Bethlehem Steel Corporation

Tom L Galanis

Joel L Hoffner

John C Clymer

Richard S Hostetter, Jr

Duane T Jones

Ronald W Yerkes

Joseph A Grohowski

Computerized electro-optical system gages two orthogonal dimensions of a moving hot bar and plots cold bar profile. Dual back-lighted electronic camera heads mounted 90.degree. apart on a scanner generate separate bar shadow pulses representing othogonal bar dimensions. Each camera source of bar pulses is processed in individual camera electronics where it is presumed the bar pulse has been corrected for optical and electronic system sources of error. If each bar pulse is not corrected, it is assumed that both a bar size pulse and bar position-in-field-of-view pulse are generated by each camera electronics and fed to a digital computer. The computer is programmed to correct for optical and electronic errors, bar temperature and composition and other errors. Two corrected bar size signals, together with a scanner position signal and a bar aim size signal, are used to plot cold bar profile deviation from aim size. CRT and printing terminals readout and printout bar profile data and interact with the computer.

Bar gauge plotting and display system

Computerized coiling control in which both pouring reel location and reel speed wobble pattern are preselected, whereby a moving product, such as bar, rod or wire, is continuously poured into a reel to form the densest product coils under a variety of coiling situations. A coiler operator presets independently adjustable parameters including coil O.D. and I.D., reel speed wobble rate, and a reel speed wobble pattern selected from computer storage and having either a spiral, spiral with dwell, or triangular waveform. The computer is programmed to assimilate operator input data, and calculate reel motor speed reference and current reference signals for use by a reel motor controller which will form the densest coils having predetermined flat spirals stacked axially in alternate reverse-convolute layers. Reel speed is modified to compensate coiler operation for effects due to variations in bar grade, temperature and/or shape.

Selectable coiling control method and apparatus

Computerized electro-optical system gages dimension of a moving hot bar. Back-lighted electronic camera head generates high-speed bar shadow pulses which represent the bar dimensions. Bar pulses are processed by way of camera electronics and a digital computer. CRT and printing terminals, interacting with the computer, indicate and/or record cold-size bar diameter measurement, with respect to commercial tolerance references and a gaging system histogram. Camera head electronics includes camera AGC circuit, a digital type one-axis bidirectional linear sweep, bar pulse edge-detection with an autocorrelator to remove noise and enhance the bar pulse, and a digital accumulator of digital bar size signals and digital bar position-in-field-of-view signals. The digital computer assimilates bar size and bar position signals bar temperature, aim size, and other data signals. The computer is programmed to: (a) compensate bar size signal for field-of-view errors and other optical and electronic nonlinearities, bar temperature and other sources of error; (b) calibrate the gage off-line and automatically recalibrate the gage on-line to correct for drift and slope errors; (c) perform a gaging system histogram; and (d) communicate with the CRT and printing terminals and an exterior control system.

Electro-optical gaging system

Computerized electro-optical system gages two orthogonal dimensions of a moving hot bar at various peripheral positions. Dual back-light electronic camera heads mounted 90.degree. apart on a scanner generate high-speed bar shadow pulses which represent the bar dimensions. Bar pulses are processed by way of individual camera electronics and a digital computer. CRT and printing terminals, interacting with the computer, indicate and/or record each cold-size bar diameter measurement, a plot of bar profile deviation from aim gage overlaid on full- and half-commercial tolerance references with a data header, and a gaging system histogram. Each camera head electronics includes camera AGC circuit, a digital type one-axis bidirectional linear sweep, bar pulse edge-detection with an autocorrelator to remove noise and enhance the bar pulse, and a digital accumulator of digital bar size signals and digital bar position-in-field-of-view signals. The digital computer assimilates each bar size and bar position digital signal along with scanner position, bar temperature and other data signals. The computer is programmed to: (a) compensate each bar size signal for field-of-view errors and other optical and electronic nonlinearities, bar temperature and other sources of error; (b) calibrate the gage off-line and automatically recalibrate the gage on-line to correct for drift and slope errors; (c) automatically drive the scanner and implement incremental digital storage of corrected bar size signals for bar profile plotting; (d) perform gaging system histograms; and (e) communicate with the CRT and printing terminals and an exterior control system.

Electro-optical gaging system having dual cameras on a scanner

Computerized electro-optical system gages dimension of a moving hot bar. Back-lighted electronic camera head generates high-speed bar shadow pulses which represent the bar dimensions. Bar pulses are processed by way of camera electronics and a digital computer. CRT and printing terminals, interacting with the computer, indicate and/or record a field-of-view correction map and a cold-size bar diameter measurement. Camera head electronics includes camera AGC, a digital type one-axis bidirectional linear sweep, bar pulse edge-detection with an autocorrelator to remove noise and enhance the bar pulse, and a digital accumulator of digital bar size signals and digital bar position-in-field-of-view signals. The digital computer assimilates bar size and bar position signals along with bar temperature, aim size, and other data signals. The computer is programmed to: (a) compensate bar size signals for field-of-view errors and other optical and electronic nonlinearities, bar temperature and other sources of error; (b) calibrate the gage off-line; and (c) communicate with the CRT and printing terminals and an exterior control system.

Linearity correction system for electro-optical gage

Computerized electro-optical system gages dimension of a moving hot bar. Back-lighted electronic camera head generates high-speed bar shadow pulses which represent the bar dimensions. Bar pulses are processed by way of camera electronics and a digital computer. CRT and printing terminals, interacting with the computer, indicate and/or record a recalibration mask table and a cold-size bar diameter measurement. Camera head electronics includes camera AGC, a digital type one-axis bidirectional linear sweep, bar pulse edge-detection with an autocorrelator to remove noise and enhance the bar pulse, and a digital accumulator of digital bar size signals. The digital computer assimilates bar size along with bar temperature, aim size, and other data signals. The computer is programmed to: (a) compensate bar size signals for bar temperature; (b) calibrate the gage off-line and automatically recalibrate the gage on-line to correct for drift and slope errors; and (c) communicate with the CRT and printing terminals and an exterior control system.

Growing community of inventors

Bethlehem, PA, United States of America

Tom L Galanis