JP6895788B2 - Raw material mountain shape measurement method and measuring device in the raw material yard - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a measuring method and a measuring device for measuring a raw material peak shape (profile) of a raw material yard in a steel mill or the like.

At the steelworks, raw materials such as iron ore and coal carried by large ships are unloaded at the raw material quay, and the unloaded raw materials are piled up by stackers (loading machines) so that the types and brands are not mixed. It is stored in a pile in the raw material yard. The raw materials loaded in the raw material yard are discharged from the raw material pile by a reclaimer (feeding machine) according to the operation schedule, and sent to the post-processes such as a sintering factory and a coke factory. In the raw material yard, raw materials are loaded and dispensed according to the operation schedule. It is extremely important to measure the shape of the raw material crest and control the volume of these raw materials, etc., in order to manage inventory and operate the raw material yard efficiently.

Conventionally, a worker has performed the work of measuring the circumference and height of a pile of raw materials to estimate the shape of the pile of raw materials, and estimating the storage amount of the raw material from the shape. However, the raw material yard of a steel mill is large, with the height of the raw material mountain being about 10 m to 14 m, the width of the raw material yard being about 50 m, and the length being about 500 m to 1000 m. Since we have multiple raw material yards, it takes a lot of time and effort to do the manual work.

For this reason, in recent years, by installing a 2D laser distance meter and a stereo camera on the boom (arm) of a yard machine such as a stacker or a reclaimer, and running the yard machine in the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard, the raw material of the raw material yard is used. Methods for measuring the mountain shape are disclosed in, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-157187 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-193030

However, the method of installing a 2D laser range finder as described in Patent Document 1 requires a huge equipment cost, which is a major obstacle to its widespread use. Further, when a stereo camera is used as described in Patent Document 2, there is no commercially available stereo camera on a scale for accurately measuring the raw material crest shape of a vast raw material yard, and in order to increase the measurement range. If the distance between the cameras is large, there is a problem that the device becomes large. In addition, the cost has increased significantly due to the increase in size and non-general purpose equipment, so the actual situation is that it has not become widespread.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to enable the shape of a raw material mountain in a raw material yard to be measured at low cost in a short time.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention is a method for measuring the raw material mountain shape of a raw material yard, in which one imaging device is installed on a boom of a yard machine and the depression / elevation angle of the boom is set to a preset angle. While holding the boom and turning the boom to the first turning angle, while running the yard machine in the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard, the raw material yard is moved by the imaging device at regular time intervals or fixed distance intervals. Taking a picture, and further, with the boom swiveled to a second swivel angle different from the first swivel angle, the yard machine was photographed at the first swivel angle in the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard. While traveling in the direction opposite to the time, the raw material yard is photographed by the imaging device at regular time intervals or fixed distances, and the first swivel angle and the second swivel angle are at least both shots combined. The entire width of the raw material yard is set to fit within the range of the field of view of the imaging device, and either the first turning angle or the second turning angle is the range of the field of view of the imaging device. At least one of the yard machine rail, the conveyor, and the conveyor stand installed along the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard is set to fit inside, and the image of the overlapping portion between the captured images is used. Provided is a method for measuring a raw material crest shape of a raw material yard, which comprises measuring the raw material crest shape of the raw material yard by a dimensional image measuring method.

According to the present invention, it is possible to measure the raw material crest shape in the raw material yard at low cost and in a short time.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the measuring apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the mounting position of the image pickup apparatus of the measuring apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the example of the measuring method of the raw material mountain shape. It is a flowchart of the measurement method shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the example of the measuring method of the raw material mountain shape which concerns on embodiment of this invention, (a) shows the time of photographing the first turning angle, (b) shows the time of photographing the second turning angle. It is a flowchart of the measurement method shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configuration are designated by the same reference numerals, so that duplicate description will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a raw material mountain-shaped measuring device for a raw material yard according to an embodiment of the present invention. The measuring device 1 includes an imaging device 11, a control unit 12, and an image processing unit 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, one image pickup device 11 is installed near the tip of the boom 21 of the yard machine 2 such as a stacker or a reclaimer. As the image pickup device 11, a commercially available digital camera can be used.

The control unit 12 is connected to the image pickup device 11 to control shooting conditions and collect image data shot by the image pickup device 11. The control unit 12 is installed on the yard machine 2.

The image processing unit 13 measures the volume and the like of the raw material mountain by three-dimensional analysis by a three-dimensional image measurement method from a plurality of images taken by the image pickup apparatus 11, and is a three-dimensional image analysis commercially available on a personal computer. It can be used by introducing a system or the like. The image processing unit 13 is provided in, for example, an office or the like that collects information on the entire raw material yard, and image data is transmitted from the control unit 12 by a wired or wireless communication means to perform measurement processing.

Next, an example of a method for measuring the raw material mountain shape using the above measuring device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 is an example of a plan view of the raw material yard 20 as viewed from above.

First, one imaging device 11 is installed on the boom 21 of the yard machine 2 such as a stacker or a reclaimer (FIGS. 4 and S1), and the yard machine 2 is the length of the raw material yard 20 of the raw material pile 10 for measuring. It runs to the position on one end side in the direction and stops. Then, the depression / elevation angle and the turning angle of the boom are sequentially adjusted so that the image pickup device 11 is located higher than the raw material mountain 10 and the entire width W of the raw material yard 20 is within the range of the field of view of the image pickup device 11. And fix it (FIGS. 4, S2, S3). While maintaining this state, the yard machine 2 is driven from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction of the raw material pile 10 and continuously photographed at regular intervals by the image pickup apparatus 11 (FIGS. 4 and S4).

The image pickup apparatus 11 is installed so as to face directly below and parallel to the ground of the raw material yard 20. Further, if the boom 21 is installed as close to the tip of the boom 21 as possible and the elevation angle θ (see FIG. 2) of the boom 21 is made as large as possible, the field of view of the image pickup apparatus 11 can be widened and the number of times of shooting can be reduced. As a result, the image data and the time required for shooting can be reduced. Further, by reducing the amount of image data, it is possible to shorten the image processing time. For example, in the present embodiment, in the raw material yard 20 having a yard width W of 50 m shown in FIG. 2, the image pickup device 11 is installed at a position where the distance L from the turning fulcrum of the boom 21 of the yard machine 2 is 40 m, and the elevation angle of the boom 21 Let θ be 20 °. When the height h0 of the turning fulcrum of the boom 21 is 13 m from the ground, the height h of the image pickup apparatus 11 is 26.7 m. As shown in FIG. 3, the turning angle is 38.7 ° so that the image pickup apparatus 11 is located at the center of the raw material yard 20 having a yard width of 50 m in the width direction. Further, the horizontal angle of view of the image pickup apparatus 11 is 90 °, so that the camera field of view is 53.4 m (yard width direction) × 40.1 m (longitudinal direction). While maintaining this state, the yard machine 2 is run, and the image pickup device 11 takes a picture once every 1 m of movement. When the yard machine 2 moves at a constant speed, the shooting interval may be set at a time interval.

As shown in FIG. 3, during continuous shooting, the image Pi is at least 50%, preferably 60%, of the entire image in the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard 20 with respect to the image P (i-1) taken immediately before. Set the shooting interval so that the above ranges overlap. In principle, the dimension B overlapping in the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard 20 is 50% of the direction dimension A of the entire image, and there is no problem. However, considering the lens aberration of the image pickup apparatus 11 to be used, the B / A is More preferably, it is 60% or more. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the image overlap rate is more than 94%.

In the present embodiment, since the boom is adjusted so that the entire width of the raw material yard 20 fits within the field of view of the image pickup apparatus 11, all the captured images show the entire width of the yard width W. .. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the reference length may be the yard width W (= 50 m). By imprinting what the installation position and dimensions can be clearly grasped on all the images in this way, it becomes a reference when analyzing the shape of the raw material pile 10.

The image data captured in this way is transmitted to the image processing unit 13, and the image processing unit 13 performs correction and measurement. First, the imprinted yard width is input as the reference length (FIGS. 4 and S5). Next, in the obtained image group, a point cloud model of the raw material mountain 10 in the raw material yard 20 is generated by pattern matching the overlapping parts of a plurality of images taken continuously (FIG. 4). , S6), and further, a TIN (triangulated irregular network) model is generated based on the generated point cloud data (FIGS. 4 and S7). Then, the volume of the raw material pile 10 is obtained based on the TIN model (FIGS. 4, S8). Based on the raw material crest shape obtained in this way, the inventory of raw materials can be managed accurately and the raw material yard 20 can be operated efficiently. The measuring device 1 can also measure the raw material piles 10 of the raw material yards 20 on the left and right sides of the yard machine 2.

5 and 6 show an example of a method for measuring a mountain shape of a raw material according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the raw material yard 20 as viewed from above.

One imaging device 11 is installed on the boom 21 of the yard machine 2 (FIGS. 6 and S11), and the yard machine 2 is driven to a position on one end side of the raw material mountain 10 for measurement, and the depression / elevation angle of the boom 21 is reached. (Figs. 6 and S12). The steps up to this step are the same as those in the above embodiment. Further, the mounting positions of the yard machine 2 on which the image pickup device 11 is installed and the boom 21 are the same. The horizontal angle of view of the image pickup apparatus 11 is 80 °.

In the present embodiment, two types of turning angles of the boom 21 are set, and first, they are adjusted to the first turning angle and fixed (FIGS. 6 and S13). In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5A, the first turning angle is 22.0 °. As a result, the image pickup apparatus 11 is located at a position 15 m from the yard machine 2 side in the width direction of the raw material yard 20, and from this position, the yard machine 2 travels on the outward route from one end to the other end of the raw material ridge 10 in the longitudinal direction. Then, the image pickup apparatus 11 continuously shoots at regular intervals (FIGS. 6 and S14).

When the yard machine 2 reaches the other end side of the raw material pile 10 for measurement, it temporarily stops, and the boom 21 is adjusted to the second turning angle and fixed (FIGS. 6 and S15). In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5B, the second turning angle is 61.0 °. As a result, the image pickup apparatus 11 is located at a position 35 m from the yard machine 2 side in the width direction of the raw material yard 20, and from this position, the yard machine 2 is run on the return path in the direction opposite to that at the first turning angle. The raw material ridge 10 is continuously photographed in the longitudinal direction at regular intervals by the image pickup apparatus 11 (FIGS. 6 and S16).

In the present embodiment, the camera field of view at the first turning angle is 44.8 m (yard width direction) x 33.6 m (longitudinal direction), and the entire width direction of the raw material yard 20 cannot be photographed only by photographing in one direction. However, by changing the turning angle and taking a reciprocating image, it is possible to take an image over the entire width direction of the raw material yard 20. The image processing step is the same as that of the above embodiment (FIGS. 6, S17, S18, S19, S20).

Since the image pickup device 11 is fixed at a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the boom 21 of the yard machine 2, when the turning angle of the boom 21 is changed, the yard width direction and the longitudinal direction are as shown in FIG. The angle of the field of view of the imaging device 11 with respect to the direction changes. The angle of the image pickup apparatus 11 may be changed according to the turning angle of the boom 21, but it is preferable that the raw material yard 20 has a large amount of dust and the number of moving parts is as small as possible.

In the present embodiment, as the reference length, a pair of rails 31 for the yard machine 2 provided on one side in the width direction of the raw material yard 20 are imprinted on all the images in the first shooting during the outbound route. A rail 31 for the yard machine 2 is always installed on the side of the raw material yard 20, and the distance between the pair of rails 31 is, for example, about 8 m, which is constant over the entire length of the raw material yard 20. The reference is not limited to the rail 31, and any of the equipment fixedly arranged in the raw material yard 20, such as a conveyor for transporting raw materials and a conveyor stand, may be imprinted. It should be noted that the longer the reference is, the more advantageous in terms of accuracy. In this way, by using the existing equipment and the like, it is possible to save the trouble of arranging a dedicated index indicating the reference length. When there is no existing equipment, an index of predetermined dimensions may be placed on the ground and the index may be imprinted on the captured image.

In the measurement of the raw material mountain shape of the present invention, GPS may be arranged in the vicinity of the image pickup device 11 in order to grasp the position of the image pickup device 11. In this case, a camera with a GPS function may be used as the image pickup device 11, or the position information of the yard machine 2 may be used. If accurate position information of the raw material mountain 10 is not required and only the shape of the mountain and its inventory amount can be grasped, the position information of the imaging device 11 by GPS is unnecessary.

According to the present invention, by attaching one imaging device 11 to the yard machine 2 used in the raw material yard 20, the raw material mountain shape can be measured, and the raw material mountain shape is conventionally manually measured. It is possible to significantly reduce the burden on the workers. Further, as compared with the conventional measurement method using a 2D laser distance meter or a stereo camera, the present invention can be carried out with a general-purpose imaging device (digital camera), a personal computer, and commercially available 3D image measurement software. Equipment costs can be reduced. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to carry out inventory management of raw materials with high accuracy and efficient operation management at low cost.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modifications or modifications within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and of course, the technical scope of the present invention also includes them. It is understood that it belongs to.

For example, as an embodiment, a measurement method in which two types of turning angles are set to reciprocate the yard machine is described, but three or more types of turning angles are set and the yard machine is operated in the opposite direction to the previous time each time. It may be run and measured.

The present invention can be applied not only to steelworks but also to facilities for storing raw materials and the like outdoors, such as a coal yard of a coal-fired power plant, as an apparatus and method for measuring the mountain shape, and can be applied to inventory management and facilities. It can be used for operation management.

1 Measuring device 2 Yard machine 10 Raw material pile 11 Imaging device 12 Control unit 13 Image processing unit 20 Raw material yard 21 Boom

Claims (1)

It is a method of measuring the shape of the raw material mountain in the raw material yard.
One imaging device was installed on the boom of the yard machine,
Hold the depression / elevation angle of the boom at a preset angle,
With the boom swiveled to the first swivel angle, while the yard machine is running in the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard, the raw material yard is photographed by the imaging device at regular time intervals or at regular distances.
Further, in a state where the boom is swiveled to a second swivel angle different from the first swivel angle, the yard machine is photographed at the first swivel angle in the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard. While traveling in the opposite direction, the raw material yard is photographed at regular time intervals or fixed distances with the imaging device.
The first swivel angle and the second swivel angle are set so that the entire width of the raw material yard is within the field of view of the image pickup apparatus that combines at least both images.
Further, either the first turning angle or the second turning angle is set within the field of view of the imaging device along the longitudinal direction of the raw material yard, which is a rail for a yard machine, a conveyor, or a conveyor stand. Set to fit at least one of
A method for measuring the raw material crest shape of a raw material yard, which comprises measuring the raw material crest shape of the raw material yard by a three-dimensional image measuring method using images of overlapping portions of captured images.

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