an example of the surface position (surface shape) of the conveyor belt 30 before inclination correction performed by the computing device 12. From the difference in the surface position (height) at both ends of the pulley 20, it can be seen that the entire pulley is inclined in the width direction. It can also be seen that the surface position (surface shape) of the conveyor belt 30 is also inclined due to the influence of the inclination of the pulley 20. 5B, the calculation device 12 corrects the influence of the tilt of the pulley 20 by rotating and translating the surface positions of the conveyor belt 30 and the pulley 20 so that the height of the pulley 20 becomes 0 (reference point). Here, the tilt of the pulley 20 can be measured (estimated) even when the pulley 20 (conveyor belt 30) is stopped.

[0040] 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating a correction method when the pulley 20 is eccentric (the center 22 is misaligned). The eccentricity of the pulley 20 causes irregularities in the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 in the conveying direction (circumferential direction). FIG. 6A shows the surface shapes of the conveyor belt 30 at the center position in the width direction and at both ends of the pulley 20 in the width direction before eccentricity correction, as calculated by the calculation device 12. The moving average of the surface shape at the center of the width direction of the conveyor belt 30 (the profile of the belt portion) and the moving average of the surface shape at both ends of the pulley 20 in the width direction (the profile of the pulley portion) match. This indicates that the surface shape of the belt portion is affected by the eccentricity of the pulley 20. As shown in FIG. 6B, the calculation device 12 corrects the effect of the eccentricity of the pulley 20 by subtracting the profile of the pulley portion from the profile of the belt portion to obtain the difference. In the example of FIG. 6B, the fluctuation range of the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 is approximately 2 mm. Compared to the fluctuation range of approximately 8 mm in the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 before eccentricity correction (FIG. 6A), the fluctuation range is significantly smaller, and it is clear that the correction allows for accurate measurement of the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30. Then, based on the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 accurately obtained by correction, the thickness of the conveyor belt 30 is accurately measured.

[0041] 6A and 6B, the conveyance direction distance on the horizontal axis represents the positions in the conveyance direction where the surface shape (height) of the conveyor belt 30 was measured, arranged in order of measurement time. Therefore, the division of the revolution (for example, the start point of the total conveyance direction length of the second revolution) is unknown. Returning to FIG. 4 again, the belt management device 10 identifies the position of the conveyor belt 30 based on the measurement data after correcting the tilt and eccentricity of the pulley 20 (step S6). Here, the conveyance direction distance can be calculated, for example, by measuring frequency [seconds / times] × number of measurements [times] × speed of the conveyor belt 30 [mm / second].

[0042] 7 is a diagram for explaining rotation detection of the conveyor belt 30. The calculation device 12 identifies (estimates) the measurement position in the circumferential direction of the conveyor belt 30 by utilizing the periodicity of the corrected measurement data.

[0043] FIG. 7 plots the surface shape (belt portion profile) of the conveyor belt 30 for each revolution based on the corrected measurement data, with the horizontal axis representing the distance in the conveying direction and the vertical axis representing the height. In FIG. 7, the distance in the conveying direction on the horizontal axis is plotted with the measurement start position set to 0 and the maximum being the total length in the conveying direction. Specifically, the total length in the conveying direction is 16×10 4 The height is measured in mm. The belt profile for seven revolutions is plotted for each revolution. As shown in FIG. 7, the belt profile has a pattern (revolution characteristics) for each revolution, and a characteristic pattern in which the height changes suddenly is shown. The calculation device 12 detects such a characteristic pattern and sets the position showing the characteristic pattern as the same position (reference position) on the conveyor belt 30, thereby performing revolution detection.

[0044] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining the joints of the conveyor belt 30. The joints of the conveyor belt 30 are thicker than other parts. Therefore, the joints of the conveyor belt 30 exhibit the characteristic pattern described above. Here, as shown in FIG. 8, the joints are characterized by being oblique with respect to the belt width direction. Therefore, when measurement data is obtained in the width direction, it is possible to detect that the characteristic pattern is oblique, and furthermore, to accurately detect the joints.

[0045] In this embodiment, the calculation device 12 detects a characteristic pattern from the corrected measurement data, identifies (estimates) it as a joint of the conveyor belt 30, and calculates the measurement position in the circumferential direction of the conveyor belt 30 as time-series data, using the joint as a reference position. The method of calculating the measurement position in this embodiment allows for accurate calculation without installing a separate sensor for the purpose of identifying the position of the conveyor belt 30.

[0046] <Analysis process> The analysis step predicts the future damage state of the belt based on the time-series data. In this embodiment, the analysis step determines the current damage state of the conveyor belt 30 based on the time-series data of the conveyor belt 30 calculated in the calculation step, and predicts the future (after the time of prediction) damage state of the conveyor belt 30.

[0047] <Belt Management> FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating specific belt management performed using a belt management device 10. In the example of FIG. 9, the belt management device 10 is composed of multiple devices. A belt surface measuring device 11 is arranged in a machine room together with a belt conveyor 1. A calculation device 12 and an analysis device 14 are included in a control terminal (first computer) arranged away from the machine room. Furthermore, a display device 16 is arranged away from the machine room and the first computer and is included in a personal terminal (second computer) used by an operator. The belt surface measuring device 11, the first computer, and the second computer are connected to one another via a network so as to be able to communicate with each other. A data collection device (third computer) connected to the same network and storing analysis results from the analysis process may also be arranged.

[0048] The analysis device 14 calculates the thickness distribution of the conveyor belt 30 over the entire circumferential length and width based on the time-series data of the conveyor belt 30. The analysis device 14 calculates the remaining thickness of the conveyor belt 30 from the surface shape of the conveyor belt 30 and predicts the future damage state of the conveyor belt 30 based on the change in the remaining thickness over time. For example, linear prediction may be used for the prediction. The analysis device 14 compares the remaining thickness with a preset threshold to determine whether the remaining thickness of the conveyor belt 30 is below the threshold, whether it will become below the threshold in the future, and whether the change in the remaining thickness over time exceeds the change threshold. The analysis device 14 issues an alarm when it determines that the remaining thickness of the conveyor belt 30 is below the threshold. The analysis device 14 also issues an alarm when it determines that the remaining thickness of the conveyor belt 30 will become below the threshold in the future. The analysis device 14 also issues an alarm when the change in the remaining thickness of the conveyor belt 30 exceeds the change threshold based on the time-series data. In other words, the analysis device 14 issues an alarm when it determines that the change in the remaining thickness has rapidly exceeded the change threshold. This allows for early detection of abnormal belt wear and prompt response. It also enables enhanced preventive maintenance and improved safety before belt breakage or serious damage occurs. Furthermore, early detection of abnormal belt wear allows for planned belt replacement or repair, reducing emergency response times and maximizing the belt's lifespan, thereby reducing the frequency of belt replacement and leading to cost savings. Early detection of abnormal belt wear and the implementation of appropriate countermeasures can improve operational efficiency, reduce unplanned downtime, and improve production efficiency.

[0049] In the example of FIG. 9, the display device 16 displays a two-dimensional color map colored according to thickness and time-series data showing the change in the remaining thickness over time. The thickness of the conveyor belt 30 varies depending on the position on the conveyor belt 30, and the color map visually shows the thickness distribution. In the time-series data, for example, the actual remaining thickness may be shown by a solid line and the predicted remaining thickness by a dashed line. In the example of FIG. 9, an alarm ("!" in the figure) is displayed because the predicted remaining thickness is determined to be equal to or less than a threshold. An alarm may also be displayed when the change in the remaining thickness (the slope of the graph) exceeds a change threshold. Here, the minimum remaining thickness, which is the minimum value of multiple remaining thicknesses at multiple positions on the conveyor belt 30, may be used as the remaining thickness indicating the state of the conveyor belt 30. The maximum remaining thickness, which is the maximum value of multiple remaining thicknesses at multiple positions on the conveyor belt 30, may also be used as the remaining thickness indicating the state of the conveyor belt 30. Furthermore, an average remaining thickness, which is an average value of multiple remaining thicknesses at multiple positions on the conveyor belt 30, may be used as the remaining thickness indicating the state of the conveyor belt 30. That is, the remaining thickness indicating the state of the conveyor belt 30 may be at least one of the minimum remaining thickness, the maximum remaining thickness, and the average remaining thickness. For example, a decrease in the maximum remaining thickness of the belt indicates that the conveyor belt 30 is worn overall, and a decrease in the average remaining thickness and the minimum remaining thickness of the belt indicates that uneven wear has occurred on the conveyor belt 30. When the minimum remaining thickness and the maximum remaining thickness are used, the analysis device 14 may not only calculate the numerical value but also identify the position of the conveyor belt 30. When the average remaining thickness is used, the analysis device 14 may not only calculate the numerical value but also identify changes over time. Furthermore, to prevent erroneous detection, two or more types of remaining thicknesses may be used, and an alarm may be displayed on the display device 16 only when the conditions for issuing an alarm are met for the multiple remaining thicknesses. 9 shows a color map and time-series data, but the color map may be displayed only when an alarm is issued in order to reduce the processing load of the belt management device 10. In other words, only the time-series data may be displayed on the display device 16 until an alarm is issued.

[0050] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of conveyor belt 30 management. For example, when the minimum remaining thickness of the conveyor belt 30 falls below a threshold value, which is the belt replacement standard, the analysis device 14 issues an alarm and reports the belt's damage status (e.g., the location and extent of the damage). One example of the threshold value is 70% of the reference thickness, which is the initial belt thickness. For example, if the initial belt thickness (total thickness) is 26.5 mm, and the 12 mm portion of the top rubber, excluding the 1 mm core rubber thickness, falls below 3 mm, immediate replacement is required. This corresponds to the portion of the top rubber that is subject to wear due to contact with the conveyed object. In the example of FIG. 10, an alarm is issued when the thickness of the conveyor belt 30 falls below 70% of the reference thickness, prompting belt replacement, thereby enabling appropriate timing of belt replacement.

[0051] The analysis device 14 predicts future changes in the remaining minimum thickness (amount of wear of the belt) based on the time-series change in the belt's remaining minimum thickness, and predicts and notifies the timing (belt life) when the belt's remaining minimum thickness will fall below a threshold. Belts typically transport the same type of material. Therefore, the amount of change in the remaining minimum thickness due to contact with the material is relatively constant. Therefore, the change in the remaining minimum thickness is considered to be nearly linear, making it possible to predict the rate of change in the remaining minimum thickness per hour (mm / year). For example, if the belt is inspected every three months, the change in the remaining minimum thickness (amount of wear) of the belt until the next inspection or later can be predicted. In this case, belt repair or replacement can be recommended at an appropriate timing between the next inspection or later.

[0052] Furthermore, the analysis device 14 may issue an alarm if the change in the minimum remaining thickness (amount of wear), which is usually relatively constant, suddenly changes. In this case, a cause other than contact with the conveyed material (e.g., a malfunction at the raw material inlet or an abnormality due to contact with equipment) may have occurred, and the analysis device 14 may issue an alarm to prompt immediate action. Furthermore, if the remaining thickness of the belt is predicted to fall below a threshold value by the time of the next inspection, the analysis device 14 may issue an alarm to prompt immediate belt replacement. Furthermore, the analysis device 14 can identify the cause of wear by performing a detailed analysis of data at or around the location where the sudden wear occurred. For example, if the sudden wear occurs only at a specific location, it is possible that a foreign object is trapped at that location or that a part of the equipment is causing the wear. This allows operators to take countermeasures based on the specific cause and quickly implement measures to prevent recurrence. This allows appropriate countermeasures to be taken before the belt damage progresses, preventing serious problems such as belt breakage or operational shutdowns.

[0053] Here, the analysis device 14 may estimate and report the cause of belt damage (e.g., contact with the conveyed object or other than contact with the conveyed object) based on whether or not there is a sudden change in the amount of change in the minimum remaining thickness (amount of wear) or the location of the sudden change in the belt. In other words, the analysis device 14 may estimate the cause of belt damage based on the predicted state of belt damage and report the estimated cause of damage along with an alarm. When an alarm is issued, an operator may check the color map of the belt surface shape, the state of belt damage (location or range of damage), and the timing of belt replacement, and then replace the belt. This allows appropriate measures to be taken before belt damage progresses, preventing serious problems such as belt breakage or operation shutdowns.

[0054] As described above, the belt management device 10 and the belt management method according to this embodiment can predict the damage state of the conveyor belt 30 after measurement by using the above-described configuration and process, and can appropriately manage the conveyor belt 30 to prevent breakage or the like.

[0055] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art would easily be able to make various modifications or alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, functions included in each component or step (process) can be rearranged so as not to cause logical inconsistencies, and multiple components or steps can be combined or divided into one. The embodiments of the present disclosure can also be realized as a program executed by a processor included in an apparatus or a storage medium on which a program is recorded. It should be understood that these are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the minimum remaining thickness of the belt is managed using one threshold (for example, 70% of the reference thickness). As another example, multiple thresholds may be set. As a specific example, the threshold may be set to distinguish three ranks: "80% or more of the reference thickness," "70% or more but less than 80% of the reference thickness," and "less than 70% of the reference thickness." If the minimum remaining thickness is "80% or more of the reference thickness," the damage state of the belt may be predicted as "normal." If the minimum remaining thickness is "70% or more but less than 80% of the reference thickness," the damage state of the belt may be predicted as "caution." If the minimum remaining thickness is "less than 70% of the reference thickness," the damage state of the belt may be predicted as "danger." Setting multiple thresholds enables more detailed management.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the joint of the conveyor belt 30 is identified (estimated) and the joint is set as the reference position, but the reference position is not limited to the joint. For example, a flaw (depression) or the like present on the surface 31 of the conveyor belt 30 may be set as the reference position. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a characteristic pattern is extracted from the measurement data and set as the reference position, but rotation detection may be performed by pattern matching that compares the similarity (similarity) of waveforms of the measurement data. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 conveyor belt 10 Belt management device 11 Belt surface measuring device 12 Arithmetic unit 13 Conveyor belt operation information 14 Analysis device 16 Display device 20 pulleys 22 center 30 Conveyor Belt 31 Conveyor belt surface 40 Retaining member

Claims

1. A belt management device for managing a damage state of a belt driven by a drive mechanism, a belt surface measuring device for measuring the surface shape of the belt; a computing device that generates time-series data that associates information on the measured surface shape of the belt over time with information on measurement positions on the belt; an analysis device that predicts a future damage state of the belt based on the time-series data, The analysis device issues an alarm when the amount of change in the remaining thickness, which is the slope of the time-series data showing the change in the remaining thickness of the belt over time, exceeds a change threshold based on the time-series data, and estimates the cause of damage to the belt based on the predicted damage state of the belt.

2. The belt management device according to claim 1 , wherein the analysis device calculates a remaining thickness of the belt from the surface shape of the belt, and predicts a future damage state of the belt based on a change in the remaining thickness.

3. The belt management device according to claim 2 , wherein the analysis device issues an alarm when it determines that the remaining thickness is equal to or less than a threshold value.

4. A belt management method for managing a damage state of a belt driven by a drive mechanism, comprising: a belt surface measuring step of measuring the surface shape of the belt; a calculation step of generating time-series data that associates information on the measured surface shape of the belt over time with information on measurement positions on the belt; an analysis step of predicting a future damage state of the belt based on the time-series data, The analysis step is a belt management method in which, based on the time series data, an alarm is issued when a change in the remaining thickness, which is a slope of the time change in the time series data showing the change in the remaining thickness of the belt over time, exceeds a change threshold, and a cause of damage to the belt is estimated based on the predicted damage state of the belt.

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