solid inventory measurement Industrialised 3D surface scanning - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Advances in bulk solid inventory measurement Industrialised 3D surface scanning

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement 1. Allison Background 2. The Market 3. The Problem 4. Current Measurement Methods 5. New Technology 6. Principal of Operation 7. System Configurations 8. References

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Allison Engineering (Inc. 1979) Specialist solutions for process industries; Level / distance measurement Gas mass flow measurement Biogas Analysers Pipe safety shields (heat / fire / spray)

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement The market Bulk sheds / stockpiles Bays Large silos Large scale bulk-solid storage

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement The problem How much is in there? How do we manage filling / reclaiming? How do we avoid overfill? How do we avoid running too low? Stock discrepancies!

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Current methods Borrow technology from other applications Visual check for guestimation Rely on weigh in / weigh out calcs

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Current methods Borrow technology from other applications All level measurement technologies were designed for LIQUID applications ‘Level’ assumes flat surface

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Current methods Borrow technology from other applications What is the level? WRONG QUESTION

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Current methods Visual check for guestimation Looks about 1/3 rd full

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Current methods Rely on weigh in / weigh out calcs Necessary but does not take account of:- Unexpected filling / emptying Operational errors (wrong bay/silo/chute leakage)

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Current methods Guess work in absence of anything better:- Stock discrepancies …………………. High safety- stock …………………….. COSTS Product build- up …………………….. MONEY Filling / emptying issues…………… Delivery scheduling issues ……....

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement New technology Designed specifically for bulk-solid market Born out of South African mining industry, incredibly rugged Measures entire product profile for highly accurate, total inventory & 3D image

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement New technology Designed specifically for bulk-solid market

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement New technology Designed specifically for bulk-solid market

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Principal of operation Time-of-flight laser We measure the time it takes for light to travel to the target and back This single distance transmitter (LM80) used on many hundreds of applications over last 15 years

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Principal of operation Time-of-flight laser DIFFERENT TO ULTASONICS Virtually no beam divergence No false echoes Long measurement range Simple set-up

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Model VM3D Scanner Same LM80 optics, moves on 2 axis to give up to 180° scan 80m range per scanner. Can be connected in network for larger areas Takes up 3000+ individual distance measurements to build point cloud Empty space measured to provide total inventory volumetric value & 3D image

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Model VM3D Scanner Same LM80 optics, moves on 2 axis to give up to 180° scan 80m range per scanner. Can be connected in network for larger areas Takes up 3000+ individual distance measurements to build point cloud Empty space measured to provide total inventory volumetric value & 3D image Volume to ‘mass’ relies on density / bulk-density

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement System configuration No.1 Model VM3D, Periodic inventory 3G signal Data centre, 24hr Controller Scanner Data & 3D image via secure server or by email

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement System configuration No.1 Model VM3D, Periodic inventory • Independent of client control system, simple • Data available to finance, ops, C&I depts • ‘Snap shot’ image, periodic; Daily, weekly, monthly, on-demand

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement System configuration No.2 Model VM3D, Process Control – reduced scan Modbus Client control system Scanner No data-centre, quick refresh rate for process control

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement System configuration No.2 Model VM3D, Process Control – reduced scan VM3D can scan 3678 x data points in concentric circles Custom set scan-pattern Silo; plan view Silo; side view

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement System configuration No.2 Model VM3D, Process Control – reduced scan Labview controls scanner, outputs virtual ‘columns’ as modbus registers

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement References Model VM3D, Omnia, SA (fertiliser bays) All applications are Tongaat, SA (starch) considered very dusty but not all Gold Fields, SA (gold mine) dusts are the same. Only fine cement & E.ON power station (gypsum shed) flour have proved RWE Aberthaw (coal day bins) difficult for us – but we can determine Growhow, UK (fertiliser bays) suitability with LM80 test

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement References Model VM3D, EON, UK (Gypsum shed) Purchase for 2-point system, weekly inventory

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement References Model VM3D, EON, UK (Gypsum shed) Purchase for 2-point system, weekly inventory

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement References Model VM3D, Growhow, UK (fertiliser bays) 3 month trial, daily scan of 3500 bulk bay

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement References Model VM3D, RWE Aberthaw, UK (coal day-bins) 3 month trial, 10-point reduced scan pattern, continuous Worked exceptionally well in this incredibly dusty application – even during the filling process Front Side

ALLISON Eng inventory measurement Allison Engineering Capricorn Centre Cranes Farm Road Basildon Essex SS14 3JA Tel: +44 (0) 1268 526161 Fax: +44 (0) 1268 533144 www.allison.co.uk