A multi-wire saw take-up and pay-off automatic deviation correction device and control method

Abstract

The application provides a multi-wire cutting machine pay-off and take-up automatic deviation rectifying device and control method. The device comprises a fixing frame, a pair of swing arms, a follow-up roller provided with a V-shaped groove, a proximity sensor corresponding to the swing arm, a PLC controller, a translation slide, a servo motor and an axially movable guide wheel. The application does not need to use a direct optical line measuring method which is easily affected by cutting fluid and dust, can complete deviation rectifying on the pay-off side, the take-up side or both sides under non-stop conditions, reduces the oblique pull-in slot, the slot disengagement, the line stacking and the tension impact, has the advantages of simple structure, strong anti-interference ability, wide line diameter range adaptation, convenient maintenance and easy modification on existing equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of hard and brittle material processing technology, specifically to an automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device and control method for a multi-wire cutting machine. Background Technology

[0002] Multi-wire cutting machines utilize one or more high-speed cutting wires to form a parallel wire mesh within multiple grooves on the surface of the main cutting roller. The relative feed between the wire mesh and the workpiece achieves cutting of hard and brittle materials. The equipment typically includes a wire feeding reel, a wire tension mechanism, multiple guide rollers, a main cutting roller assembly, a wire take-up tension mechanism, a take-up reel, and a corresponding drive control system. To obtain stable cutting thickness and surface quality, the cutting wire must not only maintain appropriate tension but also follow a predetermined trajectory through the guide rollers and the main cutting roller.

[0003] The take-up and unwinding reels are typically I-beam reels or cylindrical winding reels with a certain effective width. As the unwinding process continues, the actual exit point of the wire gradually moves from one side to the other along the reel axis; during the take-up process, the entry point of the wire also reciprocates along the axis of the take-up reel according to the wire laying pitch. If the guide wheel adjacent to the take-up and unwinding reels remains fixed, a gradually increasing lateral distance will be generated between the exit or entry point of the wire and the groove of the guide wheel, causing the wire to enter the guide wheel groove at an angle.

[0004] At lower wire speeds and with thicker wire diameters, moderate angled pulling may still provide constraint through the sidewalls of the guide groove. However, under conditions of fine wire diameters, high wire speeds, and high tension, angled pulling will generate a significant lateral force. This lateral force will cause the wire to continuously press against one side of the guide groove, leading to uneven wear of the groove, localized wire wear, tension fluctuations, and heat generation. If the offset increases further, the wire may climb onto the groove shoulder and slide out of the groove, resulting in wire tangling, overlapping, interference between cut wires, or damage to the wire mesh.

[0005] Factors causing misalignment in the take-up and unwinding positions include, in addition to natural movement of the winding point, installation errors of the take-up and unwinding wheels, non-parallelism between the wheel axle and the guide wheel axis, runout of the take-up and unwinding wheel end faces, inconsistent tension of the winding layers, equipment frame vibration, transmission clearance, thermal deformation, and manual positioning errors after changing the take-up and unwinding wheels. These factors often coexist and change with equipment operating time, line speed, tension, and roll diameter. Therefore, relying solely on a one-time manual adjustment after roll change is insufficient to maintain alignment throughout the entire cutting cycle.

[0006] The current mainstream cable take-up and release correction solutions have the following shortcomings:

[0007] The existing first-type solution uses fixed guide wheels, which are manually adjusted by the operator after observing the wire position during roll changes or machine shutdowns. This method is simple in structure, but it cannot track the axial movement of the take-up and untake-down points in real time. Correction relies on experience and requires machine downtime, making it unsuitable for continuous production. Especially when the wire exit point of the untake-down wheel moves slowly, deviations accumulate over a long period, and operators may only notice them after obvious abnormalities occur.

[0008] The existing second-type solution uses laser displacement sensors, photoelectric sensors, or industrial cameras to directly detect the position of high-speed wire. Fine-diameter diamond wire or steel wire has a very small diameter and experiences high-frequency vibrations during operation; cutting fluid mist, abrasive chips, slurry, and changes in ambient light can easily contaminate or obstruct the optical path. Stable identification requires high-performance sensors, light sources, lenses, and image processors, resulting in high equipment costs and maintenance requirements. Furthermore, direct optical detection may generate false offset signals when the protective window is contaminated or when cutting fluid forms droplets.

[0009] The existing third-type solution uses a lever, potentiometer, or rotary encoder that contacts the wire to convert the lever angle into an analog voltage or position quantity. This solution can obtain continuous offset, but the potentiometer and mechanical transmission components are subject to wear and clearance, and the analog quantity is prone to drift with time and temperature, requiring periodic calibration; in humid, dusty, and cutting fluid environments, the sealing of the potentiometer and its long-term reliability are also difficult to guarantee.

[0010] The existing fourth type of solution transplants the roll-to-roll web guiding system used for films, paper, or metal strips to multi-wire cutting machines. The roll-to-roll web guiding system is designed for continuous materials with distinct edges and a relatively large width; its sensing scale, actuator stroke, and response characteristics differ from those of fine wires. Directly applying it to high-speed single-wire or mesh cutting may result in problems such as large size, response mismatch, and alteration of the original mesh's stress structure.

[0011] Therefore, an automatic deviation correction scheme with a simple structure and adaptability to the cutting fluid environment is needed. This scheme should avoid complex optical measurements on high-speed, fine wires and be able to reliably determine the direction of deviation; the actuator should move the original guide wheels as a whole, rather than adding too many small wheels to the main wire mesh; the control process should have functions such as de-jittering, progressive action, limit protection, and fault diagnosis, and should be able to achieve automatic following using the same principle on both the pay-off and take-up sides. Summary of the Invention

[0012] To address the aforementioned technical shortcomings, the purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device and control method for multi-wire cutting machines. This method detects the leftward or rightward offset trend of the take-up and unwinding points in a reliable and low-maintenance manner, without relying on high-precision direct optical measurement of the wire position. The detected offset direction is converted into axial following motion of adjacent guide wheels, causing the guide wheel grooves to move with the take-up and unwinding points. This maintains the wire's near-vertical entry into the grooves while avoiding sudden, large adjustments that could cause tension shocks. The correction device possesses features such as switch signal debouncing, left-right interlocking, stroke limiting, continuous action timeout, servo following anomaly detection, and coordinated control capabilities between the unwinding and take-up sides, thereby improving continuous operation safety and the equipment's applicability.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0014] An automatic wire take-up and undo device for a multi-wire cutting machine includes a take-up / undo reel, a guide wheel adjacent to the take-up / undo reel, and a control system for controlling the operation of the device; it also includes a fixed frame, a pair of swing arms, a pair of follower rollers, two proximity sensors, a translation slide, a servo drive mechanism, and a PLC controller; the fixed frame is located between the take-up / undo reel and the guide wheel, and is used to support the detection components and is fixedly connected to the machine frame; the pair of swing arms are rotatably mounted on the fixed frame via rotating shafts; the pair of follower rollers are respectively mounted on the front ends of the two swing arms, and each of the two follower rollers has a V-groove on its outer circumference, the two V-grooves are arranged opposite each other to form a guide channel for the wire to pass through; the two proximity sensors are respectively positioned corresponding to the two swing arms. The system is configured to output a direction detection signal when the corresponding swing arm deflects to a preset position; the translation slide includes a guide member parallel to the axis of the take-up and untake-down reel and a slide block that moves along the guide member, with the guide wheel fixedly mounted on the slide block; the servo drive mechanism is connected to the slide block for driving the slide block to reciprocate along the guide member; the PLC controller is electrically connected to two proximity sensors and the servo drive mechanism respectively; when the exit point or entry point of the wire deflects along the axial direction of the take-up and untake-down reel, the wire pushes the corresponding follower roller and causes the swing arm to deflect, and the PLC controller controls the servo drive mechanism to drive the slide block and guide wheel to move in the same direction according to the direction detection signal of the corresponding proximity sensor, so that the groove of the guide wheel follows the exit point or entry point of the wire.

[0015] Preferably, the swing arm's pivot is vertically positioned, the follower roller's roller axis is horizontally positioned, and the swing plane of the swing arm intersects with the normal operating direction of the wire. A reset elastic element and a pre-tightening adjustment element are provided between the swing arm and the fixed frame. The reset elastic element is used to return the swing arm to the middle position after the offset force disappears, and the pre-tightening adjustment element is used to adjust the triggering force required for the wire to push the follower roller.

[0016] Preferably, the bottom of the V-groove is provided with a rounded transition, and the follower roller is made of polyoxymethylene, polyurethane, ceramic, or metal with a surface coated with wear-resistant and low-friction material; the distance between the two follower rollers is adjustable to accommodate diamond wire or steel wire of different diameters and to prevent the wire from leaving the guide channel during lateral offset.

[0017] Preferably, the proximity sensor is an inductive proximity switch, a capacitive proximity switch, a magnetic proximity switch, or a photoelectric switch, and the swing arm is provided with a metal sensing plate corresponding to the proximity sensor; there is no mechanical contact between the proximity sensor and the swing arm, and a cutting fluid protection cover, a sealed joint, or a positive pressure purging structure is provided.

[0018] Preferably, the translation slide includes two parallel optical axes or linear guides, a slide block slidably mounted on the optical axes or linear guides, an origin detection element, a positive limit detection element, and a negative limit detection element; the servo drive mechanism includes a servo motor and one of a synchronous belt drive mechanism, a ball screw mechanism, or a gear rack mechanism, and the effective stroke of the translation slide covers the effective winding width of the take-up and unwinding reels.

[0019] Preferably, the wire feeding side and the wire take-up side are respectively equipped with a set of the aforementioned fixed frame, swing arm, follower roller, proximity sensor, translation slide and servo drive mechanism, and the two correction units are controlled by the same PLC controller or two controllers that communicate with each other; the wire feeding side correction unit is used to make the wire feeding guide wheel groove follow the wire feeding exit point, and the wire take-up side correction unit is used to make the wire take-up guide wheel groove follow the wire take-up entry point.

[0020] An automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction control method for a multi-wire cutting machine includes the following steps:

[0021] S1, perform origin return on the translation slide and move the guide wheel to the initial centering position, and pass the wire through the V-groove between the two follower rollers;

[0022] S2, cyclically collects the status of the left proximity sensor, right proximity sensor, origin detection element and limit detection element;

[0023] S3, when only the left proximity sensor continuously triggers to reach the debounce time, it is determined that the cable is deviating to the left, and the servo drive mechanism is controlled to move the guide wheel to the left;

[0024] S4, when only the right proximity sensor continuously triggers to reach the debounce time, it is determined that the wire is deflected to the right, and the servo drive mechanism is controlled to move the guide wheel to the right;

[0025] S5, when neither of the two proximity sensors is triggered, stop the correction movement and maintain the current position of the guide wheel;

[0026] S6, when two proximity sensors are triggered simultaneously, the signal duration exceeds the maximum allowable time, or the translation slide reaches the limit position, the servo drive mechanism is stopped and a fault or maintenance prompt is output.

[0027] S7. Repeat steps S2 to S6 to make the guide wheel groove dynamically follow the wire exit point or wire entry point.

[0028] Preferably, the correction speed or correction displacement in steps S3 and S4 is adjusted in stages or continuously according to the continuous triggering time of the corresponding proximity sensor; when the sensor is initially triggered, a first speed and a first step distance are used; after continuous triggering reaches a first time threshold, a second speed or a second step distance greater than the first speed is used; after the sensor returns from the triggered state to the untriggered state, the servo drive mechanism stops in a deceleration-limited manner.

[0029] Preferably, the PLC controller calls different debouncing times, correction speeds, and maximum continuous action times according to the equipment's threading, low-speed operation, acceleration, constant-speed cutting, deceleration, and shutdown conditions; when correction units are configured on both the pay-off and take-up sides, independent directional interlocks and limit protections are established respectively, and independent or coordinated correction is performed according to the status of the sensors on both sides; when either side reaches the travel warning zone, slow compensation is performed through the correction unit on the other side to keep the corresponding slide in the middle area of ​​the effective travel.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0031] This invention can automatically adjust the position of the guide wheel according to the axial changes of the actual exit and entry points of the take-up or pay-off reel, so that the wire enters the groove at a smaller lateral angle, reducing the risk of groove wear, local wear of the wire, and derailment caused by long-term oblique pulling.

[0032] This invention utilizes a correction wheel and a swing mechanism to convert wire offset into mechanical displacement that can be detected by sensors. It can directly identify high-speed, fine-diameter wires without relying on a high-precision optical system, and can reduce the impact of cutting fluid, slurry, dust and ambient light changes on detection reliability.

[0033] Non-contact detection can be used between the sensor and the target, and the output signal is an easily processed switching quantity; the PLC controller improves the stability of the correction process through delay debouncing, directional interlocking, progressive control, limit protection and timeout judgment, and facilitates fault diagnosis and maintenance.

[0034] The correction execution unit directly drives the original or adjacent guide wheels to move axially as a whole. It does not require adding too many additional wheel sets to the main cutting wire mesh. It can achieve automatic correction while basically maintaining the original winding path and tension control structure. It is suitable for integration into new equipment and for retrofitting existing multi-wire cutting machines. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall frame of the multi-wire cutting machine used in this invention.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the wire take-up and feed correction mechanism for the diamond multi-wire cutting machine of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of the closed-loop correction control logic of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the correction method of the present invention.

[0039] in:

[0040] 01. PLC controller; 02. Guide wheel; 03. Translation slide; 04. Servo motor; 05. Fixture; 06. Sensor; 07. Correction wheel; 08. Take-up reel. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The following combination Figures 1 to 4 The structural composition, installation relationship, working principle, and control method of the present invention will be further explained. The following embodiments mainly focus on automatic correction on the take-up side, while the pay-off side can adopt the same or symmetrical structure and control principle. The specific dimensions, speeds, time thresholds, and component models mentioned in the embodiments are used to illustrate the possible implementations of the present invention and can be adjusted according to different models of multi-wire cutting machines, wire diameters, wire speeds, tensions, and take-up / pay-off wheel widths.

[0042] To facilitate the standardization of technical solutions, Figure 2 The correction wheel 07 can be a specific structural form of the follower roller, and the sensor 06 is preferably a proximity sensor.

[0043] An automatic wire take-up and undo device for a multi-wire cutting machine includes an overall frame of the cutting machine, take-up and undo reels, a fixed frame 05, a swing arm, a follower roller, a proximity sensor 06, a PLC controller 01, a translation mechanism, and guide wheels 02. The wire correction device is installed on the take-up side, the undo side, or both sides of the cutting machine, with its installation position located between the take-up and undo reels and the adjacent guide wheels 02, and can directly reflect the axial changes of the wire during the take-up and undo process.

[0044] The mounting bracket 05 supports the swing arm, follower rollers, and proximity sensor 06, and is fixedly connected to the cutting machine frame. The mounting bracket 05 can be a plate bracket, profile bracket, or welded bracket, and its structure should ensure that it does not deform significantly under equipment vibration and lateral thrust of the wire. Oblong holes, positioning holes, or fine-tuning screws can be provided between the mounting bracket 05 and the frame to adjust the position of the alignment detection mechanism relative to the normal operating center of the wire during installation.

[0045] The swing arm is rotatably mounted on the fixed frame 05 via a pivot. The pivot is preferably vertically positioned, allowing the swing arm to swing horizontally. The axis of the follower roller is preferably horizontally positioned, allowing the roller to rotate freely as the wire travels longitudinally. A reset elastic element is provided between the swing arm and the fixed frame 05. This reset elastic element can be a torsion spring, tension spring, elastic plate, or counterweight structure, used to return the swing arm to the neutral position after the offset decreases. The reset elastic element can also be connected to a preload adjustment element to adjust the trigger sensitivity.

[0046] The follower roller is located at the front end of the swing arm, and its outer circumference can be provided with a V-shaped groove, a circular arc groove, or other groove shapes that have a lateral guiding function. A V-shaped groove is preferred, with both sides of the groove forming stable contact with the wire, and the bottom of the groove using a rounded transition to avoid damage to the diamond wire coating or the surface of the steel wire from sharp parts. The follower roller can be made of polyoxymethylene, nylon, polyurethane, PEEK, ceramic, or metal with a surface coated with a low-friction, wear-resistant material.

[0047] Proximity sensors 06 are respectively installed on the left and right swing arms. Proximity sensors 06 can be inductive, capacitive, magnetic, or photoelectric switches. For inductive proximity switches, a metal sensing element is installed on the swing arm; when the swing arm rotates to a preset angle, the metal sensing element enters the detection distance of sensor 06, and sensor 06 outputs a switching signal. There is no direct mechanical friction between the proximity sensor 06 and the swing arm, which avoids contact wear and analog signal drift.

[0048] The proximity sensor 06 can be installed inside a protective cover with a cutting fluid resistant structure, and the cable is connected to the control cabinet via a sealed connector. The opening of the protective cover should avoid the area directly exposed to cutting fluid. If necessary, a micro-positive pressure purging structure can be installed to reduce the deposition of shavings and droplets. The purging airflow should avoid direct contact with the wire to prevent the introduction of additional vibration.

[0049] The translation mechanism includes an optical axis or linear guide, a slide, a servo motor 04, and a transmission assembly. The extension direction of the optical axis or linear guide is parallel to the axis of the take-up and pay-off reels, and the slide can reciprocate along this direction. The guide wheel 02 is integrally mounted on the slide. When the slide moves, it does not change the rotation axis direction of the guide wheel 02 itself, but only changes the axial position of the guide wheel 02 slot relative to the take-up and pay-off reels.

[0050] The servo motor 04 can drive the slide via a synchronous belt, ball screw, rack and pinion, coupling, or linear module. The synchronous belt structure is suitable for applications with long strokes and high movement speeds; the ball screw structure is suitable for applications requiring high positioning rigidity and repeatability. The servo driver can operate in position or speed mode, and the PLC controller 01 sends control commands via pulse, analog, or industrial bus.

[0051] The translation mechanism is equipped with origin detection, positive limit detection, and negative limit detection. When the equipment starts, the slide first performs origin homing to establish a unified position reference. During operation, the PLC obtains the current position of the slide based on the servo encoder or independent position sensor 06. When the slide approaches the end of its stroke, it enters a warning zone. Upon reaching the limit position, further movement in the same direction is prohibited, but retraction in the opposite direction is permitted.

[0052] The PLC controller 01 is connected to the left and right proximity sensors 06, the origin detection element, the limit detection element, and the servo driver. The PLC has automatic, manual, and maintenance modes. In automatic mode, closed-loop correction is performed; in manual mode, low-speed jogging, origin return, and direction confirmation are allowed; in maintenance mode, automatic output is disabled to facilitate the replacement of the follower roller, adjustment of sensor 06, and maintenance of the slide.

[0053] When both the pay-off and take-up sides are equipped with correction devices, each side has independent sensor input (06), servo output, debouncing timer, directional interlock, and limit protection. Under normal circumstances, both sides operate independently based on their respective wire offsets. When one slide enters the travel warning zone, the other side can perform slow compensation without affecting the actual offset feedback, keeping both slides as close to the middle of the effective travel as possible.

[0054] A closed-loop correction method for wire take-up and unwinding in a multi-wire cutting machine includes the following steps:

[0055] S1, System Initialization. After the equipment starts, the PLC controls the translation mechanism to complete the origin return and moves the guide wheel 02 to the initial centering position; at the same time, it checks the working status of the proximity sensor 06, the limit detection device and the servo driver.

[0056] S2, Acquire detection signals. The PLC cyclically acquires the left proximity sensor 06, the right proximity sensor 06, the servo position and limit status, and performs delay and debouncing processing on the signals of the left and right sensors 06.

[0057] S3, Determine the offset direction. When only the left proximity sensor 06 is continuously triggered for a set time, it is determined that the cable is offset to the left; when only the right proximity sensor 06 is continuously triggered for a set time, it is determined that the cable is offset to the right; when neither side is triggered, it is determined that the cable is within the allowable position range.

[0058] S4, execute the correction action. The PLC controls the servo motor 04 to drive the slide and guide wheel 02 to move in the corresponding direction according to the offset direction. The moving speed or moving distance of the guide wheel 02 gradually increases according to the continuous triggering time of the sensor 06 to achieve progressive correction.

[0059] S5, Stop and hold position. When the guide wheel 02 slot approaches the wire exit point or entry point, the swing arm resets and the corresponding proximity sensor 06 stops triggering. The PLC controls the servo motor 04 to stop smoothly and maintain the current position of the guide wheel 02.

[0060] S6 enables abnormal protection. When both proximity sensors 06 trigger simultaneously, the slide reaches its limit position, a single-sided sensor 06 continuously triggers for a timeout, or the servo driver malfunctions, the PLC stops the correction operation and outputs an alarm message.

[0061] S7, Cyclic correction. The PLC repeatedly executes S2 to S6 to ensure that the guide wheel 02 slot continuously follows the wire exit point or entry point, thereby maintaining the wire's stable entry into the guide wheel 02 slot or the wire take-up / unwinding area.

[0062] Explanation of the principle:

[0063] This invention adopts an overall scheme of "mechanical follow-up detection of offset direction, proximity sensor 06 outputting a switch signal, and servo mechanism driving guide wheel 02 to follow axially". A fixed frame 05 is set between the take-up reel 08 or pay-off reel of the multi-wire cutting machine and the adjacent guide wheel 02. A correction detection mechanism capable of swinging left and right is installed on the fixed frame 05; simultaneously, the adjacent guide wheel 02 is mounted on a translation mechanism that can move along the axis of the take-up and pay-off reels. The detection mechanism is used to determine the offset trend of the wire relative to the predetermined groove direction, and the translation mechanism is used to change the groove position of the guide wheel 02 to maintain correspondence with the actual wire exit point or wire entry point on the take-up and pay-off reels.

[0064] The wire deviation detection mechanism includes a swing arm, a follower roller, and a proximity sensor 06. The follower roller is positioned near the wire's running path and is within the permissible guide area during normal wire operation. When the take-up / delay point moves along the axle direction, causing the wire to deviate laterally relative to the guide roller 02, the wire pushes the corresponding follower roller, which in turn drives the swing arm to rotate. The proximity sensor 06 detects whether the swing arm or a metal sensor plate mounted on the swing arm has entered a preset detection range, thereby outputting a left deviation signal or a right deviation signal.

[0065] The translation mechanism includes a guide, a slide, a servo motor 04, and a transmission assembly. The guide wheel 02 is mounted integrally on the slide, and the guide is parallel to the axis of the take-up and untake-down reels. After receiving the status signal from the proximity sensor 06, the PLC controller 01 controls the servo motor 04 to rotate forward or backward according to the offset direction, driving the slide and guide wheel 02 to move in the corresponding direction. After the guide wheel 02 moves, its slot gradually approaches the current exit or entry point of the wire, reducing the lateral thrust of the wire on the follower roller. The swing arm resets, the proximity sensor 06 returns to its untriggered state, and the servo motor 04 stops and maintains its current position.

[0066] To avoid malfunctions caused by momentary jitter in high-speed cables, the PLC controller 01 does not directly control the servo motor 04 based on the momentary on / off state of the proximity sensor 06. Instead, it performs delay debouncing, state interlocking, and duration judgment on the left and right signals respectively. A valid correction command is only generated when one proximity sensor 06 is continuously triggered for a preset time, and the other proximity sensor 06 is not triggered. If both proximity sensors 06 are triggered simultaneously, it is determined that there is an abnormality in cable threading, abnormal roller spacing, stuck swing arm, or abnormal installation of sensor 06, and the normal correction operation is stopped.

[0067] To reduce the impact of sudden displacement of the guide wheel 02 on the wire tension, a progressive control method is adopted for the correction action. When the proximity sensor 06 initially generates a valid signal, the servo motor 04 drives the guide wheel 02 to move at a low speed or with a small step distance. If the signal persists, it indicates that there is still a large deviation between the guide wheel 02 slot and the take-up / unwinding point, and the PLC gradually increases the moving speed or the moving step distance. When the signal is released, the servo motor 04 stops with a limited deceleration. This allows the correction amount to be adapted to the degree of deviation persistence when only directional switch signals are used.

[0068] This invention can be installed on either the pay-off side or the take-up side. The pay-off side correction unit moves the pay-off guide wheel 02 following the pay-off wheel's exit point, reducing the likelihood of the wire being pulled obliquely into the guide wheel 02's groove. The take-up side correction unit moves the take-up guide wheel 02 following the take-up wheel 08's entry point, improving the wire winding angle and cable arrangement. For equipment with long continuous operating times or large pay-off / take-up widths, correction units can be installed on both sides, independently controlled and coordinated by the same PLC controller 01.

[0069] Example 1: Automatic deviation correction on the take-up side

[0070] like Figure 1 As shown, the automatic wire-correcting device in this embodiment is installed on the take-up side of the multi-wire cutting machine. The PLC controller 01, as the control core of the wire-correcting system, is electrically connected to the sensor 06, servo driver, and servo motor 04. The guide wheel 02 is mounted on the moving part of the translation slide 03, and the moving direction of the translation slide 03 is substantially parallel to the axial direction of the take-up reel 08. The servo motor 04 drives the translation slide 03 to move axially back and forth, thereby causing the guide wheel 02 to change its slot position relative to the take-up reel 08.

[0071] Figure 1This section primarily illustrates the installation position of the wire guide mechanism within the overall frame of the cutting machine. Guide roller 02 does not handle large-scale wire winding and storage; its main function is to guide the wire before it enters the take-up roller 08, ensuring the wire enters the take-up area in a relatively stable direction. The take-up roller 08 is used for winding and storing the wire. As the take-up process continues, the actual entry point of the wire on the take-up roller 08 will reciprocate along the roller's axis; therefore, guide roller 02 needs to follow along the same axis.

[0072] The translation slide 03 can adopt a structure of optical axis and slide block, linear guide rail and slider, or linear module. The guide wheel 02 is fixed to the moving end of the translation slide 03, so that it only changes its axial position during the correction process without changing the wheel axis direction required for normal guidance. The servo motor 04 can drive the translation slide 03 through a synchronous belt, ball screw, rack and pinion, or other transmission mechanism capable of achieving controllable linear displacement. The effective stroke of the translation slide 03 should cover the effective cable width of the take-up reel 08, with a safety margin at both ends.

[0073] like Figure 2 As shown, a deviation correction detection mechanism is installed between the take-up reel 08 and the guide wheel 02. The mounting bracket 05 is reliably connected to the cutting machine frame and is used to install components such as the sensor 06 and the deviation correction wheel 07. The mounting bracket 05 may be equipped with elongated mounting holes or a fine-tuning structure to adjust the center position of the deviation correction detection mechanism after assembling or replacing take-up reels 08 of different specifications.

[0074] The alignment wheel 07 is positioned near the normal operating path of the wire, and its function is to convert changes in the lateral position of the wire into mechanical displacement. The alignment wheel 07 can adopt a V-groove, an arc groove, or other groove structure that can limit the lateral deviation of the wire and allow the wire to run smoothly in the longitudinal direction. In the implementation method using a swing arm structure, the alignment wheel 07 is installed at the front end of the swing arm, and the swing arm is mounted to the fixed frame 05 via a pivot; when the wire deviates laterally, the wire pushes the corresponding alignment wheel 07, causing the swing arm to deflect.

[0075] Sensor 06 is positioned near the movement path of the guide wheel 07 or its swing arm, preferably using an inductive proximity sensor. A metal sensing element can be installed at the rear end of the swing arm. When the swing arm deflects to a set position, the metal sensing element enters the effective detection range of sensor 06, and sensor 06 outputs a switching signal. In this way, sensor 06 does not need to directly measure the position of the high-speed, fine-diameter wire, but rather detects the displacement of mechanical components caused by wire offset, thereby reducing the influence of cutting fluid, dust, and high-frequency wire vibration on the detection results.

[0076] In a preferred configuration, a set of alignment rollers 07 and corresponding sensors 06 are respectively installed on the left and right sides. When the cable is within the permissible center area, both sensors 06 remain in an inactive state. When the cable shifts to the left and continuously pushes the left alignment roller 07, the left sensor 06 is triggered; when the cable shifts to the right, the right sensor 06 is triggered. Thus, the offset direction can be determined using two directional switch signals.

[0077] After the equipment starts, the PLC controller 01 first controls the translation slide 03 to perform origin return, so that the guide wheel 02 establishes a unified position reference. After the wire is threaded, the guide wheel 02 and the correction wheel 07 can be adjusted at low speed to place the wire in the allowable center area, and this position is used as the initial centering position for the current take-up process. Origin, positive limit, and negative limit detectors can be set on the translation slide 03 to prevent the guide wheel 02 from exceeding the allowable stroke.

[0078] During automatic operation, PLC controller 01 cyclically reads the on / off status of left and right sensors 06. To avoid malfunctions caused by momentary vibrations of the wire, PLC controller 01 performs a delay debouncing on the sensor signals. For example, a signal is considered a valid offset signal only if one side sensor 06 is continuously triggered for 100–300 ms, and the other side sensor is not triggered. The debouncing time can be set according to the wire speed, wire tension, and actual vibration level.

[0079] When the left sensor 06 is effectively triggered, the PLC controller 01 determines that the wire entry position has shifted to the left and sends a leftward correction command to the servo driver. The servo motor 04 drives the translation slide 03 and guide wheel 02 to move to the left. When the right sensor 06 is effectively triggered, the correction is performed in the opposite direction. After the guide wheel 02 moves, its groove gradually approaches the current entry point of the wire, the angle of the wire decreases, and the continuous lateral thrust on the correction wheel 07 decreases accordingly.

[0080] When the offset decreases to within the allowable range, the swing arm or the guide wheel 07 returns to its initial position, and the corresponding sensor 06 returns from the triggered state to the non-triggered state. The PLC controller 01 controls the servo motor 04 to smoothly decelerate and stop, and the guide wheel 02 remains in the new axial position. In this way, although the entry point on the take-up reel 08 changes continuously during the wire laying process, the guide wheel 02 can continuously follow through multiple small movements, so that the wire maintains a small lateral angle when entering the guide wheel groove and the take-up reel 08.

[0081] Example 2: Symmetrical arrangement on the laying-out side

[0082] This embodiment applies the same correction principle to the pay-off side based on Embodiment 1. The pay-off and take-up reels on the pay-off side function as pay-off reels during operation, and their lead-out point moves along the reel axis as the wire layer gradually unfolds. If adjacent guide wheels remain fixed, a lateral distance will still be generated between the lead-out point and the guide wheel groove. Therefore, a groove can be set between the pay-off reel and the first guide wheel... Figure 2 The same or equivalent fixed frame 05, sensor 06 and correction wheel 07 are shown, and the wire feeding guide wheel is mounted on the translation slide 03 which can move axially.

[0083] When the wire feeding side is operating, if the wire exit point shifts to one side, the wire pushes the correction wheel 07 on that side, causing displacement and triggering the corresponding sensor 06. The PLC controller 01 controls the servo motor 04 based on the sensor direction signal, causing the corresponding guide wheel 02 to move along the axis of the wire feeding wheel. When the offset decreases, the sensor 06 returns to its original position, the guide wheel 02 stops and maintains its current position, thus creating the same feedback correction process on the wire feeding side as on the take-up side.

[0084] For multi-wire cutting machines with correction mechanisms on both the pay-off and take-up sides, two independent correction function units can be established using the same PLC controller 01, or they can be implemented separately by two communicating controllers. Each side is equipped with independent left and right sensor signals, origin and limit states, and servo outputs. Under normal circumstances, both sides operate independently according to their actual offset states to avoid the momentary correction on one side affecting the direction judgment on the other side.

[0085] When the equipment uses a reciprocating cable routing method, the original pay-off side may become the take-up side after the cable running direction changes. The PLC controller 01 can switch the left and right direction mapping and correction parameters according to the main cable running direction. In the initial stage of reversal, the de-jittering time can be appropriately extended or the guide wheel 02 position can be maintained for a short time. After the line speed and tension return to stability, normal closed-loop correction can be entered to reduce misjudgment caused by reversal impact.

[0086] When used on both sides, the current position of the translation slide 03 can also be monitored. If one side moves in the same direction for a long time and enters the travel warning zone, it indicates that there may be a deviation in the sheave clamping center, equipment reference, or cable routing position. The PLC controller 01 can output maintenance prompts; when the process allows, the other side can also perform low-speed, small-amplitude compensation, but the real-time offset signal detected by the actual sensor 06 should always have higher priority.

[0087] Example 3: Progressive deviation correction and fault protection

[0088] This embodiment combines Figure 3 and Figure 4 Further explanation of the closed-loop control logic. Figure 3In the closed loop shown, wire offset first acts on the left and right correction detection mechanisms. The left or right sensor 06 converts the offset direction into a switching signal and sends it to the PLC controller 01. The PLC controller 01 simultaneously receives the origin, limit, and servo status of the translation slide 03, and performs delay debouncing, direction interlocking, duration judgment, and stroke and fault protection on the input signals.

[0089] The correction command confirmed by the PLC controller 01 is sent to the servo driver, which controls the servo motor 04 to move, driving the translation slide 03 and guide wheel 02 to move along the axial direction of the take-up and unwinding reel. The change in the position of the guide wheel 02 will change the degree of lateral offset of the wire relative to the correction wheel 07, causing the trigger state of the corresponding sensor 06 to change, thus forming a closed loop of "offset detection - control judgment - servo execution - offset reduction - feedback release".

[0090] To reduce the impact of sudden, large movements on wire tension, progressive control can be used for wire alignment. When sensor 06 first generates a valid trigger, PLC controller 01 uses a lower initial alignment speed. If the signal in the same direction persists and reaches a first time threshold, the speed is increased to a second alignment speed. If the signal still persists, the speed can be further increased within the allowable speed and acceleration range of the equipment. Correspondingly, progressive alignment can also be achieved by moving in fixed small steps.

[0091] For example, the first 300ms after a valid trigger can be used as the first time period, employing low-speed, small-amplitude movement; the second time period is from 300 to 800ms, with an appropriately increased movement speed; if the trigger is not released after 800ms, the third time period begins, continuing to follow at the maximum permissible correction speed while simultaneously activating timeout monitoring. Specific thresholds are not limited to the values ​​mentioned above and can be calibrated based on the actual mechanism response and cable operating status.

[0092] When sensor 06 changes from triggered to not triggered, PLC controller 01 does not allow servo motor 04 to stop abruptly. Instead, it stops the motor with limited deceleration and can set a short position holding time to reduce inertial overshoot and frequent left-right switching. If a momentary signal in the opposite direction appears during the holding time, debouncing confirmation can be performed first, and reverse correction will only be initiated after the valid conditions are met.

[0093] like Figure 4As shown, the correction method includes the following steps: S1, system initialization, completion of origin return, threading, and initial centering of the translation slide 03; S2, cyclic acquisition of the status of left and right sensors 06, servo and limit switches; S3, when the left sensor is effectively triggered, control the guide wheel 02 to move gradually to the left; S4, when the right sensor is effectively triggered, control the guide wheel 02 to move gradually to the right; S5, when neither side is triggered, maintain the current position; S6, when a limit, timeout, servo failure, or abnormal triggering occurs on both sides, stop the action and output an alarm; S7, in the fault-free state, return to the signal acquisition step and continue to perform cyclic correction.

[0094] In S3 and S4, the left and right directions should be based on the actual installation direction of the equipment. During equipment debugging, low-speed jogging can be used in maintenance mode to confirm whether the triggering direction of sensor 06 is consistent with the moving direction of guide wheel 02; if the mechanism is mirror-installed, it can be reverse-mapped in the PLC program without changing the control principle of this invention.

[0095] When both left and right sensors 06 are triggered simultaneously, the PLC controller 01 does not directly determine whether it is a left or right deviation, but treats it as an abnormal state. This state may be caused by incorrect wire threading, insufficient spacing between the two guiding wheels 07, jamming of the swing mechanism, or abnormal sensor installation position. The system stops normal correction output and prompts for inspection to prevent the guide wheel 02 from continuing to move when the direction is unclear.

[0096] When the translation slide 03 approaches the end of its positive or negative travel, the PLC controller 01 enters a warning state and restricts continued high-speed movement in the same direction. After reaching the limit position, it prohibits further movement in that direction, but allows reversal. If the sensor 06 continues to request correction in the limit direction, it can output a "correction travel insufficient" prompt and reduce the linear speed or control the machine to stop according to the equipment process requirements.

[0097] If a single-sided sensor 06 remains active for more than the maximum allowable time, and the translation slide 03 has moved a significant distance without being able to clear the signal, the PLC controller 01 determines that the correction timeout has occurred. Possible causes include excessive clamping deviation of the take-up reel 08, the wire not passing correctly through the correction wheel 07, wire jamming in the groove of the guide wheel 02, loose sensor 06, or mechanical obstruction of the translation mechanism. To prevent the servo system from repeatedly attempting correction, the controller stops automatic correction and maintains the alarm.

[0098] In addition, PLC controller 01 can compare the commanded position of servo motor 04 with the actual feedback position. When the deviation exceeds the set value and persists for a certain period of time, the servo following is determined to be abnormal. Possible causes include slack synchronous belt, stuck leadscrew, contaminated slide, mechanical interference, or insufficient drive capability. After troubleshooting, origin reset and low-speed direction confirmation should be performed first before resuming automatic operation.

Claims

1. An automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device for a multi-wire cutting machine, comprising a take-up and unwinding reel, a guide wheel arranged adjacent to the take-up and unwinding reel, and a control system for controlling the operation of the device, characterized in that, It also includes a fixed frame, a pair of swing arms, a pair of follower rollers, two proximity sensors, a translation slide, a servo drive mechanism, and a PLC controller. The fixed frame is located between the take-up and feed reels and the guide wheels, and is used to support the detection components and be fixedly connected to the equipment frame. The pair of swing arms are rotatably mounted on the fixed frame via rotating shafts. The pair of follower rollers are respectively mounted on the front ends of the two swing arms, and the outer circumference of the two follower rollers is provided with V-grooves. The two V-grooves are arranged opposite each other and form a guide channel for the wire to pass through. The two proximity sensors are respectively set for the two swing arms and are used to output a direction detection signal when the corresponding swing arm deflects to a preset position. The translation slide includes a guide parallel to the axis of the take-up and untake-down reel and a slide that moves along the guide. The guide wheel is fixedly mounted on the slide. A servo drive mechanism is connected to the slide and drives the slide to reciprocate along the guide. A PLC controller is electrically connected to two proximity sensors and the servo drive mechanism. When the exit point or entry point of the wire deviates along the axial direction of the take-up and untake-down reel, the wire pushes the corresponding follower roller and causes the swing arm to deflect. The PLC controller controls the servo drive mechanism to drive the slide and guide wheel to move in the same direction according to the direction detection signal of the corresponding proximity sensor, so that the groove of the guide wheel follows the exit point or entry point of the wire.

2. The automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device for a multi-wire cutting machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The swing arm has a vertically mounted pivot, while the follower roller has a horizontally mounted pivot. The swing plane of the swing arm intersects with the normal operating direction of the wire. A reset elastic element and a pre-tightening adjustment element are provided between the swing arm and the fixed frame. The reset elastic element is used to return the swing arm to the middle position after the offset force disappears, and the pre-tightening adjustment element is used to adjust the triggering force required for the wire to push the follower roller.

3. The automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device for a multi-wire cutting machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the V-groove is provided with a rounded transition, and the follower roller is made of polyoxymethylene, polyurethane, ceramic, or metal with a surface coated with wear-resistant and low-friction material; the distance between the two follower rollers is adjustable to accommodate diamond wire or steel wire of different diameters and to prevent the wire from leaving the guide channel during lateral offset.

4. The automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device for a multi-wire cutting machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The proximity sensor is an inductive proximity switch, a capacitive proximity switch, a magnetic proximity switch, or a photoelectric switch. The swing arm is provided with a metal sensing plate corresponding to the proximity sensor. There is no mechanical contact between the proximity sensor and the swing arm, and a cutting fluid protection cover, a sealed joint, or a positive pressure purging structure is provided.

5. The automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device for a multi-wire cutting machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The translation slide includes two parallel optical axes or linear guides, a slide block slidably mounted on the optical axes or linear guides, an origin detection component, a positive limit detection component, and a negative limit detection component; the servo drive mechanism includes a servo motor and one of a synchronous belt drive mechanism, a ball screw mechanism, or a gear rack mechanism, and the effective stroke of the translation slide covers the effective winding width of the take-up and unwinding reels.

6. The automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction device for a multi-wire cutting machine as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wire feeding side and the wire take-up side are each equipped with a set of the aforementioned fixed frame, swing arm, follower roller, proximity sensor, translation slide and servo drive mechanism. The two correction units are controlled by the same PLC controller or two controllers that communicate with each other. The correction unit on the wire feeding side is used to make the groove of the wire feeding guide wheel follow the wire feeding exit point, and the correction unit on the wire take-up side is used to make the groove of the wire take-up guide wheel follow the wire take-up entry point.

7. A method for automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction control of a multi-wire cutting machine, employing the automatic correction device described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1, perform origin return on the translation slide and move the guide wheel to the initial centering position, and pass the wire through the V-groove between the two follower rollers; S2, cyclically collects the status of the left proximity sensor, right proximity sensor, origin detection element and limit detection element; S3, when only the left proximity sensor continuously triggers to reach the debounce time, it is determined that the cable is deviating to the left, and the servo drive mechanism is controlled to move the guide wheel to the left; S4, when only the right proximity sensor continuously triggers to reach the debounce time, it is determined that the wire is deflected to the right, and the servo drive mechanism is controlled to move the guide wheel to the right; S5, when neither of the two proximity sensors is triggered, stop the correction movement and maintain the current position of the guide wheel; S6, when two proximity sensors are triggered simultaneously, the signal duration exceeds the maximum allowable time, or the translation slide reaches the limit position, the servo drive mechanism is stopped and a fault or maintenance prompt is output. S7. Repeat steps S2 to S6 to make the guide wheel groove dynamically follow the wire exit point or wire entry point.

8. The automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction control method for a multi-wire cutting machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The correction speed or correction displacement in steps S3 and S4 is adjusted in stages or continuously according to the continuous triggering time of the corresponding proximity sensor. When the sensor is initially triggered, a first speed and a first step distance are used. After continuous triggering reaches the first time threshold, a second speed or a second step distance greater than the first speed is used. After the sensor returns from the triggered state to the non-triggered state, the servo drive mechanism stops in a deceleration-limited manner.

9. The automatic wire take-up and unwinding correction control method for a multi-wire cutting machine as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The PLC controller calls different de-jittering times, correction speeds, and maximum continuous action times according to the equipment's threading, low-speed operation, acceleration, constant-speed cutting, deceleration, and shutdown conditions. When correction units are configured on both the pay-off and take-up sides, independent directional interlocks and limit protections are established respectively, and independent or coordinated correction is performed according to the status of the sensors on both sides. When either side reaches the travel warning zone, slow compensation is performed through the correction unit on the other side to keep the corresponding slide in the middle area of ​​the effective travel.

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