Process control system and process control method for wheel hub blank

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of wheel hub processing technology, and more particularly to a process control system and process control method for wheel hub blanks. The process control system for wheel hub blanks includes: a temperature measuring component for sequentially detecting the surface temperatures of the rims of N wheel hub blanks, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; a heating device for heating the rims when the surface temperature of the rims is less than a target temperature; a spinning device for spinning the rims when the surface temperature of the rims is greater than or equal to the target temperature; a manipulator for placing the wheel hub blanks in the heating device or the spinning device; and a control device configured to control the sum of the time the heating device heats the rim of the (i+1)th wheel hub blank and the time the manipulator places the wheel hub blank so that the sum is less than or equal to the cycle time of the spinning device spinning the rim of the i-th wheel hub blank. The present application can accurately control the surface temperature and heating time of the wheel hub blank rims, maximizing energy conservation and consumption reduction, and reducing preheating energy consumption.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of wheel hub processing, and in particular to a process control system and a process control method for a wheel hub blank. Background Art

[0002] Wheels are a crucial component of vehicle tires, and their manufacturing process directly impacts vehicle performance and safety. Spinning is a commonly used forming process in wheel manufacturing. This metalworking technique processes a casting blank at a target temperature through spinning equipment, transforming the wheel rim into a wheel with a specific geometry. This technique enables the creation of complex, lightweight, and durable wheels. Compared to traditional casting or molding processes, spinning reduces material waste and energy consumption, improving production efficiency and product quality. The heat treatment of the wheel prior to spinning plays a crucial role in product quality.

[0003] Currently, the primary method for heating wheel hubs before spinning is gas-fired furnaces. Several wheel hubs, regardless of temperature, are placed simultaneously in a gas-fired furnace. After prolonged heating and constant temperature control to within the target temperature, the heated hubs are removed and transferred to a spinning die for spinning. Because gas-fired furnaces cannot achieve localized heating, the spokes of the heated hubs must be cooled again after heating. This complex process compromises production efficiency, making it impossible to precisely control the heating time based on the incoming material temperature or to complete the process within the required heating cycle, making it difficult to meet the demands of high-efficiency production. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides a process control system and a process control method for a hub blank, which can accurately control the heating time of the rim of the hub blank, realize full process automation and precise temperature control, meet the production rhythm requirements, and improve production efficiency.

[0005] On the one hand, the present application provides a process control system for a hub blank, comprising: a temperature measuring component for sequentially detecting the surface temperatures of the rims of N hub blanks, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; a heating device for heating the rim when the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank is less than a target temperature; a spinning device for spinning the rim when the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank is greater than or equal to the target temperature; a manipulator for taking and placing the hub blank to and from the heating device or the spinning device; and a control device, electrically connected to the temperature measuring component, the heating device, the spinning device and the manipulator, respectively, the control device being configured to control the sum of the time for the heating device to heat the rim of the i+1th hub blank and the time for the manipulator to take and place the hub blank to be less than or equal to the beat of the spinning device spinning the rim of the i-th hub blank, where i≤N-1 and i is an integer.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the heating device includes a fixed frame, a crimping assembly and a heating assembly, the heating assembly includes a turntable rotatable relative to the fixed frame and a permanent magnet assembly arranged on the turntable, the permanent magnet assembly includes a plurality of first permanent magnets and a plurality of second permanent magnets alternately and spaced along the circumference of the turntable, the polarities of adjacent first permanent magnets and second permanent magnets are opposite, the crimping assembly moves relative to the fixed frame along the axial direction of the turntable, the hub blank is arranged on the crimping assembly, and the rim of the hub blank is placed between the permanent magnet assemblies.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the control device is configured to control the heating assembly to rotate at a rotation speed Rx and a fixed heating time t0 to heat the surface temperature of the rim to the target temperature if the surface temperature of the rim is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim and the target temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold value, and the following conditions are met:

[0008] , where C1 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and control time, R0 is the reference speed of the heating component, T is the target temperature, and Tx is the surface temperature of the rim.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the control device is configured to control the heating assembly to rotate at a constant speed R0 and to start heating after a delay of time tx if the surface temperature of the rim is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim and the target temperature is lower than a threshold, and the following conditions are met:

[0010] tx=t0-C2 (T-Tx), where C2 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and rotation speed, T is the target temperature, Tx is the surface temperature of the rim, and t0 is the fixed heating time required to reach the target temperature T.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the spinning cycle of the spinning equipment for spinning the hub blank is 60s to 90s; and / or the ratio of the time for the robot to take and place the hub blank to the heating time of the rim is 1:4.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the number of heating devices and spinning devices is at least two respectively, wherein any one of the spinning devices is paired according to the rhythm of spinning the current hub blank and any one of the at least two heating devices that takes the shortest time to heat the surface temperature of the rim of the current hub blank to the target temperature.

[0013] On the other hand, the present application also provides a process control method for a hub blank, which is applied to the process control system of the hub blank in the embodiment of the present application. The process control method for the hub blank includes: detecting the surface temperature of the rims of N hub blanks in sequence through a temperature measuring component, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; if the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank is lower than the target temperature, the hub blank is transported to a heating device by a robot, and the surface temperature of the rim is heated to the target temperature; if the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank is greater than or equal to the target temperature, the hub blank is transported to a spinning device by a robot for spinning; wherein the sum of the time for the heating device to heat the rim of the i+1th hub blank and the time for the robot to take and place the hub blank is less than or equal to the beat of the spinning device spinning the rim of the i-th hub blank, wherein i≤N-1 and i is an integer.

[0014] In one possible implementation, heating the surface temperature of the wheel rim to the target temperature includes: if the surface temperature of the wheel rim is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the wheel rim and the target temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold, controlling a heating component of the heating device to rotate at a rotation speed Rx and a heating time of a fixed value t0, and satisfying the following conditions: , where C1 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and control time, R0 is the reference speed of the heating component, T is the target temperature, and Tx is the surface temperature of the rim.

[0015] In one possible implementation, heating the surface temperature of the wheel rim to the target temperature includes: if the surface temperature of the wheel rim is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the wheel rim and the target temperature is lower than a threshold, controlling a heating component of the heating device to rotate at a constant speed R0 and delaying heating for a time tx before starting the heating, and the following conditions are met:

[0016] tx=t0-C2 (T-Tx), where C2 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and rotation speed, T is the target temperature, Tx is the surface temperature of the rim, and t0 is the fixed heating time required to reach the target temperature T.

[0017] In one possible implementation, the process control method also includes: if the spinning equipment has completed the spinning of the i-1th hub blank, and the i-th hub blank is heated at the heating equipment, and the surface temperature of the rim of the i+1th hub blank is greater than or equal to the target temperature, the i+1th hub blank is transported to the spinning equipment for spinning by the robot arm, and at the same time, the time for the heating equipment to start heating next time is calculated based on the heating time of the i-th hub blank in the heating equipment.

[0018] According to the process control system and process control method of the hub blank provided in the present application, only the rim of the hub blank is locally heated by the heating equipment. Compared with the traditional gas furnace heating, the process of re-cooling the spokes is reduced, the process flow is simplified, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced, and safety risks are reduced; at the same time, the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank is accurately controlled according to the rhythm of the spinning process and the incoming temperature of the hub blank. The heating time required to heat the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank to the target temperature can make full use of the casting waste heat, maximize energy saving and consumption reduction, reduce preheating energy consumption, and realize full process automation and precise temperature control, meet the production rhythm requirements, and improve production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a process control system for a hub blank provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The schematic structural diagram of the hub blank shown;

[0022] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The schematic structural diagram of the heating equipment in the process control system of the hub blank is shown;

[0023] Figure 4 A flowchart of the process control method for the hub blank provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0024] The reference numerals are as follows:

[0025] 100. Process control system for wheel hub blank; W, wheel hub blank; W1, rim; W2, spoke;

[0026] 1. Robot; 2. Heating equipment; 21. Fixing frame; 22. Pressing assembly; 23. Heating assembly; 3. Spinning equipment;

[0027] 4. Feeding assembly; 41. Loading rack; 42. Unloading rack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of this application in conjunction with the embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the process control system for the hub blank provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hub blank shown.

[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the present application provides a process control system 100 for a hub blank, comprising a temperature measuring component (not shown in the figure), a manipulator 1, a heating device 2, a spinning device 3 and a control device.

[0031] The wheel hub blank W in the embodiment of the present application includes spokes W2 and a rim W1. After being removed from the casting furnace, the wheel hub blank W generally has a surface temperature above 300°C. The specific surface temperature of each wheel hub blank W before entering the wheel hub blank process control system 100 in the embodiment of the present application is related to the rest time of the wheel hub blank W after being removed.

[0032] The temperature measuring assembly is used to sequentially detect the surface temperatures of the rims W1 of N wheel hub blanks W, where N is a positive integer greater than 1. The temperature measuring assembly can be a contact temperature measuring assembly or a non-contact temperature measuring assembly. The temperature measuring assembly in the embodiment of the present application utilizes a contact temperature measuring assembly. Specifically, the temperature measuring assembly includes a bracket and a thermocouple thermometer disposed on the bracket. The thermocouple thermometer can accurately and sequentially detect the surface temperatures of the rims W1 of the N wheel hub blanks W.

[0033] Heating device 2 is used to heat the rim W1 of the hub blank W when its surface temperature is below a target temperature, which is the temperature required for spinning device 3 to spin the rim W1. In the embodiment of the present application, heating device 2 comprises a heating main unit and a heating control module. The heating main unit heats only the rim W1 of the hub blank W. Compared to conventional gas furnaces that heat the entire hub blank W first and then partially cool the spokes W2, this eliminates the need for further cooling of the spokes W2, simplifies the process, and reduces carbon dioxide emissions.

[0034] The spinning device 3 is used to spin the rim W1 of the hub blank W when the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W is greater than or equal to the target temperature. The target temperature is the temperature required for the spinning device 3 to spin the rim W1. The spinning device 3 in the embodiment of the present application includes a spinning machine, a spinning die, and a spinning control system. The parameters can be adjusted according to different types of hub blanks W to ensure the spinning quality.

[0035] The manipulator 1 is used to pick up and place the wheel hub blank W between the heating device 2 or the spinning device 3. The manipulator 1 in the embodiment of the present application generally adopts a multi-joint robotic arm structure with a large working range and flexible movement ability. It is used to pick up and place the wheel hub blank W between various stations such as the heating device 2 and the spinning device 3 to realize automated production.

[0036] The control device is electrically connected to the temperature measuring component, the heating device 2, the spinning device 3 and the manipulator 1 respectively. The control device is configured to control the sum of the time for the heating device 2 to heat the rim W1 of the i+1th hub blank W and the time for the manipulator 1 to take and place the hub blank W to be less than or equal to the beat of the spinning device 3 spinning the rim W1 of the i-th hub blank W, where i≤N-1 and i is an integer.

[0037] Optionally, the control device can be integrated into any one of the temperature measuring component, the heating device 2 , the spinning device 3 and the manipulator 1 .

[0038] Optionally, the process control system 100 for the hub blank further includes a feeding assembly 4, which includes a loading rack 41 and a unloading rack 42. The loading rack 41 is disposed at the feed end of the heating device 2 and is used to place the hub blank W to be processed, so that the robot 1 can grab the hub blank W. The unloading rack 42 is disposed at the discharge end of the spinning device 3 and is used to place the hub blank W that has been spun. The robot 1 is disposed in the center of the process control system 100 for the hub blank, that is, the loading rack 41, the heating device 2, the spinning device 3, and the unloading rack 42 are disposed around the periphery of the robot 1. The spacing between the loading rack 41 and the unloading rack 42 is designed according to the production line layout to ensure that the robot 1 can successfully complete the product pick-up and placement operations.

[0039] In this embodiment, the temperature measuring component first detects the starting position of the spinning of the hub blank W (the part where the spoke W2 connects with the rim W1) to ensure that the hub blank W is online, and feeds back the online information of the hub blank W to the control device; then the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W is detected. After the i-th hub blank W is taken away, the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the i+1-th hub blank W is detected. The control device selects a corresponding control strategy according to the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W: if the surface temperature of the rim W1 is greater than or equal to the target temperature, the robot 1 is controlled to send the hub blank W to the spinning equipment 3 for spinning processing; if the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature, the robot 1 is controlled to transport the hub blank W to the heating equipment 2 for heating.

[0040] Furthermore, since the N hub blanks W have different standing times after being taken out of the casting furnace, the temperature of the hub blanks W after loading is also different, and the rhythm of the spinning equipment 3 spinning the hub blanks W is fixed. Therefore, the control device is required to control the operation of the spinning equipment 3 and the heating equipment 2 according to the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W, and require the heating equipment 2 to provide the next hub blank W to be spun before the spinning of the previous hub blank W is completed, that is, the sum of the time when the control device controls the heating equipment 2 to heat the rim W1 of the i+1th hub blank W and the time when the manipulator 1 takes and places the hub blank W is less than or equal to the rhythm of the spinning equipment 3 spinning the i-th hub blank W.

[0041] Specifically, if the spinning equipment 3 has completed the spinning process of the previous hub blank W, when the control device detects that the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the second hub blank W is greater than or equal to the target temperature, it is sent to the spinning equipment 3 first. At the same time, the time for the heating equipment 2 to start heating next time is calculated according to the heating time of the heating equipment 2, so that the sum of the time for the heating equipment 2 to heat the rim W1 and the time for the manipulator 1 to take and place the hub blank W is less than or equal to the beat of the spinning equipment 3 to spin the hub blank W, that is, the spinning equipment 3 cannot pause to wait for the heating equipment 2 to provide the hub blank W to be spun. The manipulator 1 or the heating equipment 2 must provide enough hub blank W to be spun to ensure the optimal production beat and ensure the continuous and efficient operation of the spinning equipment 3 and the production line.

[0042] According to the process control system 100 of the hub blank provided in the present application, only the rim W1 position of the hub blank W is locally heated by the heating equipment 2. Compared with the traditional gas furnace heating, the process of re-cooling the spoke W2 is reduced, the process flow is simplified, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced, and safety risks are reduced; at the same time, according to the rhythm of the spinning process and the incoming material temperature of the hub blank W, the heating time required for the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W to be heated to the target temperature is accurately controlled, which can make full use of the waste heat from casting, save energy and reduce consumption to the greatest extent, reduce preheating energy consumption, and realize full automation of the process and precise temperature control, meet the production rhythm requirements, and improve production efficiency.

[0043] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The schematic diagram of the structure of the heating equipment in the process control system of the hub blank is shown.

[0044] In some embodiments, the heating device 2 includes a fixed frame 21, a crimping assembly 22 and a heating assembly 23. The heating assembly 23 includes a turntable rotatable relative to the fixed frame 21 and a permanent magnet assembly arranged on the turntable. The permanent magnet assembly includes a plurality of first permanent magnets and a plurality of second permanent magnets alternately and spaced along the circumference of the turntable. The polarities of adjacent first permanent magnets and second permanent magnets are opposite. The hub blank W can be fixed on the side of the crimping assembly 22 close to the heating assembly 23 and the rim W1 of the hub blank W can be placed between the permanent magnet assemblies; the crimping assembly 22 moves up and down relative to the fixed frame 21 along the axial direction of the turntable, and is used to crimp the rim W1 of the hub blank W between the permanent magnet assemblies of the heating assembly 23 or away from the heating assembly 23.

[0045] When the rim W1 of the hub blank W is heated, the hub blank W is fixed on the side of the crimping assembly 22 close to the heating assembly 23, and the crimping assembly 22 moves downward relative to the fixing frame 21 and close to the heating assembly 23 until the rim W1 of the hub blank W is accommodated between the permanent magnet assemblies of the heating assembly 23; the turntable is rotated, and the permanent magnet assembly on the turntable rotates with the turntable, so that the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet with opposite polarities generate an alternating magnetic field on the surface of the rim W1 of the hub blank W. The surface of the rim W1 of the hub blank W generates heat and heats up under the action of the alternating magnetic field, so that the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W can be quickly and evenly heated to the target temperature; after the heating is completed, the crimping assembly 22 drives the hub blank W to move upward relative to the fixing frame 21 to move away from the heating assembly 23; the hub blank W is removed, and the hub blank W is transported to the spinning equipment 3 by the manipulator 1.

[0046] In some embodiments, the control device is configured to control the heating assembly 23 to rotate at a rotation speed Rx and a heating time of a fixed value t0 to heat the surface temperature of the rim W1 to the target temperature if the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim W1 and the target temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold value, so as to meet the following conditions: , where C1 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and control time, R0 is the reference speed of the heating device 2 or the heating component 23, T is the target temperature, and Tx is the surface temperature of the rim W1.

[0047] In this embodiment, when it is detected that the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W and the target temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold value, which may be 100°C, for example, the control system controls the heating component 23 of the heating device 2 to heat at a specific rotation speed Rx, with a fixed heating time t0, which may be 60 seconds, for example, so that the temperature of the rim W1 quickly reaches the target temperature T. The rotation speed Rx satisfies the following conditions: , where C1 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and control time, which is determined to be 0.007 through experiments, R0 is the reference speed of the heating device 2, R0 can be 600 rpm, for example, T is the target temperature of 350°C±30°C, and Tx is the surface temperature of the rim W1.

[0048] For example, when the surface temperature of the rim W1 is detected to be 250°C, the absolute value of the difference between it and the target temperature T=350°C is equal to the threshold value 100°C, and the speed Rx of the driving motor of the heating device 2 is calculated as follows:

[0049] Rx=600×(1+0.007×(350-250))=600×(1+0.007×100)=600×1.7=1020rpm.

[0050] Therefore, this embodiment controls the heating efficiency of the heating device 2 by adjusting the rotation speed of the heating assembly 23 of the heating device 2, and is suitable for working conditions where the surface temperature of the rim W1 is significantly different from the target temperature.

[0051] In some embodiments, the control device is configured to control the heating assembly 23 to start heating at a constant speed R0 and after a delay time tx if the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim W1 and the target temperature is lower than a threshold value, and the following conditions are met: tx = t0-C2 (T-Tx), where C2 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and rotation speed, T is the target temperature, Tx is the surface temperature of the rim W1, and t0 is the fixed heating time required to reach the target temperature T.

[0052] When it is detected that the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim W1 and the target temperature is lower than a threshold value, which may be 100°C, for example, the control device controls the heating component 23 of the heating device 2 to operate at a constant speed R0, but starts heating after a delay time tx, and satisfies the following conditions: tx=t0-C2×(T-Tx), where C2 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and speed, which is determined to be 0.3 through experiments, T is the target temperature of 350°C±30°C, Tx is the surface temperature of the rim W1, and t0 is the fixed heating time of 60s required to reach the target temperature T.

[0053] For example, when the surface temperature of the wheel rim W1 is detected to be 300°C, the target temperature T = 350°C, and the time tx for delaying the start of heating is calculated as follows:

[0054] tx=60-0.3×(350-300)=60-0.3×50=60-15=45s.

[0055] Therefore, this embodiment controls the heating temperature by adjusting the heating time, and is suitable for working conditions where the surface temperature of the rim W1 is close to the target temperature. The above two control strategies can be selected according to the surface temperature of the rim W1.

[0056] In some embodiments, the spinning cycle of the spinning device 3 is 60s to 90s; and / or the ratio of the time for the robot 1 to take and place the hub blank W to the heating time of the rim W1 is 1:4.

[0057] In this embodiment, assuming that the spinning cycle of the wheel hub blank W by the spinning equipment 3 is 90 seconds, the time for the robot 1 to pick up and place the wheel hub blank W is 15 seconds, and the heating time of the rim W1 is 60 seconds, the sum of the time for the robot 1 to pick up and place the wheel hub blank W and the heating time of the rim W1 is 75 seconds, which is less than the spinning cycle of the spinning equipment 3. This proportional relationship has been verified in practice and can ensure that all parts of the system work in a coordinated manner, meet the processing requirements of most types of wheel hub blanks W, and avoid production bottlenecks that affect the production cycle.

[0058] In addition, the target temperature is set at 350°C, with an allowable error range of ±30°C, that is, between 320°C and 380°C. This temperature range was determined through extensive experiments and can ensure that the hub blank W has good plastic deformation ability during the spinning process while avoiding performance degradation caused by material overheating.

[0059] In some embodiments, the number of heating devices 2 and spinning devices 3 is at least two respectively, wherein any one spinning device 3 is optimally paired according to the rhythm of spinning the current hub blank W and any one of the at least two heating devices 2 that takes the shortest time to heat the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the current hub blank W to the target temperature.

[0060] In one example, the process control system 100 for a wheel hub blank is configured to intelligently pair and parallel-control two spinning machines 3 and two heating machines 2, achieving optimal heating and spinning processes with low energy consumption and high efficiency. For example, if two spinning machines 3 and two heating machines 2 are paired and networked, the control device can initially specify that heating machine 1 only feeds spinning machine 1, and heating machine 2 only feeds spinning machine 2, thus achieving a one-to-one pairing between the two groups.

[0061] Since the different incoming material temperatures of the heating device 2 will result in different fastest heating times required to heat to the set temperature, intelligent pairing is performed based on the time required for the two spinning devices 3 to complete processing the current wheel hub blank W and the fastest time required for the two heating devices 2 to heat to the set temperature. The following prerequisites need to be met: the spinning device 3 cannot pause and wait to ensure the optimal production rhythm. Therefore, when it takes 30s for 1# spinning equipment 3 to process the current wheel hub and 40s for 2# spinning equipment 3 to process the current wheel hub, it takes 35s at most for 1# heating equipment 2 to heat the incoming material with low temperature to the set temperature, and it takes 25s at most for 2# heating equipment 2 to heat the incoming material with high temperature to the set temperature. If 1# spinning equipment 3 continues to be paired with 1# heating equipment 2, it will take an additional 5s (the difference between 35s and 30s) to take the material from 1# heating equipment 2. At this time, the process control system 100 of the wheel hub blank automatically switches to pairing 1# spinning equipment 3 with 2# heating equipment 2 and pairing 2# spinning equipment 3 with 1# heating equipment 2. At this time, 1# spinning equipment 3 does not need additional waiting time to take the material from 2# heating equipment 2, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0062] It is understandable that the number of spinning devices 3 and heating devices 2 can be even greater, and the intelligent pairing and parallel control methods are similar and will not be repeated here.

[0063] The workflow of the process control system 100 for the hub blank according to the embodiment of the present application is as follows:

[0064] First, the wheel hub blank W to be processed is placed on the loading rack 41, and the temperature measuring component detects the spinning starting position of the rim W1 of the wheel hub blank W and the surface temperature of the rim W1;

[0065] Secondly, if the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature, for example, the target temperature is 350°C ± 30°C, the robot 1 grabs the wheel hub blank W from the loading rack 41 and transports it to the heating device 2. The heating device 2 starts the heating process and adjusts the speed of the heating device 2 or the start time of the heating according to the difference between the surface temperature of the rim W1 and the target temperature, so that the surface temperature of the rim W1 reaches the target temperature.

[0066] After heating, the robot 1 transports the hub blank W from the heating device 2 to the spinning device 3 for spinning. If the surface temperature of the rim W1 is greater than or equal to the target temperature before heating, the robot 1 directly transports the hub blank W to the spinning device 3, skipping the heating step.

[0067] Finally, after the spinning process is complete, the robot 1 transports the hub blank W from the spinning equipment 3 to the unloading rack 42, completing a complete processing cycle. Throughout this process, the hub blank process control system 100 strictly controls the timing of each link, ensuring that the sum of the time it takes for the robot 1 to pick up and place the hub blank W and the heating time of the rim W1 is less than or equal to the cycle time of the spinning equipment 3 spinning the hub blank W on the rim W1, thus ensuring the continuous and efficient operation of the spinning equipment 3 and the production line.

[0068] Figure 4 A flowchart of the process control method for the hub blank provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0069] like Figure 4 As shown, the present application further provides a process control method for a hub blank, which is applied to the process control system 100 of the hub blank in the embodiment of the present application. The process control method for the hub blank includes the following steps S1 to S3.

[0070] Specifically, step S1: sequentially measuring the surface temperatures of the rims W1 of N wheel hub blanks W using a temperature measuring assembly, where N is a positive integer greater than 1. The temperature measurement assembly can employ a contact-type temperature measuring assembly, such as a thermocouple thermometer, with a measurement accuracy of ±1°C, enabling rapid and accurate acquisition of the surface temperature of the rims W1.

[0071] Step S2: If the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W is lower than the target temperature, the hub blank W is transported to the heating device 2 by the robot 1 and heated to the target temperature. The robot 1 grabs the hub blank W from the loading rack 41 and determines the starting position of the spinning of the hub blank W using a visual positioning system or mechanical positioning device to ensure the accuracy of subsequent processing.

[0072] Step S3: If the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the hub blank W is greater than or equal to the target temperature, the hub blank W is transported to the spinning equipment 3 for spinning by the robot 1, wherein the sum of the time for the heating equipment 2 to heat the rim W1 of the i+1th hub blank W and the time for the robot 1 to take and place the hub blank W is less than or equal to the beat of the spinning equipment 3 spinning the rim W1 of the i-th hub blank W, wherein i≤N-1 and i is an integer.

[0073] In this embodiment, only the rim W1 position of the hub blank W is locally heated by the heating equipment 2. Compared with traditional gas furnace heating, the process of re-cooling the spoke W2 is reduced, the process flow is simplified, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced, and safety risks are reduced. At the same time, by making full use of the waste heat from casting, the preheating energy consumption is reduced, and energy saving and consumption reduction are achieved; and the heating time required for the heating equipment 2 to heat the rim W1 to the target temperature is accurately controlled according to the process rhythm of the spinning equipment 3 and the incoming material temperature of the hub blank W, thereby realizing full process automation and precise temperature control, meeting the production rhythm requirements, and improving production efficiency.

[0074] In some embodiments, in step S2, heating the surface temperature of the rim W1 to a target temperature includes:

[0075] Step S21: If the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim W1 and the target temperature is greater than or equal to the threshold, the heating component 23 of the heating device 2 is controlled to rotate at a rotation speed Rx and the heating time is a fixed value t0 to heat the surface temperature of the rim W1 to the target temperature, and the following conditions are met: Rx=R0×(1+C1×(T-Tx)), where C1 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and control time, such as 0.007, R0 is the reference rotation speed of the heating device 2, such as 600rpm, T is the target temperature, such as 350°C, and Tx is the surface temperature of the rim W1.

[0076] In this embodiment, if the surface temperature of the rim W1 is significantly different from the target temperature of 350° C., it is necessary to adjust the rotation speed of the heating component 23 of the heating device 2 to control the heating efficiency of the heating device 2 .

[0077] For example, the threshold is 100°C, and when the surface temperature of the rim W1 is detected to be 200°C, the rotation speed Rx of the heating assembly 23 is calculated as follows:

[0078] Rx=600×(1+0.007×(350-200))=600×(1+0.007×150)=600×1.75=1050rpm.

[0079] In some embodiments, in step S2, heating the surface temperature of the rim W1 to a target temperature includes:

[0080] Step S22: If the surface temperature of the rim W1 is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim W1 and the target temperature is lower than the threshold, the heating component 23 of the heating device 2 is controlled to rotate at a constant speed R0 and start heating after a delay time tx, and the following conditions are met: tx=t0-C2×(T-Tx), where C2 is an empirical constant related to the heating performance and the rotation speed, such as 0.3, T is the target temperature, such as 350°C, Tx is the surface temperature of the rim W1, and t0 is the fixed heating time required to reach the target temperature T, such as 60s.

[0081] In this embodiment, if the surface temperature of the rim W1 is close to the target temperature of 350°C, it is necessary to start heating by delaying the heating time to meet the rhythm of the spinning device 3 for spinning the hub blank W.

[0082] For example, when the surface temperature of the wheel rim W1 is detected to be 280°C, the time tx for delaying the start of heating is calculated as follows:

[0083] tx=60-0.3×(350-280)=60-0.3×70=60-21=39s.

[0084] In some embodiments, the process control method of the hub blank also includes: if the spinning equipment 3 has completed the spinning of the i-1th hub blank, and the i-th hub blank W is heated at the heating equipment 2, and the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the i+1th hub blank W is greater than or equal to the target temperature, the i+1th hub blank is transported to the spinning equipment 3 for spinning by the robot 1, and at the same time, the time for the heating equipment 2 to start heating next time is calculated based on the heating time of the i-th hub blank W at the heating equipment 2.

[0085] In this embodiment, if the spinning equipment 3 has completed the spinning process of the previous hub blank W, when the control device detects that the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the second hub blank W is higher than the target temperature, it is sent to the spinning equipment 3 first. At the same time, the time for the heating equipment 2 to start heating next time is calculated according to the heating time of the heating equipment 2, so that the sum of the time for the heating equipment 2 to heat the i+1th rim W1 and the time for the manipulator 1 to take and place the hub blank W is less than or equal to the beat of the spinning equipment 3 spinning the i-th hub blank W, that is, the spinning equipment 3 cannot pause to wait for the heating equipment 2 to provide the hub blank W to be spun. The manipulator 1 or the heating equipment 2 must provide enough hub blank W to be spun to ensure the optimal production beat and ensure the continuous and efficient operation of the spinning equipment 3 and the production line.

[0086] In a possible implementation, there are at least two heating devices and at least two spinning devices, and the hub blank process control method further includes:

[0087] Any spinning device 3 is optimally paired according to the spinning cycle of the current hub blank W and any heating device 2 among the at least two heating devices 2 that takes the shortest time to heat the surface temperature of the rim W1 of the current hub blank W to the target temperature.

[0088] In this embodiment, when the number of spinning equipment 3 and heating equipment 2 of the process control system 100 of the hub blank is two or more, the above-mentioned process control method of the hub blank is also applicable, that is, two or more spinning equipment 3 and heating equipment 2 can be controlled in parallel when working at the same time. Through the intelligent pairing system, the collaborative working efficiency of multiple devices is improved, and the heating and spinning processes are realized with the best working efficiency and energy consumption, ensuring the optimal production rhythm.

[0089] The wheel hub blank process control method of the present embodiment precisely controls the surface temperature and heating time of the rim W1 of the wheel hub blank W, ensuring that the spinning process is performed under optimal temperature conditions, thereby improving the processing quality and production efficiency of the wheel hub blank W. The big data model of the heating device 2 enables real-time online temperature prediction, controlling the surface temperature error of the rim W1 within a ±20°C range, meeting production requirements. Furthermore, by optimizing the time allocation of each link, the production line is balanced, avoiding resource waste and production bottlenecks.

[0090] It should be noted that references in this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," "some embodiments," and the like indicate that the described embodiment may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not necessarily every embodiment includes that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it is within the knowledge of those skilled in the art to implement such feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether explicitly described or not.

[0091] It should be readily understood that “on,” “above,” and “over” in this disclosure should be interpreted in the broadest manner, such that “on” means not only “directly on something,” but also includes “on something” with intervening features or layers therebetween, and “above” or “over” includes not only the meaning of “above” or “over,” but also includes “above” or “over” with no intervening features or layers therebetween (i.e., directly on something).

[0092] Additionally, spatially relative terms, such as "below," "beneath," "beneath," "above," and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature to other elements or features as depicted in the figures. Spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptors used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0093] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article, or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or device. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or device comprising the element.

[0094] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some or all of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A process control system for a hub blank, characterized in that: include: A temperature measuring component, used to sequentially detect the surface temperatures of the rims of N wheel hub blanks, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; a heating device for heating the rim of the hub blank when the surface temperature of the rim is less than a target temperature; a spinning device for spinning the rim of the hub blank when the surface temperature of the rim is greater than or equal to a target temperature; A robot, used for taking and placing the hub blank to the heating device or the spinning device; as well as A control device is electrically connected to the temperature measuring component, the heating device, the spinning device and the manipulator, respectively, and the control device is configured to control the sum of the time for the heating device to heat the rim of the i+1th hub blank and the time for the manipulator to pick up and place the hub blank to be less than or equal to the beat of the spinning device to spin the rim of the i-th hub blank, wherein i≤N-1 and i is an integer; The heating device includes a fixing frame, a crimping assembly and a heating assembly, wherein the heating assembly includes a turntable rotatable relative to the fixing frame and a permanent magnet assembly arranged on the turntable; The control device is configured to control the heating assembly to rotate at a rotation speed Rx and a heating time of a fixed value t0, if the surface temperature of the rim is lower than a target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the rim and the target temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold, so as to heat the surface temperature of the rim to the target temperature, and the following conditions are met: , where C1 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and control time, R0 is the reference speed of the heating assembly, T is the target temperature, and Tx is the surface temperature of the rim; If the surface temperature of the wheel rim is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the wheel rim and the target temperature is lower than a threshold, the heating component is controlled to rotate at a constant speed R0 and to start heating after a delay of time tx, and the following conditions are met: tx=t0-C2 (T-Tx), where C2 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and rotation speed, T is the target temperature, Tx is the surface temperature of the rim, and t0 is the fixed heating time required to reach the target temperature T.

2. The process control system for the hub blank according to claim 1, characterized in that: The permanent magnet assembly includes a plurality of first permanent magnets and a plurality of second permanent magnets that are alternately and spaced apart along the circumference of the turntable, and the polarities of adjacent first permanent magnets and second permanent magnets are opposite. The crimping assembly moves relative to the fixed frame along the axial direction of the turntable, the hub blank is provided on the crimping assembly, and the rim of the hub blank is provided between the permanent magnet assemblies.

3. The process control system for wheel hub blank according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The spinning equipment spins the rim at a cycle of 60s to 90s; and / or the ratio of the time for the manipulator to take and place the hub blank to the heating time of the rim is 1:

4.

4. The process control system for the hub blank according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The number of the heating devices and the spinning devices is at least two respectively, wherein any one of the spinning devices is paired according to the beat of spinning the rim of the current hub blank and any one of the at least two heating devices that takes the shortest time to heat the surface temperature of the rim of the current hub blank to the target temperature.

5. A process control method for a hub blank, applied to the process control system for a hub blank according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The process control method of the hub blank comprises: The surface temperatures of the rims of N wheel hub blanks are detected in sequence by a temperature measuring component, where N is a positive integer greater than 1; If the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank is lower than the target temperature, the hub blank is transported to a heating device by a robot, and the surface temperature of the rim is heated to the target temperature; If the surface temperature of the rim of the hub blank is greater than or equal to the target temperature, the hub blank is transported to a spinning device for spinning by a manipulator; The sum of the time taken by the heating device to heat the rim of the i+1th hub blank and the time taken by the manipulator to pick up and place the hub blank is less than or equal to the beat of the spinning device to spin the rim of the i-th hub blank, wherein i≤N-1 and i is an integer.

6. The process control method for hub blank according to claim 5, characterized in that: Heating the surface temperature of the rim to a target temperature comprises: If the surface temperature of the wheel rim is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the wheel rim and the target temperature is greater than or equal to a threshold, the heating component of the heating device is controlled to rotate at a speed Rx and a heating time of a fixed value t0, and the following conditions are met: , wherein C1 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and control time, R0 is the reference speed of the heating component, T is the target temperature, and Tx is the surface temperature of the rim.

7. The process control method for hub blank according to claim 5, characterized in that: Heating the surface temperature of the rim to a target temperature comprises: If the surface temperature of the wheel rim is lower than the target temperature and the absolute value of the difference between the surface temperature of the wheel rim and the target temperature is lower than a threshold, the heating component of the heating device is controlled to rotate at a constant speed R0 and to start heating after a delay of time tx, and the following conditions are met: tx=t0-C2 (T-Tx), where C2 is an empirical constant related to heating performance and rotation speed, T is the target temperature, Tx is the surface temperature of the rim, and t0 is the fixed heating time required to reach the target temperature T.

8. The process control method for hub blank according to claim 5, characterized in that: Also includes: If the spinning equipment has completed the spinning of the rim of the i-1th hub blank, and the i-th hub blank is heated at the heating equipment, and the surface temperature of the rim of the i+1th hub blank is greater than or equal to the target temperature, the i+1th hub blank is transported to the spinning equipment by the robot for spinning; At the same time, the time for the heating device to start heating next time is calculated according to the heating time of the i-th wheel hub blank in the heating device.

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