JP2013024561A - Inspection method of honeycomb structure, manufacturing method of honeycomb structure, and inspection device for honeycomb structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection method of a honeycomb structure which allows inspection labor to be reduced, a manufacturing method of a honeycomb structure, and an inspection device for a honeycomb structure.SOLUTION: In an inspection method of a honeycomb structure 70 having a plurality of through-hole cells 70a with openings at an end face, the cells 70a in a certain range from the outer periphery of the end face are excluded from inspection as incomplete cells 70imp in a step S13. Many of the cells 70a in the certain range from the outer periphery of the end face are incomplete cells having a shape largely distorted from the normal shape due to the location adjacent to the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure, being excluded from detailed inspection for labor saving. The cells 70a other than the incomplete cells 70imp which are excluded from the inspection in S13 are inspected in steps S14 to S16, so that inspection labor for the honeycomb structure 70 can be reduced.

Description

  The present invention relates to a honeycomb structure inspection method, a honeycomb structure manufacturing method, and a honeycomb structure inspection apparatus, and more particularly to a honeycomb structure inspection method for inspecting cells opened in an end face of a honeycomb structure, The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and a honeycomb structure inspection apparatus.

  Conventionally, a defect inspection method for a honeycomb filter used as a diesel particulate filter (DPF) is known. For example, in Patent Document 1, a gas flow containing particles is provided on the inlet end surface of a honeycomb filter, and the gas flow exiting from the outlet end surface of the honeycomb filter is irradiated with light to illuminate the particles. Techniques for detection are disclosed.

Special table 2009-503508 gazette

  By the way, if it is going to detect a defect about each cell opened to the end surface of the honey-comb filter, since a lot of labor is required for an inspection, improvement is desired.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a honeycomb structure inspection method, a honeycomb structure manufacturing method, and a honeycomb structure inspection apparatus capable of reducing inspection labor. And

  The present invention is a method for inspecting a honeycomb structure in which a plurality of through-hole cells are opened on an end surface, and excludes a predetermined range of cells arbitrarily set on the end surface from an inspection target, and an inspection by the exclusion step And an inspection process for inspecting cells other than the cells excluded from the target.

  According to this configuration, in the method for inspecting a honeycomb structure in which a plurality of through-hole cells are opened on the end surface, a certain range of cells arbitrarily set on the end surface is excluded from the inspection target by the excluding step. The cells at the end face of the honeycomb structure often have incomplete parts that are greatly distorted from the regular shape, and it is thought that omitting cells in such a range from detailed inspection objects will save labor. It is done. Therefore, in the inspection process, it is possible to reduce the labor for inspecting the honeycomb structure by inspecting cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection object in the exclusion process.

  In this case, in the exclusion step, it is preferable to exclude a certain range of cells from the outer periphery of the end face from the inspection target.

  Since cells in a certain range from the outer periphery of the end face of the honeycomb structure are near the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure, there are many incomplete objects greatly distorted from the regular shape, and omitting them from detailed inspection objects leads to labor saving. it is conceivable that. Therefore, in the excluding step, by excluding a certain range of cells from the outer periphery of the end face from the inspection object, the labor for inspecting the honeycomb structure can be reduced.

  In this case, in the excluding step, it is preferable to exclude cells whose center of gravity is within a certain distance from the outer periphery of the end face from the inspection target.

  According to this configuration, in the exclusion step, cells whose center of gravity is within a certain distance from the outer periphery of the end face are excluded from the inspection target. For this reason, it is possible to exclude cells to be excluded from the inspection target by a simple method.

  Further, in the inspection process, it is possible to inspect the presence or absence of deformation for each of the cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection target by the exclusion process.

  According to this configuration, in the inspection process, the presence or absence of deformation is inspected for each of the cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection target by the exclusion process. In spite of inspecting the presence or absence of deformation for each of the cells, in the present invention, in the exclusion process, the distorted and incomplete cells near the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure are excluded from the inspection object, so the honeycomb structure can be relatively easily obtained. Can be inspected.

  Further, the present invention provides a honeycomb structure including a sorting step of selecting a honeycomb structure that satisfies a predetermined inspection standard for the honeycomb structure that has been inspected for cells by the honeycomb structure inspection method of the present invention. It is a manufacturing method.

  The present invention also relates to an inspection apparatus for a honeycomb structure having a plurality of through-hole cells opened on an end surface, and an imaging unit capable of imaging the end surface, and an arbitrary end surface captured by the imaging unit. An inspection apparatus for a honeycomb structure including inspection means for inspecting cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection target while excluding a set range of cells from the inspection target.

  In this case, it is preferable that the inspection unit inspects cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection target while excluding a certain range of cells from the outer periphery of the end face imaged by the imaging unit from the inspection target.

  In this case, it is preferable that the inspection means exclude cells whose center of gravity is within a certain distance from the outer periphery of the end surface from the inspection target.

  Moreover, it is suitable for an inspection means to test | inspect the presence or absence of a deformation | transformation about each cell other than the cell excluded from the test object.

  According to the honeycomb structure inspection method, the honeycomb structure manufacturing method, and the honeycomb structure inspection apparatus of the present invention, the inspection labor can be reduced.

It is a flowchart which shows the inspection method of the honeycomb structure which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) is a perspective view of a honeycomb structure, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a). (A) is a perspective view of the mask for sealing, (b) is the elements on larger scale of (a). It is a figure which shows the process of calculating | requiring the gravity center position of each cell in FIG. It is a figure which shows the test | inspection area | region in the outer peripheral part of a honeycomb structure. It is a figure which shows the incomplete cell and deformation | transformation cell in the outer peripheral part of a honeycomb structure. It is a figure which shows the process of setting the defect detection area | region in FIG. It is a figure which shows the mask image used at the process of detecting the deformation | transformation part in FIG. It is a figure which shows the process of measuring the area of the deformation | transformation part in FIG.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The method for inspecting a honeycomb structure of the present invention is for detecting a cell defect of a honeycomb structure used for a DPF or the like. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a defect of each cell is detected after the green molded body of the honeycomb structure is dried and before sealing. The inspection method of this embodiment is performed according to the procedure shown in FIG.

  Here, the honeycomb structure to be inspected will be described. As shown in FIG. 2A, the honeycomb structure 70 according to the present embodiment is a cylindrical body in which a large number of through holes (cells) 70a are arranged substantially in parallel. The cross-sectional shape of the through hole 70a is a square as shown in FIG. The plurality of through holes 70a are arranged in a square arrangement in the honeycomb structure 70, that is, such that the central axis of the through hole 70a is located at the apex of the square, respectively. The square size of the cross section of the through hole 70a can be set to 0.8 to 2.5 mm on a side, for example.

  Further, the length of the honeycomb structure 70 in the direction in which the through holes 70a extend is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 40 to 350 mm. Moreover, the outer diameter of the honeycomb structure 70 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 10 to 320 mm.

  The material of the honeycomb structure 70 is not particularly limited, but a ceramic material is preferable from the viewpoint of high temperature resistance. Examples thereof include alumina, silica, mullite, cordierite, glass, oxides such as aluminum titanate, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and metal. The aluminum titanate can further contain at least one of magnesium and silicon. Such a honeycomb structure 70 is usually porous.

  The honeycomb structure 70 is a green molded body (unfired molded body) that becomes a ceramic material as described above by firing later. The green molded body includes an inorganic compound source powder that is a ceramic raw material, an organic binder such as methylcellulose, and an additive that is added as necessary.

  For example, in the case of a green molded body of aluminum titanate, the inorganic compound source powder includes an aluminum source powder such as α-alumina powder, and a titanium source powder such as anatase-type or rutile-type titania powder. In addition, at least one of magnesium source powder such as magnesia powder and magnesia spinel powder and silicon source powder such as silicon oxide powder and glass frit can be contained.

  Examples of the organic binder include celluloses such as methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyalkylmethylcellulose, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose; alcohols such as polyvinyl alcohol; and lignin sulfonate. Examples of the additive include a pore-forming agent, a lubricant and a plasticizer, a dispersant, and a solvent.

  Such a honeycomb structure 70 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A if the honeycomb structure 70 has square through holes 70a arranged in a square shape as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2B, only the plurality of through holes 70a that are not adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions among the plurality of squarely arranged through holes 70a in FIG. 2B are sealed by the sealing material. . At the other end face of the honeycomb structure 70, only the through hole 70a whose one end face is not sealed is similarly sealed by the sealing material.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the honeycomb structure inspection apparatus 300 of the present embodiment includes a camera 301 and a control unit 302. The camera 301 captures a scan image while scanning the entire end face of the honeycomb structure 70. As will be described later, the control unit 302 excludes a certain range of cells 70a from the outer periphery of the end face of the honeycomb structure 70 imaged by the camera 301 from the inspection target, but excludes cells 70a other than the cells 70a excluded from the inspection target. The cell 70a is inspected.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, in the present embodiment, after the green molded body of the honeycomb structure 70 is dried, the gravity center position g of each cell 70a is detected from the end face of the honeycomb structure 70 (S11). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, eight inspection areas AD on the outer periphery (skin portion) of the end face of the honeycomb structure 70 are measured by a scan image by the camera 301 of the honeycomb structure inspection apparatus 300 (S12).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6A, the control unit 302 of the honeycomb structure inspection apparatus 300 causes the center of gravity position 70g of the cell 70a from the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure 70 to be a fixed distance on the end face of the honeycomb structure 70. The inner cell 70a is excluded from the inspection target as the incomplete cell 70imp (S13). As shown in FIG. 6 (a), the honeycomb structure 70 has a crushed shape in the vicinity of the skin portion, and it is considered that a detailed inspection is unnecessary. Therefore, it is excluded from the inspection target for labor saving of the inspection. The In the following process, as shown in FIG. 6B, a deformed cell 70df whose shape is deformed is detected for the cells 70a other than the incomplete cell 70imp, as shown in FIG. 6B.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the controller 302 sets a defect detection region ad having a certain width and height with reference to the center of gravity of the cells 70a other than the incomplete cell 70imp (S14). As shown in FIG. 8, a reference cell-shaped mask image 170 a is prepared in advance by the control unit 302. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, the control unit 302 generates a difference image between the image of the cell 70a in the defect detection area ad and the mask image 170a having the reference cell shape, so that the deformed portion 270 is detected. (S15). The area of the deformed portion 270 is measured by the blob analysis by the control unit 302, and the presence or absence of cell deformation is determined based on the area of the deformed portion 270 (S16). The control unit 302 determines that the cell 70a having a large area of the deformed portion 270 is the deformed cell 70df. The processes in S14 to S16 described above are performed by the control unit 302 for all the cells 70a other than the incomplete cell 70imp.

  In the present embodiment, in the inspection method of the honeycomb structure 70 in which the cells 70a that are a plurality of through holes are opened on the end surface, a certain range of cells 70a arbitrarily set on the end surface by the step S13 are inspected as incomplete cells 70imp. Excluded from. The cells 70a at the end face portions of the honeycomb structure 70 may have many incomplete objects that are greatly distorted from the regular shape, and it is possible to save labor by omitting the cells 70a in such a range from detailed inspection objects. It seems to be connected. Therefore, in the processes of S14 to S16, the inspection work for the honeycomb structure 70 can be reduced by performing the inspection for the cells 70a other than the incomplete cell 70imp excluded from the inspection object in S13.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, in the inspection method of the honeycomb structure 70 in which the cells 70a that are a plurality of through holes are opened on the end surface, the cells 70a in a certain range from the outer periphery of the end surface are inspected as incomplete cells 70imp by the step S13. Excluded from. The cells 70a within a certain range from the outer periphery of the end face of the honeycomb structure 70 are in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure, so there are many incomplete objects greatly distorted from the regular shape. It is thought that it leads to. Therefore, in the processes of S14 to S16, the inspection work for the honeycomb structure 70 can be reduced by performing the inspection for the cells 70a other than the incomplete cell 70imp excluded from the inspection object in S13.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, in S13, the cell 70 whose center of gravity 70g is within a certain distance from the outer periphery of the end surface is excluded from the inspection target as the incomplete cell 70imp. For this reason, the cell 70a which should be excluded from the inspection object can be excluded from the inspection object by a simple method.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, S14 to S16 inspect each cell 70a other than the incomplete cell 70imp excluded from the inspection object by S13 for the presence or absence of deformation. In spite of inspecting the presence or absence of deformation for each of the cells 70a, in the present invention, the distorted incomplete cell 70ipm in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure is excluded from the inspection object in S13. 70 tests can be performed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation aspect is possible. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the description has focused on the aspect of inspecting the honeycomb structure 70 in which square cells 70a having a certain size are arranged in a square, but regular hexagonal cells 70a are arranged in a honeycomb shape. The inspection method of the present embodiment can also be applied to the honeycomb structure 70. The inspection method of the present embodiment can also be applied to the honeycomb structure 70 in which two or more types of cells 70a are arranged in size and shape.

  In the above embodiment, the distorted incomplete cell 70 ipm in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure is excluded from the inspection target. However, the present invention is not limited to an aspect in which the cell 70 a in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the honeycomb structure is excluded from the inspection target. . For example, in S13 described above, a certain range of cells 70a arbitrarily set from the end face of the honeycomb structure 70 can be excluded from the inspection target. For example, it is possible to set a certain range of the cells 70a to be excluded from the inspection target in the central portion of the honeycomb structure 70. In addition, the range of the cells 70a excluded from the inspection target can be set in accordance with, for example, the tendency of the honeycomb structure 70 manufactured so far.

  Furthermore, the steps S11 to S16 may be repeated to improve detection accuracy. Moreover, you may perform the process of said S11-S16 separately for every test object. In addition, steps other than S11 to S16 may be added as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 70 ... Honeycomb structure, 70a ... Through-hole, 70g ... Center-of-gravity position, 70imp ... Incomplete cell, 70df ... Deformation cell, 170 ... Sealing mask, 170a ... Through-hole, 270 ... Deformation part, 300 ... Honeycomb structure inspection apparatus , 301 ... camera, 302 ... control device.

Claims (9)

A method for inspecting a honeycomb structure having a plurality of through-hole cells opened on an end surface,
Exclusion step of excluding from a test object a certain range of cells arbitrarily set on the end face;
An inspection step of inspecting the cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection object by the exclusion step.   The method for inspecting a honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein, in the excluding step, the cells in a certain range from the outer periphery of the end face are excluded from an inspection target.   The method for inspecting a honeycomb structure according to claim 2, wherein, in the excluding step, the cells whose center of gravity is within a certain distance from the outer periphery of the end face are excluded from inspection targets.   The method for inspecting a honeycomb structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the inspection step, the presence or absence of deformation is inspected for each of the cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection target in the exclusion step.   5. Selection for selecting the honeycomb structure satisfying a predetermined inspection standard for the honeycomb structure that has been inspected for the cell by the method for inspecting a honeycomb structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure including a process. An inspection apparatus for a honeycomb structure having a plurality of through-hole cells opened on an end surface,
Imaging means capable of imaging the end face;
Inspection means for inspecting the cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection object while excluding the cells in a certain range arbitrarily set on the end face imaged by the imaging means from the inspection object;
A honeycomb structure inspection apparatus comprising:   The inspection means inspects the cells other than the cells excluded from the inspection object while excluding the cells in a certain range from the outer periphery of the end face imaged by the imaging means from the inspection object. 6. The inspection apparatus according to 6.   8. The inspection apparatus for a honeycomb structure according to claim 7, wherein the inspection unit excludes the cells whose center of gravity is within a certain distance from the outer periphery of the end surface from the inspection target.   The said inspection means is an inspection apparatus of the honeycomb structure of any one of Claims 6-8 which test | inspects the presence or absence of a deformation | transformation about each of said cells other than the said cell excluded from the test object.

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