Structured Light Conveyor Belt Damage Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing conveyor belt monitoring systems fail to effectively detect both superficial and depth-based damage on conveyor belts in mining plants, leading to potential production shutdowns, as they lack comprehensive surface monitoring and depth assessment capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A device incorporating an opto-electronic system with a projector that projects structured light onto the conveyor belt, allowing for the detection of damage depth through triangulation and automatic evaluation, enabling timely repair measures by triggering warnings or shutdowns based on damage severity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional opto-electronic systems are used for conveyor belt monitoring, then superficial damage can be detected, but depth-based damage assessment is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
A structured light pattern serves as an intermediary between the opto-electronic system and the conveyor belt surface. The light pattern deforms in response to surface topology, enabling depth information to be captured indirectly through optical reflection patterns rather than requiring direct depth sensing hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional surface imaging to three-dimensional depth assessment by projecting structured light patterns and analyzing their deformation. This adds a depth dimension to the monitoring capability without requiring complex 3D sensing hardware, using instead 2D camera imaging of distorted light patterns.
2Reliability
If comprehensive surface monitoring is implemented, then damage detection capability is improved, but continuous monitoring capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system operates periodically by projecting structured light patterns at intervals as the conveyor belt moves through the inspection zone. This periodic measurement approach enables comprehensive damage assessment while maintaining continuous operational monitoring, balancing detection reliability with productivity.
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
Enables continuous, millimeter-precise monitoring of conveyor belt damage, including depth assessment, facilitating proactive maintenance and preventing production disruptions by accurately detecting and responding to damage on the conveyor belt surface.
Implementation Method 1
The structured light is designed in the form of parallel light strips with light and dark zones or different color zones. The projector is adjusted in such a way that the structured light (light strips) runs in its main direction of extension X transversely to the conveying direction Y... In the conveying direction Y, the structured light (light stripe) has an extension dimension B that occupies at least half the width A of the conveyor belt.
Data Source
AI summary
Device for monitoring a conveying system (1), comprising: - a conveyor belt (2) made from elastomeric material having a loadbearing side (3) for the conveying material and a running side (4), - an optoelectronic system (5) which senses the loadbearing side (3) and/or running side (4) by detecting damage (10) during operation and, if a critical state of the conveyor belt (2) is reached, triggering an acoustic and/or visual warning alarm and/or, in particular, bringing about automatic switching off of the conveying system (1); - a projector (7) which aims a light (8) onto the loadbearing side (3) and/or running side (4), - a process computer (6) which is coupled to the optoelectronic system (5) for the purpose of evaluating all the data, wherein the process computer is connected to the warning alarm and/or a drive controller; and - other system parts, namely drums, loadbearing rollers, loadbearing frames and possibly further components. The projector (7) aims a structured light (8) onto a material-free zone of the loadbearing side (3) and/or onto the running side (4), wherein the structure change in the light (8) on the belt surface (3, 4), which structure change is caused by damage (10) to the conveyor belt (2), is detected by the optoelectronic system (5) and is evaluated by the process computer (6).