JPH04263788A - Heat treatment code recognizing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contribute to the automation of a heat treatment system by a method wherein a heat treatment code recognizing device, capable of securing the identity of the contents of indication before and after heat treatment and facilitating the visual recognition of the indication for a machine or an operator, is realized. CONSTITUTION:Segment mounting units 2a, 2b, which are made of graphite, are formed on the upper surface 1a of a vessel 1 while segment elements 3, made of ceramics, are mounted on the segment mounting units 2a, 2b properly to indicate a heat treatment code. The code is read by a picture recognizing means 4.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heat treatment code recognition device that is effective for automating heat treatment processes such as sintering and hardening.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art Heat treatments such as sintering and hardening generally consist of a plurality of steps. In the past, control of the temperature inside the furnace during heat treatment and handing over of the processed materials after heat treatment until all post-processes were completed were handled by
In reality, the process was carried out under the supervision of workers who were familiar with the process, and the process was not clearly displayed on the processing container or the like.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, with the recent diversification of heat-treated materials, there has been an increasing desire to automate temperature control, processing material conveyance lines, and the like. Therefore, when building such an automated system, it is necessary to provide machines and unspecified workers with information such as how the temperature of the processed material should be controlled, and what processing steps should be completed. There is a new need to display information in a format that can be provided objectively. However, the container is inserted into the furnace during heat treatment (sintering, quenching, etc.)
Since it is heated to 600° C., if the same code markings are applied to ordinary articles, the markings will melt and change and disappear after the heat treatment, making them useless. Further, it is desired that such a code display is not only recognizable by a machine but also easy for an operator to read and easy to handle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a heat treatment code recognition device suitable for such uses.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following configuration.

That is, the heat treatment code recognition device according to the present invention includes a heat-resistant container having a segment attachment portion formed on its external surface, and a heat-resistant container that is removably attached to the segment attachment portion and that displays numbers according to the arrangement when attached. , alphabets, symbols, etc., and an image recognition means for reading a heat treatment code from all the attached segment elements.

[0007]

[Operation] With such a structure, an appropriate heat treatment cord can be constructed simply by an operator mounting segment elements in a certain combination on the segment mounting portion. In this case, since both the container forming the segment attachment part and the segment element are heat resistant,
Even when the container is placed in a furnace and exposed to high temperatures, it does not easily melt, and the same heat treatment code is ensured before and after heat treatment. Therefore, an image recognition means is provided at any location on the automated line where a heat treatment code is required, and at each location the image recognition means is used to determine the arrangement of the segment elements on the segment attachment part, and the entire segment is By reading the heat treatment code expressed in , it becomes possible to appropriately provide data corresponding to the heat treatment code to necessary control systems such as a temperature control system and an automated sequence system.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an automatic heat treatment system using a heat treatment code recognition device according to the present invention. The heat treatment code recognition device, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3,
Heat-resistant container 1 with segment attachment parts 2a and 2b formed therein
, a plurality of heat-resistant segment elements 3 that are attached to and detached from the segment attachment parts 2a and 2b, and an image recognition means 4 that is disposed at an appropriate location on the conveyance line (not shown).

To be more specific, the container 1 is made of graphite, which has been conventionally used to contain the processed material A, and the upper surface 1a, which is the externally exposed surface of the container 1, has the following features:
A segment base 2 made of graphite is attached. The segment base 2 has grooves 2 constituting 16 segments.
The segment mounting portion 2a has a segment mounting portion 2a in which a number 1a is carved, and a segment mounting portion 2b in which a groove 21b forming two digits of seven segments is carved. On the other hand, the segment element 3 is
Made of ceramic, it can maintain its proper shape without reacting with graphite at high temperatures. Its cross-sectional shape substantially corresponds to the cross-sectional shape of each segment groove 21a, 21b. By appropriately combining the segment elements 3 and mounting them in the grooves 21a and 21b of the segment mounting sections 2a and 2b, the segment mounting section 2a mainly displays the conveyance destination with a heat treatment code consisting of numbers and alphabets. However, in the mounting part 2b, a program pattern number mainly related to furnace temperature control can be displayed as a heat treatment code consisting of a two-digit number. Further, the image processing means 4 includes a camera 4a provided at a position facing the conveyance line of the processed material A and capable of capturing an image of the segment base 2;
It is comprised of an image processing circuit 4b that determines the heat treatment code represented by each segment attachment part 2a, 2b from data on the presence or absence of segment elements captured by this camera 4a and converts it into data that can be transmitted. There is. 4c is a CRT that allows the operator to monitor the read heat treatment code.

[0011] However, in this automatic heat treatment system,
The heat treatment code taken out from the heat treatment code recognition device
After the code is input to the microcomputer 5 and subjected to appropriate processing, necessary data is transmitted to the program temperature controller 6, sequencer 7, etc. In other words, if this heat treatment code recognition device is provided, for example, in the preceding stage of the heat treatment process, the sequencer 7
The controller 6 obtains information on which furnace the processing container 1 should be transported to based on the sent data and performs control accordingly, and the program temperature controller 6 executes the program specified by the sent data. The temperature inside the furnace can be controlled according to the pattern number program. In addition, if this heat treatment code recognition device is provided, for example, in the latter part of the heat treatment process, the sequencer 6 will determine whether the processing container 1 is further transported to another furnace based on the sent data. , or to the finishing line, and control can be performed accordingly. When the material is transported to another furnace, the microcomputer 5 sends information to the temperature controller attached to the furnace. By inputting necessary data, it becomes possible to proceed with predetermined temperature control in accordance with the temperature program pattern corresponding to the data. At this time, since the segment base 2 and the segment element 3 are both heat resistant and do not react with each other, the initially set segment display will be maintained as it is even after the heat treatment. Therefore, the reliability of data in subsequent processes is also guaranteed.

As described above, in the heat treatment automation system to which this heat treatment code recognition device is applied, the operator first sets the container 1 containing the processed material A on the transport tray 8, and at that time, the segment The element 3 is attached to the segment mounting portion 2 on the segment base 2 in accordance with the appropriate heat treatment code.
If it is attached to the terminals a and 2b, there will be almost no need for operator intervention from then until the end of the process. Therefore, it becomes possible to effectively respond to the recent diversification of heat treatments. In addition, because the display format is a simple segment display, mechanical reading errors can be reduced to almost 0, and it is easy for workers to visually see information about processed items when monitoring automated lines. It becomes easier to obtain. In particular, the segment base used in this example
The segment element 3 is made of graphite and has a blackish appearance, while the segment element 3 is made of ceramic and has a whitish appearance.The contrast between these elements makes it easier for the camera 4a and the operator to see them, further reducing the possibility of reading errors. This can be reduced.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the segment base may be made of ceramic and the segment element may be made of graphite, or a combination of other heat-resistant materials may be used. In this case, the segment mounting portion may be a protrusion, and the segment element may be provided with a recess that engages with the protrusion. Further, the segment base may be provided on another easily visible external surface such as the side surface of the container. Of course, the segment mounting portion can also be carved or protruded directly into the container without using the segment base. moreover,
The mode of segment display can be modified in various ways depending on the purpose and use, such as a 3-digit display of 7 segments. Furthermore, what is displayed as a segment may be a simple symbol or the like.

[0014]

Effects of the Invention As explained above, the heat treatment code recognition device of the present invention prevents the contents of the segment display from changing even when exposed to high temperatures during heat treatment, and automatically recognizes heat treatment codes through image recognition means. This allows for accurate reading at any location on the line. Therefore, by inputting data corresponding to the code into the temperature program system and post-processing sequence system, it is necessary to create a system that automatically performs various processing patterns without operator intervention. becomes possible. In addition, if the segment display is used, it is easy for the operator to visually recognize it, the reading error of the machine can be reduced, and the handling is as simple as attaching and detaching the segment element.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a segment attachment part of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Container 1a...External surface (top surface) 2a, 2b...Segment attachment part 3...Segment element 4...Image recognition means

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claims: 1. A heat-resistant container having a segment attachment portion formed on an externally exposed surface, the container being removable from the segment attachment portion and having numbers, alphabets, symbols, etc. configured as appropriate depending on the arrangement when attached. A heat treatment coat is applied from multiple heat-resistant segment elements and the entire attached segment element.
1. A heat treatment code recognition device comprising: image recognition means for reading a heat treatment code.