模具行业是一个传统、复杂、充满竞争的行业。企业每天都被紧张的工期、高精度的质量要求和频繁的人员流动所困扰。虽然自动化检测技术在各行各业都有建设成果，但是在模具表面缺陷的视觉检测方面，还鲜有人对其做过专项攻关，因为大部分涉及到铸造的工艺，往往伴随着工况恶劣、高温高压、湿度较大、粉尘较大、干涉较多的情形，精密的检测设备很难在这种条件下运行，所以许多铸造企业的模具检测方法仍然以人工检测为主。

 

铸造模具的缺陷在线检测，是指安装在冲床或者模具周边的辅助检测设备，能够在靠前时间检测模具的表面缺陷，以判断是否达标，为下一轮生产做准备。某结构件铸造企业，在实际生产过程中，用于铸造结构件的模具在产品脱模后，可能会产生残渣留存在模具表面上，如果直接将该模具用于新一轮的生产，会造成下一轮产品的表面缺陷，影响合格率。采用人工的方式检验，因铸造环境温度较高（模具周边温度比较高70℃，环境温度可达50-60℃），对于检验操作人员是一项极大的考验，且检验效率低、劳动强度大，造成人员流失率高，不利于铸造生产的现代化发展。北钢联结合多年来机械视觉及设备可靠性防护方面的应用，提出了一种可行的解决方案。

 

图1 待检测的模具

此项目研发设计的自动检测设备通过运动系统、控制系统及视觉系统的有机结合，可实现模具的自动化检测，在15s内便完成一套模具的检测流程，并能够在线记录检测情况，反馈给中控室，有效提高了结构件产品的生产效率及产品质量。

 

该设备主要由两大部分构成，运动系统及视觉系统。运动系统包括X轴运动模组、Y轴运动模组、Z轴运动模组及设备支撑系统；视觉系统采用Cognex工业视觉系统，摄像头固定于运动系统Y轴运动模组前端，通过运动系统控制转换视觉系统的位置，采集模具表面的残留物情况，与标准图像进行对比，计算机得出结论，实现模具表面的质量检测。

Mould industry is a traditional, complex and competitive industry. Every day, enterprises are troubled by tight schedule, high-precision quality requirements and frequent personnel turnover. Although the automated testing technology in all walks of life have construction achievements, but in the mold surface defect of visual inspection, and little has been done to its special research, because most involved in casting process, is often accompanied by bad working condition of dust, high temperature and high pressure, humidity is bigger and bigger, more interference, sophisticated testing equipment is difficult to run under the condition of the perfect, so many foundry enterprises mold detection method still is given priority to with artificial detection.

 

 

 

The online inspection of casting mold defects refers to the auxiliary inspection equipment installed in the punch press or around the mold, which can detect the surface defects of the mold in the first time, so as to determine whether the mold meets the standards and prepare for the next round of production. In the actual production process of a structural parts casting enterprise, the mold used for casting structural parts may produce residue on the surface of the mold after the product is released from the mold. If the mold is directly used for a new round of production, surface defects of the next round of products will be caused and the qualified rate will be affected. The adoption of manual inspection, because the casting environment temperature is high (mold peripheral temperature maximum 70℃, the environment temperature can reach 50-60℃), is a great test for inspection operators, and low inspection efficiency, high labor intensity, resulting in high staff turnover rate, not conducive to the modern development of casting production. Based on the application of mechanical vision and equipment reliability protection for many years, a feasible solution is proposed.

 

 

 

Figure 1 mold to be tested

 

Research and development of the project design of automatic test equipment through the sports system, control system, and the combination of the visual system, automated testing, which can realize the mould in 15 seconds to complete a set of mould testing process, and be able to online record inspection situation, feedback, central control room to improve the structure of the product production efficiency and product quality.

 

 

 

The device consists of two main parts, the motion system and the visual system. The motion system includes X-axis motion module, Y-axis motion module, z-axis motion module and equipment support system. The vision system adopts Cognex industrial vision system. The camera is fixed at the front end of the Y-axis motion module of the motion system. The position of the vision system is changed through the motion system, and the residue on the mold surface is collected.