METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MEASURING A LONG PROFILE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for measuring a long profile (2), in particular one at an increased temperature, wherein a cross-section of the long profile (2) is determined, wherein the long profile (2) is measured using a light section sensor (4) that is moveably mounted on a swivel device (3). The invention also relates to a device for measuring a long profile (2), in particular one at an increased temperature, comprising a measuring device for determining a cross-section of the long profile (2), wherein a swivel device (3) is provided and the measuring device is formed as a light section sensor (4), wherein the light section sensor (4) is moveably mounted on the swivel device (3). The invention further relates to a use of a device (1) of this type.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a song profile (2), in particular a long profile (2) at an increased temperature, wherein a cross-section of the long profile (2) is determined, characterized in that the long profile (2) is measured using a light section sensor (4) displaceably mounted on a swivel device (3).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a roughly ring-shaped movement is performed by the light section sensor (4).

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two, in particular three or more, laser beams are shined onto the long profile (2) by the light section sensor (4).

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross-section of the long profile (2) is determined by combining multiple single images.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least partial information about a change in position of the light section sensor (4) is established from measurement data from the light section sensor (4) itself.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least partial information about a change in position of the light section sensor (4) is established using an angle transducer and/or a displacement transducer.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least partial information about a change in position of the light section sensor (4) is established via reference objects (5) located in a measuring field.

8. The method according claim 1, characterized in that the swivel device (3) is, during the measurement of the long profile (2), detachably mounted above the long profile (2) and such that it at least partially surrounds the long profile (2).

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a cross-section of the long profile (2) is determined via stationary reference objects (5), in particular reference objects (5) located in the measuring field.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the light section sensor (4) is moved in an automated manner.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that data are transmitted from the light section sensor (4) to an evaluation unit (6) without cables.

12. An apparatus (1) for measuring a long profile (2), in particular a long profile (2) at an increased temperature, comprising a measuring device for determining a cross-section of the long profile (2), characterized in that a swivel device (3) is provided and the measuring device is embodied as a light section sensor (4), wherein the light section sensor (4) is displaceably mounted on the swivel device (3).

13. The apparatus (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the light section sensor (4) can be displaced on approximately a circular path about the long profile (2).

14. The apparatus (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the swivel device (3) comprises at least one mounting device (7) for the detachable mounting of the apparatus (1) for a measuring procedure.

15. The apparatus (1) according claim 12, characterized in that an evaluation unit (6) is provided, wherein a data transmission between the evaluation unit (6) and the light section sensor (4) takes place without cables.

16. The apparatus (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that an optical and/or acoustic signal-generating device (9) is provided.

17. The apparatus (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that stationary reference objects (5) are arranged within the swivel device (3), preferably in a measuring field of the light section sensor (4).

18. A use of an apparatus (1) according to claim 12 for determining a cross-section of a long profile (2) at an increased temperature in continuous production operations.

Description

[0032] Additional features, advantages and effects follow from the exemplary embodiments described below. The drawings which are thereby referenced show the following:

[0033] FIG. 1 A schematic illustration of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 A schematic illustration of a further apparatus according to the invention;

[0035] FIG. 3 A schematic illustration of a further apparatus according to the invention.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a section through a schematic illustration of an apparatus 1 according to the invention for measuring a long profile 2 along with the long profile 2. The apparatus 1 comprises a light section sensor 4 and a mechanical swivel device 3, on which the light section sensor 4 is displaceably mounted. The apparatus 1 is particularly suited to measuring a long profile 2 at an increased temperature, such as for example a rolled profile at rolling heat like a rail or an I-beam, since a measurement can be performed in a non-contact and preferably automated manner. According to FIG. 1, the swivel device 3 is embodied in a ring shape so that the light section sensor 4 can be displaced 360 thereon. In FIG. 1, the movement or displacement direction of the light section sensor 4 is illustrated by an arrow P.

[0037] It is possible to determine an entire cross-section of the long profile 2 with only a single light section sensor 4. The sensor records multiple single images that are subsequently combined to reproduce the cross-section of the long profile 2. Approximately 10 to 200 single images can be recorded, for example, and the cross-section of the long profile 2 can then be determined by a combination of said images. For the measurement of the long profile 2, the light section sensor 4 is embodied such that it emits two, preferably three, laser beams onto the long profile 2. The laser beams are thereby embodied to be divergent and illuminate what is referred to as a measuring field on the long profile 2.

[0038] The apparatus 1 can also comprise an angle transducer and/or displacement transducer in order to determine a change in position of the light section sensor 4. However, for this purpose it can be sufficient to know an angle or a path only approximately, that is, the angle transducer and/or displacement transducer do not need to be subjected to accuracy requirements on the order of magnitude of the measurement accuracy. With the angle transducer and/or displacement transducer, it is possible to determine only one of several degrees of freedom of a position of the light section sensor. Thus, only the rotation of the light section sensor 4 can be determinable, for example, whereas a translation in the x and/or y direction can be determined via the measurement itself.

[0039] It is beneficial if the entire apparatus 1 is operated without cables. For this purpose, the light section sensor 4 can be controllable without cables or wires, for example via WLAN or Bluetooth. Furthermore, an evaluation unit 6 can be provided which, on the one hand, evaluates data recorded or generated by the light section sensor 4 and, on the other hand, controls said sensor. The evaluation unit 6 can, for example, be embodied as a tablet computer and can communicate with the light section sensor 4 via WLAN. In FIG. 1, the data transmission without cables between the light section sensor 4 and the evaluation unit 6 is illustrated by a double arrow DP. It can also be provided that a measuring procedure can be directly influenced using the evaluation unit 6.

[0040] In particular for the measurement of a hot long profile 2, the apparatus 1 can comprise an optical and/or acoustic signal-generating device 9 in order to warn of an overheat of the apparatus 1. This device 9 can, for example, be arranged at an upper end of the swivel device 3 and be embodied as a lighted siren.

[0041] The apparatus 1 is preferably embodied to be portable and comprises a mounting device 7 for the detachable mounting of said apparatus for a measuring procedure. For this purpose, the apparatus 1 can be mounted, for example hooked-in, in particular above or partially surrounding the long profile 2, for which purpose the mounting device 7 can be arranged at an upper end of the apparatus 1. After a completed measuring procedure, the apparatus 1 or the mounting device 7 can be detached again. At the same time, the mounting device 7 can be embodied such that the apparatus 1 can be carried by one person. For this purpose, the apparatus 1 is preferably embodied to be manageable or small and light, so that it can be carried and mounted by one person without significant inconvenience or considerable effort.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a section through a further apparatus 1 according to the invention for measuring a long profile 2 along with the long profile 2. The mounting device 7 can thereby be used primarily as a carrying device. The apparatus 1 comprises two roiling elements 8, via which the apparatus 1 can be hooked-in around the long profile 2.

[0043] The rolling elements 8 can be arranged at a distance from one another on the swivel device 3 on one side of the apparatus 1. Additionally, rails can be provided which enable a displacement of the device 1 in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the long profile 2.

[0044] As an alternative to the rolling elements 8 and/or sliding elements, or in addition thereto, the apparatus 1 can for example comprise two mounting devices 7 which are attached to two sides of the swivel device 3 and via which the apparatus 1 can, in order to perform a measuring procedure, be hooked-in such that the swivel device 3 at least partially surrounds the long profile 2. The mounting devices 7 can also be embodied to be adjustable in multiple directions, so that the apparatus 1 can be used as flexibly as possible. It is further beneficial if the apparatus 1 additionally comprises a carrying device mounted at an upper end of the same.

[0045] In FIG. 2, a straight long profile 2 is shown with a roughly circular cross-section. A long profile 2 of this type is difficult to measure with the light section sensor 4 due to the absence of distinctive characteristics. For this reason, reference objects 5 are provided which can be detachably mounted in a measuring field of the light section sensor 4 in order to enable a combination of single images from the light section sensor 4 with the aid of said reference objects. The reference objects 5 can be embodied as cylinders, for example.

[0046] The swivel device 3 can, for example, be formed from two roughly ring-shaped rails that can be displaced relative to one another, wherein the light section sensor 4 can be arranged on one of the rails and is moved about the long profile 2 with said rail. Alternatively, it can also be provided that a carriage with the light section sensor 4 can be displaced in a torus-shaped housing, wherein the carriage with the light section sensor 4 is mounted and/or displaceable inside the housing. An illustration of an apparatus 1 of this type is shown in FIG. 3. For this purpose, friction wheels can for example be arranged on the carriage, which friction wheels are moved in the housing in an automated manner. The swivel device 3 can, however, also be embodied in any other manner desired. In FIG. 3, the mounting device 7 that is specifically embodied as a carrying device is illustrated.

[0047] In a method according to the invention, a cross-section of an in particular hot long profile 2 is determined. In particular, a cross-section is determined in continuous operations or during a production process for a long profile 2. For this purpose, the long profile 2 is measured using a light section sensor 4 that is mounted on a mechanical swivel device 3. To determine the cross-section of the long profile 2, the light section sensor 4 is guided around a circumference of the long profile 2 and guided about the long profile 2 at a distance therefrom. In particular three laser beams are shined onto the long profile 2, and multiple or a plurality of single images are subsequently created from many different directions. For this purpose, it is beneficial if the light section sensor 4 or the measuring plane thereof lies roughly at a right angle or perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the long profile 2. With a use of three laser beams, however, this is not absolutely necessary, since a system of this type is insensitive to measuring errors. The plurality of single images is used to increase an accuracy of a result and a robustness of the process, and to detect aberrations in data. For example, scale can be detected in individual measurements by averaging, error compensation, and/or consistency testing and can be subsequently eliminated.

[0048] The swivel device 3 is furthermore embodied such that a roughly ring-shaped movement along a circular path is performed by the light section sensor 4 and the light section sensor 4 is guided roughly 360 around a circumference of the long profile 2.

[0049] The long profile 2 can be measured in continuous operations, wherein said profile is moved along its longitudinal axis and the swivel device 3 with the light section sensor 4 is installed stationarily. Alternatively, it is also possible that the swivel device 3 with the light section sensor 4 is moved along the longitudinal axis of the long profile 2.

[0050] The swivel device 3 with the light section sensor 4 can be embodied to be portable and, for a measuring procedure, detachably mounted around the long profile 2. The swivel device 3 is thereby installed such that it at least partially surrounds the long profile 2 to be measured, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The swivel device 3 with the light section sensor 4 can, for a measuring procedure, be installed temporarily around the long profile 2 and removed again after a completion of said measuring procedure. In this manner, a flexible measurement of a cross-section of the long profile 2 is possible without a costly and heavy frame structure needing to be permanently installed.

[0051] It can furthermore be provided that data can be transmitted from the light section sensor 4 to an evaluation unit 6, wherein a transmission is preferably carried out without cables or wires. During the measurement of the long profile 2, multiple single images are created from different directions, which images are combined by the evaluation unit 6. The light section sensor 4 can also be controlled with the evaluation unit 6.

[0052] If a simple cross-section, for example of a straight pipe, is to be determined, stationary reference objects 5 can be mounted in a measuring field of the light section sensor 4 in order to enable a combination of the single images despite the uniform shape of the long profile 2.

[0053] With an apparatus 1 according to the invention, a cross-section of a long profile 2 embodied in any desired manner can be determined simply, since only a single light section sensor 4 is necessary.