P12555 Systems Design Review

1. P12555 Systems Design Review Michael Imhof (EE) Michael Cheney (ME) Michael Hvorecny (ME) Jared Dodge(ME) Brandon LaQuay (ME)

2. VAR Billet Measuring System Project Overview • The VAR ( Vacuum Arc Re-Melting) process is a continuous melting vacuum process designed to remove defects and impurities. • The amount of electrical current required to melt a metal billet varies according to the cross-sectional area of the billet being melted. • This area can vary greatly from beginning to end of each billet. • The goal of this project is to design a measurement system to accurately find the billet diameter along the length of the billet. • The information can then be used to more accurately calculate the necessary current required for the re-melting phase.

3. Billet Processing • Begins as a cast proprietary alloy, 160 inches in length and 17-22 inches in diameter. • Weighing 2-8 tons • Billet is removed from the cast and transported to a grinder to remove scale and other surface impurities. • Ground billet is transferred to the VAR process area. • Measurements must be taken prior to VAR process but after the grinding process.

4. Project Goals • Non-contact measurement system that can be integrated into the existing process. • Accuracy of .1 inch for diameter and linear position. • Minimum of 1 measurement every 3 inches. • Must be useable for different size billets ranging in length and diameter.

5. Project Constraints • Use of commercially available materials is allowed. • Remaining within ultimate budget, and minimizing costs wherever possible • Must be robust enough to handle harsh factory conditions

6. Team Member Roles

7. Functional Decomposition&Concept Generation

8. Measure Diameter • Purpose: To obtain diameter measurements to calculate A • How: Variety of sensor solutions: • Keyence® Beam Sensor • Kinect® Sensor • Ultrasound Sensor • Laser Scanner • National Instruments® Machine Vision* • Infrared Sensor • Specifications: • Resolution: 0.1 inch • Positioning: Remote/Non-contact (≈ 6 feet) • Sensor Speed: 5 seconds • Comparison: • Solution: Ultrasound Sensor • Measure Diameter • Measure Total L • Report All Sensor Data Every ΔL • Map D vs. L • Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Mount Sensors • Move Sensors or Billet? • Mount Stationary Sensors • Output Sensor Data

9. Measure Total L • Purpose: To obtain length measurements summing up to a total length • How: Variety of solutions • Velocity solutions: • V vs. T – Assumes constant velocity • Radar sensor • Position solutions: • Laser range finder • Ultrasound sensor • Cable-drive linear position transducer • Specifications: • Resolution: 0.1 inch • Positioning: Remote/Non-contact (≈ 6 feet) • Comparison: • Solution: TBD • Measure Total L • Measure L • Report All Sensor Data Every ΔL • Map D vs. L • Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Mount Sensors • Move Sensors or Billet? • Mount Stationary Sensors • Output Sensor Data

10. Measure L • Report All Sensor Data Every ΔL • Purpose: To report length and diameter measurements every ΔL in order to output useful data • How: Software conditioning using length sensor solution • Specification: • ΔL = 3-4 inches • Sensor sampling period ≤ 5 seconds • Solution: • Sensor sampling periods « 5 seconds (generally) • Report All Sensor Data Every ΔL • Map D vs. L • Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Mount Sensors • Move Sensors or Billet? • Mount Stationary Sensors • Output Sensor Data

11. Move Sensors or Billet? • Decision: To gather diameter measurements down the length of the billet, either the billet needs to move or the sensors need to move • Comparison: • Solution: Mount stationary sensors in the grinder • Measure Total L • Map D vs. L • Sensor Guards • Purpose: To protect the sensors from possible damage • How: • Steel box/enclosure • Metal cage • Plexi guards • Comparison: • Solution: Steel box/enclosure • Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Mount Sensors • Move Sensors or Billet? • Mount Stationary Sensors • Output Sensor Data

12. Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Purpose: Move the sensors down the length of the billet • How: A few motorized track solutions: • Stepper Motor + Leadscrew • Stepper Motor + Rack & Pinion • Stepper Motor + Sprocket & Chain • Specifications: • Track length ≥ 160 inches • Positional accuracy ≤ 0.1 inches • Comparison: • Solution: Stepper Motor + Rack & Pinion • Measure Total L • Map D vs. L • Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Mount Sensors • Move Sensors or Billet? • Mount Stationary Sensors • Output Sensor Data

13. Mounting Solutions • Purpose: Mount the sensors to measure the billet along its length • How: • 8020 • Angle steel • Bar/tube steel • Brackets for the grinder head (sheet metal) • Comparison: • Solution: Brackets for the grinder head • Measure Total L • Map D vs. L • Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Mount Sensors • Move Sensors or Billet? • Mount Stationary Sensors • Output Sensor Data

14. Output Sensor Data • Purpose: To interface with the sensors and produce a useable output data file • How: • Sensor interface – MCU via low-level software • Low-level software: Specific to each MCU (ex. Arduino® C) • High-level software: OO language to create a simple GUI (ex. Python or Java) • Output data format: • CSV • XML • JSON • Measure Total L • Map D vs. L • Build Motorized Track for Sensors • Mount Sensors • Move Sensors or Billet? • Mount Stationary Sensors • Output Sensor Data

15. System Architecture Operator Computer Sensor Interface/Control Unit Diameter Measuring Sensor Length Tracking Sensor

16. Feasibility Analysis - Programming void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); float last_distance = 0, last_length = 0, start_length= 0; float last_report= 0, delta_L = 3; } void loop() { float distance, length, total_length; distance = ultrasound_measurement(); length = length_measurement(); if (distance < max_distance) && (distance > min_distance) {

17. if (last_distance > max_distance) || (last_distance < min_distance) { start_length = length; last_report = start_length; Serial.write(distance); Serial.write(length-start_length); } else if (length-last_report >= delta_L – (.01*delta_L)) { Serial.write(distance); Serial.write(length – last_report); last_report = length; } } else if (last_distance < max_distance) && (last_distance > min_distance) { total_length = last_length - start_length; Finish_measurement_report(); } last_distance = distance; last_length = length; }

18. Preliminary Budget Sensor Budget • Ultrasound Sensor - $30 - $1,000 • Length Sensor - TBD • MCU - $40 • Host Computer - $400-$600 • Misc. Cabling - $20-$50 • Total = $490 - $1,690+TBD Mounting Budget • TBD

19. Schedule Breakdown

20. Risk Assessment