JP7070504B2 - Steel pipe identification device and method and steel pipe sorting equipment using this - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a steel pipe identification device and method for automatically identifying the attributes of steel pipes using an identification member, and a steel pipe sorting facility using the same.

There are various types of steel pipes having different manufacturing methods, materials, dimensions, etc., depending on the purpose of use. In addition, when shipping the manufactured steel pipes, an inspector conducts a visual inspection. Then, for example, in order to distinguish between a passed product and a defective product, the steel pipe after the inspection may be selected according to the inspection result. As a method for sorting and sorting such steel pipes, a method has been proposed in which the surface of a steel material is colored in advance and the color of the colored portion is detected to sort the steel material (for example, Patent Document). 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 50-83977

However, when the surface of the steel material is colored as in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that the identification member comes into contact with other members during transportation and is removed from the steel pipe, so that the steel pipe cannot be identified. Further, after the steel pipe is sorted, the colored portion must be peeled off from the surface in order to ship it as a final product, which causes a problem that it takes time and effort.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and a steel pipe identification device and method capable of easily removing the colored portion from the steel pipe while preventing the colored portion from being removed from the steel pipe, and a steel pipe sorting using the same. The purpose is to provide equipment.

The present invention has the following configurations in order to solve these problems.
[1] A steel pipe identification device that identifies the attributes of a steel pipe in which an identification member colored in a different color for each attribute of the steel pipe is detachably charged inside from an opening.
A color detection unit that detects color information of the identification member by receiving light from the identification member when the identification member is irradiated with light.
It has the attribute table in which the color of the identification member and the attribute of the steel pipe are associated with each other, and the attribute of the steel pipe is based on the color information of the identification member detected by the color detection unit and the attribute table. The attribute discriminator that discriminates between
A steel pipe identification device characterized by being equipped with.
[2] The steel pipe identification device according to [1], wherein the identification member is made of an elastic body.
[3] The identification member is a foldable columnar member, and is characterized in that the side end surface is inserted into the steel pipe in a bent state so as to be located on the opening side of the steel pipe. The steel pipe identification device according to [1] or [2].
[4] The steel pipe identification device according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the identification member has a plurality of colors.
[5] The identification member is charged at both ends of the steel pipe.
The steel pipe identification device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the color detection unit detects color information of the identification members at both ends.
[6] The attribute discriminating unit is characterized in that when the color information detected from the identification members at both ends is different, the attribute discriminating unit discriminates the attribute of the steel pipe according to the priority order of the preset color information [5]. The steel pipe identification device described in.
[7] The steel pipe identification device according to any one of [1] to [6] and the steel pipe identification device.
The steel pipe identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
A transport device that transports the steel pipe to a plurality of storage locations provided for each attribute of the steel pipe, and
A transport control device that controls the transport device so as to transport the steel pipe to the storage place according to the attribute of the steel pipe determined by the attribute discriminating unit.
Steel pipe sorting equipment characterized by being equipped with.
[8] Further provided with a steel pipe supply unit that holds a plurality of the steel pipes continuously supplied one by one and supplies the steel pipes to the transfer device.
The steel pipe sorting equipment according to [7], wherein the steel pipe identification device detects color information of the identification member when the steel pipe supply unit holds the steel pipe identification device.
[9] The identification member when the identification member is irradiated with light when the steel pipe is supplied with the identification member colored in a different color for each attribute of the steel pipe and is detachably charged inside from the opening. The color information of the identification member is detected by receiving the light from
Using the detected color information of the identification member, the steel pipe has a feature of discriminating the attribute of the steel pipe by referring to the attribute table in which the color of the identification member and the attribute of the steel pipe are associated with each other. Identification method.

According to the present invention, by detecting color information and discriminating attributes of a steel pipe in a state where the colored identification member is detachably housed inside, the steel pipe comes into contact with other members and the identification member. While preventing it from coming off the steel pipe, it is removable and removable inside, so it can be easily removed after identification. As a result, the product can be efficiently shipped while reliably identifying the attributes of the steel pipe.

It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the steel pipe sorting equipment using the steel pipe identification apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the appearance that the identification member was charged in the steel pipe. It is sectional drawing which shows the appearance that the identification member was charged in the steel pipe. It is a schematic diagram which shows the preferable embodiment of the steel pipe identification apparatus of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the preferable embodiment of the steel pipe identification method and the steel pipe sorting method.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of a steel pipe sorting facility using the steel pipe identification device according to the present invention. The steel pipe sorting equipment 1 of FIG. 1 is, for example, an equipment that inspects a galvanized steel pipe in which a galvanized steel pipe P is subjected to a galvanized treatment, and then sorts the steel pipe P according to the inspection result. The steel pipe P has, for example, a pipe diameter of 10 A to 200 A, a wall thickness of 1.3 to 12, 7 mm, and a length of 4.0 to 6.2 m. Then, various steel pipes P having different dimensions are subjected to a hot-dip plating process in the plating equipment 2 and continuously sent to the inspection equipment 3.

Note that FIG. 1 illustrates a case where the steel pipe P is subjected to a hot-dip plating treatment, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the steel pipe P may be a steel pipe P coated with hard vinyl chloride, polyethylene, or the like, or may not be coated with these.

The inspection equipment 3 is an equipment for visually inspecting the quality of the continuously conveyed steel pipe P by an inspector. The inspector determines the attribute of the steel pipe P according to the quality inspection result. In the inspection equipment 3, an identification member IB colored in a different color for each attribute of the steel pipe P is prepared. Then, the inspector inserts the color identification member IB corresponding to the inspection result into the inside through the opening of the steel pipe P.

Here, the attribute of the steel pipe P means, for example, the inspection result by the visual inspection of the steel pipe P. In addition to passing the inspection, the inspection results include, for example, an abnormal shape such as bending or strain of the steel pipe P, a non-plated state where the material surface is locally exposed, a state where the surface is scratched, or a state where the surface is scratched. The state of plating cracks can be mentioned. These attributes (inspection results) and the color of the identification member IB are associated in advance, and the inspector charges the inside of the steel pipe P with the identification member IB having a color that matches the content of the inspection result.

Although the case where the attribute of the steel pipe P is the inspection result by the inspector is illustrated, the attribute of the steel pipe P may indicate the type of the steel pipe P such as the size or length of the steel pipe P, for example. Alternatively, as will be described later, when the steel pipe P is transported to different storage locations 31 to 36 depending on the inspection result, the attribute of the steel pipe P may indicate the transport destination.

The identification member IB may be colored with a single color or may be colored with a plurality of colors. If the identification member IB has a plurality of colors, the types of attributes that can be identified can be increased by the combination of colors. In this case, different colors may be colored, for example, in stripes, or the side end surface IBF and the pillar portion of the identification member IB may be colored in different colors. Further, the identification member IB may be any color as long as it is colored, and for example, five types of red, blue, green, red and blue, and red and green are prepared.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a state in which the identification member is charged in the steel pipe, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the identification member is charged in the steel pipe. The identification member IB shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 has the shape of, for example, a long quadrangular prism, and is made of an elastic body such as sponge or rubber. The inspector charges the inside of the steel pipe P with the identification member IB bent so that the side end surface IBF of the identification member IB is located on the opening P0 side of the steel pipe P.

At this time, the identification member IB is accommodated in a state where the inner surface of the steel pipe P is pressed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the identification member IB from coming off from the inside during the transportation of the steel pipe P. Further, as described above, it is possible to flexibly deal with steel pipes P having different diameters by using one type of identification member IB, and the identification member IB having a different length for each size of the diameter of the steel pipe P. There is no need to prepare.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when the identification member IB is housed inside the steel pipe P, a gap is formed between the inner surface of the steel pipe P and the identification member IB. By inserting a hand or an instrument into this gap, the identification member IB can be easily removed. Further, when the identification member IB is formed in a quadrangular prism, it can be efficiently stored in the storage place of the identification member IB without rolling.

The case where the identification member IB is made of an elastic body of a quadrangular prism is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the identification member IB may be a cylinder or a polygonal prism. Further, the identification member IB may be made of a spherical elastic body detachably attached to the inside of the steel pipe P, or may be made of a cap. In these cases, it is preferable that a hook or the like for removing the hook is provided on the surface.

The visual inspection of the steel pipe P described above is performed by two inspectors, and each inspector is charged with a color identification member IB according to the inspection result from another opening of the steel pipe P. Therefore, the identification member IB is charged at both ends of the steel pipe P. If the inspection results by the two inspectors match, the identification member IB of the same color is charged, and if the inspection results are different, the identification member IB of a different color is charged. The appearance inspection of the steel pipe P may be performed by one person, and the identification member IB may be charged only on one opening side.

The steel pipe P to which the inspection is completed in the inspection equipment 3 and the identification member IB is charged is sorted (sorted) by the steel pipe sorting equipment 1 of FIG. The steel pipe sorting equipment 1 includes a steel pipe identification device 10, a steel pipe supply device 20, a transfer device 30, and the like. The steel pipe supply device 20 supplies a plurality of steel pipes P continuously supplied from the inspection equipment 3 to the transfer device 30 side one by one. When the steel pipe supply device 20 holds the steel pipe P, the steel pipe identification device 10 automatically identifies the attribute (transport destination) of the steel pipe P based on the inspection result in the inspection equipment 3 by the color of the identification member IB. Then, the transfer device 30 conveys the steel pipe P to the first storage place 31 to the fifth storage place 35 and the product storage place 36 provided for each attribute of the steel pipe P according to the identification result of the steel pipe identification device 10. The first storage place 31 to the fifth storage place 35 are places where the steel pipes P classified according to the inspection result are transported, and the product storage place 36 is a place where the steel pipe P judged to be normal is transported.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a preferred embodiment of the steel pipe identification device and the steel pipe supply device of FIG. The steel pipe supply device 20 of FIG. 4 conveys the steel pipe P by, for example, a walking beam method, and is between the mounting portion 21 on which the steel pipe P is placed and the inspection equipment 3 side and the transfer device 30 side. It has a rotation drive unit 22 for rotationally driving the mounting unit 21. The steel pipe supply device 20 conveys a plurality of steel pipes P continuously supplied from the inspection equipment 3 to the transfer device 30 side one by one.

The steel pipe identification device 10 discriminates the color of the identification member IB when the steel pipe P is moved from the inspection equipment 3 to the transfer device 30. That is, the color of the identification member IB is identified at the timing when the steel pipes P are not continuously arranged but are conveyed one by one. As a result, it is possible to suppress erroneous detection by the identification member IB charged inside the adjacent steel pipes P, and to perform highly accurate identification.

The steel pipe identification device 10 has a color detection unit 11 and an attribute determination unit 14. The color detection unit 11 detects the color information of the identification member IB by receiving the light from the identification member IB when the identification member IB is irradiated with light, and for example, two cameras 11A and 11B are used. Have. The identification member IB may be irradiated with light by using a floodlight (not shown) or by using the light of a lighting fixture in the equipment.

The camera 11A captures an image of one end side of the steel pipe P and acquires an identification image composed of a color image as color information, and is fixed at a predetermined position. The camera 11B images the other end side of the steel pipe P and acquires an identification image composed of a color image as color information, and is provided so as to be movable in the length direction of the steel pipe P. Specifically, the camera 11B is attached to a moving body 13 that moves along a guide rail 12 extending in the longitudinal direction of the steel pipe P, and moves according to the length of the steel pipe P. The movement of the camera 11B is controlled by the attribute determination unit 14, for example, so as to move to the position where the focus is best. Thereby, even when the steel pipes P having different lengths are conveyed, the identification image of the other end side of the steel pipe P can be surely acquired.

The attribute determination unit 14 is composed of, for example, a computer or a DSP, and determines the attribute (transport destination) of the steel pipe P based on the color information of the identification member IB detected by the color detection unit 11. Specifically, the attribute discrimination unit 14 extracts the color information of the identification member IB from the two identification images sent from the color detection unit 11. In addition, the identification member IB as shown in FIG. 2 described above is imaged in the identification image. As described above, when the colors of the pillar portion and the side end surface IBF of the identification member IB are different, the attribute determination unit 14 can reliably detect a plurality of color information of the identification member IB from the identification image.

The attribute determination unit 14 stores an attribute table 14A in which the color information of the identification member IB and the attributes of the steel pipe P are associated with each other. The attribute determination unit 14 determines the attribute of the steel pipe P based on the attribute table 14A and the color information of the identification member IB. Further, a display unit 15 is connected to the attribute determination unit 14, and the determined color information and attribute information are displayed.

Further, as described above, one steel pipe P may be charged with different color identification members IB. In this case, the attribute discriminating unit 14 has a priority set for the color information when discriminating the attribute, and the attribute discriminating unit 14 has the color information having the higher priority among the attributes corresponding to different colors. The indicated attribute is determined to be the attribute of the steel pipe P.

Here, for example, a so-called roller method is adopted for the transport device 30 of FIG. 1, and the steel pipe P supplied from the steel pipe supply device 20 is transported to each storage place 31 to 36 by switching the rotation direction of the rollers. .. The operation of the transfer roller in the transfer device 30 is controlled by the transfer control device 40 of FIG. In the transport control device 40, an attribute (transport destination) and an operation mode that defines the rotation direction of the transport roller and the like are associated with each other. For example, when the transport device 30 transports the steel pipe P to the second storage place 32, the transport control device 40 rotates and moves the rotation direction of the transport roller to the left on the paper surface of FIG. 1, and then rotates downward. The transport device 30 is controlled so as to be operated.

As a result, the steel pipe P in which the identification member IB of the same color is charged is conveyed to each of the storage areas 31 to 36. As described above, for example, the steel pipe P in which the two inspectors make different judgments is in a state where the identification members IB of different colors are charged. When the steel pipe P having the different color identification member IB is conveyed to each of the storage areas 31 to 36, the color is different from the identification member IB of the surrounding steel pipe P. Then, when a plurality of steel pipes P are bundled in each of the storage areas 31 to 36, the steel pipes P having different inspection results can be recognized at a glance. The identification member IB is removed from the inside of the steel pipe P after being transported to each storage place 31 to 36, for example, when performing repair work, shipping work, or the like. Then, the identification member IB is collected and reused many times.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a preferred embodiment of the steel pipe identification method and the steel pipe sorting method, and the steel pipe identification method and the steel pipe sorting method will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. First, a plurality of various types of steel pipes P are supplied to the inspection equipment 3, and the inspection equipment 3 sequentially inspects the steel pipes P by a plurality of inspectors one by one. The inspector charges the opening with the color identification member IB according to the inspection result (step ST1). At this time, the identification members IB are charged into both ends of the steel pipe P by two inspectors.

The steel pipe P in which the identification member IB is charged is conveyed from the inspection facility 3 to the transfer device 30 by the steel pipe supply device 20. While the steel pipe P is being conveyed by the steel pipe supply device 20, the attributes of the steel pipe P are automatically identified by the steel pipe identification device 10 (step ST2). Here, when the colors of the identification members IB charged at both ends are the same (YES in step ST3), any of the storage locations 31 to 36 associated with the colors is determined as the transfer destination of the steel pipe P (YES in step ST3). Step ST4).

On the other hand, when the colors of the identification members IB charged at both ends are different from each other (NO in step ST3), one of the storage locations 31 to 36 is determined as the transfer destination of the steel pipe P based on the priority of the colors (step). ST5). After that, the steel pipe P is transported and accommodated to any of the storage sites 31 to 36 determined by the transport device 30 (step ST6). After that, the plurality of steel pipes P housed in each of the storage areas 31 to 36 are bound by, for example, a binding band (step ST7).

According to the above embodiment, as compared with the case where the surface of the conventional steel pipe P is colored by detecting the color of the identification member IB detachably housed inside the steel pipe P and determining the attribute of the steel pipe P. Since the identification member IB is only charged inside while preventing the identification member IB from being removed from the steel pipe P at the time of contact with the outside, it can be easily removed after identification.

That is, when the surface of the steel pipe P is colored as in the conventional case, a step of removing the coloring is required in the final product. In addition, costs such as replenishment of paint, which is a consumable item, are incurred. Further, if the colored paper is attached to the surface of the steel pipe P, it may be peeled off in the middle due to contact with the transport roll in the transport device 30 or the like. There is a cost increase due to the removal work due to coloring of the product and the consumption of paint, and there is a limit to the identification classification according to the paint color. Further, when the steel pipes P are bundled, the surfaces of the steel pipes P overlap each other and cannot be finally visually observed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, since the identification member IB charged inside the steel pipe P is used, the paint is consumed, but it can be reused. Further, a plurality of identification members IB may be charged in the steel pipe P and combined. As a result, it is possible to increase the number of identification categories, and by combining colors with a high detection rate, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection.

1 Steel pipe sorting equipment 2 Plating equipment 3 Inspection equipment 10 Steel pipe identification device 11 Color detection unit 11A, 11B Camera 12 Guide rail 13 Moving body 14 Attribute discrimination unit 14A Attribute table 15 Display unit 20 Steel pipe supply device 21 Mounting unit 22 Rotation drive unit 30 Transport equipment 31 to 35 1st to 5th storage 36 Product storage 40 Transport control device IB identification member IBF side end face P steel pipe P0 opening

Claims (8)

It is a steel pipe identification device that discriminates the attributes of steel pipes in which identification members colored in different colors for each attribute of steel pipes are detachably installed inside from the opening.
The identification member is a columnar member that can be bent, and is charged inside the steel pipe in a state where the side end surface is bent so as to be located on the opening side of the steel pipe.
A color detection unit that receives light from the identification member when the identification member is irradiated with light and detects color information of the identification member.
It has an attribute table in which the color of the identification member and the attribute of the steel pipe are associated with each other, and the attribute of the steel pipe is based on the color information of the identification member detected by the color detection unit and the attribute table. The attribute discriminator that discriminates between
A steel pipe identification device characterized by being equipped with. The steel pipe identification device according to claim 1, wherein the identification member is made of an elastic body. The steel pipe identification device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the identification member has a plurality of colors. The identification member is charged at both ends of the steel pipe.
The steel pipe identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the color detection unit detects color information of the identification members at both ends. The fourth aspect of claim 4 , wherein the attribute discriminating unit discriminates the attributes of the steel pipe according to a preset priority order of the color information when the color information detected from the identification members at both ends is different. Steel pipe identification device. The steel pipe identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .
A transport device that transports the steel pipe to a plurality of storage locations provided for each attribute of the steel pipe, and
A transport control device that controls the transport device so as to transport the steel pipe to the storage place according to the attribute of the steel pipe determined by the attribute discriminating unit.
Steel pipe sorting equipment characterized by being equipped with. A steel pipe supply unit that holds a plurality of continuously supplied steel pipes one by one and supplies the steel pipes to the transport device is further provided.
The steel pipe sorting equipment according to claim 6 , wherein the steel pipe identification device detects color information of the identification member when the steel pipe supply unit holds the steel pipe identification device. A steel pipe identification method using the steel pipe identification device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 .

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