Metal sheet repair support system, metal sheet repair support method, and program

Abstract

To output a correction result for a defect.SOLUTION: A metal plate correction support system includes: defect information acquisition means for acquiring defect information including at least information indicating a position of a defect of a metal plate caused in a manufacturing step, and a type of the defect; operation information acquisition means for acquiring operation information of a device for rewinding a coil of a metal plate to be corrected; defect position determination means for determining a position of a defect on a metal plate to be corrected that has been rewound in a correction step, on the basis of the operation information and the defect information; instruction output means for outputting a correction instruction for the defect, in association with the position of the defect on the metal plate to be corrected; result acquisition means for acquiring a correction result with respect to the correction instruction; and result output means for outputting the correction result, in association with the defect information and the correction instruction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the manufacture of metal plates, and particularly relates to the correction of metal plates.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a work support system that determines the position for projecting a work instruction image based on an image of a work object and projects the work instruction image at the determined position. Patent Document 2 discloses a continuous inspection device for steel plates that detects defects on the surface of continuously conveyed steel plates and superimposes and displays information on the detected defects at the positions on the surface of the steel plates on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the steel plates.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Manufacturers of metal plates such as steel plates desire to manage the defects generated in the manufacturing process and their correction results in association with each other for the management of the defects of the manufactured metal plates. Therefore, a system that outputs the defects and their correction results in association with each other as information for managing the defects of the manufactured metal plates is desired. However, Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not disclose the output of the correction results.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a metal plate correction support system or the like that facilitates the management of defects in metal plates.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A metal sheet repair support system in one embodiment of the present invention includes: defect information acquisition means for acquiring defect information which includes at least information indicating the location of a defect in a metal sheet that occurred in the manufacturing process and the type of defect; operation information acquisition means for acquiring operation information of a device for unwinding a coil of metal sheet to be repaired; defect location determination means for determining the location of a defect in the metal sheet to be repaired that is being unwound in the repair process based on the operation information and the defect information; instruction output means for outputting a repair instruction for a defect in relation to the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be repaired; result acquisition means for acquiring the repair result in relation to the repair instruction; and result output means for outputting the repair result in relation to the defect information and the repair instruction.

[0007] A metal sheet repair support method in one embodiment of the present invention acquires defect information, which includes at least information indicating the location of a defect in the metal sheet that occurred in the manufacturing process and the type of defect; acquires operating information of a device that unwinds the coil of the metal sheet to be repaired; determines the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be repaired that is being unwound in the repair process based on the operating information and the defect information; outputs a repair instruction for the defect in relation to the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be repaired; acquires the repair result in relation to the repair instruction; and outputs the repair result in relation to the defect information and the repair instruction.

[0008] A program in one embodiment of the present invention causes a computer to perform the following steps: acquire defect information, which includes at least information indicating a defect in a metal sheet that occurred in the manufacturing process and the type of defect; acquire operation information of a device for unwinding the coil of the metal sheet to be corrected; determine the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be corrected that is being unwound in the correction process based on the operation information and the defect information; output a correction instruction for the defect in relation to the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be corrected; acquire the correction result in relation to the correction instruction; and output the correction result in relation to the defect information and the correction instruction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] Based on the present invention, it is possible to achieve the effect of making it easier to manage defects in metal plates. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a metal sheet repair support system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a repair system that utilizes a metal plate repair support system, using a side view. [Figure 3] This schematic diagram, using a perspective view, shows an example of a repair system that utilizes a metal plate repair support system. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of a metal sheet repair support system. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a computer device that makes up a metal sheet repair support system. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a metal sheet repair support system equipped with a defect detection mechanism. [Figure 7] This block diagram shows an example of the configuration of a metal sheet defect detection system that provides defect information. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] <Regarding the correction of defects in metal plates> The thin steel sheets subjected to rolling weigh from several hundred kilograms to several tons. Furthermore, the feed speed of the thin steel sheets affects the sheet thickness. Therefore, it is difficult to stop the rolling process midway. Thus, defects occurring during the rolling process are often corrected by detecting the defects during the rolling process and then rewinding (recoiling) the thin steel sheet coil after the rolling process. However, thin steel sheet coils are typically several hundred meters to several kilometers long. Therefore, when workers visually inspect the rewinding metal sheet, it is difficult for them to maintain concentration during the rewinding process, and it is also difficult to pinpoint the location of defects in the rewinding thin steel sheet based on defect information. For this reason, there is a need to provide information on the location of defects in the thin steel sheet being rewound for correction.

[0012] Furthermore, defects can take several forms, including stains, scratches, dents, and indentations. Therefore, workers need to perform repairs appropriate to each type of defect. Additionally, the size of the defects to be repaired and the repair methods may differ depending on the grade of the thin steel sheet product. For this reason, workers refer to manuals, for example, to perform repairs appropriate to the type of defect. However, defect repair work involves using tools on the surface of the thin steel sheet. Therefore, repair work while referring to a manual is often not easy. For this reason, it is desirable to provide workers with repair instructions that facilitate the repair process.

[0013] Furthermore, as described below, defects, correction methods, and correction results often number multiple. For example, if there are multiple correction methods, the correction results may differ depending on the method. In addition, some defects cannot always be completely corrected due to their location or size. In other words, even for the same defect, there may be multiple correction results, not just one. Therefore, outputting correction results associated with each defect is desirable.

[0014] Therefore, as will be explained below, the embodiments of the present invention realize the output of a correction method corresponding to a defect and the output of a correction result corresponding to a defect. Each embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments are not limited to those shown in each drawing. Also, the same reference numerals are used for similar components in each drawing, and repeated explanations may be omitted.

[0015] In each embodiment, the defect of the metal plate to be corrected is, for example, a surface defect generated in the rolling process of the steel plate. However, the metal plate is not limited to the steel plate, and may be a metal plate other than the steel plate such as a copper plate or an aluminum plate. Further, the defect to be corrected is, for example, dirt, scratches, dents, cracks, or depressions on the surface of the metal plate generated in a manufacturing process such as a rolling process, but is not limited thereto. The method for correcting the defect is, for example, cleaning, polishing, cutting, or deformation using a striking tool such as a hammer. Hereinafter, for example, the provision of the correction method to the operator, such as the display of the correction method, is simply referred to as "correction instruction". Further, the correction result for the correction instruction is the result of the implementation of the work corresponding to the correction instruction. The correction result is, for example, the state of the defect after correction. Note that the state of the defect is, for example, no remaining defect, remaining defect, or non-correctable. The remaining defect may include the size and type of the remaining defect. Alternatively, the correction result may include the range and amount of the correction work such as polishing, cutting, or deformation. However, the correction instruction and the correction result may be appropriately determined corresponding to the defect, and are not limited to the above. In the following description, as an example of the metal plate and the manufacturing process in which the defect to be corrected occurs, a thin steel plate and a rolling process are used. That is, the "thin steel plate" and the "rolling process" in the following description are examples of the "metal plate" and the "manufacturing process", respectively.

[0016] <First Embodiment> Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the metal plate correction support system 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the metal plate correction support system 10 according to the first embodiment. The metal plate correction support system 10 includes a defect information acquisition unit 110, an operation information acquisition unit 120, a defect position determination unit 130, an instruction output unit 140, a result acquisition unit 150, and a result output unit 160.

[0017] The defect information acquisition unit 110 acquires "defect information" including at least information indicating the position of a defect in a metal plate generated in a manufacturing process and the type of the defect. The information indicating the position of the defect may be, but is not limited to, information indicating the length from any position on the metal plate, such as the start end of the rolling process of the metal plate, to the defect. For example, generally, a metal plate is fed out at a constant speed in a rolling process. Therefore, the position of the defect can be calculated from the start time of feeding out the metal plate, the feeding speed of the metal plate, and the occurrence time of the defect. Thus, the information indicating the position of the defect may be, for example, information including the start time of feeding out the metal plate, the feeding speed of the metal plate, and the occurrence time of the defect. Note that the start time of feeding out the metal plate and the feeding speed of the metal plate are part of the operation information of the rolling device that performed the rolling process in which the defect occurred. Therefore, the information indicating the position of the defect may include the operation information of the rolling device. The operation information of the rolling device may further include other information such as the end time of feeding out of the rolling device. Also, when an image is used for defect determination, the occurrence time of the defect is approximately the same time as the shooting time (timestamp) of the image used for determination. Thus, the information indicating the position may include the image or the timestamp of the image used for defect determination. Note that, for example, the defect information acquisition unit 110 may acquire defect information generated in a rolling process from a management device that manages the production of thin steel plates.

[0018] The operation information acquisition unit 120 acquires the operation information of a device that rewinds the coil of the metal plate to be corrected. Hereinafter, the device that rewinds the coil of the metal plate is referred to as a "rewinding device". For example, the operation information of the rewinding device includes, but is not limited to, for example, information including the start time of rewinding in the rewinding device and the feeding speed of the thin steel plate at each time after the start of rewinding.

[0019] The defect position determination unit 130 determines the position of a defect in the metal plate to be corrected that is being rewound in a correction process based on the operation information of the rewinding device and the defect information. Next, an example of the determination of the position of the defect in the defect position determination unit 130 will be described. However, the following description is not intended to limit the operation of the determination of the defect position determination unit 130.

[0020] The defect location determination unit 130 determines the location of defects in the thin steel sheet being unwound in the correction process based on the location information in the defect information. However, the starting end of the coil of thin steel sheet being unwound in the correction process is the ending end of the coil of thin steel sheet wound in the rolling process. In other words, the starting end and ending end are swapped between the rolling process and the correction process. Furthermore, the location in the defect information is the location in the rolling process. Therefore, the defect location determination unit 130 converts the location information in the rolling process, which contains the defect information, into the location of the thin steel sheet being unwound in the correction process.

[0021] As an example of the transformation of the position of the thin steel sheet that is rewound in the correction process, we will explain a case where the information indicating the position in the defect information includes the operation information of the rolling mill and the time the defect was detected. In this case, the operation information of the rolling mill includes, for example, the start time of feeding the thin steel sheet in the rolling mill, the end time of feeding the thin steel sheet, and the feeding speed of the thin steel sheet. It is assumed that the rolling mill feeds the thin steel sheet at a constant speed, similar to a general rolling process. In this case, the defect position determination unit 130 determines the length from the starting end of the rolling process to each defect based on the feeding start time, the defect detection time, and the feeding speed. Furthermore, the defect position determination unit 130 determines the total length of the thin steel sheet based on the feeding start time, end time, and feeding speed of the rolling mill. Then, the defect position determination unit 130 uses the length from the starting end of the rolling process to each defect and the total length of the thin steel sheet to determine the length from the ending end of the rolling process, that is, from the starting end of the correction process to the defect. In this way, the defect location determination unit 130 determines the location of the defect during rewinding based on the information indicating the location in the defect information.

[0022] Furthermore, the defect location determination unit 130 determines the length of the unwound thin steel sheet. However, unwinding is a process that involves making corrections. Therefore, the unwinding device does not necessarily feed the thin steel sheet at a constant speed. For example, the unwinding device may rapidly feed the thin steel sheet to the vicinity of the defect, reduce the feed speed near the defect, and stop at the defect. Alternatively, the unwinding device may operate using the location of the defect in the unwinding thin steel sheet determined by the defect location determination unit 130. Thus, the speed at which the unwinding device feeds the thin steel sheet is not constant.

[0023] Therefore, the defect location determination unit 130 determines the length of the rewound thin steel sheet based on the operating information of the rewinding device. As an example of how to determine the length of the rewound thin steel sheet, the case in which the feed speed of the thin steel sheet of the rewinding device at each time point is used will be described. In this case, for example, the defect location determination unit 130 may determine the length of the rewound thin steel sheet by integrating the feed speed of the thin steel sheet at each time point from the start time of rewinding over time.

[0024] The defect location determination unit 130 then determines the location of the defect in the unwound thin steel sheet based on the length of the unwound thin steel sheet and the location of the defect during unwinding.

[0025] The instruction output unit 140 outputs a correction instruction for a defect, associated with the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be corrected. For example, the instruction output unit 140 stores the work position of the correction process in advance. The instruction output unit 140 then determines the defect at the work position of the correction process based on the length of the unwound thin steel sheet and the location of the defect in the unwound thin steel sheet. The instruction output unit 140 then extracts a correction instruction corresponding to the type of defect at the work position of the correction process from among the correction instructions corresponding to the types of defects stored in advance. The instruction output unit 140 may also store correction instructions corresponding to the grade of the thin steel sheet. In this case, the instruction output unit 140 may obtain the grade of the thin steel sheet to be corrected from a control device that manages manufacturing and extract a correction instruction corresponding to the grade. Alternatively, the instruction output unit 140 may obtain correction instructions from a control device. In this case, for example, the defect information acquisition unit 110 may obtain defect information including correction instructions from a control device. The instruction output unit 140 then outputs a correction instruction to a projector that displays the correction instruction at the work position of the correction process, associating it with the location of the defect. In this case, the projector only needs to display the correction instruction corresponding to the location of the defect. Note that the correction work is performed on the surface of the metal plate. Therefore, the projector may display the correction instruction on the surface of the metal plate, for example, around the defect.

[0026] The instruction output unit 140 may display a correction instruction when the location of the defect on the metal plate comes into the projection range of the projector. For example, the instruction output unit 140 may output a correction instruction in association with the timing of displaying the correction instruction. More specifically, the instruction output unit 140 may operate as described below. For example, the instruction output unit 140 determines the timing when the defect enters the display range of the projector based on the operation information of the rewind device acquired from the operation information acquisition unit 120. The instruction output unit 140 may then output the determined timing and the correction instruction in association with each other to the projector. In this case, the projector only needs to display the correction instruction at the acquired timing. Alternatively, the instruction output unit 140 may output a correction instruction to the projector at the determined timing. In this case, the projector only needs to display the acquired correction instruction immediately. Note that the surface of the thin steel plate may have irregularities due to defects. Therefore, the instruction output unit 140 may output correction instructions to a projector that displays correction instructions using projection mapping, in order to appropriately display correction instructions corresponding to the irregularities on the surface of the thin steel sheet to be corrected. Alternatively, the instruction output unit 140 may output correction instructions to a head-mounted display worn by the worker. In either of the above cases, the worker can then correct the defect by referring to the outputted correction instructions.

[0027] The result acquisition unit 150 acquires the correction results in response to correction instructions. However, workers often use tools when correcting defects. Therefore, it may not be easy for workers to operate devices other than tools. Thus, the result acquisition unit 150 may acquire the correction results from means that do not require operation by the worker. For example, the result acquisition unit 150 may acquire audio as a correction result from a microphone attached to the worker's helmet. In addition to audio, the result acquisition unit 150 may acquire images as a correction result. For example, the result acquisition unit 150 may acquire audio explaining the correction result and images of the corrected area from a camera attached to the worker's helmet as a correction result. The images of the corrected area may include images before and after correction. In this way, the result acquisition unit 150 may acquire at least one of audio and images as a correction result. The result acquisition unit 150 may also acquire correction results entered by the worker using a device such as a tablet.

[0028] The result output unit 160 outputs the correction result in association with the defect information and the correction instruction. For example, for each defect information, the result output unit 160 generates information including the defect information, the corresponding correction instruction, and the correction result, and outputs the generated information to a predetermined device. For example, the result output unit 160 may output information including the defect information, correction instruction, and correction result to a management device for thin steel sheet manufacturing. Alternatively, the result output unit 160 may store information including the defect information, correction instruction, and correction result in a storage device connected to the management device.

[0029] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a repair system using the metal sheet repair support system 10, using a side view. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a repair system using the metal sheet repair support system 10, using a perspective view. In Figures 2 and 3, the metal sheet repair support system 10 is connected via a network to a control device for the manufacturing process of thin steel sheets, a projector, a microphone attached to a worker's helmet, and a rewinding device equipped with a rewinding reel and a take-up reel. The metal sheet repair support system 10 acquires defect information from the control device. Furthermore, the metal sheet repair support system 10 acquires operation information from the rewinding device. The metal sheet repair support system 10 may also acquire operation information of the rewinding device from the control device. Then, based on the operation information of the rewinding device and the defect information, the metal sheet repair support system 10 determines the location of the defect in the rewound thin steel sheet. Then, the metal sheet repair support system 10 outputs a repair instruction to the projector, associated with the location of the defect in the thin steel sheet, so as to display the repair instruction at the location of the defect in the thin steel sheet. The metal sheet repair support system 10 may output repair instructions to a projector via a control device. The metal sheet repair support system 10 then acquires the worker's voice from a microphone as the repair result. The metal sheet repair support system 10 may acquire the worker's voice via a control device. The metal sheet repair support system 10 then outputs the repair result to the control device, associating the defect information with the repair instructions.

[0030] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the metal sheet repair support system 10. The defect information acquisition unit 110 acquires defect information that includes at least information indicating the location of a defect in the metal sheet during the manufacturing process and the type of defect (step S301). The operation information acquisition unit 120 acquires operation information of the rewinding device (step S302). The defect location determination unit 130 determines the location of the defect in the rewinding metal sheet based on the operation information and the defect information (step S303). The instruction output unit 140 outputs a repair instruction for the defect in relation to the location of the defect in the metal sheet (step S304). The result acquisition unit 150 acquires the repair result in relation to the repair instruction (step S305). The result output unit 160 outputs the repair result in relation to the defect information and the repair instruction (step S306).

[0031] As described above, the metal sheet repair support system 10 according to the first embodiment outputs repair results in association with defect information and repair instructions. The defect information includes at least information indicating the location of the defect in the metal sheet during the manufacturing process and the type of defect. As a result, for example, a metal sheet manufacturer can easily manage defects in the metal sheet using the repair results associated with the defect and repair instructions. For example, the manufacturer can use the defect, repair instructions, and repair results to calculate the yield rate of the metal sheet, or to calculate the repair rate for each type of defect or repair instruction. Using these values, the manufacturer can, for example, implement improvements to the repair process. In this way, the metal sheet repair support system 10 provides information that facilitates the management of defects in metal sheets and can improve convenience in the manufacturing process, especially the repair process.

[0032] Furthermore, the metal sheet repair support system 10 outputs repair instructions for defects in the metal sheet, associating them with the location of the defect. In other words, the metal sheet repair support system 10 can provide workers with the location and method of repairing defects that serve as repair instructions during the metal sheet repair process. As a result, workers can easily identify the location of defects and repair them without having to refer to manuals or other documents. In this way, the metal sheet repair support system 10 can improve the work efficiency in repairs.

[0033] Furthermore, the metal sheet repair support system 10 may acquire at least one of the following as the repair result: the worker's voice or an image of the repair result. In this case, the worker can register the repair result even while performing the repair work. In this way, the metal sheet repair support system 10 can improve the work efficiency in repair.

[0034] [Variations] The metal sheet repair support system 10 described so far operates on defects determined in the rolling process. However, the metal sheet repair support system 10 may also operate on defects determined in the metal sheet being unwound for repair. In this case, the metal sheet repair support system 10 may include a configuration for determining defects in the unwound metal sheet. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a metal sheet repair support system 11 that includes a configuration for determining defects.

[0035] The metal sheet repair support system 11 includes, in addition to the components of the metal sheet repair support system 10, an image acquisition unit 170 and a defect determination unit 180. The image acquisition unit 170 acquires an image of the surface of the metal sheet being unwound. For example, the image acquisition unit 210 acquires an image of the surface of the thin steel sheet taken by a camera or line sensor camera installed on the unwinding device. The defect determination unit 180 determines the location and type of defects in the metal sheet included in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 170. For example, the defect determination unit 180 may use a determination model generated using machine learning as the determination means. The determination model may be generated using machine learning with training data that includes images containing defects and images without defects that occurred in the rolling process. The determination model may also be generated using images collected from multiple companies using the same rolling mill. In this case, the determination model may be a model provided as a common service to companies using the rolling mill.

[0036] The defect information acquisition unit 110 and the defect location determination unit 130 implement the functions described below in addition to the functions already described. The defect information acquisition unit 110 acquires the location and type of defect determined by the defect determination unit 180 as defect information. The defect location determination unit 130 then determines the location of the defect based on the location and type of defect determined by the defect determination unit 180. For example, the defect location determination unit 130 may determine the location of the defect during rewinding based on the length of the rewound portion of the thin steel plate obtained based on the operating information of the device that rewinds the metal plate coil, and the location of the defect determined by the defect determination unit 180 in the image. The defect location determination unit 130 may also acquire the location and type of defect determined by the defect determination unit 180 directly from the defect determination unit 180 without going through the defect information acquisition unit 110.

[0037] The operation information acquisition unit 120, the instruction output unit 140, the result acquisition unit 150, and the result output unit 160 should operate in the same manner as previously described.

[0038] The metal sheet repair support system 11, configured in this way, can perform the functions realized by the metal sheet repair support system 10, as well as determine defects in the unrolled metal sheet. As a result, the metal sheet repair support system 11 can also provide support for repairing defects in metal sheets that have not been identified as defects in manufacturing processes such as the rolling process.

[0039] [Hardware configuration] Next, the hardware configuration of the metal sheet repair support systems 10 and 11 will be described using the metal sheet repair support system 10. In the metal sheet repair support system 10, each component may be configured using multiple devices connected via a network. For example, the metal sheet repair support system 10 may be configured using cloud computing. Alternatively, each component of the metal sheet repair support system 10 may be configured using hardware circuits. For example, the metal sheet repair support system 10 may be configured using a computer device in the on-premise environment of a metal sheet manufacturer, including a central processing unit (CPU) and memory. The memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). The memory may further include storage devices such as hard disk drives. In addition to the above configuration, the computer device may also include other hardware such as a network interface circuit (NIC). More specifically, the metal sheet repair support system 10 may be configured using hardware constituting a computer device and software running on the computer device. Alternatively, the metal sheet repair support system 10 may be configured using an on-premise environment and cloud computing.

[0040] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a computer device 600 that constitutes the metal sheet repair support system 10. The computer device 600 includes a CPU 610, a ROM 620, a RAM 630, a storage device 640, and a NIC 650.

[0041] The CPU 610 reads a program from at least one of the ROM 620 and the storage device 640. Based on the read program, the CPU 610 controls the RAM 630, the storage device 640, and the NIC 650. The computer device 600 then controls these components and implements the functions of the defect information acquisition unit 110, the operation information acquisition unit 120, the defect location determination unit 130, the instruction output unit 140, the result acquisition unit 150, and the result output unit 160, as shown in Figure 1. In this way, the computer device 600 uses hardware and software to implement the functions of the metal plate repair support system 10.

[0042] The CPU 610 may use the RAM 630 or the storage device 640 as a temporary storage medium for programs and data when implementing each function. Alternatively, the CPU 610 may read programs contained in a storage medium 690, which stores programs in a computer-readable format, using a storage medium reader (not shown). Or, the CPU 610 may receive programs from an external device (not shown) via the NIC 650, store them in the RAM 630 or storage device 640, and operate based on the stored programs.

[0043] ROM 620 stores programs executed by the CPU 610 and fixed data. ROM 620 is, for example, a programmable ROM (P-ROM) or flash ROM. RAM 630 temporarily stores programs executed by the CPU 610 and data. RAM 630 is, for example, dynamic RAM (D-RAM). Storage device 640 stores data and programs that the computer device 600 will store long-term. Storage device 640 may also function as a temporary storage device for the CPU 610. Storage device 640 is, for example, a hard disk drive, a magneto-optical disk drive, a solid-state drive (SSD), or a disk array device.

[0044] ROM 620 and storage device 640 are non-transitory recording media. On the other hand, RAM 630 is a volatile recording media. The CPU 610 can operate based on programs stored in ROM 620, storage device 640, or RAM 630. In other words, the CPU 610 can operate using either non-volatile or volatile recording media.

[0045] The NIC650 relays data exchange with external devices (not shown) over the network. The NIC650 is, for example, a Local Area Network (LAN) card or hub. Furthermore, the NIC650 may use wireless connections as well as wired ones.

[0046] The computer device 600 configured in this way executes the operation of each component in the metal sheet repair support system 10, thereby realizing the functions of the metal sheet repair support system 10.

[0047] [Metal sheet defect detection system] As a reference to the description of the metal sheet repair support systems 10 and 11, a metal sheet defect determination system 20, which is an example of a defect information source, will be described with reference to the drawings. For example, the metal sheet defect determination system 20 described below is connected to a control device that manages the manufacturing of thin steel sheets and outputs defect information to the control device. In this case, the defect information acquisition unit 110 only needs to acquire defect information from the control device. Figure 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the metal sheet defect determination system 20 that provides defect information. The metal sheet defect determination system 20 includes an image acquisition unit 210, a defect determination unit 220, an operation information acquisition unit 230, a defect information generation unit 240, and a defect information output unit 250.

[0048] The image acquisition unit 210 acquires an image of the surface of the rolled thin steel sheet. For example, the image acquisition unit 210 acquires an image of the surface of the rolled thin steel sheet taken by a camera or line sensor camera installed on the rolling mill. The defect determination unit 220 determines the location and type of defect in the image. For example, the defect determination unit 220 may determine the location and type of defect in the image using a determination model, similar to the defect determination unit 180. Furthermore, the defect determination unit 220 acquires the time of defect detection. For example, the defect determination unit 220 acquires the timestamp of the image used to determine the defect as the time of defect detection. The operation information acquisition unit 230 acquires the operation information of the rolling mill. The operation information of the rolling mill includes, but is not limited to, the start and end times of operation of the rolling mill and the feed speed of the thin steel sheet in the rolling mill.

[0049] The defect location determined by the defect determination unit 220 is the location of the defect in the image. However, the desired location of the defect is the location on the rolled thin steel sheet. Therefore, the defect information generation unit 240 generates information indicating the location of the defect on the rolled thin steel sheet based on the defect location determined by the defect determination unit 220 in the image and the operation information of the rolling mill acquired by the operation information acquisition unit 230. The defect information generation unit 240 then generates defect information that includes at least the location of the defect on the thin steel sheet and the type of defect.

[0050] For example, generally, a rolling mill rolls thin steel sheets at a certain constant speed. That is, the length from the starting end of the rolling process to the defect can be determined from the rolling start time in the rolling mill, the feed speed of the thin steel sheet in the rolling mill, and the time the defect was detected. Therefore, the defect information generation unit 240 generates information indicating the location of the defect in the thin steel sheet, which includes the location of the defect in the image, the acquisition time of the image used to detect the defect, the rolling start time of the rolling mill, and the feed speed of the metal sheet in the rolling mill. In other words, the defect information generation unit 240 generates defect information that includes the operating information of the rolling mill as information indicating the location of the defect in the metal sheet. Note that the information indicating the location of the defect in the thin steel sheet may also include the rolling end time of the rolling mill.

[0051] The defect information generation unit 240 may calculate the length from the starting end of the rolling process to the defect in the thin steel sheet using the defect detection time, the rolling start time of the rolling mill, and the feed speed of the metal sheet in the rolling mill. The defect information generation unit 240 may then generate defect information that includes the length from the starting end of the rolling process to the defect in the thin steel sheet as information indicating the location of the defect.

[0052] The defect information output unit 250 outputs defect information. For example, the defect information output unit 250 outputs defect information to a control device that manages the manufacturing of thin steel sheets, including the rolling process.

[0053] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present invention can be made that can be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0054] 10. Metal Sheet Repair Support System 11. Metal Sheet Repair Support System 20. Metal Plate Defect Detection System 110 Defect Information Acquisition Unit 120 Operation Information Acquisition Unit 130 Defect location determination unit 140 Instruction Output Section 150 Result acquisition part 160 Result Output Section 170 Image acquisition unit 180 Defect detection unit 210 Image acquisition unit 220 Defect detection unit 230 Operation Information Acquisition Unit 240 Defect Information Generation Unit 250 Defect Information Output Unit 600 Computer devices 610 CPU 620 ROM 630 RAM 640 Storage device 650 NIC 690 recording media

Claims

1. Defect information acquisition means for acquiring defect information that includes at least information indicating the location of a defect in a metal sheet that occurs in the manufacturing process, expressed as a length relative to the starting end of the metal sheet in the manufacturing process, and the type of the defect. An operational information acquisition means for acquiring operational information of a device for unwinding the coil of the metal plate to be modified, A defect position determination means that, based on the location of the defect in the metal sheet in the manufacturing process, converts the location of the defect in the metal sheet in the manufacturing process into the location of the defect in the correction process, which is expressed as a length based on the starting end of the metal sheet in the correction process, which is the end end of the metal sheet in the manufacturing process; determines the length of the metal sheet unwound by the device based on the operation information; and determines the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be corrected that is being unwound in the correction process, based on the location of the defect in the correction process and the length of the metal sheet unwound by the device. An instruction output means that outputs a correction instruction for the defect in relation to the location of the defect in the metal plate to be corrected that is being unwound in the correction process, A result acquisition means for acquiring the correction result in response to the correction instruction, A result output means that outputs the correction result in association with the defect information and the correction instruction. A metal sheet repair support system including [details omitted].

2. Image acquisition means for acquiring an image of the surface of the metal plate being unwound in the correction step, The system further includes a defect determination means for determining the location and type of defects in the correction process for defects included in the image acquired by the image acquisition means that have not been determined in the manufacturing process, The defect information acquisition means acquires defect information including the location of the defect and the type of the defect determined by the defect determination means. The defect location determination means determines the location of the defect in the metal plate being unwound in the correction process based on the location of the defect determined by the defect location determination means and the operation information. The metal plate repair support system according to claim 1.

3. The result acquisition means acquires, as the correction result, at least one of the following: the voice spoken by the worker and an image of the corrected area. The metal plate repair support system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The instruction output means determines the timing at which the defect reaches the display range of the projector based on the operational information, and outputs the correction instruction in association with that timing. The metal plate repair support system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. Defect information is obtained that includes, at least, information indicating the location of a defect in a metal sheet that occurs during the manufacturing process, expressed as a length relative to the starting end of the metal sheet during the manufacturing process, and the type of the defect. The operating information of the device that unwinds the coil of the metal plate to be modified is acquired. Based on the location of the defect in the metal sheet in the manufacturing process, the location of the defect in the metal sheet in the manufacturing process is converted to the location of the defect in the correction process, which is expressed as a length based on the starting end of the metal sheet in the correction process, which is the end end of the metal sheet in the manufacturing process; the length of the metal sheet unwound by the device is determined based on the operation information; and the location of the defect in the metal sheet being corrected, which is being unwound in the correction process, is determined based on the location of the defect in the correction process and the length of the metal sheet unwound by the device. In the correction process described above, a correction instruction for the defect is output in relation to the location of the defect in the metal plate to be corrected, which is being unwound. Obtain the correction result in response to the correction instruction, The correction result is output in association with the defect information and the correction instruction. Metal plate repair support method.

6. A process for acquiring defect information that includes, with respect to defects in a metal sheet that occur in the manufacturing process, information indicating the location of the defect, expressed as a length relative to the starting end of the metal sheet in the manufacturing process, and the type of the defect. A process for acquiring operational information of the device that unwinds the coil of the metal plate to be modified, A process that, based on the location of the defect in the metal sheet in the manufacturing process, converts the location of the defect in the metal sheet in the manufacturing process into the location of the defect in the correction process, expressed as a length based on the starting end of the metal sheet in the correction process, which is the end end of the metal sheet in the manufacturing process; determines the length of the metal sheet unwound by the device based on the operation information; and determines the location of the defect in the metal sheet to be corrected that is being unwound in the correction process, based on the location of the defect in the correction process and the length of the metal sheet unwound by the device. The process of outputting a correction instruction for the defect in relation to the location of the defect in the metal plate to be corrected, which is being unwound in the correction process, A process for obtaining the correction result in response to the correction instruction, A process to output the correction result in association with the defect information and the correction instruction. A program that causes a computer to execute something.

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