Jam detector for steel pickling lines using machine vision

High efficiency and availability in industrial processing lines is a requirement to produce top grade steel at a minimum cost. One of the most important aspects in achieving these goals is efficient automation, which ensures high performance and reduces the cost of production. This work proposes a new system to improve the automation of a steel processing line: a jam detector based on machine vision. The proposed system is designed to detect jams in a crucial step in steel production: pickling. The proposed machine vision application acquires images from the pickling line and detects the jam based on the number of pieces ejected from the side trimmers. State of the art methods are used for image processing, providing a fast and robust detector for the industrial line. Tests and the results obtained after more than one year in operation in a steel processing plant indicate that the proposed system meets production needs.