NKK Wins Okochi Technology Prize for
|
 |
| Okochi Memorial Prize award ceremony |
A five-member NKK research team led by Senior Vice President Toyofumi Kitada has been awarded the 2001 Okochi Memorial Prize for Technology for development of "Delta-Eye," a steel strip inspection system that uses a 3-channel polarized light device to detect surface flaws.
Presented annually by the Okochi Memorial Foundation, the Okochi prizes are given to companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to industrial production. This year's award marks the 19th time NKK has received the prize.
Developed and commercialized in response to the auto industry's strict quality assurance standards, the NKK Delta-Eye accurately detects and automatically marks very fine patterned flaws on steel strip surfaces that up until now could only be detected visually. As a result, coils no longer need to be cut and can be shipped to automakers as soon as they are produced.
Practical application of proprietary technologies has enabled delivery of flaw-marked coils, making NKK's system the first in the world to achieve final production line inspection for automotive outer-panel steel sheets, one of the highest grades available.
Proprietary technologies employed by the NKK Delta-Eye system include:
- Surface inspection using three channels of polarized light information to detect extremely fine patterned flaws hidden in the strip's galvanized layer, as well as automatically recognize treatment fluid and oil films, which previously impeded automation.
- High-speed, real time online inspection that accurately examines the entire strip during production.
- Online marking that precisely tracks and marks flaws.
NKK installed its first Delta-Eye system at the Fukuyama Works' No. 2 hot-dip continuous galvanizing line (CGL) in April 1999. Installation of the second and third systems was completed at the No. 3 CGL and No. 4 continuous annealing line in early 2002. The systems provide precise, automated inspection of a wide variety of steel sheets. Plans call for NKK to produce some 250,000 tons of flaw-marked coils per year for automotive outer panels.
NKK anticipates widespread use of the Delta-Eye system throughout the steel and automotive industries. It has already been favorably received by several automakers for improving coil-handling efficiency. Previously, coils were cut as flaws were found, resulting in small-weight coils being shipped to automakers. Flaw-marked coil shipments now enable delivery of larger coils. The system also helps steelmakers optimize manufacturing processes by rationalizing operations and maximizing iron resources.
