Full-process automatic continuous repairing method for stainless steel cathode plate

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of metal electrolysis electrode repair, and discloses a full-process automatic continuous repair method and system for a stainless steel cathode plate. The method is executed on an integrated repairing production line, the cathode plate automatically flows among all mechanisms through a conveying mechanism, and the steps of automatic insulation assembly dismounting, automatic plate surface cleaning and polishing, automatic leveling, online automatic detection, closed-loop decision making according to the detection result and automatic new insulation assembly mounting are sequentially executed. Wherein if the detection is unqualified but meets the preset condition, a secondary repair instruction is generated according to the planeness data of the plate surface, and the negative plate is controlled to return to the leveling mechanism to execute compensation leveling operation. The system comprises each mechanism for realizing the flow and a central controller. According to the method, automation and continuity of the whole repairing process are achieved, through closed-loop quality control of leveling, detection, decision making and repairing, the consistency and the high qualification rate of repairing quality are ensured, the draping degree is stably controlled within + / -5 mm, and the repairing efficiency is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of metal electrolytic electrode repair technology, and particularly relates to a fully automated continuous repair method for stainless steel cathode plates. Background Technology

[0002] In the industrial production of metal electrolytic refining (such as electrolytic copper), stainless steel cathode plates are key reusable equipment, and their surface flatness and structural integrity directly affect electrolysis efficiency and product quality. With use, cathode plates may experience deformation, surface deposits, and aging of insulation components, necessitating periodic repairs. However, existing repair methods are generally inefficient, labor-intensive, and rely heavily on manual experience, resulting in inconsistent repair quality and failing to meet the demands of large-scale, high-standard production.

[0003] Currently, technologies for cathode plate maintenance mostly focus on the automated manufacturing of new plates or the automation of single processes. For example, patent CN2568674Y discloses a starter sheet processing unit that can achieve continuous automation of processes such as leveling and texturing of new plates, but its process is an open-loop sequential processing for brand-new plates. For the repair of old cathode plates, the actual process usually involves multiple differentiated processes such as removal of old insulation components, deep cleaning of the plate surface, stress relief and leveling, flatness inspection, and installation of new components. These steps are currently mostly completed manually in stages and intermittently on different equipment, with workpiece transfer relying on hoisting and handling, lacking effective integration. Even with general automation approaches such as the fully automated electroplating production line disclosed in patent CN104152977B, the core challenges unique to old plate repair, such as disassembly, cleaning, and closed-loop feedback rework based on inspection results, remain unresolved. This results in a low degree of automation in the overall repair process and a lack of effective mechanisms to ensure quality stability.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a technical solution that can integrate all aspects of the repair process and achieve automated closed-loop quality control. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies, this invention provides a fully automated continuous repair method for stainless steel cathode plates. The method is executed on an integrated repair production line, where the cathode plate automatically flows between various mechanisms on the production line via a conveying mechanism. The method includes the following sequentially executed steps:

[0006] a) Automatically remove the insulating components from the cathode plate to be repaired;

[0007] b) Automatically level the cathode plate after the insulation components have been removed;

[0008] c) After the leveling step, the cathode plate is automatically inspected online to obtain its surface flatness data;

[0009] d) Make a decision based on the flatness data of the board surface obtained in step c):

[0010] If the test is passed, proceed to step e);

[0011] If the inspection fails, it is determined whether it meets the preset allowable rework conditions; if so, a secondary repair instruction is generated based on the flatness data of the plate surface, and the conveying mechanism is controlled to return the cathode plate to the automatic leveling mechanism in step b), and a compensation stamping operation is performed according to the secondary repair instruction.

[0012] e) Automatically install new insulation components on cathode plates that have passed the inspection.

[0013] Furthermore, between step a) and step b), there is also a step of automatically cleaning and polishing the cathode plate.

[0014] Furthermore, the automatic plate cleaning and polishing step includes: controlling the actuator to polish at least one surface of the cathode plate.

[0015] Furthermore, it also includes a step of automatically flipping the cathode plate during the process of the mechanism's operation.

[0016] Furthermore, the automatic leveling in step b) includes controlling multiple stamping actuators to perform stamping operations on the cathode plate surface according to a preset path and sequence.

[0017] Furthermore, the online automatic detection in step c) includes: using at least one laser rangefinder to non-contactly scan the surface of the cathode plate, acquiring height data of multiple points and calculating the flatness data of the plate surface.

[0018] Furthermore, the secondary repair instruction includes: calculating and generating a stamping path and / or stamping force for compensating for the plate surface deviation based on the plate surface flatness data obtained in step c); the compensation stamping operation is performed according to the stamping path and / or stamping force.

[0019] Furthermore, it also includes assigning a unique identifier to each cathode plate and associating and storing the plate surface flatness data obtained in step c) with the unique identifier.

[0020] The present invention also provides a fully automated continuous repair system for stainless steel cathode plates implemented according to the above method, comprising: a conveying mechanism for automatically conveying cathode plates between various mechanisms; a removal mechanism equipped with a removal tool for automatically removing insulating components from the cathode plate; a leveling mechanism equipped with a leveling actuator for leveling the cathode plate; a detection mechanism located downstream of the leveling mechanism and equipped with a detection device for detecting the flatness of the cathode plate surface; an installation mechanism equipped with an installation tool for automatically installing new insulating components; and a central controller connected to the conveying mechanism, the leveling mechanism, and the detection mechanism, and configured to: control the detection mechanism to acquire the flatness data of the cathode plate surface, and determine whether it is qualified based on the flatness data; when it is determined to be unqualified but meets the preset allowable rework conditions, generate a secondary repair instruction based on the flatness data, and control the conveying mechanism to send the cathode plate back to the leveling mechanism, and control the leveling mechanism to perform compensation leveling operations according to the secondary repair instruction.

[0021] Furthermore, it also includes a cleaning and polishing mechanism disposed between the dismantling mechanism and the leveling mechanism, the cleaning and polishing mechanism being provided with an execution mechanism for cleaning and polishing the cathode plate surface.

[0022] Furthermore, it also includes an automatic flipping mechanism for flipping the cathode plate during the cleaning and polishing process so that both surfaces are treated sequentially.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, the method of the present invention has the following advantages:

[0024] (1) To achieve automated and continuous operation of the entire repair process, multiple independent processes that are traditionally scattered and rely on manual handling and operation are integrated into one production line, which significantly reduces labor intensity and labor costs, eliminates waiting time between processes, and significantly improves production efficiency compared with the traditional model.

[0025] (2) A closed-loop quality control system of "leveling - online detection - decision-making - feedback and rework" was established. The plate surface data is obtained in real time through online automatic detection, and secondary compensation repair based on the detection data is automatically performed on unqualified but repairable cathode plates. This fundamentally solves the problem of poor quality consistency of manual repair and ensures that the repaired cathode plates have a high and stable pass rate.

[0026] (3) By adopting a combination of sequential stamping and leveling with laser non-contact detection, the repair process can be precisely controlled, and the sag of the cathode plate can be stably controlled within a high standard range of ±5mm.

[0027] (4) By assigning a unique identifier to each cathode plate and binding it to the repair data for storage, full-process quality traceability was achieved, providing data support for process optimization. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the fully automated continuous repair method for stainless steel cathode plates according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention, but are provided to more clearly illustrate the implementation process and technical effects of the present invention.

[0030] Example 1

[0031] This embodiment demonstrates a repair system employing a linear assembly line layout. The production line is approximately 32 meters long and sequentially integrates a loading area, an automatic dismantling station, a double-sided cleaning and polishing station (including an automatic flipping machine), a multi-punch leveling station, an online laser inspection station, an automatic installation station, and an unloading area. Each station is connected by a heavy-duty double-chain high-speed conveyor line, and a high-precision lifting and positioning mechanism achieves a repeatability accuracy of ±0.5mm. The system's control core is a central controller based on an industrial PLC, coordinating all line operations.

[0032] At the start of the repair process, the cathode plates to be repaired, tagged with RFID tags, are automatically loaded. The conveyor line first delivers them to the removal station, where two six-axis robotic arms work in tandem, precisely grasping and removing the aged insulating clamping strips and tensioning bars on both sides under visual guidance. Subsequently, the cathode plates enter the cleaning and polishing station, equipped with opposing rotating brushes and a fan-shaped high-pressure spray system. First, the front of the cathode plate is rinsed and polished. After completion, a tilting machine integrated into the station automatically clamps the plate and rotates it 180 degrees, then performs the same treatment on the back, effectively removing scale and residue from the plate surface.

[0033] The cleaned cathode plates are transported to the core leveling station. Above this station is a stamping matrix (6 rows × 4 columns) driven by 24 independent servo electric cylinders. The central controller invokes a preset "initial leveling program," controlling the stamping heads to perform multiple rounds of sequential stamping ("stamping") along a path sequence that radiates outward from the center of the plate, with a reference pressure of 20kN. This aims to homogenize and release the internal stress of the plate and correct macroscopic deformation.

[0034] After leveling, the cathode plate immediately enters the downstream online inspection station. A line laser scanner mounted above the station performs a non-contact, high-speed scan of the plate surface, acquiring height coordinate data for over 5,000 points within 2 seconds. The central controller processes this point cloud data in real time, calculating the overall flatness of the plate surface and the overhang values ​​of key feature points (such as the four corners and the center), accurate to 0.1 mm.

[0035] Subsequently, the system executes its core closed-loop decision-making. The central controller compares the measured sag data with the preset acceptance standard (±5mm). If the data is acceptable, the cathode plate is directly sent to the installation station, where a robotic arm assembles it with new insulation components before it is removed from the production line. The processing cycle for a single plate is approximately 2.5 minutes. Through this fully automated continuous process, the system's theoretical daily production capacity (based on 24 hours) can reach approximately 220 pieces, representing a production efficiency increase of over 100% compared to the traditional manual step-by-step repair mode.

[0036] If the inspection fails, the controller will further determine whether the deviation is within the preset "reworkable threshold" (set to ±15mm in this embodiment). If it is within the threshold, the intelligent rework process is triggered: based on the detailed flatness distribution map obtained from the current laser scan, the controller analyzes specific concave or convex areas through algorithms and dynamically generates a "secondary repair instruction" that includes a targeted compensation stamping path (such as adding stamping points to a specific coordinate grid) and adjusted stamping pressure (such as increasing the local pressure to 25kN). Then, the controller instruction conveyor returns the board to the leveling station, and the stamping matrix performs a compensatory stamping according to the new instruction. After completion, the board will flow through the inspection station again for re-inspection. This "inspection-analysis-instruction-rework" closed loop can be repeated 1-2 times. According to statistics, through this closed-loop control, more than 98% of initially defective boards can achieve a sag standard of ±5mm after one rework, ensuring extremely high consistency and stability of repair quality.

[0037] Example 2

[0038] This embodiment optimizes the space and algorithm based on Embodiment 1. The system adopts a compact U-shaped layout, with the leveling station and the inspection station located on two adjacent arms of the U, which shortens the physical distance of the rework path by about 40%.

[0039] Its hardware configuration and basic process are similar to those in Example 1. The core improvement lies in upgrading the decision algorithm of the central controller to a system with learning capabilities. The controller has a built-in database that records the initial detection data of each cathode plate with a unique RFID tag, details of all issued "secondary repair instructions," and the final repair results.

[0040] When encountering a cathode plate requiring secondary repair, the controller, in addition to relying on the current real-time data, also searches the historical database for successful repair cases with similar initial deformation patterns (through feature vector matching). If a relevant record is found, the system prioritizes referencing historically validated instruction parameters (such as the optimal stamping path pattern for a certain edge wave deformation) and fine-tunes them to adapt to subtle differences in the current data, thereby generating optimized instructions that are more likely to succeed on the first attempt. Thanks to the short path of the U-shaped layout and the improvement in rework efficiency brought about by the learning algorithm, this embodiment further reduces the average single-piece repair time from 2.5 minutes in Embodiment 1 to approximately 2.2 minutes, and the overall production efficiency is improved by approximately 12%.

[0041] Example 3

[0042] This embodiment demonstrates the system's ability to repair severely initially deformed cathode plates (such as those with a sag deviation exceeding ±20 mm).

[0043] These types of boards also undergo standard pre-processing. After the initial inspection reveals severe deformation, as long as it is determined that there is no structural damage and it is within the physically correctable range (e.g., the limit is set at ±30mm), the system enters a multi-round iterative repair cycle.

[0044] In the first round of rework, the controller generates a powerful, wide-range compensation command aimed at correcting major macroscopic deformations. After the compensation stamping is completed and re-inspected, if it is still not qualified but the deviation has been significantly reduced (e.g., from ±25mm to ±10mm), the controller will generate a second round of commands based on the latest, more refined flatness data, focusing on eliminating residual local deformations. This second round of commands may focus more on the local fine adjustment of the stamping path. This process can be iterated, with the system preset to a maximum of 5 iterations. Through this multi-round adaptive iteration, this embodiment successfully repaired a large number of severely deformed cathode plates that were traditionally judged as scrap, increasing the final overall pass rate of repairable plates from the conventional approximately 85% to over 95%, greatly improving material utilization and economic benefits.

[0045] In all embodiments, the unique RFID identifier of the cathode plate is bound to its entire repair data (including flatness data of each test, executed instructions, and operation timestamps) in real time and stored in the server database, realizing accurate quality traceability and process big data analysis throughout the entire process, providing a solid data foundation for continuous optimization of the repair process.

[0046] The above description is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A stainless steel cathode plate full-process automated continuous repair method, characterized by, The method is performed on an integrated repair production line, in which the cathode plate automatically flows between various mechanisms on the production line via a conveying mechanism. The method includes the following steps performed in sequence: a) Automatically remove the insulating components from the cathode plate to be repaired; b) Automatically level the cathode plate after the insulation components have been removed; c) After the leveling step, the cathode plate is automatically inspected online to obtain its surface flatness data; d) Make a decision based on the flatness data of the board surface obtained in step c): If the test is passed, proceed to step e); If the inspection fails, it is determined whether it meets the preset allowable rework conditions; if so, a secondary repair instruction is generated based on the flatness data of the plate surface, and the conveying mechanism is controlled to return the cathode plate to the automatic leveling mechanism in step b), and a compensation stamping operation is performed according to the secondary repair instruction. e) Automatically install new insulation components on cathode plates that have passed the inspection.

2. The full-process automated continuous repair method of stainless steel cathode plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, Between step a) and step b), there is also a step of automatically cleaning and polishing the cathode plate.

3. The full-process automated continuous repair method of stainless steel cathode plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The automatic plate cleaning and polishing steps include: controlling the actuator to polish at least one surface of the cathode plate.

4. The fully automated continuous repair method for stainless steel cathode plates according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes the step of automatically flipping the cathode plate during the process of the mechanism's operation.

5. The full-process automated continuous repair method of stainless steel cathode plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic leveling in step b) includes controlling multiple stamping actuators to perform stamping operations on the cathode plate surface according to a preset path and sequence.

6. The full-process automated continuous repair method of stainless steel cathode plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The online automatic detection in step c) includes: using at least one laser rangefinder to non-contactly scan the surface of the cathode plate, acquiring height data of multiple points and calculating the flatness data of the plate surface.

7. The full-process automated continuous repair method of stainless steel cathode plate according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that, The secondary repair instruction includes: calculating and generating a stamping path and / or stamping force for compensating for the plate surface deviation based on the plate surface flatness data obtained in step c); the compensation stamping operation is performed according to the stamping path and / or stamping force.

8. The full-process automated continuous repair method of stainless steel cathode plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes assigning a unique identifier to each cathode plate and associating and storing the plate flatness data obtained in step c) with the unique identifier.

9. A full-process automated continuous repair system for stainless steel cathode plates implemented according to the method of any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by, include: A conveying mechanism is used to automatically transport cathode plates between various mechanisms; The dismantling mechanism is equipped with dismantling tools for automatically removing the insulating components on the cathode plate; The leveling mechanism is equipped with leveling actuators for leveling the cathode plate; The testing mechanism is located downstream of the leveling mechanism and is equipped with a testing device for testing the flatness of the cathode plate surface; The installation mechanism is equipped with installation tools for automatically installing new insulation components; as well as The central controller is signal-connected to the conveying mechanism, the leveling mechanism, and the detection mechanism, and is configured to: control the detection mechanism to acquire the flatness data of the cathode plate, and determine whether it is qualified based on the flatness data; when it is determined to be unqualified but meets the preset allowable rework conditions, generate a secondary repair instruction based on the flatness data, control the conveying mechanism to send the cathode plate back to the leveling mechanism, and control the leveling mechanism to perform compensation leveling operation according to the secondary repair instruction.

10. The fully automated continuous repair system for stainless steel cathode plates according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a cleaning and polishing mechanism disposed between the removal mechanism and the leveling mechanism, the cleaning and polishing mechanism being provided with an actuator for cleaning and polishing the cathode plate surface.

11. The fully automated continuous repair system for stainless steel cathode plates according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also included is an automatic flipping mechanism for flipping the cathode plate during the cleaning and polishing process so that both plate faces are treated in turn.

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