Patent ID: 8548268
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: B22D,G01P

Abstract:
1. 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: an impulse generator which, to render a calculated speed value of the product available outside the camera, generates, depending on the speed calculated by the processing unit, a sequence of impulses with a frequency correlated to the value of the speed determined, impulse counter means being provided to count said impulses, from which the speed value is derived externally, 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.