Bulk Transport Container Imaging for Inner Surface Wear Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inspection methods for the inner surfaces of bulk transport vehicle storage containers are inefficient and inaccurate due to the uniform color of protective coatings, which makes it difficult to detect wear and damage, and require manual inspection that leads to transportation and processing delays.
Innovation Solution
An automated, self-contained imaging system with a rotating camera unit and lidar sensors that takes high-resolution images of the inner surfaces of storage containers, adjusting focus and lighting based on real-time distance measurements to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual inspection is used to visually examine the inner surfaces of storage containers, then inspection can be performed, but the uniform color of protective coating makes it difficult to detect wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies a contrast agent to the inner surfaces of the storage container that changes the color appearance of the surfaces. The contrast agent creates visual contrast between the protective coating and any wear or damage areas, making defects detectable against the uniform background color of the coating.
Solution Approach 2:
The contrast agent acts as an intermediary substance between the inspection system and the storage container surfaces. It enhances the visibility of wear and damage by creating optical contrast, allowing the imaging system to detect defects that would otherwise be invisible against the uniform coating.
2Measurement precision
If a person physically enters each storage container for inspection, then detailed visual inspection can be performed, but it requires a significant amount of time leading to transportation and processing delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the mechanical action of a person physically entering and inspecting the container with an automated imaging system. The imaging unit with camera and lighting components automatically captures images of the inner surfaces, eliminating the need for manual entry while maintaining inspection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging system creates visual copies (images) of the storage container's inner surfaces. These images capture the condition of the surfaces including any wear or damage, allowing inspection without physical presence in the container. The images serve as replicas that can be analyzed without time-consuming manual examination.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional cameras are used to take pictures of the inner surfaces, then images can be captured, but the uniform color of the coating makes variances such as wear and damage difficult to detect
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses vibration or oscillation of the imaging unit to create motion blur effects that enhance the visibility of surface irregularities. The vibration causes areas with wear or damage to appear differently than smooth coated surfaces, creating detectable patterns in the captured images.
Solution Approach 2:
The contrast agent applied to the surfaces changes the optical properties of the coating, creating color or brightness variations that make wear and damage visible in the captured images. The imaging system captures these contrast-enhanced images that reveal defects otherwise hidden by the uniform coating color.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system efficiently and accurately inspects the cleanliness and structural integrity of storage containers without manual intervention, reducing delays and costs by providing detailed, high-resolution images of the inner surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
an automated, self-contained imaging system with a rotating camera unit and lidar sensors that takes high-resolution images of the inner surfaces of storage containers, adjusting focus and lighting based on real-time distance measurements
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging unit placed in an access opening of a storage container that includes a mounting assembly having a base member and a plurality of support legs extending from a bottom surface of the base member, and a central through-hole, a support pole extending through the central through-hole and having a longitudinal axis, wherein the support pole is vertically movable relative to the base member, a user interface module and a power supply unit attached to a first end of the support pole and a camera unit rotatably attached to a second end of the support pole, where the camera unit rotates about the longitudinal axis and a horizontal axis and where the camera unit is rotated about the longitudinal axis and the horizontal axis to a designated position within the storage container and takes at least one image of one or more inner surfaces of the storage container.