Control and optimization of sheeting (rolling) manufacturing through on-line ultrasonic monitoring and evaluation

NSERC 战略项目的目标是开发一种智能声学非接触式传感器系统，用于片材（轧制）制造过程的闭环控制，并了解影响系统功效的因素。该研究团队与加拿大非接触式空气耦合超声波换能器和分析系统制造商 VN Instruments 合作。该系统具有许多潜在的制造应用，但由于研究团队在基于声学技术了解软固体特性方面拥有丰富的经验，因此该系统最初将用于测量面条面团的特性。加拿大一半以上的小麦出口用于制造亚洲面条，因此该项目的新知识将增强该行业的经济活动，该行业是外国收入的主要来源。它还将为 VN Instruments 海上和加拿大创造先进的制造机会。该研究团队的另一个工业合作伙伴是加拿大国际谷物研究所（CIGI）。 CIGI 对于项目成功至关重要，不仅是因为他们功能齐全的中试规模面条生产线，而且因为他们将获得专业知识（通过与研究团队合作）来展示声学传感器系统如何在制造过程中优化质量。因此，CIGI 将支持 VN Instruments 制造的系统的销售。项目研究目标是开发功能齐全的原型传感器系统。该系统将用于全面表征压片过程中的特性，从而确定传感器系统的最佳放置位置。基于这些研究成果，原型系统将在 CIGI 的中试生产线上进行全面评估，以证明系统的稳健性和有效性（在各种制造条件下捕获面条片的必要特性）。作为该项目的一部分，研究团队和工业合作伙伴将培训五名高素质人才（HQP）。这些总部开发的专业知识将有助于加拿大综合生产系统开发的进一步成功，从而在国内和国际市场创造独特的商机。

The goal of this NSERC Strategic project is to develop an intelligent acoustic non-contact sensor system for closed-loop control of sheeting (rolling) manufacturing processes, and to understand the factors influencing system efficacy. The research team is partnered with VN Instruments, a Canadian manufacturer of non-contact air-coupled ultrasonic transducer and analysis systems. The system has many potential manufacturing applications, but because the research team has considerable experience in understanding the properties of soft solids based on acoustic techniques, the system will initially be applied to measure the properties of noodle dough sheets. Over half of Canada's wheat exports are used to manufacture Asian noodles, so new knowledge from the project will enhance economic activity in a sector that is a major source of foreign revenue. It will also create advanced manufacturing opportunities for VN Instruments offshore and in Canada. The research team's other industrial partner is the Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI). CIGI is pivotal to project success not only for their fully functional pilot scale noodle manufacturing line, but because they will acquire the expertise (as a result of working with the research team) to demonstrate how the acoustic sensor system will optimize quality during manufacturing. As such, CIGI will support the sale of systems manufactured by VN Instruments. Project research objectives are to develop a fully functioning prototype sensor system. This system will be used to comprehensively characterize properties during sheeting, so that the optimal placement of the sensor system can be defined. Based on these research outcomes, the prototype system will be fully evaluated on CIGI's pilot plant line to demonstrate system robustness and efficacy (capturing the necessary properties of the noodle sheet under a wide range of manufacturing conditions). The research team and industrial partners will train five highly qualified personnel (HQP) as part of the project. The expertise developed by these HQP will contribute to further success in the development of Canadian integrated production systems, thereby creating unique business opportunities in domestic and international markets.