Optimization method for online quenching process of aluminum alloy profile and used device

By conducting quenching tests in the offline quenching system, adjusting the nozzle flow rate and water spray direction, the optimal quenching scheme is obtained, and applied to the online quenching process, which solves the problem of multiple debugging of the quenching process in the existing technology and achieves low waste. High efficiency and high efficiency quenching process.

CN119332183APending Publication Date: 2025-01-21WEIQIAO LIGHTWEIGHT RESEARCH CENTER AT SOOCHOW

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411281143.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-09-13
Publication Date
2025-01-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing online quenching process of aluminum alloy requires multiple debugging, resulting in high scrap rate, increased production costs and reduced production efficiency.

Method used

An offline quenching system was used to conduct quenching tests. By adjusting the nozzle flow rate and water spray direction, the optimal quenching scheme was obtained and applied to the online quenching process.

Benefits of technology

It significantly reduces the scrap rate of aluminum alloy quenching, reduces production costs, improves production efficiency, and ensures that the mechanical properties of the profile meet the requirements.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention discloses an optimization method for an online quenching process of an aluminum alloy profile and a device used by the optimization method. According to the method, a test article is subjected to a quenching test in an off-line quenching system to obtain an optimal quenching scheme, and then the optimal quenching scheme is applied to an on-line quenching process. During the quenching test, carrying out initial quenching by adopting a profile test article, acquiring and judging whether the deformation of the profile test article meets the requirement or not, if not, adjusting a quenching scheme, carrying out the quenching test again by adopting a new test article until the deformation meets the requirement, then carrying out heat treatment, detecting and judging whether the mechanical property meets the requirement or not, and if not, adjusting the quenching scheme; and taking the final quenching scheme as the optimal scheme until the requirements are met. By adopting the optimization method, the rejection rate of aluminum alloy quenching can be obviously reduced, the production cost is reduced and the production efficiency is improved on the premise of ensuring the performance of an aluminum alloy profile product.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of aluminum alloy processing, and in particular relates to an optimization method for an online quenching process of an aluminum alloy profile and a device for using the same. Background Art

[0002] The online quenching system for aluminum alloys is usually composed of multiple rows of nozzles with independently controllable flow rates. The cooling rate at different positions of the profile cross section can be regulated by the flow rate combination of different nozzles (for example, each row of nozzles). During the extrusion process of aluminum alloy profiles, in order to ensure that the alloy has certain mechanical properties, it is necessary to increase the cooling rate as much as possible during the online quenching process. The purpose is to maintain the supersaturation of alloy elements as much as possible, thereby increasing the precipitation strengthening effect during the subsequent aging heat treatment process. However, excessively increasing the cooling rate will increase quenching deformation and increase the shape and position tolerance of the profile. Severe deformation will cause the product to be scrapped. Therefore, the online quenching process needs to be determined based on the deformation of the profile and repeated debugging. The debugging process will generate a large amount of waste, greatly increase material, labor and time costs, and reduce production efficiency.

[0003] There are two main situations where the profile quenching process needs to be adjusted online: one is that the profile has defects during extrusion and the deformation is large; the other is that the existing quenching process parameters are inappropriate. This situation is more common when the profile shape is complex, or in the upstream profile extrusion process, the shape of the extruded profile changes due to the replacement of the profile extrusion die, and the quenching process needs to be adjusted to make the profile meet the shape requirements.

[0004] For example, the patent with application number CN202410187642 discloses an online quenching method and an online quenching system for aluminum profiles. The key point of this method is to first obtain the nose temperature of the alloy and the quenching temperature sensitive range, and then adopt a multi-segment quenching method (pre-cooling quenching + strong cold quenching) to reduce quenching deformation, and then formulate a quenching process plan. This plan intends to control the temperature in the direction of the extrusion axis, mainly by controlling the cooling rate of the profile in the high temperature stage (pre-cooling quenching) to reduce quenching deformation, but the cooling conditions in the cross-sectional direction of the profile - the arrangement of the nozzle and the flow rate are not involved at all. This method requires multiple debugging and trial production during the extrusion production process to determine the nozzle arrangement and flow rate, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, greatly increases production costs, and reduces product qualification rates.

[0005] Another example is the patent application number CN2022206969061, which discloses an online quenching device for highly flexible extruded profiles, including a frame, with a coaxial outer ring and inner ring on each side of the two ends of the frame, a slideway of a water pipe unit is formed between the inner ring and the outer ring, the slideway includes a slideway located in the middle of the inner side wall of the outer ring, and the outer rings on both sides of the slideway are provided with staggered positioning grooves, the water pipe unit includes a water pipe, the water pipe is placed in the placement groove, the two ends of the placement groove are located in the slideway, and the two ends of the placement groove are respectively provided with fixed sliding guide blocks, the sliding guide blocks cooperate with the slideway and the positioning groove, and the water pipe between the two outer rings is evenly spaced along the length direction of the water pipe. The nozzles face the inner side of the frame. This technical solution can realize the coarse and fine adjustment of the cooling water spray angle, and can meet the different quenching requirements of specific surfaces of special profiles such as profiles. However, this device is also used for online quenching, and still requires multiple online production trials to finally determine the nozzle position layout and arrangement, etc. The trial production process will also generate a large amount of waste, reduce product qualification rate and increase production costs.

[0006] It is particularly important to reduce the scrap rate of aluminum alloy quenching and reduce production costs while ensuring the performance of aluminum alloy profiles. Summary of the invention

[0007] In view of the shortcomings and deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides an improved optimization method for online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles. The optimization method can significantly reduce the scrap rate of aluminum alloy quenching, reduce production costs and improve production efficiency while ensuring the performance of aluminum alloy profile products.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0009] An optimization method for an online quenching process of an aluminum alloy profile, wherein the optimization method uses a test piece to perform a quenching test in an offline quenching system to obtain an optimal quenching scheme, and then applies the optimal quenching scheme to the online quenching process;

[0010] The offline quenching system includes an offline quencher and a heat treatment furnace;

[0011] The quenching test comprises the following steps:

[0012] S1: the offline quencher performs initial quenching on the test product according to the first test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction;

[0013] S2 compares the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction with the target deformation data z1 in the Z-axis direction, and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction with the target deformation data y1 in the Y-axis direction,

[0014] If z>z1 and / or y>y1, execute step S3;

[0015] If z≤z1 and y≤y1, execute step S4;

[0016] S3: the offline quencher quenches a new test product according to the second test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z of the new test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction, and executes step S2;

[0017] S4 heat-treating the test product in the heat treatment furnace and testing its mechanical properties,

[0018] When the mechanical properties meet the performance requirements, the test quenching scheme in step S2 is determined as the optimal quenching scheme, and step S5 is executed;

[0019] When the mechanical properties are lower than the performance requirements, executing step S3;

[0020] S5 applies the optimal quenching solution to an online quenching process.

[0021] In the present invention, the aforementioned heat treatment furnace can be an online aging heat treatment furnace during the processing and production of aluminum alloy profiles, or a separate heat treatment furnace set up offline, and the structure can adopt a conventional structure without special limitation.

[0022] In the present invention, the specific setting of the aforementioned first test quenching scheme is not too limited, and can be preliminarily set according to the prior art. For example, different quenching nozzle arrangement modes, arrangement angles or nozzle group flow rates can be set according to different compositions or types of aluminum alloy profiles. Those skilled in the art usually have a certain quenching scheme foundation for various conventional aluminum alloy profiles.

[0023] In the present invention, the X-axis direction is the length direction of the profile test product, the Y-axis direction is perpendicular to the X-axis direction and is the width direction of the profile, and the Z-axis direction is perpendicular to the Z-axis and Y-axis directions and is the thickness direction of the profile.

[0024] In the present invention, the target deformation data z1 in the Z-axis direction, the target deformation data y1 in the Y-axis direction, and the mechanical performance requirements of the profile are not clearly defined. Generally, they are all related to the composition, type, and grade requirements of the aluminum alloy profile. These deformation target values ​​and mechanical performance requirements can be based on the conventional requirements in the field of aluminum alloy technology. For example, the deformation target value can refer to the requirements of Sections 4.4-4.5 of the national standard GB / T 14846-2014 Aluminum and aluminum alloy extruded profile dimensional deviation, and the definition of the corresponding deformation type can refer to Section 5.2 of the standard; the mechanical performance requirements can be based on the mechanical properties required in Table 4 of the national standard GB / T6892-2015 General industrial aluminum and aluminum alloy extruded profiles. The standard discloses the mechanical performance requirements such as tensile strength, elongation at break, and Brinell hardness that different grades of aluminum alloy profiles should meet.

[0025] The online quenching process of aluminum alloy extrusion plays a vital role in whether the profile is deformed and the performance of the final aluminum alloy product. In the prior art, the online quenching process scheme is usually debugged back and forth. For example, when a scheme of combining cooling in multiple ways such as multi-stage cooling, air cooling / mist cooling / water cooling is adopted, online reciprocating debugging is required to formulate a specific and appropriate quenching scheme. This process will occupy a large amount of manpower and equipment resources, produce a large amount of profile waste, increase production costs, and reduce corporate benefits. The inventor of this application has found through research that by adopting an offline quenching method, the process parameter settings of the quenching scheme can be quickly adjusted so that the deformation and mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy profile meet the target requirements. Then the adjusted quenching scheme is applied to the online quenching process, which can achieve the online quenching process to meet the target requirements, while significantly reducing the number of scrapped profiles, significantly improving production efficiency, and reducing production costs.

[0026] In some embodiments, the off-line quencher comprises:

[0027] A clamping device, the clamping device is used to fix the test object;

[0028] a nozzle portion, the nozzle portion being used to spray water toward the test object;

[0029] A detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction.

[0030] In some embodiments, the nozzle portion includes a plurality of rows of nozzles disposed at intervals, and each outlet of the plurality of rows of nozzles faces the test product.

[0031] In some embodiments, the first test quenching scheme includes a flow rate setting of a nozzle portion, and the second test quenching scheme changes the flow rate setting of the nozzle portion relative to the first test quenching scheme. By changing or adjusting the nozzle flow rate of spraying water on the test product, a profile test product whose deformation meets the requirements (preset target value) can be obtained.

[0032] In some embodiments, when z>z1 and / or y>y1 (i.e., as long as the deformation in one direction of the Z-axis and the Y-axis direction does not meet the requirements), in the second test quenching scheme, the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles in the concave part of the deformation area of ​​the test product with the water spraying direction is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme (i.e., in the new quenching scheme, the flow rate is increased), or the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles in the convex part of the deformation area of ​​the test product with the water spraying direction is set to be lower than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme (i.e., in the new quenching scheme, the flow rate is reduced). When the deformation area of ​​the profile test product (regardless of the deformation in the Y-axis width direction or the Z-axis thickness direction) is enlarged, a concave part and a convex part will always appear. By adjusting the concave part and the convex part with different quenching schemes, the deformation can meet the target requirements.

[0033] In some embodiments, when the mechanical properties are lower than the performance requirements, in the second test quenching scheme, the flow rate of each row of nozzles is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme, and the relative proportion of the flow rate increase of each row of nozzles is equal. When the mechanical properties of the profile test product are lower than the performance requirements, it means that the quenching degree is not high enough, so it is necessary to increase the nozzle flow setting again. By increasing the flow rate of each row of nozzles in equal proportion, the deformation of the profile can be guaranteed to meet the requirements as much as possible.

[0034] In some embodiments, the nozzle portion further includes a housing for fixing the plurality of rows of nozzles.

[0035] Preferably, the housing has an open state and a closed state. When the housing is in the open state, it is more convenient to fix and release the profile.

[0036] In some embodiments, before quenching a new test piece, step S3 further includes the steps of loosening the test piece from the clamping device and then fixing the new test piece to the clamping device, and the loosening and fixing steps are performed when the shell is in an open state.

[0037] In some embodiments, the multiple rows of nozzles are 8 rows of nozzles, the cross-section of the shell is an equilateral octagon, and the 8 rows of nozzles are arranged on the inner wall of the shell at equal intervals; the test product is arranged horizontally and passes through the center of the equilateral octagon.

[0038] In some embodiments, the clamping device is used to fix one end of the test object, and the other end of the test object is a free end. In the present invention, the free end refers to an end that is not fixed or supported in any way. The free end can be deformed freely.

[0039] In some embodiments, the clamping device includes a support frame and a profile clamp; the support frame includes a column and an inclined brace, the inclined brace is inclined upward relative to the column; the profile clamp includes a profile insertion cavity and a cantilever, the profile insertion cavity is used to accommodate one end of the test piece; the inclined brace is provided with a receiving cavity for accommodating the cantilever, and the inclined brace is detachably fixedly connected to the cantilever; the profile clamp also includes a fixing piece for fixing the test piece in the profile insertion cavity. By inclining the inclined brace upward relative to the column and accommodating the cantilever in the receiving cavity of the inclined brace, the profile test piece can be firmly fixed on the support frame of the clamping device, and the support frame can stand stably on a plane such as the ground.

[0040] Preferably, the profile insertion cavity and the cantilever are integrally formed, and the cantilever is away from the opening of the profile insertion cavity; the fixing member includes a plurality of pressing blocks respectively contacting each surface of the test product and a plurality of screws passing through each pressing block. By providing the above-mentioned fixing member, the test product can be firmly fixed, the pressing blocks can increase the contact area with each surface of the test product, and the screws can be fixed.

[0041] Preferably, the angle of the diagonal brace inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane is 10 to 60 degrees.

[0042] In some embodiments, the detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test product in the Z-axis direction, and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction. Generally, if one end of the aluminum alloy profile is fixed and the other end is a free end, the deformation degree of the free end is the largest when the profile is subjected to a quenching test. The present invention detects the deformation of the free end and ensures that its deformation degree meets the requirements, so that the deformation of the entire profile test product will meet the target requirements. The detection device is located at the free end of the test product, which is also convenient for the installation and testing of the detection device.

[0043] In some embodiments, the detection device includes a thickness deformation sensor and a width deformation sensor; the thickness deformation sensor is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test piece in the Z-axis direction, and the width deformation sensor is used to detect the profile deformation data y of the free end of the test piece in the Y-axis direction.

[0044] Preferably, the thickness deformation sensor and the width deformation sensor are infrared sensors or laser sensors.

[0045] Furthermore, the detection device also includes a support rod, a first positioning slider and a second positioning slider; the support rod includes a horizontal rod segment and a vertical rod segment; the first positioning slider is located at the horizontal rod end and can slide relative to the horizontal rod segment; the second positioning slider is located at the vertical rod end and can slide relative to the vertical rod segment; the thickness deformation sensor is located in the first positioning slider; the width deformation sensor is located in the second positioning slider.

[0046] Furthermore, the thickness deformation sensor is located directly above or directly below the test product, preferably directly above.

[0047] Furthermore, the width deformation sensor is located on the front side of the test product.

[0048] In some embodiments, the off-line quencher further comprises a water tank for supplying water to the nozzle.

[0049] Furthermore, the water tank is arranged at the lower part of the housing. The shape of the water tank is not particularly limited, and the water tank is preferably square in shape in order to facilitate stable placement on the ground or platform.

[0050] In some embodiments, in step S1, the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction are obtained in real time. By obtaining the deformation data in real time, the quenching scheme can be quickly adjusted.

[0051] In some embodiments, the optimization method further includes the step of fixing the test object with the clamping device, and heating and keeping the test object and the clamping device warm before step S1.

[0052] Preferably, the heating temperature is the extrusion temperature of the aluminum alloy profile during online processing, and the insulation time is 5-20 minutes. This step can make the test product simulate the online quenching process more realistically. During the online quenching process, the profile is usually quenched immediately after it is extruded from the die head of the extruder. Fixing the test product in the clamping device first and heating the two together can avoid the temperature drop of the test product during the process of heating the test product alone and then clamping the test product in the clamping device, which is not conducive to the real simulation of the online quenching process.

[0053] Furthermore, the heating temperature is 530-560°C.

[0054] Furthermore, the heating may be performed in a heating furnace.

[0055] In some embodiments, the optimization method comprises the following steps:

[0056] The test object is fixed by the clamping device, and the test object and the clamping device are heated and kept warm;

[0057] Moving the test object and the clamping device so that the test object passes through the nozzle portion;

[0058] S1: the offline quencher performs initial quenching on the test product according to the first test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction;

[0059] S2 compares the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction with the target deformation data z1 in the Z-axis direction, and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction with the target deformation data y1 in the Y-axis direction,

[0060] If z>z1 and / or y>y1, execute step S3;

[0061] If z≤z1 and y≤y1, execute step S4;

[0062] S3 the offline quencher quenches a new test product according to the second test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction of the new test product, and executes step S2; in the second test quenching scheme, the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles with the water spraying direction toward the concave part of the deformation area of ​​the test product is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme, or the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles with the water spraying direction toward the convex part of the deformation area of ​​the test product is set to be lower than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme;

[0063] S4 heat-treating the test product in the heat treatment furnace and testing its mechanical properties,

[0064] When the mechanical properties meet the performance requirements, the test quenching scheme in step S2 is determined as the optimal quenching scheme, and step S5 is executed;

[0065] When the mechanical properties are lower than the performance requirements, the offline quencher quenches a new test product according to the third test quenching scheme, obtains the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction of the new test product, and executes step S2; in the third test quenching scheme, the flow rate of each row of nozzles is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the second test quenching scheme, and the relative proportion of the flow rate increase of each row of nozzles is equal;

[0066] S5 applies the optimal quenching solution to an online quenching process.

[0067] By repeatedly adjusting the quenching process parameters offline, it is possible to ensure that the deformation and mechanical properties of the test product meet the target requirements. When the quenching process is applied to the online quenching process, it is basically possible to prevent the online quenching process from producing scrapped products.

[0068] The present invention also provides an offline quenching system for the above-mentioned optimization method of the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles, wherein the offline quenching system comprises an offline quencher and a heat treatment furnace;

[0069] The off-line quencher comprises:

[0070] A clamping device, the clamping device is used to fix the test object;

[0071] a nozzle portion, the nozzle portion being used to spray water toward the test object;

[0072] A detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction.

[0073] In some embodiments, the nozzle portion includes a plurality of rows of nozzles disposed at intervals, and each outlet of the plurality of rows of nozzles faces the test product.

[0074] In some embodiments, the nozzle portion further includes a housing for fixing the plurality of rows of nozzles.

[0075] Preferably, the housing has an open state and a closed state.

[0076] In some embodiments, the multiple rows of nozzles are 8 rows of nozzles, the cross-section of the shell is an equilateral octagon, and the 8 rows of nozzles are arranged on the inner wall of the shell at equal intervals; the test product is arranged horizontally and passes through the center of the equilateral octagon.

[0077] In some embodiments, the clamping device is used to fix one end of the test object, and the other end of the test object is a free end.

[0078] In some embodiments, the clamping device includes a support frame and a profile clamp; the support frame includes a column and a diagonal brace, and the diagonal brace is inclined upward relative to the column; the profile clamp includes a profile insertion cavity and a cantilever, and the profile insertion cavity is used to accommodate one end of the test piece; the diagonal brace is provided with a accommodating cavity for accommodating the cantilever, and the diagonal brace is detachably fixedly connected to the cantilever; the profile clamp also includes a fixing member for fixing the test piece in the profile insertion cavity.

[0079] In some embodiments, the profile insertion cavity and the cantilever are integrally formed, and the cantilever is away from the opening of the profile insertion cavity; the fixing member includes a plurality of pressing blocks respectively contacting each surface of the test piece and a plurality of screws passing through each pressing block.

[0080] In some embodiments, the detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test article in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction.

[0081] In some embodiments, the detection device includes a thickness deformation sensor and a width deformation sensor; the thickness deformation sensor is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test piece in the Z-axis direction, and the width deformation sensor is used to detect the profile deformation data y of the free end of the test piece in the Y-axis direction.

[0082] Preferably, the thickness deformation sensor and the width deformation sensor are infrared sensors or laser sensors.

[0083] In some embodiments, the detection device also includes a support rod, a first positioning slider and a second positioning slider; the support rod includes a horizontal rod segment and a vertical rod segment; the first positioning slider is located at the horizontal rod end and can slide relative to the horizontal rod segment; the second positioning slider is located at the vertical rod end and can slide relative to the vertical rod segment; the thickness deformation sensor is located in the first positioning slider; the width deformation sensor is located in the second positioning slider.

[0084] In some embodiments, the thickness deformation sensor is located directly above or directly below the test article, preferably directly above.

[0085] In some embodiments, the width deformation sensor is located at a front side of the test object.

[0086] Due to the application of the above technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0087] The optimization method of the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles of the present invention can significantly reduce the scrap rate of aluminum alloy quenching, reduce production costs and improve production efficiency while ensuring the product performance of the aluminum alloy profiles. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0088] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the off-line quenching system of the present invention, and the shell is in an open state;

[0089] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the off-line quencher of the present invention, and the shell is in a closed state;

[0090] Figure 3It is a structural schematic diagram of the profile test product of the present invention being inserted into the profile clamping piece;

[0091] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the support frame of the present invention;

[0092] Among them, 1-offline quencher, 2-heat treatment furnace, 3-clamping device, 4-nozzle part, 6-nozzle, 7-shell, 8-support frame, 9-profile clamping piece, 10-column, 11-diagonal brace, 12-profile insertion cavity, 13-cantilever, 14-accommodating cavity, 15-pressing block, 16-screw, 17-test product, 18-width deformation sensor, 19-thickness deformation sensor, 20-horizontal rod end, 21-vertical rod end, 22-first positioning slider, 23-second positioning slider, 24-water tank. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0093] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the following examples. The implementation conditions used in the examples can be further adjusted according to the different requirements of specific use, and the implementation conditions not specified are conventional conditions in the industry. The technical features involved in each embodiment of the present invention can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0094] In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “lateral”, “length”, “width”, “thickness”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”, “clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential”, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0095] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0096] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined and specified, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0097] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" or "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0098] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. The terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0099] Hereinafter, the X-axis direction is the length direction of the profile test piece, the Y-axis direction is perpendicular to the X-axis direction and is the width direction of the profile, and the Z-axis direction is perpendicular to the Z-axis and Y-axis directions and is the thickness direction of the profile.

[0101] Example

[0102] This embodiment provides a method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles. The method uses a test piece 17 to perform a quenching test in an offline quenching system to obtain an optimal quenching solution, and then applies the optimal quenching solution to the online quenching process.

[0103] This embodiment also provides an off-line quenching system accordingly.

[0104] The specific structure of the offline quenching system used is as follows: Figure 1-4 Specifically, Figure 1As shown, the offline quenching system includes an offline quencher 1 and a heat treatment furnace 2, wherein the offline quencher 1 is used for quenching, and the heat treatment furnace 2 is used for heat treatment, and the heat treatment furnace 2 can adopt a conventional aging heat treatment furnace 2.

[0105] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the off-line quencher 1 includes a clamping device 3 for fixing the test product 17, a nozzle part 4 for spraying water to the test product 17, a detection device for detecting the profile deformation data z of the test product 17 in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction, and a water tank 24 for supplying water to the nozzle. The nozzle part 4 includes a plurality of rows of nozzles 6 arranged at intervals, each outlet of the plurality of rows of nozzles 6 faces the test product 17, and the number of rows of nozzles 6 is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, 2-8 rows. Figure 1 The display shows 8 rows, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to Figure 1 To facilitate water spraying and prevent water from splashing, the nozzle portion 4 further includes a housing 7 for fixing the multiple rows of nozzles 6. The housing 7 can be opened and closed, for example, by using a lock to lock and unlock. When the housing 7 is in the open state, it is more convenient to fix and release the profile. Figure 1 That is, the housing 7 is in the open state. Figure 2 That is, the housing 7 is in a closed state. The shape of the housing 7 is not particularly limited, as long as it is convenient to install the nozzle 6 and insert the test product 17. Figure 1 The cross section of the shell 7 shown in the figure is an equilateral octagon, and 8 rows of nozzles 6 are arranged on the inner wall of the shell 7 at equal intervals; the test product 17 is arranged horizontally and passes through the center of the equilateral octagon, but the shell 7 can be other shapes.

[0106] like Figure 1 , 3 As shown, the clamping device 3 is used to fix one end of the test product 17, and the other end of the test product 17 is a free end. The clamping device 3 includes a support frame 8 and a profile clamp 9. The support frame 8 includes a column 10 and a diagonal brace 11. The diagonal brace 11 is inclined upward relative to the column 10. The profile clamp 9 includes a profile insertion cavity 12 at the left end and a cantilever 13 at the right end. One end of the test product 17 is inserted into the profile insertion cavity 12, and the cantilever 13 is accommodated in the accommodating cavity 14 of the diagonal brace 11. The diagonal brace 11 and the cantilever 13 are detachably fixedly connected. By providing the diagonal brace 11 inclined upward, the profile clamp 9 can be firmly fixed on the support frame 8, which is beneficial to the fixation of the test product 17. The inclination angle of the diagonal brace 11 is not particularly limited. For example, it can be an angle of 10 to 60 degrees inclined upward relative to the horizontal plane.

[0107] One end of the test piece 17 is fixed in the profile insertion cavity 12 by a fixing member, and the fixing member includes a plurality of screws 16 and a plurality of pressing blocks 15 located below the screws 16 and in contact with each surface of the test piece 17. The pressing blocks 15 can increase the contact area with each surface of the test piece 17 and improve the fixing effect of the screws 16.

[0108] like Figure 1-2 As shown, the detection device includes a thickness deformation sensor 19 and a width deformation sensor 18. The thickness deformation sensor 19 is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test piece 17 in the Z-axis direction, and the width deformation sensor 18 is used to detect the profile deformation data y of the free end of the test piece 17 in the Y-axis direction. The deformation sensor can be, for example, an infrared sensor or a laser sensor. The free end has a greater deformation than the fixed end. If the deformation degree of the free end is well controlled, it can usually ensure that the deformation degree of the entire profile meets the requirements.

[0109] like Figure 1 As shown, in order to better fix the deformation sensor and more conveniently detect the test product 17, the detection device is also provided with a fixing component, specifically including a support rod, a first positioning slider 22 and a second positioning slider 23. The support rod includes a horizontal rod segment and a vertical rod segment; the first positioning slider 22 is located at the horizontal rod end 20 and can slide relative to the horizontal rod segment; the second positioning slider 23 is located at the vertical rod end 21 and can slide relative to the vertical rod segment; the thickness deformation sensor 19 is located in the first positioning slider 22; the width deformation sensor 18 is located in the second positioning slider 23. The thickness deformation sensor 19 is located directly above the test product 17, and the width deformation sensor 18 is located directly to the side of the test product 17 to facilitate detection.

[0110] The specific operation of the optimization method of online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles is as follows:

[0111] 1) Sample processing: Use the profile of the extrusion test mold and saw it into a fixed length (such as 1.2m) as the quenching test product 17;

[0112] 2) Fixing the sample: Fix the test sample 17 using the clamping device 3;

[0113] 3) Sample heating and heat preservation: The test piece 17 and the clamping device 3 are placed in a heating furnace and heated. The heating temperature is the outlet temperature of the profile when it is extruded, for example, 550° C., and the temperature is kept for 5-30 minutes.

[0114] 4) Sample installation: Move the test sample 17 and the clamping device 3 so that the test sample 17 passes through the nozzle portion 4;

[0115] 5) Quenching test: In the offline quencher 1 (when the shell 7 is in the closed state), a quenching test is performed on the test piece 17 according to a preset quenching scheme. The thickness deformation sensor 19 (laser sensor) in the detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test piece 17 in the Z-axis direction in real time. The width deformation sensor 18 (laser sensor) is used to detect the profile deformation data y of the free end of the test piece 17 in the Y-axis direction in real time.

[0116] The preset quenching scheme is determined according to the composition, brand and performance requirements of the aluminum alloy profile, based on the existing quenching experience. For example, for a "U" profile of 6061 aluminum alloy (the profile cross section is U-shaped), in order to obtain a high-precision level, Figure 1 The 8 rows of nozzles shown have a regular octagonal cross section; the preset quenching scheme is: 70% on the upper left, 60% on the upper side, 70% on the upper right, 80% on the lower right, 90% on the lower left, and 80% on the lower left. Among them, an 8-row nozzle setting with a regular octagonal cross section is adopted, wherein the upper side is set to two rows, referred to as upper, and the lower side is set to two rows, referred to as lower. A row of nozzles is set in the upper left corner, the upper right corner, the lower left corner, and the lower right corner, respectively, referred to as upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. The maximum flow rate of each row of nozzles is defined as 100%, and the percentage in the scheme refers to the percentage of the flow rate of the nozzles in the row to the maximum flow rate. For example, 60% in the quenching scheme means that the flow rate of the nozzles in the row is set to 60% of the maximum flow rate.

[0117] 6) Quenching process adjustment: Compare the profile deformation data z, y of the test piece 17 with the target requirements of the aluminum alloy profile. If one or both of the deformation data z, y of the test piece 17 exceed the target requirements, it is necessary to adjust the quenching scheme, use a new test piece 17, repeat steps 2)-6), and conduct the quenching test again.

[0118] The target requirements are related to the target aluminum alloy profile brand and grade. For example, the requirements of Section 4.4-4.5 of the national standard GB / T 14846-2014 Dimensional deviation of aluminum and aluminum alloy extruded profiles can be referred to.

[0119] The method of adjusting the quenching scheme may be, for example, to increase the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles that spray water toward the concave part of the deformation area of ​​the test piece 17, or decrease the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles that spray water toward the convex part of the deformation area of ​​the test piece 17, according to the specific deformation of the profile test piece 17, especially the specific concave part and convex part of the deformation area, and the degree of increase or decrease (for example, the percentage of the maximum flow rate of the row of nozzles) can be set based on experience. For example, if the profile test piece 17 presents an upward bow deformation, the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles 6 (all spraying water upward) arranged below the test piece 17 should be increased in the new quenching test, and the degree of increase can be set based on experience, or the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles 6 (all spraying water downward) arranged above the test piece 17 should be decreased in the new quenching test, and the degree of decrease can be set based on experience. On the contrary, if the profile test piece 17 presents a downward bending deformation, the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles 6 (all spraying water downward) arranged above the test piece 17 should be increased in the new quenching test, or the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles 6 (all spraying water upward) arranged below the test piece 17 should be reduced in the new quenching test.

[0120] For example, it can also be: if the profile test product 17 is bent in the upper left direction (as defined above), the flow rate of the lower right row of nozzles in the multiple rows of nozzles 6 is increased; the degree of increase can be set based on experience; on the contrary, if the test product 17 is bent to the lower right direction (as defined above), the flow rate of the upper left row of nozzles in the multiple rows of nozzles 6 is increased, and the degree of increase can be set based on experience.

[0121] The quenching scheme is adjusted (it can be adjusted multiple times) until the deformation of the test piece 17 meets the target requirement; if the deformation of the test piece 17 in the first quenching test meets the target requirement, there is no need to adjust the quenching scheme.

[0122] 7) The test piece 17 that meets the deformation target requirements in step 6) is subjected to subsequent heat treatment in the aging heat treatment furnace 2, and its mechanical properties are tested. If the mechanical properties meet the requirements, the quenching process scheme of step 6) (the scheme that meets the deformation requirements, which can be the initial scheme or the adjusted scheme) is determined as the optimal quenching scheme, and step 9) is executed; if the mechanical properties are lower than the target product requirements, step 8) is executed.

[0123] The target requirements for mechanical properties are related to the brand and grade of the target aluminum alloy profile. For example, the mechanical properties required in Table 4 of the national standard GB / T6892-2015 General Industrial Aluminum and Aluminum Alloy Extrusion Profiles can be referred to. This standard discloses the mechanical properties requirements such as tensile strength, elongation at break and Brinell hardness that different grades of aluminum alloy profiles should meet.

[0124] 8) Increase the flow rate of each row of nozzles 6 of the offline quencher 1 in proportion (for example, the flow rate of 8 rows of nozzles 6 is increased by 20% compared with the previous quenching scheme, and the specific increase can be determined and adjusted according to the actual situation), repeat steps 2)-4), and then subject the new test piece 17 to a new quenching test (if necessary, the quenching test needs to be adjusted again according to the deformation situation, but in actual situations, the quenching scheme after the previous deformation adjustment and the mechanical property adjustment can basically meet the target requirements of the deformation situation). Then, subject the test piece 17 to subsequent heat treatment and test the mechanical properties. If necessary, repeat the mechanical property adjustment step until the mechanical properties meet the target requirements. The quenching scheme at this time is the optimal quenching scheme.

[0125] 9) Applying the optimal quenching solution obtained in step 7) or step 8) to the online quenching process.

[0126] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and their purpose is to enable people familiar with the technology to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly, and they cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0127] The endpoints and any values ​​of the ranges disclosed in this article are not limited to the precise ranges or values, and these ranges or values ​​should be understood to include values ​​close to these ranges or values. For numerical ranges, the endpoint values ​​of each range, the endpoint values ​​of each range and the individual point values, and the individual point values ​​can be combined with each other to obtain one or more new numerical ranges, which should be considered as specifically disclosed in this article.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing an online quenching process for aluminum alloy profiles, characterized in that: The optimization method uses a test piece to conduct a quenching test in an offline quenching system to obtain an optimal quenching solution, and then applies the optimal quenching solution to the online quenching process; The offline quenching system includes an offline quencher and a heat treatment furnace; The quenching test comprises the following steps: S1: the offline quencher performs initial quenching on the test product according to the first test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction; S2 compares the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction with the target deformation data z1 in the Z-axis direction, and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction with the target deformation data y1 in the Y-axis direction, If z>z1 and / or y>y1, execute step S3; If z≤z1 and y≤y1, execute step S4; S3: the offline quencher quenches a new test product according to the second test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z of the new test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction, and executes step S2; S4 heat-treating the test product in the heat treatment furnace and testing its mechanical properties, When the mechanical properties meet the performance requirements, the test quenching scheme in step S2 is determined as the optimal quenching scheme, and step S5 is executed; When the mechanical properties are lower than the performance requirements, executing step S3; S5 applies the optimal quenching solution to an online quenching process.

2. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 1, characterized in that: The off-line quencher comprises: A clamping device, the clamping device is used to fix the test object; a nozzle portion, the nozzle portion being used to spray water toward the test object; A detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction.

3. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The nozzle portion includes a plurality of rows of nozzles arranged at intervals, and each outlet of the plurality of rows of nozzles faces the test product.

4. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first test quenching scheme includes a flow rate setting of a nozzle portion, and the second test quenching scheme changes the flow rate setting of the nozzle portion relative to the first test quenching scheme.

5. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 4, characterized in that: When z>z1 and / or y>y1, in the second test quenching scheme, the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles spraying water toward the concave portion of the deformation area of ​​the test product is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme, or the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles spraying water toward the convex portion of the deformation area of ​​the test product is set to be lower than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme; And / or, when the mechanical properties are lower than the performance requirements, in the second test quenching scheme, the flow rate of each row of nozzles is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme, and the relative proportion of the flow rate increase of each row of nozzles is equal.

6. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 3, characterized in that: The nozzle portion further comprises a housing for fixing the multiple rows of nozzles; preferably, the housing has an open state and a closed state.

7. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 6, characterized in that: The step S3 further includes the steps of loosening the test piece from the clamping device and fixing the new test piece to the clamping device before quenching the new test piece, wherein the loosening and fixing steps are performed when the housing is in an open state.

8. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 6, characterized in that: The multiple rows of nozzles are 8 rows of nozzles, the cross section of the shell is an equilateral octagon, and the 8 rows of nozzles are arranged on the inner wall of the shell at equal intervals; the test product is arranged horizontally and passes through the center of the equilateral octagon.

9. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The clamping device is used to fix one end of the test product, and the other end of the test product is a free end; and / or, the clamping device includes a support frame and a profile clamp; the support frame includes a column and a diagonal brace, and the diagonal brace is inclined upward relative to the column; the profile clamp includes a profile insertion cavity and a cantilever, and the profile insertion cavity is used to accommodate one end of the test product; the diagonal brace is provided with a accommodating cavity for accommodating the cantilever, and the diagonal brace is detachably fixedly connected to the cantilever; the profile clamp also includes a fixing member for fixing the test product in the profile insertion cavity; preferably, the profile insertion cavity and the cantilever are integrally formed, and the cantilever is away from the opening of the profile insertion cavity; the fixing member includes a plurality of pressing blocks respectively contacting each surface of the test product and a plurality of screws passing through each pressing block.

10. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 9, characterized in that: The detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction.

11. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 10, characterized in that: The detection device includes a thickness deformation sensor and a width deformation sensor; the thickness deformation sensor is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the free end of the test piece in the Z-axis direction, and the width deformation sensor is used to detect the profile deformation data y of the free end of the test piece in the Y-axis direction; preferably, the thickness deformation sensor and the width deformation sensor are infrared sensors or laser sensors.

12. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction are acquired in real time.

13. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The optimization method further includes the step of fixing the test article with the clamping device, heating and keeping the test article and the clamping device warm before step S1; preferably, the heating temperature is the extrusion temperature of the aluminum alloy profile during online processing, and the insulation time is 5-20 minutes.

14. The method for optimizing the online quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 2, characterized in that: The optimization method comprises the following steps: The test object is fixed by the clamping device, and the test object and the clamping device are heated and kept warm; Moving the test object and the clamping device so that the test object passes through the nozzle portion; S1: the offline quencher performs initial quenching on the test product according to the first test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction; S2 compares the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction with the target deformation data z1 in the Z-axis direction, and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction with the target deformation data y1 in the Y-axis direction, If z>z1 and / or y>y1, execute step S3; If z≤z1 and y≤y1, execute step S4; S3 the offline quencher quenches a new test product according to the second test quenching scheme, and obtains the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction of the new test product, and executes step S2; in the second test quenching scheme, the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles with the water spraying direction toward the concave part of the deformation area of ​​the test product is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme, or the flow rate of the multiple rows of nozzles with the water spraying direction toward the convex part of the deformation area of ​​the test product is set to be lower than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the first test quenching scheme; S4 heat-treating the test product in the heat treatment furnace and testing its mechanical properties, When the mechanical properties meet the performance requirements, the test quenching scheme in step S2 is determined as the optimal quenching scheme, and step S5 is executed; When the mechanical properties are lower than the performance requirements, the offline quencher quenches a new test product according to the third test quenching scheme, obtains the profile deformation data z in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction of the new test product, and executes step S2; in the third test quenching scheme, the flow rate of each row of nozzles is set to be higher than the flow rate of the corresponding nozzles in the second test quenching scheme, and the relative proportion of the flow rate increase of each row of nozzles is equal; S5 applies the optimal quenching solution to an online quenching process.

15. An off-line quenching system for the method for optimizing the on-line quenching process of aluminum alloy profiles according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that: The offline quenching system includes an offline quencher and a heat treatment furnace; The off-line quencher comprises: A clamping device, the clamping device is used to fix the test object; a nozzle portion, the nozzle portion being used to spray water toward the test object; A detection device is used to detect the profile deformation data z of the test product in the Z-axis direction and the profile deformation data y in the Y-axis direction.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Online quenching method and online quenching system for aluminum profile

    CN117947362A

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