Device to analyze and determine the movement characteristics of products, in particular in a casting line, and relative method

A device to analyze and determine the movement characteristics of products exiting from a casting line and moving in a determinate direction of feed (F) and emitting radiations, the device being configured to be disposed at one side of the casting line to acquire images of the products, the device comprising:

• a camera able to continuously acquire images of the product moving in the direction of feed (F) in at least two successive instants of time;
• an electronic processing unit, suitable to effect a comparison between at least two successive images acquired, using mathematical algorithms based on an image correlation principle, in order to determine a spatial displacement of the images and, by said spatial displacement, to analyze and determine the movement characteristics of the product moving in the direction of feed (F), or the direction transverse to the direction of feed, obtaining a signal correlated to the speed of the moving product, wherein said processing unit is configured to carry out a Fourier harmonic analysis by Fast Fourier Transform of a speed signal and to analyze the speed signal in a frequencies domain, both in the direction of feed (F) and also in the direction transverse to the direction of feed, so as to identify:
• the presence of a frequency component corresponding to the frequency of oscillation of an ingot mold of the casting line and, assessing the amplitude of said frequency component identified, to identify the presence of possible anomalies, in particular due to an erroneous setting of a casting speed, erroneous conicity of a crystallizer and/or poor effectiveness of lubrication, or anomalies in the movement dynamics of the product, and/or
• the presence of a frequency component correlated to friction and/or anomalies in a mechanical system, that guides and conveys the product;
• and
• a Profibus port, or equivalent port, by which to access directly a speed value of the product calculated by the processing unit,
• wherein said processing unit is configured to perform said comparison on the basis of the natural presence of surface irregularities or dis-uniformities on the product, in which, among said surface irregularities or dis-uniformities, a reference detail (P) is identified in the images acquired, and the spatial displacement thereof is evaluated, comparing relative images by said mathematical algorithms based on the image correlation principle and then the movement characteristics of the product are analyzed and determined.

A method to analyze and determine the movement characteristics of products exiting from a casting line and moving in a determinate direction of feed (F) and emitting radiations, comprising:

• acquiring, continuously and at successive instants of time, a plurality of images of the moving product whose movement characteristics are to be analyzed, wherein acquiring of images is performed at one side of the casting line,
• carrying out a comparison between at least two successive images acquired, using mathematical algorithms based on an image correlation principle, in order to determine a spatial displacement of the images and, by said spatial displacement, to analyze and determine the movement characteristics of the product moving in the direction of feed (F),
• obtaining a signal correlated to a speed of the moving product, wherein the method carries out a Fourier harmonic analysis by Fast Fourier Transform of a speed signal and analyzes said speed signal in a frequencies domain, both in the direction of feed (F) and also in the direction transverse to the direction of feed, so as to identify:
• the presence of a frequency component corresponding to the frequency of oscillation of an ingot mold of the casting line and, assessing the amplitude of said frequency component identified, to identify the presence of possible anomalies, in particular due to an erroneous setting of a casting speed, erroneous conicity of a crystallizer and/or poor effectiveness of lubrication, and/or
• the presence of a frequency component correlated to friction and/or anomalies in a mechanical system that guides and conveys the product,
• the method further including generating, by an impulse generator and depending on the calculated speed of the moving product, a sequence of impulses with a frequency correlated to the value of the speed determined, in order to render a calculated speed value of the product available outside the camera, an impulse counter means being provided to count said impulses, from which the speed value is derived externally, and
• wherein the comparison step is carried out on the basis of the natural presence of surface irregularities and dis-uniformities on the product, in which, among said surface irregularities and dis-uniformities, a reference detail (P) is identified in the images acquired, and the spatial displacement thereof is evaluated, comparing the relative images by said mathematical algorithms based on the image correlation principle and then the movement characteristics of the product are analyzed and determined.

A method to analyze and determine the movement characteristics of products exiting from a casting line and moving in a determinate direction of feed (F) and emitting radiations, comprising:

• acquiring, continuously and at successive instants of time, a plurality of images of the moving product whose movement characteristics are to be analyzed, wherein acquiring of images is performed at one side of the casting line,
• carrying out a comparison between at least two successive images acquired, using mathematical algorithms based on an image correlation principle, in order to determine a spatial displacement of the images and, by said spatial displacement, to analyze and determine the movement characteristics of the product moving in the direction of feed (F),
• obtaining a signal correlated to a speed of the moving product, wherein the method carries out a Fourier harmonic analysis by Fast Fourier Transform of a speed signal and analyzes said speed signal in a frequencies domain, both in the direction of feed (F) and also in the direction transverse to the direction of feed, so as to identify:
• the presence of a frequency component corresponding to the frequency of oscillation of an ingot mold of the casting line and, assessing the amplitude of said frequency component identified, to identify the presence of possible anomalies, in particular due to an erroneous setting of a casting speed, erroneous conicity of a crystallizer and/or poor effectiveness of lubrication, and/or
• the presence of a frequency component correlated to friction and/or anomalies in a mechanical system that guides and conveys the product,
• the method further including directly accessing, by a Profibus port, or equivalent port, a calculated speed value of the product, and
• wherein the comparison step is carried out on the basis of the natural presence of surface irregularities and dis-uniformities on the product, in which, among said surface irregularities and dis-uniformities, a reference detail (P) is identified in the images acquired, and the spatial displacement thereof is evaluated, comparing the relative images by said mathematical algorithms based on the image correlation principle and then the movement characteristics of the product are analyzed and determined.