Monitoring mineral wool production using real-time machine vision

This paper describes the development and use of a real-time machine vision system in the industrial production of mineral wool. Because of specific operating requirements and the very hostile environment the system employs unique hardware and software features, The main requirement is for real-time detection and control of the trajectory of molten rock as it falls onto a system of spinning wheels. The jet exhibits significant variation of its position with time, as a consequence of complex thermodynamic and hydrodynamic processes, resulting in a wide variation of quality and quantity of final product. Algorithms were developed to detect variations in the jet trajectory with time and this information is used to generate suitable control data. (C) 1999 Academic Press.