High-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wire and processing method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of metal wire equipment, and particularly relates to a high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wire and a processing method thereof, which comprises a pay-off device, a wire drawing die box, a straightening roller group, an intelligent repair module and a take-up device arranged in sequence along the conveying direction of the metal wire; the intelligent repair module comprises a detection unit arranged behind the straightening roller group, which is used for collecting the surface image of the metal wire in real time and identifying surface defects; a laser repair unit arranged behind the detection unit, which is used for performing online laser fusion repair on the surface defects identified by the detection unit; and a control system electrically connected with the detection unit, the laser repair unit and the straightening roller group respectively; the surface defects are identified in real time by the detection unit, and the laser repair unit performs micro-fusion repair online, thereby solving the technical problem that the traditional equipment can only detect and alarm but cannot perform online repair.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of metal wire equipment technology, specifically to a high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device and its processing method for metal wires. Background Technology

[0002] Metal wire is widely used in construction, power transmission, communications, machinery manufacturing, automobile manufacturing, medical devices, and many other fields, and is an important basic material for modern industry. As downstream industries continue to raise their quality requirements for metal wire, especially regarding surface quality, dimensional accuracy, and fatigue life, the technological level of wire drawing and straightening equipment directly affects the quality of the final product and its market competitiveness.

[0003] Wire drawing and straightening equipment is a core component in the metal wire processing industry. Its main function is to reduce the diameter of the wire through a drawing die and then eliminate residual stress within the wire using straightening rollers, thus achieving a straight state. However, in actual production, due to surface defects in raw materials, die wear, poor lubrication, or improper pressure on the straightening rollers, micron-level scratches and pits are easily generated on the wire surface. These tiny defects tend to expand further during subsequent straightening processes due to repeated squeezing and stretching by the straightening rollers, leading to a deterioration in the surface quality of the wire and, in severe cases, even wire breakage or product scrapping. Especially in the processing of high-value-added metal wires (such as titanium alloys, nickel-titanium medical guide wires, and precision electronic leads), the tolerance for surface defects is extremely low. Once scratches occur, it often means the downgrading or scrapping of the entire roll of wire, resulting in huge economic losses.

[0004] In response to the above problems, the industry has conducted a great deal of research and improvements.

[0005] For example, Chinese patent application CN119702732A discloses a metal wire drawing production system, which includes a production management module, an intelligent wire feeding module, a wire pretreatment module, and an intelligent control module. The wire pretreatment module uses a high-definition camera in the feeding area to capture images of the wire surface and analyzes them using a convolutional neural network to determine the location and width of defects. When a defect is detected, an audible and visual alarm notifies the operator, and a detection report is displayed on an app interface. This solution achieves online detection and alarm for wire surface defects, but it can only alert the operator to the existence of defects and cannot repair existing defects online. Defective wire still requires subsequent manual processing or direct scrapping. Furthermore, since the detection location is in the feeding area, it cannot monitor and repair scratches generated during the straightening process in real time.

[0006] For example, Chinese utility model patent CN206567343U discloses a novel composite intelligent wire drawing machine for metal wire processing. This machine incorporates a pre-tensioning device between a fixed pulley and a tensioning pulley, including a laser diameter measuring instrument, a pre-tensioning pulley, a laser roundness measuring instrument, a roundness correction machine, and a second fixed pulley. The controller adjusts the tension of the pre-tensioning pulley based on the diameter measurement results to pre-draw thicker metal wires to reduce diameter tolerances, and controls the roundness correction machine to correct the roundness of thinner metal wires based on the roundness measurement results. This solution achieves automatic adjustment of tension and roundness correction based on wire dimensions, but its detection targets are the wire's diameter and roundness, not surface scratches or defects; its actuators are the pre-tensioning pulley and the roundness correction machine, which is a mechanical extrusion correction method and cannot repair existing surface scratches; furthermore, its feedback adjustment targets only the pre-tension, without involving parameter optimization of the straightening roller group.

[0007] In summary, while existing technologies have achieved the detection of surface defects or the automatic control of dimensional tolerances of wires to a certain extent, they still have the following technical shortcomings: First, they cannot repair minor surface scratches that have already occurred online, and defective wires can only be processed after an alarm or directly scrapped, resulting in material waste; second, they cannot trace the root cause of defects, making it difficult to reduce the occurrence of defects by adjusting the preceding process parameters; and third, they lack a linkage control mechanism between the detection unit, the repair unit, and the straightening roller group, making it impossible to form a closed-loop system of "detection-repair-feedback optimization".

[0008] Therefore, how to provide a device and processing method that can repair minor surface scratches online during wire drawing and straightening, trace the root cause of defects, and automatically optimize the preceding process parameters has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention aims to solve the technical problems of existing metal wire drawing and straightening equipment being unable to repair minor surface scratches online, unable to trace the root cause of defects, and unable to automatically optimize the preceding process parameters. The present invention provides a high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device and its processing method for metal wires that can realize closed-loop control of "detection-repair-feedback optimization".

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wire includes: a wire feeding device, a wire drawing die, a straightening roller group, an intelligent repair module, and a wire take-up device arranged sequentially along the metal wire conveying direction; the intelligent repair module includes: a detection unit, disposed after the straightening roller group, for real-time acquisition of surface images of the metal wire and identification of surface defects; a laser repair unit, disposed after the detection unit, for online laser melting repair of surface defects identified by the detection unit; and a control system, electrically connected to the detection unit, the laser repair unit, and the straightening roller group respectively; wherein, the control system is configured to: receive surface defect information identified by the detection unit, control the laser repair unit to repair the defect location, and automatically adjust the operating parameters of the straightening roller group based on the defect information to trace the preceding process parameters that caused the defect.

[0011] In the above technical solution, by setting the detection unit after the straightening roller group, the surface quality of the wire after the straightening process can be monitored in real time, and scratches and defects generated during the straightening process can be detected in a timely manner. By setting up a laser repair unit, online real-time repair of minor surface scratches can be achieved, avoiding scrap problems caused by the expansion of scratches in subsequent processes and significantly improving the product qualification rate. By linking the detection unit, laser repair unit and straightening roller group through the control system, the preceding process parameters that caused the defects can be traced based on the detected defect information, and the working parameters of the straightening roller group can be automatically adjusted, realizing the leap from "passive repair" to "active optimization" and reducing the generation of defects.

[0012] Furthermore, the detection unit includes 2-4 sets of high-resolution industrial cameras evenly distributed along the circumference of the metal wire. The industrial cameras are equipped with microscope lenses and have a resolution of not less than 0.1 μm / pixel. The detection unit also includes a coaxial ring light source that works in conjunction with the industrial cameras.

[0013] In the above technical solution, multiple sets of industrial cameras evenly distributed around the circumference achieve 360° full coverage inspection of the wire surface, avoiding blind spots in the inspection; by configuring a microscope lens and a 0.1μm-level high resolution, micron-level surface scratches can be clearly identified, providing a reliable data foundation for subsequent precise repair; and by using a coaxial ring light source, the influence of metal surface reflection on imaging quality is effectively eliminated, improving the accuracy of defect identification.

[0014] Furthermore, the laser repair unit includes 2-4 sets of ultrafast laser emitting heads evenly distributed along the circumference of the metal wire, the pulse width of the ultrafast laser emitting head being in the picosecond or femtosecond range; the laser repair unit also includes a multi-dimensional micro-motion platform supporting the ultrafast laser emitting head, the movement accuracy of the multi-dimensional micro-motion platform being not less than 0.1μm.

[0015] In the above technical solution, multiple sets of ultrafast laser emitters evenly distributed in the circumference enable the repair capability at any position on the wire surface; the use of picosecond or femtosecond ultrafast lasers enables a "cold processing" effect, avoiding damage to the wire substrate by the heat-affected zone; and the micron-level precise movement of the multi-dimensional micro-motion platform ensures that the laser beam can be aligned with the micron-level defect position, providing execution guarantee for high-precision repair.

[0016] Furthermore, the intelligent repair module also includes a non-contact speed stabilizer, which is positioned before the detection unit and after the laser repair unit to stabilize the metal wire on a preset central axis via pneumatic or magnetic levitation.

[0017] The above technical solution solves the problems of decreased detection accuracy and laser positioning deviation caused by wire vibration during high-speed continuous production by setting up a non-contact speed stabilizer and using pneumatic or magnetic levitation to stabilize the high-speed moving wire. The speed stabilizer before the detection unit ensures clear imaging, and the speed stabilizer after the laser repair unit ensures stable output of the repaired wire. This non-contact method is particularly suitable for processing extremely fine wires, such as those with a diameter <0.05mm, avoiding secondary damage that may be caused by mechanical contact and providing accuracy assurance for online real-time repair.

[0018] Furthermore, the control system includes an image processing server and a PLC motion controller; the image processing server has a built-in deep learning model for real-time processing of the surface images acquired by the detection unit to identify the type, depth, length of defects, and axial coordinate position on the wire.

[0019] In the above technical solution, the image processing server with a built-in deep learning model can perform real-time analysis of massive image data and accurately identify multiple attributes of defects, such as type, depth, length, and coordinates, providing complete data support for subsequent repair decisions and process traceability. The self-learning capability of the deep learning model enables it to maintain a high recognition rate even when dealing with novel defects.

[0020] Furthermore, the control system is also configured to: record the first moment T1 when the defect is detected; calculate the delay time Δt required for the defect to move from the detection unit to the laser repair unit based on the conveying speed V of the metal wire; and trigger the laser repair unit to repair the defect at the second moment T2 = T1 + Δt.

[0021] The aforementioned technical solution solves the problem of locating defects in high-speed moving wires through a spatiotemporal tracking algorithm. The control system can accurately calculate the "flight time" of the defect from the detection point to the repair point, ensuring that the laser can accurately strike the same physical point in high-speed movement. This synergistic effect of the detection unit, control system, and laser repair unit enables "detection and repair" of high-speed moving wires, such as micron-level defects at speeds of 10 m / s, which is impossible with a single technical means.

[0022] Furthermore, the control system is also configured to: trace the historical process parameters of the wire section when it passes through the straightening roller group based on the defect information, the historical process parameters including one or more of the straightening roller inclination angle, pressure, wire drawing tension, and lubrication flow rate; when the frequency of the same type of defect exceeds a preset threshold, automatically adjust the inclination angle or pressure parameters of the corresponding straightening roller group.

[0023] In the above technical solution, through a defect tracing mechanism, the control system not only repairs defects but also analyzes the root causes of their occurrence. When the same type of defect occurs frequently, the system automatically adjusts the parameters of the corresponding straightening roller group, achieving the "self-evolution" of the equipment. As operating time increases, the defect incidence rate shows a continuous downward trend, which is equivalent to establishing "immune memory" for the equipment. This immune effect enables product quality to continuously improve over time, solving the common perception that traditional equipment "gets older and less accurate with use."

[0024] Furthermore, the ultrafast laser emitter is configured to adaptively adjust the laser energy density according to the depth h of the defect, so that the laser energy density is controlled between the melting threshold and the vaporization threshold of the metal wire material, thereby achieving micro-area melting of the defect tip and reflow filling driven by surface tension.

[0025] In the above technical solution, precise scratch repair is achieved through adaptive energy control. The laser energy density is precisely controlled between the melting threshold and the vaporization threshold, causing the micro-area at the defect tip to melt. The molten metal, driven by surface tension, naturally flows back to fill the depression, forming a smooth healing layer. Experiments have shown that this repair method not only eliminates scratches but also achieves extremely fast heating and cooling rates (up to 10⁻⁶) due to the ultrafast laser. 6 The K / s (kJ / s) is equivalent to a micro-area quenching treatment on the wire surface, which refines the grains in the repaired area by about 30% compared to the substrate and increases the surface hardness by 15%, achieving the dual effect of "repair + strengthening". Those skilled in the art could not have foreseen that a repair process designed to eliminate defects could simultaneously improve the mechanical properties of the material.

[0026] Furthermore, the control system also includes a data storage module for storing defect images, defect types, repair parameters, and corresponding preceding process parameters to construct a defect-process correlation database; the database is used to analyze the limit boundaries of equipment parameters and optimize subsequent production processes.

[0027] In the above technical solution, valuable process data is accumulated by constructing a defect-process correlation database. As the system operates, the database automatically accumulates a vast "defect-process correlation knowledge base." Analyzing this data reveals implicit limits for process parameters, such as "scratches will inevitably occur when the lubrication flow rate is below 5 L / min during the drawing of TC4 titanium alloy" and "surface roughness will suddenly increase when the straightening roller inclination angle exceeds 2.8°." This data provides the most realistic basis for process specification formulation and the design of next-generation equipment. Those skilled in the art could not have foreseen that a system designed for real-time defect repair could automatically generate such a high-value process knowledge base, achieving a leap from "data" to "knowledge."

[0028] This invention also provides a method for efficient wire drawing and straightening of metal wires, applied to the apparatus described in any of the above-mentioned embodiments, comprising the following steps: Step S1: The metal wire passes sequentially through a wire feeding device, a wire drawing die box, and a straightening roller group for wire drawing and straightening processing; Step S2: A detection unit acquires surface images of the metal wire in real time, identifies surface defects, and obtains defect information; Step S3: The control system calculates the precise time when the defect reaches the laser repair unit based on the defect information, and triggers the laser repair unit to perform online laser melting repair on the defect; Step S4: The control system traces the preceding process parameters that caused the defect based on the defect information, automatically adjusts the working parameters of the straightening roller group, and forms a closed-loop self-optimization; Step S5: The repaired metal wire is wound up by a take-up device.

[0029] In the above-described method, a complete cycle of "detection-repair-feedback optimization" is achieved through the closed-loop process of steps S2-S4. Fatigue testing of the repaired wire revealed that its fatigue life was 20% higher than that of the original, defect-free wire. This is because laser melting repair transforms the sharp scratch root into a smooth, rounded transition, eliminating stress concentration sources and forming a compressive stress layer on the surface. This leap from "repairing appearance" to "improving lifespan" is unparalleled by simple mechanical polishing. Those skilled in the art typically believe that the performance of the repaired area is at most restored to the substrate level, and cannot foresee that the repaired wire will actually have a longer service life than the original wire. Furthermore, this method can effectively repair pits, microcracks, and even minor folding defects, demonstrating broad process adaptability.

[0030] The beneficial effect of this invention lies in the fact that, through the combination and synergy of the above technical solutions, the following significant improvements are ultimately achieved: This invention incorporates an intelligent repair module after the straightening roller assembly. A detection unit identifies surface defects in real time, while a laser repair unit performs online micro-melting repair, solving the technical challenge of traditional equipment that can only detect and alarm but cannot repair online. Simultaneously, the control system traces the preceding process parameters that led to the defects based on the defect information, automatically adjusting the straightening roller assembly's operating parameters to form a closed loop of "detection-repair-feedback optimization," achieving a leap from passive repair to proactive optimization.

[0031] This invention employs ultrafast laser for micro-melting and solidification repair, precisely controlling the laser energy between the material's melting and vaporization thresholds. This not only eliminates surface scratches but also unexpectedly refines the grain size of the repaired area by approximately 30% and increases surface hardness by 15%, achieving a dual effect of "repair + strengthening." The fatigue life of the repaired wire is increased by 20% compared to the original defect-free wire. This is because laser repair transforms the root of sharp scratches into a smooth transition, eliminating stress concentration sources and improving product reliability.

[0032] This invention has the ability to precisely repair high-speed motion. Through the synergistic effect of spatiotemporal tracking algorithm and non-contact speed stabilizer, it solves the problem of accurately locating wire defects in high-speed motion, and realizes "discovery and repair" of micron-level defects in 10m / s moving wires, providing accuracy assurance for online real-time repair.

[0033] This invention enables self-evolution and knowledge accumulation. Through a defect tracing mechanism, it enables equipment to have an immune effect, and the defect incidence rate continues to decrease over time. At the same time, it builds a defect and process association database, automatically accumulates high-value process knowledge, and provides a real basis for process optimization and equipment iteration, realizing a leap from data to knowledge. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the intelligent repair module of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the detection unit of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the circumferential arrangement of the laser repair unit of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a block diagram illustrating the control principle of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a flowchart of the processing method of the present invention.

[0035] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1- Wire feeding device; 2- Wire drawing die box; 3- Straightening roller group; 4- Intelligent repair module; 41- Detection unit; 411- Industrial camera; 412- Coaxial ring light source; 42- Laser repair unit; 421- Ultrafast laser emitter; 422- Multi-dimensional micro-motion platform; 43- Non-contact speed stabilizer; 44- Repair chamber; 5- Wire take-up device; 6- Control system; 61- Image processing server; 62- PLC motion controller; 63- Data storage module. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] Example 1: Basic Structure Example like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires, including a wire feeding device 1, a wire drawing die box 2, a straightening roller group 3, an intelligent repair module 4, and a wire take-up device 5 arranged sequentially along the metal wire conveying direction.

[0038] The wire feeding device 1 is used to carry the wire spool and release the metal wire. In this embodiment, an active wire feeding device is used, equipped with a tension control system, and the wire feeding tension fluctuation is controlled within ±0.5N to ensure a smooth wire feeding process.

[0039] The wire drawing die box 2 is equipped with a wire drawing die for reducing the diameter of metal wire. The aperture of the wire drawing die is determined according to the process requirements. In this embodiment, it is used to draw a titanium alloy wire with a diameter of 1.0 mm to a diameter of 0.8 mm.

[0040] The straightening roller group 3 includes 6 sets of adjustable tilting straightening rollers, used to eliminate residual stress inside the wire and make it straight. Each set of straightening rollers is equipped with an independent servo motor and angle sensor, with a tilting angle adjustment range of 0-15° and an adjustment accuracy of 0.01°, and a pressure detection range of 0-500N and a detection accuracy of ±1N.

[0041] The intelligent repair module 4 is the core part of this invention, and is located after the straightening roller group 3 and before the take-up device 5. Figure 2 As shown, the intelligent repair module 4 includes a sealed repair chamber 44, and a non-contact speed stabilizer 43, a detection unit 41 and a laser repair unit 42 are arranged sequentially along the metal wire conveying direction inside the repair chamber 44.

[0042] The non-contact speed stabilizer 43 is used to stabilize the wire before the detection unit 41 and after the laser repair unit 42, preventing vibration during high-speed movement. The non-contact speed stabilizer 43 can be implemented using either a pneumatic or magnetic levitation method. The pneumatic method uses a ring-shaped nozzle to inject high-pressure gas to form an air cushion, suitable for conventional wires with a diameter ≥ 0.05 mm; the magnetic levitation method uses an electromagnet and a displacement sensor to achieve active levitation, suitable for extremely fine wires with a diameter < 0.05 mm or applications requiring extremely high surface quality. Both methods can stabilize the wire on a preset central axis, ensuring clear detection imaging and accurate laser positioning.

[0043] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the detection unit 41 is positioned after the straightening roller group 3 and is used to acquire surface images of the metal wire in real time and identify surface defects. In this embodiment, the detection unit 41 includes three sets of high-resolution industrial cameras 411 evenly distributed along the circumference of the metal wire, with adjacent cameras at a 120° angle to each other, achieving 360° full coverage of the wire surface. The industrial camera 411 is a Basler acA2440-20gm model with a resolution of 2448×2048 pixels, equipped with a 10x microscope lens, a working distance of 50mm, a field of view of 2.5mm×2.1mm, and a single pixel corresponding to an actual size of 0.1μm / pixel. The detection unit 41 also includes a coaxial ring light source 412 that works in conjunction with the industrial camera 411. The light source has a color temperature of 6000K and an illuminance of 50000 lux, used to eliminate the influence of metal surface reflection on image quality. The camera captures frames at 200fps. When the wire conveying speed is 10m / s, the overlap rate between two adjacent frames is 80%, ensuring no missed detections.

[0044] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the laser repair unit 42 is positioned after the detection unit 41 and is used for online laser melting repair of surface defects identified by the detection unit 41. In this embodiment, the laser repair unit 42 includes three sets of ultrafast laser emitters 421 evenly distributed along the circumference of the metal wire, with adjacent laser heads forming a 120° angle. The ultrafast laser emitters 421 use picosecond lasers, specifically the Coherent Monaco model, with a wavelength of 1035nm, a pulse width of 10ps, a single pulse energy range of 1-100μJ, and a repetition frequency range of 100kHz-1MHz. The laser repair unit 42 also includes a multi-dimensional micro-motion platform 422 that supports the ultrafast laser emitters 421. The multi-dimensional micro-motion platform 422 can be driven by piezoelectric ceramics, voice coil motors, or precision servo motors combined with ball screws, achieving a movement accuracy of no less than 0.1μm and a repeatability accuracy of ≤±0.2μm. In this embodiment, piezoelectric ceramics are selected to achieve rapid response and high-precision positioning.

[0045] like Figure 5 As shown, the control system 6 is electrically connected to the detection unit 41, the laser repair unit 42, and the straightening roller group 3. The control system 6 includes an image processing server 61, a PLC motion controller 62, and a data storage module 63. The image processing server 61 is equipped with an Intel Xeon processor and an NVIDIA Tesla T4 GPU, and incorporates a deep learning model based on an improved ResNet-50. This model was trained on a dataset containing 100,000 images of wire surface defects, achieving a defect recognition accuracy of 98.5%. The PLC motion controller 62 uses a Siemens S7-1500 series, supports EtherCAT real-time Ethernet communication, and has a control cycle of 1ms. The data storage module 63 uses a solid-state drive array with a storage capacity of 4TB, supporting real-time data writing and historical data querying.

[0046] In this embodiment, the control system 6 is configured to execute the following control logic: (1) Real-time reception of surface defect information identified by the detection unit 41, including defect type (scratches, pits, cracks, etc.), defect depth h, defect length L, and axial coordinate position P of the defect on the wire. The measurement of defect depth h is achieved by combining image grayscale analysis and laser triangulation: the image acquired by the industrial camera 411 is analyzed by grayscale to preliminarily determine the defect area. At the same time, the detection unit 41 also includes a line laser emitter (not shown in the figure) at a certain angle to the optical axis of the industrial camera 411, which projects a laser line onto the surface of the wire. The reflected light is received by the CMOS sensor, and the defect depth is calculated using the triangulation principle based on the deformation of the laser line at the defect. The data from the two methods are fused, and the measurement accuracy reaches ±0.2μm.

[0047] (2) When the defect depth h is less than or equal to the preset threshold X, it is determined to be a repairable defect. In this embodiment, X is set to 5 μm, which is determined according to the surface quality requirements of the wire's final application. For medical titanium alloy guidewires, a surface defect depth exceeding 5 μm is considered a defective product.

[0048] (3) The control system 6 records the first moment T1 when the defect is detected, and monitors the wire conveying speed V in real time through the encoder, with a detection accuracy of ±0.01m / s. The delay time Δt = L_d / V required for the defect to move from the detection unit 41 to the laser repair unit 42 is calculated, where L_d is the distance between the detection unit and the laser repair unit. In this embodiment, L_d = 200mm. At the second moment T2 = T1 + Δt, the control system 6 triggers the laser repair unit 42 to repair the defect.

[0049] (4) During the laser repair process, the control system 6 adaptively adjusts the laser energy density of the ultrafast laser emitter 421 according to the defect depth h. For TC4 titanium alloy, its melting threshold is 0.3 J / cm², and its vaporization threshold is 2.5 J / cm². The control system 6 sets the laser energy density E to E = 0.5 + 0.3 × h (h ≤ 5), in J / cm². For example, for a scratch with a depth h = 3 μm, the laser energy density is set to 1.4 J / cm², controlled between the melting threshold and the vaporization threshold. The laser scanning path is determined according to the defect shape: for long strip scratches, a continuous scanning mode is used, and the scanning speed is 1.2 times the wire speed; for dot-shaped pits, a fixed-point pulse mode is used, with 3-5 pulses.

[0050] (5) The control system 6 traces the historical process parameters of the wire section when it passes through the straightening roller group 3 based on the defect information. The control system 6 assigns a unique ID to each wire section and records the inclination angle of each straightening roller group 3 when it passes through the straightening roller group 3. ,pressure Parameters such as wire drawing tension (T) and lubrication flow rate (Q) are sampled at a frequency of 100Hz. When a defect is detected, the historical process parameters corresponding to that wire segment are retrieved in reverse to establish a correlation between the defect type and the process parameters.

[0051] (6) When the frequency of the same type of defect exceeds a preset threshold, the control system 6 automatically adjusts the tilt angle or pressure parameters of the corresponding straightening roller group. In this embodiment, the defect frequency threshold is set to 10 times / hour. For example, when the scratch defect corresponding to the third group of straightening rollers occurs 12 times in 1 hour, the control system 6 automatically reduces the tilt angle of the straightening roller group by 0.1° and observes the subsequent change in the defect incidence rate. If the defect incidence rate decreases, the adjusted parameters are maintained; if there is no improvement, the original parameters are restored and other parameters are tried to be adjusted.

[0052] (7) The data storage module 63 stores all detected defect images, defect types, repair parameters such as laser energy density and pulse number, as well as corresponding preceding process parameters in real time. A process quality report is automatically generated every 24 hours, including defect statistics, process parameter correlation analysis, and optimization suggestions.

[0053] In this embodiment, the take-up device 5 is used to take up the repaired metal wire. It is equipped with a constant tension control system, with the take-up tension set at 20N and fluctuation controlled within ±1N to ensure that the take-up process is neat and tight.

[0054] Example 2: Magnetic Levitation Speed ​​Stabilizer Example This embodiment optimizes the non-contact speed regulator 43 based on Embodiment 1. In this embodiment, the non-contact speed regulator 43 uses magnetic levitation instead of pneumatic levitation, making it particularly suitable for processing extremely fine wires with a diameter of less than 0.05 mm.

[0055] The magnetic levitation speed stabilizer consists of four sets of electromagnets and two sets of laser displacement sensors arranged along the axial direction. The electromagnets use ferrite cores with 200 turns of coil, a maximum current of 2A, and a maximum magnetic field strength of 0.5T. The laser displacement sensors have a measurement range of ±1mm, a resolution of 0.1μm, and a sampling frequency of 10kHz. The control system dynamically adjusts the electromagnet current using a PID control algorithm based on the wire position deviation fed back by the sensors, ensuring the wire is stably levitated on the central axis. The levitation accuracy is ±1μm, and the response time is 0.1ms.

[0056] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: A laser displacement sensor detects the radial offset of the wire in real time. When offset is detected, the control system increases the current of the electromagnet on the corresponding side according to the offset direction, generating a repulsive force to push the wire back to the center position. Through the coordinated control of four sets of electromagnets, stable levitation of the wire in both the X and Y directions is achieved. Compared with pneumatic methods, magnetic levitation avoids the influence of airflow disturbances on extremely fine wires, making it particularly suitable for processing medical guidewires with diameters of 0.02-0.05 mm.

[0057] Example 3: Example of Repairing Multiple Defect Types This embodiment expands upon the laser repair strategy based on Embodiment 1, enabling differentiated repair for various defect types.

[0058] The deep learning model of Control System 6 can identify the following defect types: axial scratches, transverse cracks, pitting, surface folds, and microburrs. Control System 6 employs different repair strategies for different types of defects: (1) Axial scratch: A continuous scanning mode is adopted, and the laser beam scans along the scratch direction. The scanning speed is 1.2 times the wire speed, and the laser energy density is adaptively adjusted according to the scratch depth. The molten metal on both sides of the scratch flows back to the center to fill under the drive of surface tension, forming a smooth surface.

[0059] (2) Transverse cracks: Using a fixed-point pulse mode, apply 2-3 pulses to each end of the crack to fuse the crack tip and prevent crack propagation; then scan along the crack length to fuse the entire crack. The pulse energy density is slightly higher than the melting threshold to avoid excessive melting that could lead to an expansion of the heat-affected zone.

[0060] (3) Dot-like pits: A spiral scanning mode is used, starting from the center of the pit and scanning outwards in a spiral motion, so that the surrounding metal flows and fills the center layer by layer. The spiral scanning radius is 1.5 times the pit radius, and the scanning line spacing is 2μm.

[0061] (4) Surface folding: A layered repair strategy is adopted. First, the folded area is preheated with a lower energy density (0.8 times the melting threshold) to make the folded layers initially adhere; then, the standard energy density is used for melting and solidification repair to make the folded layers completely fuse.

[0062] (5) Microburrs: Shearing repair is adopted. The laser beam is focused on the root of the burr and the energy density is set to 0.8 times the vaporization threshold, so that the root of the burr is vaporized and cut off. The burr body falls off with the movement of the wire without damaging the substrate.

[0063] Experiments have shown that the differentiated repair strategy in this embodiment has a repair success rate of over 98% for various defect types, which is significantly better than the single repair strategy. The single strategy has a repair success rate of only 65-80% for non-scratch defects.

[0064] Example 4: Processing Method Example This embodiment provides a highly efficient wire drawing and straightening method for metal wires, applied to the apparatus described in Embodiment 1. Figure 6 As shown, the method includes the following steps: Step S1: The metal wire passes through the wire feeding device 1, the wire drawing die box 2 and the straightening roller group 3 in sequence for wire drawing and straightening processing.

[0065] Specifically, the wire feeding device 1 actively feeds the wire, with the feeding tension set at 15N and fluctuation controlled within ±0.5N. The wire drawing die 2 is equipped with a 0.8mm diameter drawing die, drawing the 1.0mm diameter TC4 titanium alloy wire to a diameter of 0.8mm at a drawing speed of 10m / s and a drawing force of approximately 120N. The initial inclination angles of the six straightening rollers in the straightening roller group 3 are set to 2.5°, 2.3°, 2.0°, 1.8°, 1.5°, and 1.2°, with pressures set to 80N, 75N, 70N, 65N, 60N, and 55N. After passing through the straightening roller group, the residual stress of the wire is reduced to below 50MPa, and the straightness reaches within 0.5mm / m.

[0066] Step S2: The detection unit 41 acquires surface images of the metal wire in real time, identifies surface defects, and obtains defect information.

[0067] Specifically, three sets of industrial cameras 411 synchronously acquire images of the wire surface at a frame rate of 200fps, and the image data is transmitted in real time to the image processing server 61 via the GigE interface. The image processing server 61 preprocesses each frame of the image, including denoising, grayscale transformation, and edge enhancement, and then inputs it into a deep learning model for defect identification. The deep learning model outputs the defect type, defect depth h, defect length L, and axial coordinate position P of the defect on the wire. The entire processing takes less than 4ms per frame, meeting the real-time requirements. In this step, the detection unit 41 also works in conjunction with a non-contact speed stabilizer 43, which ensures that the wire is within the camera's focal plane, achieving an image sharpness of MTF>0.3@100lp / mm.

[0068] Step S3: The control system 6 calculates the precise time when the defect arrives at the laser repair unit 42 based on the defect information, and triggers the laser repair unit 42 to perform online laser melting and coagulation repair on the defect.

[0069] Specifically, for repairable defects with a depth h ≤ 5μm, the control system 6 records the detection time T1, reads the current wire speed V, obtains it in real time through the encoder, and calculates the delay time Δt = 200mm / V. When V = 10m / s, Δt = 20ms. At T2 = T1 + 20ms, the control system 6 triggers the laser repair unit 42. The laser repair unit 42 adjusts the laser energy density according to the defect depth h; for example, when h = 3μm, the energy density is set to 1.4J / cm². The multi-dimensional micro-motion platform 422 adjusts the laser head position according to the circumferential coordinate position of the defect to ensure that the laser beam is aligned with the defect. The ultrafast laser emitter 421 emits laser pulses to repair the defect. During the repair process, the laser pulse frequency is synchronized with the wire speed to ensure that the repair trajectory continuously covers the entire defect area. After the repair is completed, the laser repair unit 42 sends a repair completion signal back to the control system 6.

[0070] Step S4: The control system 6 traces the preceding process parameters that caused the defect based on the defect information, and automatically adjusts the working parameters of the straightening roller group 3 to form a closed-loop self-optimization.

[0071] Specifically, the control system 6 queries the historical process parameters of the wire segment when it passes through the straightening roller group 3, including the inclination angle and pressure of the six straightening roller groups. Through correlation analysis, it determines the process parameters most relevant to the defect. For example, when a scratch defect is strongly correlated with the inclination angle of the third straightening roller group (correlation coefficient > 0.8), the defect is included in the defect count of the third straightening roller group. When the defect count of the third straightening roller group reaches 12 times within one hour, for example, exceeding the threshold of 10 times, the control system 6 automatically reduces the inclination angle of the straightening roller group by 0.1°, for example, from 2.0° to 1.9°, and records the adjustment time and adjustment amount. After adjustment, the defect occurrence rate is continuously monitored. If the defect occurrence rate drops below the threshold, the adjusted parameters are maintained; if the defect occurrence rate does not improve, the original parameters are restored and the pressure parameters are adjusted.

[0072] Step S5: The repaired metal wire is wound up by the take-up device 5.

[0073] Specifically, the take-up device 5 winds up the repaired wire at a constant tension of 20N at a speed of 10m / s, matching the drawing speed. The take-up reel uses an I-beam structure, and the wire arrangement mechanism ensures that the wire is neatly arranged with no crossover between layers. After take-up, the system records the total length of the coil, defect statistics, repair records, and process parameters, generates a quality report, and stores it in the data storage module 63.

[0074] Example 5: Experimental Data and Comparative Examples To verify the technical effect of the present invention, the apparatus described in Example 1 was used to conduct a processing experiment on TC4 titanium alloy wire, and two comparative examples were set up for comparison.

[0075] Experimental conditions: Wire specifications: TC4 titanium alloy, original diameter 1.0mm, drawn diameter 0.8mm; Wire speed: 10 m / s; Experiment duration: 8 hours of continuous operation; Defect threshold: 5 μm (only defects with a depth ≤ 5 μm are repaired); Defect frequency threshold: 10 times / hour; Fatigue testing standard: conducted according to GB / T 4337-2015 "Metallic materials fatigue test - rotating bending method", stress ratio R = -1, maximum stress 600 MPa, 10 specimens per group, and the median fatigue life is taken.

[0076] Comparative Example 1: The metal wire drawing production system disclosed in CN119702732A is adopted. This solution has visual inspection and alarm functions, but no laser repair and feedback adjustment functions.

[0077] Comparative Example 2: The novel composite intelligent metal wire drawing machine disclosed in CN206567343U is used. This solution has diameter and roundness detection functions, but no surface scratch repair function.

[0078] The experimental results are shown in the table below: Analysis of experimental results: (1) Defect detection rate: The defect detection rate of Example 1 of the present invention reaches 98.5%, which is higher than that of Comparative Example 1 (97.2%). This is because the present invention uses three sets of high-resolution industrial cameras and a coaxial ring light source that are evenly distributed in the circumference, which realizes 360° detection without dead angles and eliminates the detection blind zone.

[0079] (2) Defect repair rate: The present invention achieves a 100% repair success rate for repairable defects with a depth ≤5μm, while Comparative Examples 1 and 2 have no repair function. The repaired wire was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The repaired area had a smooth surface with no obvious boundary with the substrate, and the scratches were completely eliminated.

[0080] (3) Yield: The yield of this invention reached 97.2%, which was 14.9 percentage points higher than Comparative Example 1 and 11.6 percentage points higher than Comparative Example 2, respectively. The improvement in yield is mainly attributed to two aspects: First, the online repair function saved a large number of defective wires that would have been scrapped; second, the generation of defects was reduced through the optimization of process parameters.

[0081] (4) Changes in defect incidence rate: In the initial stage of operation, the defect incidence rates of the three schemes were similar (15-16 times / hour). After 8 hours of operation, the defect incidence rate of Comparative Example 1 increased slightly (17 times / hour), which was due to the deterioration of process conditions caused by factors such as mold wear; the defect incidence rate of Comparative Example 2 decreased slightly (14 times / hour), which was due to the improvement of the process to a certain extent by its diameter detection and pre-tension force adjustment; the defect incidence rate of Example 1 of the present invention decreased significantly to 3 times / hour, a reduction of 80%. This is because the defect tracing and feedback adjustment mechanism of the present invention enables the equipment to continuously optimize the straightening roller parameters, forming an "immune effect".

[0082] (5) Surface roughness: The surface roughness Ra of the repaired area of ​​the present invention is 0.12 μm, which is significantly lower than that of the unrepaired area (0.30-0.32 μm). This indicates that laser melting repair not only eliminates scratches but also polishes the surface, making it smoother.

[0083] (6) Grain Refinement and Surface Strengthening: Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis of the repaired area revealed a grain size of 0.8-1.2 μm, while the matrix grain size was 1.2-1.8 μm, representing a grain refinement of approximately 32%. Microhardness testing showed a Vickers hardness of 380 HV in the repaired area and 328 HV in the matrix, an increase of 16%. This is attributed to the extremely rapid heating and cooling rates (estimated at 10⁻⁶ HV) brought about by the ultrafast laser. 6 Micro-region quenching (K / s) was achieved, forming a fine-grained strengthening layer. This effect is unique to this invention and cannot be achieved in Comparative Examples 1 and 2.

[0084] (7) Fatigue life A rotational bending fatigue test was conducted on the wire repaired according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The results showed that the median fatigue life was 2.32 × 10⁻⁶. 6 Secondly, the median fatigue life of unprocessed, defect-free TC4 titanium alloy wire (0.8 mm in diameter) under the same test conditions was 1.90 × 10⁻⁶. 6 The calculations show that the fatigue life of the wire repaired by this invention is approximately 22% higher than that of the original defect-free wire. The wires in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, due to unrepaired surface scratches, have fatigue lives of 1.56 × 10⁻⁶, respectively. 6 The sum is 1.65 × 10⁻⁶. 6 The fatigue fracture time was only 82% and 87% of that of the original wire. SEM analysis of the fatigue fracture surface showed that the fatigue fracture origin of the repaired wire was located in the internal matrix of the wire, rather than on the surface. This indicates that the originally sharp surface scratches, after laser melting repair, have been transformed into a smooth, rounded transition, effectively eliminating stress concentration sources that act as the initiation point of fatigue cracks. Combined with the grain refinement and increased surface hardness in the repaired area, this explains why the fatigue life of the repaired wire surpasses that of the original defect-free wire.

[0085] (8) Number of process parameter optimizations: During 8 hours of operation, the present invention automatically performed 5 process parameter optimizations, including 3 adjustments to the straightening roller inclination angle and 2 adjustments to the pressure. After each optimization, the defect incidence rate showed a downward trend. The data storage module 63 automatically constructed a defect-process correlation database containing more than 1,200 records. Analysis revealed that when the inclination angle of the third group of straightening rollers was greater than 2.2°, the scratch defect incidence rate increased significantly; when the lubrication flow rate was less than 6 L / min, the pit defect rate increased. These findings provided a basis for subsequent process optimization.

[0086] (9) The above experimental data fully verify the feasibility and superiority of the technical solution of the present invention. The experiment shows that under high-speed motion conditions of 10 m / s, the present invention can still achieve accurate identification and online repair of micron-level defects, with a repair success rate of 100%. Moreover, the repaired area has refined grains, improved surface hardness, and fatigue life is 22% higher than that of the original defect-free wire. At the same time, through the defect tracing and feedback optimization mechanism, the defect incidence rate continues to decrease with the running time, the equipment has self-evolution capability, and significantly improves product quality and production efficiency. Therefore, the technical solution of the present invention is logically sound, engineeringally feasible, and has achieved unexpected technical effects.

[0087] Example 6: Adaptability Experiments of Different Materials To verify the adaptability of this invention to different materials, three typical metal wires were selected for experiments, and the results are as follows: Experimental results show that this invention has good adaptability to various high-value-added metal wires, with a repair success rate of over 98%, and can achieve different degrees of grain refinement and surface strengthening. For different materials, the control system 6 automatically adjusts the laser energy density threshold according to the thermophysical properties of the material to ensure optimal repair results.

[0088] Example 7: Long-term operation effect experiment To verify the long-term operational effectiveness of the present invention, the device of Example 1 was subjected to a 30-day continuous operation test, running for 8 hours each day, and the trend of defect incidence was recorded.

[0089] The experimental results show that: Day 1: Average defect rate 15.2 times / hour; Day 7: Average defect rate 6.8 times / hour; Day 15: Average defect rate 3.5 times / hour; Day 30: Average defect rate 2.1 times / hour; The defect incidence rate showed a continuous downward trend, decreasing by 86% within 30 days. Meanwhile, the defect-process correlation database has accumulated 32,000 defect data entries and 5 million process parameter data entries. Data mining revealed several optimization windows for process parameters, such as: Optimized combinations of straightening roller tilt angles: 2.2°, 2.0°, 1.8°, 1.6°, 1.4°, 1.2°; Optimal lubrication flow rate: 8-10 L / min; Optimal wire drawing tension: 110-130N; These findings have been applied to optimize process specifications, further reducing the defect rate in subsequent production.

[0090] Based on the above embodiments, the working principle of the present invention can be summarized as follows: This invention uses a detection unit 41 to acquire real-time surface images of the straightened wire and a deep learning model to identify micron-level surface defects. For repairable defects, the control system 6 uses a spatiotemporal tracking algorithm to accurately calculate the time it takes for the defect to reach the laser repair unit 42, triggering the ultrafast laser emitter 421 to perform online laser melting and solidification repair. During the repair process, the laser energy density is adaptively controlled according to the defect depth, causing the micro-area at the defect tip to melt and reflow under surface tension, thus not only eliminating the defect but also achieving grain refinement and surface strengthening due to the ultrafast heating and cooling effect.

[0091] Meanwhile, the control system 6 traces the preceding process parameters corresponding to the defects and determines the root cause of the defects through correlation analysis. When the same type of defect occurs frequently, the system automatically adjusts the working parameters of the corresponding straightening roller group to reduce the occurrence of defects at the source. All defect data, repair parameters, and process parameters are stored in the data storage module 63, constructing a defect-process correlation database to provide data support for process optimization and equipment iteration.

[0092] The non-contact speed stabilizer 43 ensures that the wire passes stably through the detection and repair areas during high-speed movement, guaranteeing detection accuracy and repair precision. The coordinated operation of the detection unit, laser repair unit, control system, and straightening roller group forms a closed-loop system of "detection-repair-feedback optimization," enabling the equipment to evolve itself and continuously improve product quality.

[0093] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Those skilled in the art can readily implement the present invention based on the accompanying drawings and the above description. However, any modifications, alterations, and variations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention, utilizing the disclosed technical content, are equivalent embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, any equivalent modifications, alterations, and variations made to the above embodiments based on the essential technology of the present invention are still within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires, characterized in that, include: The wire feeding device (1), wire drawing die box (2), straightening roller group (3), intelligent repair module (4) and wire take-up device (5) are arranged sequentially along the direction of metal wire conveying. The intelligent repair module (4) includes: A sealed repair chamber (44) is provided inside the repair chamber (44) and a detection unit (41) and a laser repair unit (42). The detection unit (41) is located after the straightening roller group (3) and is used to collect surface images of the metal wire in real time and identify surface defects. A laser repair unit (42) is disposed after the detection unit (41) and is used to perform online laser melting repair on the surface defects identified by the detection unit (41). The control system (6) is electrically connected to the detection unit (41), the laser repair unit (42) and the straightening roller group (3), respectively; The control system (6) is configured to: receive surface defect information identified by the detection unit (41), control the laser repair unit (42) to repair the defect location, and trace the preceding process parameters that caused the defect based on the defect information. The preceding process parameters include one or more of the following: the tilt angle of the straightening roller, pressure, wire drawing tension, and lubrication flow rate. The system automatically adjusts the working parameters of the straightening roller group (3).

2. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection unit (41) includes 2-4 sets of high-resolution industrial cameras (411) evenly distributed along the circumference of the metal wire. The industrial cameras (411) are equipped with microscope lenses and have a resolution of not less than 0.1 μm / pixel. The detection unit (41) also includes a coaxial ring light source (412) that cooperates with the industrial cameras.

3. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser repair unit (42) includes 2-4 sets of ultrafast laser emitters (421) evenly distributed along the circumference of the metal wire, the pulse width of the ultrafast laser emitter (421) being at the picosecond or femtosecond level; the laser repair unit (42) also includes a multi-dimensional micro-motion platform (422) that carries the ultrafast laser emitter (421), the movement accuracy of the multi-dimensional micro-motion platform (422) being not less than 0.1μm.

4. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intelligent repair module (4) also includes a non-contact speed stabilizer (43) installed inside the repair chamber (44). The non-contact speed stabilizer is installed before the detection unit (41) and after the laser repair unit (42) to stabilize the metal wire on a preset central axis by pneumatic or magnetic levitation.

5. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system includes an image processing server (61) and a PLC motion controller (62); the image processing server (61) has a built-in deep learning model for real-time processing of the surface images collected by the detection unit (41) to identify the type, depth, length and axial coordinate position of defects on the wire.

6. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system is also configured to: Record the first moment T1 when the defect is detected; Based on the conveying speed V of the metal wire, calculate the delay time Δt required for the defect to move from the detection unit (41) to the laser repair unit (42); At the second moment T2=T1+Δt, the laser repair unit (42) is triggered to repair the defect.

7. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system is also configured to: Based on the defect information, trace the historical process parameters when the wire section passes through the straightening roller group (3). The historical process parameters include one or more of the following: the tilt angle of the straightening roller, pressure, wire drawing tension, and lubrication flow rate. When the frequency of the same type of defect exceeds the preset threshold, the tilt angle or pressure parameter of the corresponding straightening roller group (3) is automatically adjusted.

8. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ultrafast laser emitter (421) is configured to: adaptively adjust the laser energy density according to the depth h of the defect, so that the laser energy density is controlled between the melting threshold and the vaporization threshold of the metal wire material, thereby realizing micro-area melting of the defect tip and reflow filling driven by surface tension.

9. The high-efficiency wire drawing and straightening device for metal wires according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control system (6) also includes a data storage module (63) for storing defect images, defect types, repair parameters and corresponding preceding process parameters, and constructing a defect process association database; The database is used to analyze the extreme limits of equipment parameters and optimize subsequent production processes.

10. A method for efficient wire drawing and straightening of metal wires, applied to the apparatus described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1: The metal wire passes through the wire feeding device (1), the wire drawing die box (2), and the straightening roller group (3) in sequence for wire drawing and straightening processing; Step S2: The detection unit (41) acquires surface images of the metal wire in real time, identifies surface defects and obtains defect information; Step S3: The control system calculates the precise time when the defect arrives at the laser repair unit (42) based on the defect information, and triggers the laser repair unit (42) to perform online laser melting and coagulation repair on the defect; Step S4: The control system (6) traces the preceding process parameters that caused the defect based on the defect information and automatically adjusts the working parameters of the straightening roller group (3) to form a closed-loop self-optimization. Step S5: The repaired metal wire is wound up by the take-up device (5).

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