Core Wheel Sorting System for Aluminum Alloy Purity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in efficiently sorting and identifying high purity aluminum alloy wheels from used automobile wheels to separate them from contaminants and differentiate between various wheel types and models for recycling and reuse, as existing methods often result in less pure aluminum alloys when contaminants are present, and fail to accurately group wheels by model and type.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving a sorting station with conveyors, inspection stations equipped with cameras and control modules that use image processing and a K-nearest neighbor classifier to identify wheel features, divert acceptable wheels, and store them separately, ensuring high purity aluminum alloy wheels are isolated and grouped by type and model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If used automobile wheels are sorted and processed for recycling, then aluminum alloy can be recovered and reused, but contaminants in the wheels reduce the purity of the recovered aluminum alloy
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the wheel sorting process into multiple stages: initial sorting by material type, detailed inspection by model and type, and final categorization. This multi-level segmentation enables effective separation of high purity aluminum alloy wheels from contaminated ones, recovering aluminum while maintaining quality standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual inspection and sorting with an automated optical inspection system using cameras and image processing. The system captures images of wheels, processes them through computer algorithms, and automatically identifies wheel types, models, and contamination levels, enabling efficient sorting without manual labor while maintaining high purity separation.
2Ease of operation
If manual inspection methods are used to identify wheel types and models, then sorting can be performed, but the process is time-consuming and lacks accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual visual inspection with an automated optical inspection system. Cameras capture images of wheels on the conveyor belt, and computer processing algorithms automatically identify wheel types, models, and features. This substitution dramatically reduces inspection time while improving accuracy and consistency compared to manual methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies (images) of physical wheels for inspection and analysis. By capturing images and processing them through computer algorithms, the system can identify wheel characteristics without physically handling or slowing down the wheels, enabling rapid automated sorting.
3Measurement precision
If all used wheels are processed through detailed inspection, then wheel types and models can be accurately identified, but processing speed and efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection process is segmented into different levels: initial automated optical inspection for all wheels to identify basic characteristics, followed by selective detailed inspection only for wheels that require further verification. This segmentation maintains high identification accuracy while preserving processing throughput by avoiding unnecessary detailed inspection of all wheels.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous operation of the conveyor belt and automated inspection process without interruption. Wheels move continuously through the inspection zone while images are captured and processed in real-time, ensuring both high productivity and accurate identification without stopping the production flow.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for processing core wheels and associated method are disclosed. A sorting station is configured to allow sorting of a source of wheels according to a first set of criteria. A first conveyor is configured to receive a plurality of wheels conforming to the first criteria and to a first inspection station, disposed along the first conveyor. The first inspection station is configured to allow examination of the wheels to determine whether the wheels conform to a second criteria. A diverter mechanism, downstream of the first inspection station, is configured to divert wheels conforming to the second criteria from the first conveyor. A second conveyor is configured to receive the diverted wheels and to direct the diverted wheels to a second inspection station, whereby the diverted wheels may be inspected at the second inspection station to confirm that the diverted wheels conform to the second criteria.