SteelTrack - Quality tracking system for steel mills

• Research unit: INNOSUISSE
• Project number: 11367.1;7 PFIW-IW

Short description (English)

SteelTrack - Quality tracking system for steel mills

Short description (French)

SteelTrack - Quality tracking system for steel mills

Abstract (English)

This project proposes a system to read imprinted characters in a steel mill, for quality control and tracking. Currently, a system has been developed by CSEM and CONCAST. This system can read stamped digits in steel billets of square or rectangular shape, by using the three dimensional character of these digits using a patented illumination scheme. Today, the installation of such a system requires the presence of experts in vision, and a lot of trial and errors. This project extends the existing technology to billets of any shape, in order to address a broader market. In addition, the system must be automatized and must be run by a non expert, to meet cost and time-to-market constraints. The core of the project is a generalization and automation of existing technology. The automation results in a reduction of cost and a better persistence over time of the quality control and tracking solution. The generalization allows to handle new situations and opens new market. The outcome of the project enables the industrial partner to offer a complete level 2 system for steel meltshops. This feature is in growing demand and will offer a competitive advantage for the partner over the competition to increase its market share (and not loose the present ones).

Abstract (French)

This project proposes a system to read imprinted characters in a steel mill, for quality control and tracking. Currently, a system has been developed by CSEM and CONCAST. This system can read stamped digits in steel billets of square or rectangular shape, by using the three dimensional character of these digits using a patented illumination scheme. Today, the installation of such a system requires the presence of experts in vision, and a lot of trial and errors. This project extends the existing technology to billets of any shape, in order to address a broader market. In addition, the system must be automatized and must be run by a non expert, to meet cost and time-to-market constraints. The core of the project is a generalization and automation of existing technology. The automation results in a reduction of cost and a better persistence over time of the quality control and tracking solution. The generalization allows to handle new situations and opens new market. The outcome of the project enables the industrial partner to offer a complete level 2 system for steel meltshops. This feature is in growing demand and will offer a competitive advantage for the partner over the competition to increase its market share (and not loose the present ones).