Intelligent polishing unit for outer circle of steel pipe

Abstract

The invention provides an intelligent steel pipe outer circle grinding unit, which relates to the technical field of grinding equipment and comprises a grinding assembly, a pressure detection device, a pose adjusting mechanism and a control unit. The grinding assembly comprises a pressing grinding wheel and an abrasive belt surrounding the pressing grinding wheel and is used for grinding the outer circle of the steel pipe. The pressure detection device is arranged on a supporting structure of the pressing and grinding wheel and used for detecting the pressure value between the grinding assembly and the supporting structure in the grinding process in real time. The posture adjusting mechanism is connected with and used for driving the grinding assembly so as to change the contact posture of the pressing and grinding wheel relative to the steel pipe. The control unit is in signal connection with the pressure detection device and the pose adjusting mechanism; the control unit is configured to control the pose adjusting mechanism to act according to the deviation between a pressure signal fed back by the pressure detection device and a preset pressure threshold value in the polishing process, and control over the polishing pressure is achieved by dynamically adjusting the pose of the polishing assembly. Efficient and consistent automatic grinding can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of grinding equipment technology, and in particular to an intelligent grinding unit for the outer diameter of steel pipes. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the outer diameter grinding of steel pipes is mostly carried out using simple semi-automatic grinding wheel or belt abrasive equipment. These types of equipment generally suffer from the following problems: a lack of adaptability to changes in the shape of the steel pipe, low precision in grinding pressure and trajectory control, easily leading to over-grinding or under-grinding, which in turn affects the geometric accuracy and surface quality of the steel pipe. Furthermore, most existing equipment relies on manual intervention or simple mechanical adjustments, making it difficult to achieve efficient and consistent automated grinding. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent grinding unit for the outer diameter of steel pipes to solve the problems existing in the prior art and achieve efficient and consistent automated grinding.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: This invention provides an intelligent grinding unit for the outer diameter of a steel pipe, comprising: a grinding assembly, a pressure detection device, a posture adjustment mechanism, and a control unit. The grinding assembly includes a grinding wheel and a sanding belt surrounding it, used for grinding the outer diameter of the steel pipe. The pressure detection device is mounted on a support structure of the grinding wheel and is used to detect the pressure value between the grinding assembly and the support structure in real time during the grinding process. The posture adjustment mechanism is connected to and used to drive the grinding assembly to change the contact posture of the grinding wheel relative to the steel pipe. The control unit is signal-connected to the pressure detection device and the posture adjustment mechanism. The control unit is configured to: during the grinding process, based on the deviation between the pressure signal fed back by the pressure detection device and a preset pressure threshold, control the posture adjustment mechanism to dynamically adjust the posture of the grinding assembly, thereby controlling the grinding pressure.

[0005] Preferably, it also includes a lifting platform, which is used to drive the grinding assembly to rise and fall according to the diameter of the steel pipe before grinding begins.

[0006] Preferably, the posture adjustment mechanism is used to drive the grinding assembly to rotate around a pivot to adjust its pitch angle, thereby adjusting the contact posture of the grinding wheel relative to the steel pipe.

[0007] Preferably, the posture adjustment mechanism includes a first linear drive element and a support shaft, the grinding assembly is hinged to the base through the support shaft, and the extension and retraction of the first linear drive element drives the grinding assembly to rotate around the support shaft.

[0008] Preferably, it also includes an automatic tensioning mechanism, wherein the sanding belt is driven to rotate by the sanding belt drive system, and the automatic tensioning mechanism is used to adjust the tension of the sanding belt in real time so that its tension is within a predetermined threshold range.

[0009] Preferably, the belt drive system of the grinding assembly includes a drive wheel, a tension wheel, an auxiliary wheel, and the grinding wheel, wherein the drive wheel, the tension wheel, the auxiliary wheel, and the grinding wheel are arranged in a trapezoidal shape.

[0010] Preferably, the automatic tensioning mechanism includes a second linear drive element and the tensioning wheel, wherein the second linear drive element can drive the tensioning wheel to move to adjust the degree of compression between the tensioning wheel and the sanding belt.

[0011] Preferably, it also includes a shock absorber, which is disposed below the grinding assembly and is used to support the grinding assembly.

[0012] Preferably, it also includes a cooling system, which includes a condenser pipe and a nozzle, the nozzle being positioned above the contact grinding area between the sanding belt and the steel pipe.

[0013] Preferably, the control unit is further configured to: after polishing is completed, control the lifting platform to drive the polishing component to lift or control the posture adjustment mechanism to drive the polishing component to tilt backward; The automatic tensioning mechanism is controlled to loosen the sanding belt; The lifting platform is controlled to drive the grinding assembly to rise and fall to its initial position; Control the belt drive system to stop working.

[0014] The present invention achieves the following technical effects compared to the prior art: This invention uses a pressure detection device mounted on the grinding wheel support structure to monitor the grinding pressure in real time. The control unit then instructs the posture adjustment mechanism to dynamically adjust the posture of the grinding components based on the deviation of this pressure from a preset threshold. This closed-loop control logic can directly and quickly respond to pressure fluctuations caused by irregularities in the steel pipe's shape (such as ellipticity or bending) or abrasion belt wear. By fine-tuning the posture, the contact state between the grinding wheel and the steel pipe is changed in real time, thereby stabilizing the actual grinding pressure within a preset range. Its core advantage lies in fundamentally avoiding the "over-grinding" or "under-grinding" phenomena caused by uncontrolled pressure in traditional open-loop grinding, significantly improving the uniformity of the steel pipe's surface roughness and the consistency of its geometric dimensions after grinding. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipe provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the protective shell of the grinding component with the cover plate open. Figure 3 for Figure 2 A structural diagram of the back side; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A structural diagram of the back side; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rotating shaft seat; In the diagram: 1-Bracket; 2-Lifting motor; 3-Screw jack; 4-Commutator; 5-Base; 6-Rotation system; 7-Shock absorber; 8-Fixed mounting plate; 9-Protective shell; 10-Condenser pipe; 11-Sand belt; 12-Cover plate; 13-Shaft seat; 14-Support shaft; 15-Drive wheel; 16-Drive wheel base; 17-Tensioning wheel; 18-Second linear drive element; 19-Auxiliary wheel; 20-Grinding wheel base; 21-Pressure detection device; 22-Grinding wheel; 23-Condenser pipe clamp; 24-First linear drive element; 25-Pitch mechanism shaft; 26-Drive motor; 27-Drive motor base; 28-Coupling. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0019] The following is combined with Figures 1 to 5 The following describes embodiments of the present invention.

[0020] Example 1 This invention provides an intelligent grinding unit for the outer diameter of a steel pipe, comprising: a grinding assembly, a pressure detection device 21, a posture adjustment mechanism, and a control unit. The grinding assembly includes a grinding wheel 22 and an abrasive belt 11 surrounding it, used for grinding the outer diameter of the steel pipe; the pressure detection device 21 is mounted on the support structure of the grinding wheel 22 (i.e., the grinding wheel base 20 or fixed mounting plate 8 described below), used to detect the pressure value between the grinding assembly and the support structure in real time during the grinding process; the posture adjustment mechanism is connected to and used to drive the grinding assembly to change the contact posture of the grinding wheel 22 relative to the steel pipe; the control unit is signal-connected to the pressure detection device 21 and the posture adjustment mechanism; wherein, the control unit is configured to: during the grinding process, based on the deviation between the pressure signal fed back by the pressure detection device 21 and a preset pressure threshold, control the action of the posture adjustment mechanism, thereby dynamically adjusting the posture of the grinding assembly to control the grinding pressure.

[0021] In this embodiment, a pressure detection device 21 mounted on the support structure of the grinding wheel 22 monitors the grinding pressure in real time. The control unit, based on the deviation between this pressure and a preset threshold, instructs the posture adjustment mechanism to dynamically adjust the posture of the grinding components. This closed-loop control logic can directly and quickly respond to pressure fluctuations caused by irregularities in the steel pipe's shape (such as ellipticity or bending) or wear of the abrasive belt 11. By fine-tuning the posture, the contact state between the grinding wheel 22 and the steel pipe is changed in real time, thereby stabilizing the actual grinding pressure within a preset range. Its core beneficial effect is that it fundamentally avoids the "over-grinding" or "under-grinding" phenomena caused by pressure runaway in traditional open-loop grinding, significantly improving the uniformity of the steel pipe's surface roughness and the consistency of its geometric dimensions after grinding.

[0022] The specific control logic is as follows: when the pressure exceeds the preset pressure threshold, it indicates that the grinding pressure is too high, and the grinding component needs to be moved away from the steel pipe to reduce the pressure to the preset pressure threshold. When the pressure is less than the preset pressure threshold, it indicates that the grinding pressure is too low, and the grinding component needs to be moved towards the steel pipe to increase the pressure to the preset pressure threshold.

[0023] In related technologies, there are technical solutions that control grinding pressure by directly driving the grinding wheel to move. However, in such solutions, because the grinding wheel directly bears all the reaction force from the workpiece to be ground, and it is installed as an independent unit on the drive mechanism, its overall structural rigidity is insufficient and its stability is poor. This structural defect easily causes equipment vibration, which not only affects the consistency of grinding accuracy, but also significantly reduces the service life of the grinding wheel and related drive components, increasing the maintenance frequency and cost of the equipment. Compared with the above solutions, this application adopts a control strategy that drives the entire grinding assembly to move. Under this architecture, the grinding wheel 22 can be stably installed by a rigid support structure such as a fixed mounting plate 8, and its force can be effectively distributed to the entire grinding unit through this support structure. This design fundamentally enhances the structural rigidity and stability of the grinding wheel 22 in the working state, thereby significantly improving its vibration resistance and service life, and reducing maintenance requirements.

[0024] In some embodiments, the present invention further includes a lifting platform for driving the grinding assembly to rise and fall according to the diameter of the steel pipe before grinding begins.

[0025] The lifting platform added in this embodiment is responsible for driving the grinding components to perform overall lifting and positioning based on the steel pipe diameter before grinding begins. This function separates the large-scale "coarse adjustment" task for steel pipes of different specifications from the "fine adjustment" task used for constant pressure control in Embodiment 1. Its beneficial effect is that it achieves functional decoupling, allowing the lifting platform to focus on efficient, long-stroke positioning, while the posture adjustment mechanism can be designed to be lighter and faster to perform high-frequency fine-tuning actions, thereby optimizing the system's overall response speed, control accuracy, and mechanism lifespan.

[0026] In some examples, the lifting platform includes a lifting motor 2, a reversing transmission system, and four screw jacks 3. The lifting motor 2 is connected to the four screw jacks 3 via a commutator 4 and the power input end of the transmission system. Each of the four screw jacks 3 has a base 5 on which a grinding assembly is mounted. The screw jack 3 used in this embodiment is a mature existing technology, and its specific structure will not be described in detail here.

[0027] In addition, alternative solutions for lifting platforms include, but are not limited to, hydraulic lifting systems, scissor lift mechanisms, or linear motor-driven lifting platforms. These solutions all achieve overall height adjustment, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, accuracy, speed, and maintenance complexity. Those skilled in the art can choose according to specific load, speed, and accuracy requirements.

[0028] In some embodiments, the pose adjustment mechanism is used to drive the grinding assembly to rotate about a pivot to adjust its pitch angle, thereby adjusting the contact posture of the grinding wheel 22 relative to the steel pipe.

[0029] A key improvement in this embodiment is that the grinding assembly forms a main support structure with the frame via a robust rotating shaft. During the grinding process, the main grinding reaction force and vibration generated by the interaction between the abrasive belt 11 and the steel pipe are largely borne by this rotating shaft as force and torque. The direct benefit is that the posture adjustment mechanism (such as the first linear drive element 24) does not need to directly bear the huge grinding load. This division of force brings multiple advantages: First, it allows for the use of smaller, lower-cost drive elements and significantly improves the reliability and service life of these elements; second, because the drive element is relieved from the huge radial load, its motion is subject to less nonlinear interference such as static friction, making the control response more sensitive and precise, thereby indirectly improving the dynamic performance of constant pressure control; third, the main bearing rotating shaft structure has extremely high rigidity, ensuring the posture stability of the entire grinding assembly under continuous grinding force, providing a solid mechanical foundation for high-precision grinding.

[0030] Besides rotation and pitch, theoretically, the pose of the grinding components can also be adjusted using a two-dimensional or three-dimensional parallel mechanism. While this method offers more degrees of freedom, it is structurally complex, requires sophisticated control algorithms, and is costly. For external cylindrical grinding scenarios that primarily need to cope with pressure fluctuations, a single pitch angle adjustment has achieved the best balance between performance and cost.

[0031] In some embodiments, the pose adjustment mechanism includes a first linear drive element 24 and a support shaft 14. The grinding assembly is hinged to the base 5 via the support shaft 14. The extension and retraction of the first linear drive element 24 drives the grinding assembly to rotate around the support shaft 14.

[0032] This embodiment further specifies the posture adjustment mechanism as consisting of a first linear drive element 24 and a supporting rotating shaft 14. The telescopic motion of the linear drive element (such as a servo electric cylinder or pneumatic cylinder) is converted into the angular displacement of the grinding assembly through the rotating shaft. Its advantages are that the linear drive element is easy to install and control, and can provide stable and reliable thrust; at the same time, this mechanism converts the linear motion of the drive element into precise angular changes, has a short transmission chain, and good structural rigidity, making the pressure control response more rapid and precise.

[0033] Alternatives to the first linear drive element 24 include a hydraulic cylinder, a linear motor, or a rotary servo motor in conjunction with a crank-slider mechanism.

[0034] In some embodiments, the present invention further includes an automatic tensioning mechanism, wherein the sanding belt 11 is driven to rotate by the sanding belt drive system, and the automatic tensioning mechanism is used to adjust the tension of the sanding belt 11 in real time so that its tension is within a predetermined threshold range.

[0035] This embodiment adds an automatic tensioning mechanism for real-time adjustment of the tension of the abrasive belt 11. The tension of the abrasive belt 11 is fundamental for its power transmission and maintaining a stable linear speed. Insufficient tension can cause the abrasive belt 11 to slip, reduce grinding force, or even fall off; excessive tension will accelerate the wear of the abrasive belt 11 and the bearings. This mechanism, by maintaining the tension within a predetermined threshold range, effectively ensures the stability of the abrasive belt 11 transmission, providing a stable power foundation for the constant pressure grinding in Embodiment 1, while also extending the service life of the abrasive belt 11 and the equipment.

[0036] Alternative control strategies for automatic tensioning, besides the direct tension closed-loop control in this embodiment, can also employ experience-based preload control, i.e., tensioning to a fixed value at startup. However, the latter cannot compensate for the tension decay of the abrasive belt 11 due to thermal expansion and contraction, and wear elongation, while closed-loop control can always maintain optimal tension and is more adaptable.

[0037] In some embodiments, the grinding wheel 22, the pressure detection device 21 (first pressure sensor), the grinding wheel base 20, and the fixed mounting plate 8 are connected in sequence. The pressure detection device 21 is communicatively connected to the control unit.

[0038] In some embodiments, the drive wheel 15 is rotatably mounted on the fixed mounting plate 8 via the drive wheel base 16.

[0039] In some embodiments, the belt drive system of the grinding assembly includes a drive wheel 15, a tension wheel 17, an auxiliary wheel 19, and a grinding wheel 22, which are arranged in a trapezoidal shape.

[0040] This embodiment specifies that the drive wheel 15, tension wheel 17, auxiliary wheel 19, and pressure wheel 22 are arranged in a trapezoidal shape. This layout is compact, making full use of space and resulting in a small overall size of the grinding unit. More importantly, it positions the tension wheel 17 and pressure wheel 22 at two opposite corners of the trapezoid, forming a longer lever arm. The beneficial effect is that minor adjustments to the tension wheel 17 by the automatic tensioning mechanism can be effectively transmitted to the entire sanding belt 11, and the pressure feedback to the pressure wheel 22 is more sensitive, thereby improving the response performance of the two closed-loop systems of tension control and pressure control.

[0041] The arrangement of the wheels is not limited to a strict trapezoid; it can also be a quadrilateral or other polygons. However, the trapezoidal layout, especially the layout with the drive wheel 15 and the auxiliary wheel 19 as two fixed base points and the grinding wheel 22 and the tensioning wheel 17 as two moving points, achieves a good balance between structural stability and motion independence, and is the preferred arrangement in this scheme.

[0042] In some embodiments, the automatic tensioning mechanism includes a second linear drive element 18 and a tensioning wheel 17, the second linear drive element 18 being able to drive the tensioning wheel 17 to move in order to adjust the degree of compression between the tensioning wheel 17 and the abrasive belt 11.

[0043] This embodiment specifies the automatic tensioning mechanism as a tensioning wheel 17 being moved by a second linear drive element 18. By changing the position of the tensioning wheel 17, the degree of compression on the abrasive belt 11 is directly adjusted, thereby changing the total length of the envelope path of the abrasive belt 11 and achieving tension adjustment. Its advantages include simple principle, direct control, and fast response speed. The linear drive element facilitates integration with the control system, enabling precise and automated tension management.

[0044] The selection of the second linear drive element 18 is similar to that of the first linear drive element 24.

[0045] More specifically, the automatic tensioning mechanism also includes a second pressure sensor. The tensioning wheel 17, the tensioning wheel support (e.g., the tensioning wheel bearing seat), the second pressure sensor, and the second linear drive element 18 are connected in sequence. The second pressure sensor is used to detect the pressure of the sanding belt 11 on the tensioning wheel 17, and then adjust the tensioning wheel support and the tensioning wheel 17 to move outward from the sanding belt 11 by means of a preset pressure threshold, thereby changing the degree of compression between the two.

[0046] In some embodiments, the intelligent grinding unit for the outer diameter of the steel pipe further includes a shock absorber 7, which is disposed below the grinding assembly and is used to support the grinding assembly.

[0047] This embodiment adds a shock absorber 7, which is installed below the grinding assembly for support. During the grinding process, the sanding belt 11 comes into contact with the irregular surface of the steel pipe, generating high-frequency vibrations. The shock absorber 7 can effectively absorb and attenuate these vibration energies. Its beneficial effects are twofold: firstly, it significantly reduces the vibration transmitted to the base 5 and the entire equipment, improving the stability and lifespan of the equipment; secondly, it reduces the interference of vibration on the pressure sensor signal, providing a cleaner feedback signal for high-precision pressure closed-loop control, further ensuring control quality.

[0048] Alternatives to damper 7 include the use of rubber damping pads, air springs, or hydraulic dampers. Different damping elements vary in damping characteristics, load-bearing capacity, and cost, and can be selected based on the actual vibration spectrum and load.

[0049] In some embodiments, the intelligent steel pipe outer diameter grinding unit further includes a bracket 1, a protective shell 9, a fixed mounting plate 8, and a cover plate 12. The fixed mounting plate 8 serves as the main load-bearing structure, on which a drive wheel 15, a second linear drive element 18, an auxiliary wheel 19, and a grinding wheel 22 are mounted. A sanding belt 11 is wrapped around these wheels and is encapsulated inside the protective shell 9. The protective shell 9 is designed with a specific notch through which the grinding wheel 22 and a section of the sanding belt 11 surrounding it are exposed, directly forming a grinding head for contacting the steel pipe. The rest of the protective shell 9 isolates the sanding belt drive system from the external environment, achieving a sealed working area. The protective shell 9 is hinged to the base 5 via a support shaft 14 and a shaft seat 13, and the axis of the support shaft 14 is parallel to the axes of the drive wheel 15, tension wheel 17, auxiliary wheel 19, and grinding wheel 22. The support shaft 14 and the shaft seat 13 form a rotation system 6. Furthermore, the protective housing 9 has an open design at both ends; one end is closed by a fixed mounting plate 8, and the other end is closed by an openable cover plate 12. The first linear drive element 24 is located on the outside of the protective housing 9, its bottom hinged to the base 5 (hinged via the pitch mechanism shaft 25), and its drive end hinged to the fixed mounting plate 8. The drive motor 26 of the drive wheel 15 is mounted outside the protective housing 9, specifically on the mounting surface extending from the bottom plate of the protective housing 9, outside the fixed mounting plate 8. The drive motor 26 is indirectly mounted on the mounting surface via a drive motor base 27. The central shaft of the drive motor 26 and the drive wheel 15 are connected by a coupling 28.

[0050] This embodiment, through its highly integrated modular design, brings multiple beneficial effects. First, the protective shell 9 completely covers the high-speed rotating sanding belt 11 and wheel system, greatly improving the safety of the equipment and effectively preventing grinding debris from splashing, thus improving the working environment. Second, core components such as the drive wheel 15 and the pressure wheel 22 are all integrated onto the fixed mounting plate 8 and placed entirely within the protective shell 9, making the entire grinding head a rigid, integrated unit. This integrated unit is hinged to the base 5 via a unified support shaft 14 and is tilted by a first linear drive element 24 located on the outside of the shell. This design ensures that when adjusting the tilt angle, the relative positions of all internal wheels remain unchanged, with only the overall angle changing. This keeps the sanding belt 11 transmission stable and prevents additional tension fluctuations or deviation risks introduced by posture adjustments, thereby greatly improving the stability and reliability of constant pressure control. Finally, the design of using a fixed mounting plate 8 to close one end and an openable cover plate 12 to close the other end, combined with the external drive motor 26, makes equipment maintenance (such as replacing the sanding belt 11 and repairing the wheels) very convenient. You can operate simply by opening the cover plate 12 without disassembling the entire mechanism.

[0051] As an alternative, the protective housing 9 can be designed as a single, inseparable housing with the mounting plate 8. While this provides better overall integrity, it sacrifices maintainability. The drive motor 26 can also be integrated into the protective housing 9.

[0052] The shock absorber 7 mentioned above is fixedly mounted on the base 5 and is detachably mounted from the bottom surface of the protective shell 9. That is, when adjusting the pitch angle of the protective shell 9 and its internal components, the shock absorber 7 will not pitch. Since the shock absorber 7 has a height extension characteristic, that is, the height decreases when compressed and increases when the pressure decreases, the shock absorber 7 can always have a shock absorption effect during the grinding process by setting the matching relationship between the height of the shock absorber 7 and the height of the protective shell 9.

[0053] In some embodiments, a cooling system is also included, comprising a condenser 10 and a nozzle disposed above the contact grinding area between the sanding belt 11 and the steel pipe.

[0054] This embodiment adds a cooling system, including a condenser pipe 10 and a nozzle that directs coolant to the grinding area. Grinding generates a large amount of frictional heat, causing the temperature of the steel pipe surface and the abrasive belt 11 to rise. Overheating may cause changes in the metallographic structure of the steel pipe surface (burning). The cooling system directly cools the contact area, effectively removing grinding heat, preventing workpiece burning and premature failure of the abrasive belt 11, and ensuring the quality of the ground surface and the service life of the abrasive belt 11.

[0055] Alternative cooling methods include air cooling, but water-based or oil-based liquid cooling methods generally offer significantly better cooling performance due to their higher specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity. Multiple nozzles can also be arranged to cool and flush the contact area from different angles, resulting in even better performance.

[0056] The condenser tube 10 is fixed to the outer wall of the protective shell 9 by the condenser tube clamp 23.

[0057] In some embodiments, the control unit is further configured to: after grinding is completed, control the lifting platform to drive the grinding component to lift or control the posture adjustment mechanism to drive the grinding component to tilt backward; The automatic tensioning mechanism is controlled to loosen the sanding belt 11; Control the lifting platform to drive the grinding components to rise and fall to the initial position; Stop the belt drive system from operating.

[0058] This embodiment specifies the system reset procedure for the control unit after grinding is completed: first, the grinding assembly is detached from the workpiece, then the sanding belt 11 is relaxed, followed by platform reset, and finally, the transmission is stopped. The advantages of this orderly process design are: firstly, it avoids the risk of pulling or collision that may occur when the sanding belt 11 is still tensioned and in operation and detaches from the workpiece; secondly, allowing the sanding belt 11 to relax before stopping helps eliminate residual internal stress and extends its lifespan; finally, the entire process is automated, requiring no manual intervention, improving equipment safety and automation, and preparing for the next grinding operation.

[0059] The sequence of steps in the reset process is the result of optimization. Alternative, but not preferred, processes may omit certain steps or change their order, such as stopping the transmission before raising the component, which could cause the sanding belt 11 to scrape against the workpiece at the moment of stopping. Therefore, the sequence defined in this embodiment is the logic that best ensures the safety of the equipment and product after comprehensive consideration.

[0060] The complete workflow is as follows: 1. Adjustment of the height of the steel pipe positioning and grinding components: The lifting platform, based on the instructions from the PC (i.e., the control unit) and the position of the steel pipe on the grinding conveyor, precisely raises and lowers the grinding components installed on it to the target grinding height set for the current steel pipe specifications, and then adjusts the grinding working position according to the posture adjustment mechanism.

[0061] 2. Closed-loop control of starting and tension of the belt drive system: After the grinding components are in place, before the sanding belt 11 contacts the workpiece surface, the automatic tensioning mechanism starts working, the drive motor 26 starts, and drives the sanding belt transmission system consisting of the drive wheel 15, grinding wheel, auxiliary wheel 19 and tensioning wheel 17 through the coupling 28, so that the sanding belt 11 starts to rotate at high speed.

[0062] The mechanism continuously monitors the radial pressure applied by the tensioner 17 to the abrasive belt 11 in real time using a second pressure sensor mounted on the tensioner bearing housing. The control unit compares the pressure data collected by the sensor with a preset target tension value.

[0063] Based on the deviation signal, the extension and retraction of the tension wheel 17 are adjusted to dynamically adjust the tension of the sanding belt 11. This closed-loop control process continues until the sanding belt 11 reaches and stabilizes at the optimal preset tension level required by the process, providing a stable power foundation for subsequent grinding contact.

[0064] Workpiece contact, constant pressure grinding and real-time dynamic compensation: After the tension of the sanding belt 11 stabilizes, the posture adjustment mechanism begins to operate. Under the command of the control system, the mechanism drives the first linear drive element 24 (servo electric cylinder) to precisely extend / retract, controlling the entire grinding assembly to rotate around the support shaft 14 to the preset initial angle, so that the high-speed rotating grinding wheel 22 and the sanding belt 11 can smoothly and controllably contact the surface of the steel pipe and establish initial grinding contact.

[0065] After entering the substantive grinding stage, the first pressure sensor located on the support structure behind the grinding wheel 22 continuously and at high frequency monitors the actual grinding pressure of the abrasive belt 11 acting on the workpiece surface.

[0066] The control unit compares and calculates the grinding pressure signal detected in real time with the preset constant target pressure value.

[0067] Once a pressure fluctuation is detected (such as due to irregular shape of the steel pipe, wear, or vibration), the control unit immediately generates a compensation command.

[0068] Based on the compensation command, the posture adjustment mechanism drives the first linear drive element 24 to perform rapid and precise telescopic adjustments, thereby dynamically changing the pitch angle of the entire grinding assembly. The minute changes in the grinding assembly angle directly adjust the contact state between the grinding wheel 22 and the steel pipe surface, compensating for pressure deviations in real time.

[0069] The core objective of this closed-loop pressure control strategy based on dynamic adjustment of the posture adjustment mechanism is to strictly maintain the actual grinding pressure acting on the steel pipe surface within a constant preset value range throughout the entire grinding stroke, thereby ensuring the consistency of grinding effect and quality stability.

[0070] 4. Grinding completed and system reset: After the steel pipe leaves the grinding unit on the conveyor belt, the control unit issues a command, and the posture adjustment mechanism activates first, driving the grinding unit to lift or tilt backward, ensuring that the active grinding wheel and sanding belt 11 safely and completely detach from contact with the steel pipe workpiece. Immediately afterwards, the automatic tensioning mechanism relaxes the sanding belt 11. Then, the lifting platform returns to its original position, and finally, the drive motor 26 stops operating, and the sanding belt 11 stops rotating.

[0071] Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. The descriptions of the above embodiments are only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that, based on the ideas of this invention, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

Claims

1. A smart grinding unit for the outer diameter of a steel pipe, characterized in that: include: A grinding assembly, including a grinding wheel and a sanding belt surrounding it, is used to grind the outer diameter of a steel pipe; A pressure detection device is installed on the support structure of the grinding wheel to detect the pressure value between the grinding component and the support structure in real time during the grinding process. A position adjustment mechanism is connected to and used to drive the grinding assembly to change the contact posture of the grinding wheel relative to the steel pipe. The control unit is signal-connected to the pressure detection device and the posture adjustment mechanism; The control unit is configured to: during the polishing process, control the posture adjustment mechanism to operate based on the deviation between the pressure signal fed back by the pressure detection device and the preset pressure threshold, thereby controlling the polishing pressure by dynamically adjusting the posture of the polishing component.

2. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a lifting platform, which is used to drive the grinding assembly to rise and fall according to the diameter of the steel pipe before grinding begins.

3. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that: The posture adjustment mechanism is used to drive the grinding assembly to rotate around a pivot to adjust its pitch angle, thereby adjusting the contact posture of the grinding wheel relative to the steel pipe.

4. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 2, characterized in that: The posture adjustment mechanism includes a first linear drive element and a support shaft. The grinding assembly is hinged to the base via the support shaft. The extension and retraction of the first linear drive element drives the grinding assembly to rotate around the support shaft.

5. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipe according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes an automatic tensioning mechanism, wherein the sanding belt is driven to rotate by the sanding belt drive system, and the automatic tensioning mechanism is used to adjust the tension of the sanding belt in real time so that its tension is within a predetermined threshold range.

6. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 5, characterized in that: The belt drive system of the grinding assembly includes a drive wheel, a tension wheel, an auxiliary wheel, and the grinding wheel, wherein the drive wheel, the tension wheel, the auxiliary wheel, and the grinding wheel are arranged in a trapezoidal shape.

7. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 6, characterized in that: The automatic tensioning mechanism includes a second linear drive element and the tensioning wheel. The second linear drive element can drive the tensioning wheel to move in order to adjust the degree of compression between the tensioning wheel and the sanding belt.

8. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a shock absorber, which is disposed below the grinding assembly and is used to support the grinding assembly.

9. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a cooling system, which comprises a condenser pipe and a nozzle, the nozzle being positioned above the contact grinding area between the sanding belt and the steel pipe.

10. The intelligent grinding unit for the outer circle of steel pipes according to claim 5, characterized in that: The control unit is also configured to: after polishing is completed, control the lifting platform to drive the polishing component to lift or control the posture adjustment mechanism to drive the polishing component to tilt backward; The automatic tensioning mechanism is controlled to loosen the sanding belt; The lifting platform is controlled to drive the grinding assembly to rise and fall to its initial position; Control the belt drive system to stop working.

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