METAL-PIPE USE SUPPORT SYSTEM

• US 20170138838A1
• Filed: 06/17/2015
• Published: 05/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (Nippon Steel Corporation)
• Inventors: MATSUDA, Yuya, TANAKA, Takanori, IKEDA, Masami, YASHINA, Junpei
• Granted Patent: US 10,190,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/02 for measuring length, width, or thickness G01B21/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/24 for determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member which is similarly stressed
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/006 of metals
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4185 characterised by the network communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing

Abstract

A metal-pipe use support system (10a) includes: a metal pipe information reception unit (11a) for receiving identification data for each of a plurality of metal pipes; a use condition reception unit (12a) for receiving use condition data about a condition under which a metal pipe is to be used; a pipe-specific data acquisition unit (13a) for accessing a data recording unit (2) storing pipe-specific data indicative of a property of each metal pipe and corresponding identification data in an associated manner and acquiring the pipe-specific data associated with the received identification data; a pipe determination unit (14a) for determining a metal pipe to be used from among the plurality of metal pipes based on the pipe-specific data and the use condition data; and an output unit (15a) for outputting information relating to the determined metal pipe.

Claims

1. A metal-pipe use support system comprising:

a metal pipe information reception unit configured to receive identification data for each of a plurality of metal pipes;

a use condition reception unit configured to receive use condition data about a condition under which a metal pipe is to be used;

a pipe-specific data acquisition unit configured to access a data recording unit storing pipe-specific data indicative of a property of each metal pipe and corresponding identification data in an associated manner and to acquire the pipe-specific data associated with the identification data received by the metal pipe information reception unit;

a pipe determination unit configured to determine a metal pipe to be used from among the plurality of metal pipes based on the pipe-specific data acquired by the pipe-specific data acquisition unit and the use condition data; and

an output unit configured to output information relating to the metal pipe determined by the pipe determination unit.

2. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the pipe determination unit decides on a connection relationship between a plurality of metal pipes determined to be metal pipes to be used.

3. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the pipe-specific data acquired by the pipe-specific data acquisition unit includes a measured value of the property of each of the plurality of metal pipes or a value calculated from the measured value.

4. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the use condition data includes data indicative of an underground environment in which a metal pipe is to be placed, and

the pipe-specific data acquired by the pipe-specific data acquisition unit includes data indicative of a pressure resistance of each of the plurality of metal pipes,

wherein, based on the underground environment indicated by the use condition data and the pressure resistance of each of the plurality of metal pipes indicated by the pipe-specific data, the pipe determination unit decides to place a metal pipe that has a pressure resistance suitable for the underground environment to decide on a connection relationship between at least two of the plurality of metal pipes.

5. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the use condition data includes data indicative of an underground environment in which a metal pipe is to be placed, and

the pipe-specific data includes data indicative of a corrosion resistance of each of the plurality of metal pipes,

wherein, based on the underground environment indicated by the use condition data and the corrosion resistance of each of the plurality of metal pipes indicated by the pipe-specific data, the pipe determination unit decides to place a metal pipe having a corrosion resistance suitable for the underground environment to decide on a connection relationship between at least two of the plurality of metal pipes.

6. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the pipe-specific data acquired by the pipe-specific data acquisition unit includes data indicative of a size and shape of each of the plurality of metal pipes,

wherein, based on the size and shape indicated by the pipe-specific data, the pipe determination unit decides on a connection relationship between at least two of the plurality of metal pipes.

7. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the use condition data includes data indicative of a performance required of a processed good made from a metal pipe,

wherein the pipe determination unit determines, from among the plurality of metal pipes, at least one metal pipe that has a property meeting the performance required of the processed good indicated by the use condition data.

8. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the use condition data includes an upper limit of a length of a metal pipe, and

the pipe-specific data acquired by the pipe-specific data acquisition unit includes a measured length of each of the plurality of metal pipes,

wherein the pipe determination unit determines, from among the plurality of metal pipes, at least one metal pipe having a measured length not exceeding the upper limit.

9. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the use condition data includes data indicative of a degree of risk that a threaded joint for metal pipes tightened during a manufacture process loosening in an environment in which the metal pipes are placed, and

the pipe-specific data acquired by the pipe-specific data acquisition unit includes data indicative of a tightening torque for a threaded joint for the plurality of metal pipes,

wherein the pipe determination unit decide to place a metal pipe having a tightening torque suitable for the degree of risk indicated by the use condition data to decide on a connection relationship between at least two of the plurality of metal pipes.

10. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the use condition data includes data indicative of a degree of risk of breaking or corrosion-induced wall thinning of a metal pipe in an environment in which the metal pipe is to be placed, and

the pipe-specific data acquired by the pipe-specific data acquisition unit includes data indicative of a flaw on each of the plurality of metal pipes,

wherein the pipe determination unit decides to place a metal pipe having a flaw acceptable under the degree of risk of breaking or corrosion-induced wall thinning indicated by the use condition data to decide on a connection relationship between at least two of the plurality of metal pipes.

11. The metal-pipe use support system according to claim 1, wherein the pipe-specific data includes data indicative a length and weight of each of the plurality of metal pipes,

wherein, when a predetermined number of metal pipes are connected to form a set and a plurality of such sets are provided, the pipe determination unit determines a combination of the predetermined number of metal pipes in each set that will result in a near-uniform length or weight of the sets of metal pipes.

12. A method of computing for implementing a metal-pipe use support system comprising:

receiving, by a computer, identification data for each of a plurality of metal pipes;

receiving, by the computer, use condition data about a condition under which a metal pipe is to be used;

accessing, by the computer, a data recording unit storing pipe-specific data indicative of a property of each metal pipe and corresponding identification data in an associated manner to acquire the pipe-specific data associated with the received identification data;

determining, by the computer, a metal pipe to be used from among the plurality of metal pipes based on the acquired pipe-specific data and the use condition data; and

outputting, by the computer, information relating to the determined metal pipe.

13. (canceled)

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium stores a program causing a computer to execute process including:

receiving identification data for each of a plurality of metal pipes;

receiving use condition data about a condition under which a metal pipe is to be used;

accessing a data recording unit storing pipe-specific data indicative of a property of each metal pipe and corresponding identification data in an associated manner to acquire the pipe-specific data associated with the received identification data;

determining a metal pipe to be used from among the plurality of metal pipes based on the acquired pipe-specific data and the use condition data; and

outputting information relating to the determined metal pipe.