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EP-4740175-A1 - LIDAR DEFECT DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE IN CAN MANUFACTURING ASSEMBLIES

EP4740175A1EP 4740175 A1EP4740175 A1EP 4740175A1EP-4740175-A1

Abstract

A LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) detection system for use in a can manufacturing assembly. The LiDAR defect detection system includes a plurality of LiDAR sensors disposed at outputs of one or more equipment in the can manufacturing assembly and structured to scan and create at least three-dimensional (3D) images of output cans at the outputs of the one or more equipment; and a controller communicatively coupled to the LiDAR sensors and structured to collect data including at least the 3D images and analyze the data to determine if one or more output cans are defective.

Inventors

  • CHANDRAKANTHAN, SAYON

Assignees

  • Stolle Machinery Company, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240122

Claims (20)

  1. What is claimed is: 1. A LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) defect detection system for use in a can manufacturing assembly, comprising: a plurality of LiDAR sensors disposed at least at outputs of one or more equipment in the can manufacturing assembly and structured to scan and create at least three-dimensional (3D) images of output cans at the outputs of the one or more equipment; and a controller communicatively coupled to the LiDAR sensors and structured to collect data including at least the 3D images and analyze the data to determine if one or more output cans are defective.
  2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more equipment comprise at least one of a bodymaker, a trimmer, a necker machine, a washer or a can decorator.
  3. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further structured to compare the data with specifications for the output cans.
  4. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the outputs comprise one or more conveyors that carry the output cans processed by each equipment.
  5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the LiDAR sensors are disposed above the output cans.
  6. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the LiDAR sensors further comprise one or more LiDAR sensors disposed below the output cans or on the one or more conveyors.
  7. 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the LiDAR sensors further comprise one or more LiDAR sensors disposed in the one or more equipment.
  8. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more LiDAR sensors are disposed in a pin chain, a transfer wheel, or a curing oven of a can decorator.
  9. 9. The system of claim 4, wherein for analyzing the data, the controller is further structured to compare the data with specifications for the output cans, the specifications comprising at least reference sizes and reference images for the output cans.
  10. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller determines if a defect has been detected in one or more output cans based on the comparison and determine if the detected defect is an actual defect based at least in part on the specifications.
  11. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein an actual defect exceeds an acceptable threshold for respective specification using respective equipment.
  12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more conveyors are operably coupled to respective removal devices that are communicatively coupled to the controller, the removal devices being structured to remove the one or more defective cans from the one or more conveyors and wherein the controller is further structured to cause the removal device to remove the one or more defective cans from the one or more conveyors based on the determination that the defect is an actual defect.
  13. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the data from the LiDAR sensors further comprise at least distance information associated with the output cans.
  14. 14. A LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) defect detection system for use in a can decorator, comprising: one or more LiDAR sensors disposed adjacent to or within a component of the can decorator, the one or more LiDAR structured to scan and create at least three-dimensional (3D) images of cans passing through an inspection window of the one or more LiDAR sensors; and a controller communicatively coupled to the one or more LiDAR sensors and structured to collect data including at least the 3D images and analyze the data to determine if one or more cans are defective.
  15. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further structured to compare the data including at least the 3D images to at least reference images for the cans in determining if one or more cans include an image defect, the image defect comprising an image registration error.
  16. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein an output conveyor of the can decorator is operably coupled to a removal device that is communicatively coupled to the controller and structured to remove the one or more defective cans.
  17. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein in response to determining that one or more cans include an image defect, the controller is further structured to cause the removal device to remove the one or more defective cans from the output conveyor.
  18. 18. The system of claim 14, wherein the cans are carried by rotating can pads through the inspection window such that the one or more LiDAR sensors are able to scan and create images of all sides of each can passing through the inspection window.
  19. 19. A method of detecting a defect in cans in a can manufacturing assembly, comprising: providing a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) defect detection system that comprises (i) LiDAR sensors disposed at least at outputs of one or more equipment in the can manufacturing assembly and structured to scan and create at least three-dimensional (3D) images of output cans at the outputs of the one or more equipment, and (ii) a controller communicatively coupled to the LiDAR sensors and structured to collect data including at least the 3D images and analyze the data to determine if one or more output cans are defective; scanning and creating at least the 3D images; transmitting the data including at least the 3D images to the controller; and analyzing the data received to determine if one or more output cans are defective.
  20. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determining if one or more output cans are defective comprises: comparing the data to specifications for the output cans, the specifications including at least reference sizes and reference images for the output cans; detecting a defect in one or more output cans based on the comparison; determining if the detected defect is an actual defect; and in response to determining that the detected defect is an actual defect, causing a removal device to remove the one or more defective output cans from can manufacturing assembly line.

Description

LIDAR DEFECT DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE IN CAN MANUFACTURING ASSEMBLIES [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 18/219,204, filed July 7, 2023, entitled, LIDAR DEFECT DETECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USE IN CAN MANUFACTURING ASSEMBLIES. FIELD OF THE INVENTION: [0002] The disclosed concept relates generally to a defect detection system and method and, more particularly, to a system and method of detecting product defects using LiDAR in can manufacturing assemblies. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: [0003] The process of food and beverage metal packing includes various stages (e.g., without limitation, bodymaking, trimming, washing, printing, necking, flanging, inspecting, filling, etc.) of can manufacturing. For example, an aluminum can begins as a disk of aluminum, also known as a “blank,” that is punched from a sheet or coil of aluminum by a cupper. That is, the sheet is fed into a dual action press where a “blank” disc is cut from the sheet by an outer slide/ram motion. An inner slide/ram then pushes the “blank” through a draw process to create a cup 102 (shown in Figure 3). The cup 102 has a bottom and a depending sidewall. The cup 102 is fed into a bodymaker 100, one example of which is shown in Figure 3, which performs a redraw and ironing operation. More specifically, the cup 102 is disposed in a can forming machine at the mouth of a die pack 106 having substantially circular openings therein. The cup 102 is held in place by a redraw sleeve, which is part of the redraw assembly 118. The redraw sleeve is a hollow tubular construct that is disposed inside the cup 102 and biases the cup against the die pack 106. More specifically, the first die in the die pack 106 is the redraw die, which is not a part of the redraw assembly. The cup 102 is biased against the redraw die by the redraw sleeve. Other dies, the ironing dies, are disposed behind, and axially aligned with, the redraw die. The ironing dies and redraw die are not part of the redraw assembly. An elongated, cylindrical ram assembly includes a carriage 107 that supports a ram 109 with a punch at the forward, distal end. The ram 109 and punch are aligned with, and structured to travel through, the openings in the redraw die and the ironing dies. At the end of the die pack 106 opposite the ram is a domer “D”. The domer is a die structured to form a concave dome in the bottom of the cup/can. Further, the ram 109 is supported by a bearing “B” disposed before the die pack 106. A seal assembly “S” is disposed between the bearing assembly “B” and the die pack 106. The seal assembly “S” removes coolant and lubricant from the ram. [0004] Thus, in operation, a cup is disposed at one end of the die pack. The cup, typically, has a greater diameter than a finished can as well as a greater wall thickness. The redraw sleeve is disposed inside of the cup and biases the cup bottom against the redraw die. The opening in the redraw die has a diameter that is smaller than the cup. The elongated ram body, and more specifically the punch, passes through the hollow redraw sleeve and contacts the bottom of the cup. As the ram body continues to move forward, the cup is moved through the redraw die. As the opening in the redraw die is smaller than the original diameter of the cup, the cup is deformed and becomes elongated with a smaller diameter. The wall thickness of the cup, typically, remains the same as the cup passes through the redraw die. As the ram continues to move forward, the elongated cup passes through a number of ironing dies. Each ironing die thins the wall thickness of the cup. The final forming of the can body occurs when the bottom of the elongated cup engages the domer, creating a concave dome in the cup bottom. At this point, and compared to the original shape of the cup, the can body is elongated, has a thinner wall, and a domed bottom. This process is repeated as the ram body reciprocates. That is, the ram travels toward, and through, the die pack on a forward stroke, and travels backwards through the die pack and away from the die pack on a return stroke. [0005] After the forming operations on the can body are complete, the can body is ejected from the ram, and more specifically the punch, for further processing, such as, but not limited to trimming, necking, washing, printing, flanging, inspecting, and placed on pallets, which are shipped to the filler. [0006] Figure 4 illustrates an example of a necker machine 1000 which reduces the cross-sectional area of a portion of a can body sidewall, i.e., at the open end of the sidewall. That is, prior to coupling a can end to the can body (and prior to filling), the diameter/radius of the can body sidewall open end is reduced relative to the diameter/radius of other portions of the can body sidewall. The example necker machine 1000 generally includes a frame assembly 1030 having an upstream end 1032 and a downstream end 1034 and a plurality of modules 1011 (s