Flatness Measurement of Metal Products Without External Traction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for measuring the flatness of metal products, especially thick plates and moving strips, face limitations due to external traction requirements, high costs, and difficulties in measuring minute traction and flatness defects, particularly in non-reflective or hot products, which can lead to inaccurate results and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving illuminating a metal product under uniform intensity, capturing light line images, and relative movement to detect local amplitude variations in light intensity, allowing for the measurement of flatness without external traction, using a device with a light source and linear camera in an optical triangulation configuration, enabling dynamic and cost-effective assessment of flatness across varying product thicknesses and dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external traction is applied to maintain the product during measurement, then measurement stability is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to induced hazards on intrinsic real traction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support roller as an intermediary element that provides mechanical support and stability during measurement without applying significant traction forces. The roller system allows the product to be supported while minimizing interference with the intrinsic traction being measured, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement stability and accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If laser measurement devices are used for thick plates, then measurement capability is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a camera to capture optical images of the product surface instead of expensive laser measurement devices. By copying the visual information through photography, the system achieves measurement capability for thick plates and various product types without the high cost associated with laser-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex laser measurement systems with a simpler optical imaging system using a camera. This substitution maintains measurement capability while significantly reducing device complexity and cost, making the system economically viable for industrial applications.
3Measurement precision
If the product is stopped for measurement, then measurement accuracy is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to interruption of continuous movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables measurements to be taken while the product is in continuous motion through the support roller system. The dynamic measurement capability eliminates the need to stop the product, maintaining both measurement accuracy and productivity by allowing simultaneous operation and inspection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous operation by enabling measurements to be performed without interrupting the product flow. The support roller system and optical measurement approach allow the useful action of both production and inspection to continue simultaneously, maintaining productivity while achieving measurement goals.
4Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If grazing light illumination is used to reveal flatness defects, then defect visibility is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple optical components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a camera to capture the optical pattern created by grazing light illumination. By copying the visual information of flatness defects through photography, the system achieves high defect visibility while avoiding the complexity of multiple active optical components, relying instead on passive optical effects captured by the camera.
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
This approach provides a universal, efficient, and cost-effective method for measuring flatness, capable of detecting defects from cm to several tens of cm in length, suitable for both thin strips and thick plates, applicable in metallurgical processing lines without the need for external traction, enhancing measurement dynamics and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
using a device with a light source and linear camera in an optical triangulation configuration
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7
AI summary
A method for measuring the flatness of a metal product and an associated device are presented. Said method applies to a metal product, in the form either of a strip or of a plate from a metallurgical processing line, said product to be measured being, by default, free of external traction, and mainly comprises the following steps: a) illuminating a portion of at least one face of said product under uniform intensity; b) capturing an image of a light line of the illuminated portion, c) relatively moving the illuminated portion and the light line in relation to the product in a defined direction; d) repeating steps a), b) and c); e) collecting the images of lines in a two-dimensional distribution of intensities and selecting a strand direction of the product in which, if at least one wave intensity is detected, a local amplitude variation of said wave delivers a local strand flatness defect value.