Train Wheel Diameter Measurement via Multi-Sensor Laser Triangulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring train wheel diameters are time-consuming and inaccurate, especially when using manual tools, and optical techniques like laser triangulation are slow and impractical for moving wheels.
Innovation Solution
A process that uses a plurality of optical sensors to acquire profiles of the wheel as it moves, transforming them into a three-dimensional image, and calculating the wheel diameter through reference distances and previously measured values, employing laser triangulation and a control module to analyze and reconstruct the wheel's geometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual tools are used to measure wheel diameter, then measurement can be performed on immobilized wheels, but the process is time-consuming and inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical measurement tools with an optical measurement system using laser triangulation and multiple cameras to capture wheel profiles. This substitution enables non-contact, automated measurement of wheel diameter with high precision while the wheel is rotating, eliminating the time loss associated with manual measurement on immobilized wheels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from measuring stationary wheels to measuring rotating wheels dynamically. By capturing multiple profiles of the wheel during rotation and processing them computationally, the system achieves accurate diameter measurement without requiring the wheel to be immobilized, thus resolving the time loss issue while maintaining precision.
2Measurement precision
If laser triangulation is used on an immobile object, then high measurement precision is achieved, but the method is slow and requires disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measurement task into multiple segments by using several optical sensors positioned at different locations around the wheel. Each sensor captures profiles of a portion of the wheel, and the control unit integrates these segmented measurements into a complete wheel profile, achieving high precision without requiring wheel disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from single-point laser triangulation to multi-dimensional optical sensing by arranging multiple cameras and laser sources around the wheel. This spatial arrangement allows simultaneous capture of multiple wheel profiles from different angles, maintaining measurement precision while enabling measurement of rotating wheels without disassembly.
3Productivity
If laser triangulation is implemented on a moving wheel, then measurement speed is improved, but implementing the method is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal measurement system that can handle both stationary and rotating wheels using the same optical sensor array and control unit. The system is designed to capture wheel profiles during rotation and process them through computational algorithms, making the measurement process adaptable to moving wheels without increasing implementation difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates digital copies of the wheel's physical profile by capturing multiple optical profiles during rotation and reconstructing them into a complete three-dimensional model. This digital copying approach allows accurate measurement of moving wheels by processing captured images computationally, thereby reducing the difficulty of measuring rotating components.
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 accurate and efficient measurement of train wheel diameters while the train is in motion, improving precision and reducing the need for manual disassembly, thereby enhancing the speed and reliability of the measurement process.
Implementation Method 1
Laser triangulation is one such optical technique, where a laser source emits a beam that reflects on the object to be measured, to be observed by a camera located on a side of the laser beam.
Implementation Method 2
an acquisition step, during which a plurality of profiles of at least a part of the wheel are acquired by plurality of optical sensors through an optical technique
Data Source
AI summary
A measurement process, intended for measuring at least one wheel of a train, including an acquisition step, during which a plurality of profiles of at least a part of the wheel are acquired by plurality of optical sensors, as the train moves in front of the optical sensors, a mapping step, during which, for each optical sensor, the profiles acquired by the optical sensor are joined by a control module, to obtain a map of the part of the wheel further transformed into a cloud of points, a rejoining step, during which the clouds of points obtained from the optical sensors are joined to form a three-dimensional image of the wheel, and an analysis step, during which a plurality of reference points and reference distances are measured on the three-dimensional image.