Key Application Scenario: Material and Process Monitoring

(Applicable to: Vessel/Hold Scanning, Stockpile/Yard Management, Chute/Hopper/Scoop Monitoring)

Application Requirements

Precise volume measurement and morphological analysis of bulk materials (e.g., coal, ore, grain) are critical for inventory management, automated loading/unloading operations (e.g., determining loading progress, preventing spills), and optimizing production processes (e.g., monitoring silo/chute material levels). Real-time, accurate material information enhances resource utilization and operational efficiency.

Typical Deployment and Architecture

Sensors are typically installed above stockpiles (e.g., on fixed columns, conveyor frames), on the cantilevers of reclaimers, on the booms of ship loaders/unloaders for俯视船舱 (overlooking ship holds), or above key transfer nodes such as silos and chutes. Collected point cloud data is processed by specialized software to generate 3D models of material surfaces, enabling volume calculation, level monitoring, or material flow analysis. Results are usually integrated with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems.

Traditional Solutions and Pain Points

- Manual Measurement: Characterized by low efficiency, high labor intensity, infrequent measurements, and safety risks in large stockyards or enclosed spaces.

- 2D LiDAR Profile Scanning (e.g., SICK LMS Bulkscan): Estimates flow or volume by scanning a single cross-sectional profile of materials on conveyors or stockpiles. This method assumes uniform material distribution, leading to accuracy degradation with uneven loads or irregular shapes. Acquiring full 3D information relies on material movement (e.g., on conveyors) or additional scanning mechanisms (e.g., PTUs), suffering from poor real-time performance and inability to handle static complex stockpiles. Dust also impacts measurement accuracy. The TripleIn VMS system similarly uses 2D scanners with rotating platforms.

- Radar Level Meters: Only measure point-level material heights, failing to capture full surface profiles or volume data, with relatively low accuracy.

- Weighing Systems (e.g., belt scales): Measure mass rather than volume. Require regular calibration, are affected by belt tension and material density changes, and suffer from mechanical wear.

- 1550nm LiDAR: Main drawbacks include high cost and potential performance degradation in dusty, high-humidity environments.

Performance Requirements

- High-precision 3D measurement capability is core to ensure volume calculation accuracy.

- Sensors must resist dust interference effectively.

- For large stockpiles or ship holds, wide field of view (FoV) and sufficient detection range are necessary.

- Systems must operate stably long-term in harsh industrial environments.

Ouster 3D Digital LiDAR Replacement Benefits

- Direct 3D Volume Measurement: Ouster’s rotating 3D LiDAR rapidly acquires dense 3D point cloud data for target areas (stockpiles, holds, silos), constructing precise 3D material surface models without additional scanning mechanisms to calculate volume directly. Its 128-line vertical resolution and 5.2 million points/second data rate ensure detailed surface capture.

- Excellent Dust Penetration: The 865nm wavelength, large optical aperture, multi-echo technology, and advanced digital signal processing enable stable performance in dusty environments, providing reliable measurement data. Calibrated reflectivity data may even help distinguish materials from airborne dust particles.

- Flexible Coverage and Detection Range: Offers various vertical FoV options (OS0 90°, OS1 45°, OSDome 180°) combined with 360° horizontal scanning, covering vast areas with few sensors. Long-range models (OS1 up to 90m@10%, OS2 up to 200m@10%) meet needs for large stockpiles and deep ship holds. REV7’s zero-blind-zone feature is ideal for close-range level monitoring (e.g., chutes, hoppers).

- High Reliability and Environmental Adaptability: Extremely high MTTF and IP68/IP69K protection ratings ensure long-term, low-maintenance operation in harsh port and mining environments.

- Multi-Modal Data with Added Value: Calibrated reflectivity data aids not only volume measurement but also provides preliminary information on material type or surface conditions (e.g., humidity). Simultaneously outputted Ambient NIR and Intensity images offer visual context for operator assistance or fusion with vision algorithms.

Integration Example Analysis

- Precise Stockpile Volume Measurement: Inventory management in bulk yards relies on accurate stockpile volume measurement. Traditional 2D profile scanners (e.g., SICK Bulkscan) or manual methods are inefficient and low-precision. Recommend installing Ouster OS1 or OS2 REV7 on reclaimer cantilevers or fixed yard points. Dense 3D point clouds enable real-time, accurate volume calculation for irregular stockpiles. Ouster LiDAR’s dust resistance and high reliability suit dusty mine/port environments. Smart 3D yard modeling applications mentioned in MRA/QCA systems validate this feasibility.

- Automated Vessel Hold Scanning: During automated loading/unloading, real-time hold scanning is needed to determine material fill/remaining status, guide grapples or loading arms, and prevent hull collisions. Hold environments are typically dusty, low-light, and geometrically complex. Traditional 2D scanning or manual observation cannot meet automation needs. Recommend mounting Ouster OS0 or OS1 REV7 on ship loader/unloader booms. Wide FoV (OS0 90°, OS1 45°) effectively covers hold interiors, generating rapid 3D point cloud maps. Key advantages include robust performance in dust and high reliability.