Double encoders of three-flow plate blank flame cutting machine

Abstract

The utility model relates to double encoders of a three-flow slab flame cutting machine, and belongs to the technical field of ferrous metallurgical equipment in the metallurgical industry. According to the technical scheme, a flame cutting machine (1), an encoder stay wire support (2) and a flame cutting machine encoder (10) are fixed to a flame cutting machine cart (11) respectively, the flame cutting machine cart (11) walks on a cart track (12), one end of a high-strength steel wire rope (4) is fixed to a datum point of the cart track (12), and the other end of the high-strength steel wire rope (4) is fixedly connected with a stay wire encoder (5). The stay wire encoder (5) is connected to the cart track (12) in a sliding mode, the high-strength steel wire rope (4) is wound on the stay wire hanging point (3), and the stay wire hanging point (3) is fixed to the encoder stay wire support (2); and the stay wire encoder (5) is arranged in the protective cover (51). The flame cutting machine has the beneficial effects that the flame cutting machine is ensured to continuously and accurately run by adopting the double encoders.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire cutting machine, belonging to the technical field of iron and steel metallurgical equipment in the metallurgical industry. Background Technology

[0002] In the three-strut slab production process of modern steel industry, the flame cutter is the core equipment for achieving fixed-length cutting of cast slabs. Its operating accuracy directly determines product quality and production efficiency. At present, mainstream flame cutters generally use a single encoder as the displacement measuring element. This encoder is usually installed on the flame cutter trolley to monitor the running position of the trolley on the track in real time, thereby controlling the accuracy of the cutting start and end points. However, due to the characteristics of the three-strut slab production process, the working environment of the flame cutter is extremely harsh. The distance between the flame cutter and the hot cast slab is usually less than one meter, while the surface temperature of the hot cast slab that just came off the line is as high as about 800°C, continuously releasing a large amount of radiant heat and convective heat to the surrounding environment. Especially in the high-temperature season of summer, the ambient temperature and the radiant heat of the cast slab are superimposed, causing the temperature in the encoder working area to be maintained at 80°C-160°C for a long time, and even exceeding 180°C under some extreme working conditions.

[0003] In such a high-temperature environment, the precision electrical components inside the encoder, such as photoelectric sensors, circuit boards, and connecting harnesses, are under constant overload. Taking a common incremental encoder as an example, its internal photoelectric detection components are extremely sensitive to temperature changes. High temperatures accelerate the aging of electronic components, leading to problems such as unstable signal transmission and reduced resolution. Furthermore, the solder joints on the circuit board are prone to cracking and detachment under repeated thermal expansion and contraction, resulting in data loss or incorrect output. According to statistics from a large steel company, the average annual failure rate of a single encoder was as high as 28 times during the production cycle before improvements were made, with failures caused by high temperatures accounting for more than 70%.

[0004] In summary, existing encoders have the following drawbacks:

[0005] (1) Once the encoder fails, it will directly lead to inaccurate positioning after the fire cutting machine cuts, which in turn causes the billet to be incorrectly sized. When the encoder output data is abnormal, the fire cutting machine control system cannot obtain the real position information of the trolley, which causes the length deviation of the cut billet to exceed the allowable range of the process. Usually, the error is required to be controlled within ±5mm, but when there is a fault, the deviation can reach ±20mm or even higher, causing a large number of unqualified products to flow into the subsequent process. These unqualified products not only waste steel raw materials and increase the production cost of the enterprise, but may also cause downstream users to be unable to use them normally due to the size deviation, which seriously affects the market reputation of the enterprise.

[0006] (2) At the same time, the equipment maintenance work faces huge challenges. Since the fire cutting machine is located in a high-temperature and high-radiation production site, maintenance personnel need to wear heavy heat-insulating protective equipment and troubleshoot and repair the encoder in a narrow space. During the operation, maintenance personnel not only have to endure the high temperature baking, but also have to deal with the vibration and noise generated by the equipment during operation. The work intensity and safety risks are extremely high. In addition, the frequent replacement of encoders and related accessories has led to a sharp increase in equipment maintenance costs. According to calculations, the annual maintenance cost of a single fire cutting machine due to encoder failure is as high as RMB 200,000 to 300,000, and the downtime due to failure exceeds 120 hours, resulting in a decrease in production efficiency of about 8%.

[0007] (3) Although existing technologies have attempted to improve the working environment of encoders by means of air cooling and heat insulation covers, these methods have obvious limitations. Air cooling systems are greatly affected by ambient temperature, and the cooling effect is significantly reduced during the high-temperature period in summer. Ordinary heat insulation covers can only delay heat transfer and cannot fundamentally reduce the working temperature of encoders. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire cutting machine, which can realize high-precision displacement measurement and cutting control of the fire cutting machine, and solve the problems existing in the background technology.

[0009] The technical solution of this utility model is:

[0010] A dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire cutting machine includes a fire cutting machine, an encoder wire-pulling bracket, a wire-pulling hanging point, a high-strength steel wire rope, a wire-pulling encoder, a fire cutting machine encoder, a fire cutting machine trolley, and a trolley track. The fire cutting machine, the encoder wire-pulling bracket, and the fire cutting machine encoder are respectively fixed on the fire cutting machine trolley. The fire cutting machine trolley travels on the trolley track. One end of the high-strength steel wire rope is fixed to a reference point on the trolley track, and the other end of the high-strength steel wire rope is fixedly connected to the wire-pulling encoder. The wire-pulling encoder is slidably connected to the trolley track. The high-strength steel wire rope is wound around the wire-pulling hanging point, and the wire-pulling hanging point is fixed to the encoder wire-pulling bracket.

[0011] The wire encoder is housed inside a protective cover, which is fixed to a mounting base. The mounting base is slidably connected to the trolley rail.

[0012] The protective cover is equipped with a water-cooled cover inlet and a water-cooled cover outlet, and the protective cover is equipped with a bracket that cooperates with the encoder body of the wire encoder.

[0013] The wire encoder is equipped with a signal processing module, which includes a motor speed sensor information processing unit, an encoder position data processing unit, a Kalman filter algorithm unit, and an information transmission unit. The information transmission unit is connected to a computer control platform.

[0014] The Kalman filter algorithm unit includes a prediction algorithm submodule and an update algorithm submodule.

[0015] The computer control platform includes a fault detection module, a fault switching mechanism module, a fault recording module, a program switching module, an audible and visual alarm module, a data acquisition module, and a simulation test module.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: (1) Through the dual encoder redundancy design, when one encoder fails, the other encoder immediately and seamlessly takes over the displacement measurement work, ensuring the continuous and accurate operation of the fire cutting machine; at the same time, the encoder is innovatively placed inside the water-cooled protective cover, and a stable low-temperature working environment is constructed by using the circulating water cooling system, which reduces the risk of encoder failure caused by high temperature from the root, thereby improving the control accuracy of product size and weight, reducing equipment maintenance costs, and improving overall production efficiency;

[0017] (2) Based on retaining the original flame cutting machine encoder, the device mainly consists of three parts: a wire encoder unit with water-cooled protection device, a signal processing module, and a computer control program for the flame cutting machine operating room. The parts work together to achieve high-precision and high-reliability displacement measurement and cutting control.

[0018] (3) The combination of dual encoder redundancy design and water-cooling protection technology has greatly reduced the failure rate of encoders. Actual production testing has effectively ensured the continuous and stable operation of the fire cutting machine and improved production efficiency.

[0019] (4) Precisely control product quality. Through dual encoder data fusion and dynamic calibration, the displacement measurement accuracy of the fire cutting machine is significantly improved, far exceeding the control accuracy of the original single encoder system. This effectively reduces the generation of unqualified products and improves product quality and enterprise economic benefits.

[0020] (5) Significantly reduce maintenance costs. The self-cleaning design of the water-cooled protection device and the redundant backup of the dual encoders make equipment maintenance more convenient and efficient, and maintenance personnel do not need to frequently replace the encoders. At the same time, due to the improvement of the working environment, the labor intensity and safety risks of maintenance personnel are also significantly reduced, further enhancing the overall competitiveness of the enterprise.

[0021] (6) Enhanced system adaptability, good versatility and expandability, applicable to different models and different production processes of three-flow slab fire cutting machine, and seamlessly connected with existing automated control system, which facilitates enterprises to carry out technical upgrades and transformations, and has broad application prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting device for this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pull-wire encoder of this utility model;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a connection diagram of the wire encoder and the water inlet of the water-cooled shield of this utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the encoder for the flame cutting machine of this utility model;

[0026] In the diagram: 1. Flame cutting machine; 2. Encoder cable support; 3. Cable hanging point; 4. High-strength steel wire rope; 5. Cable encoder; 6. Water-cooled cover inlet; 7. Water-cooled cover outlet; 8. Signal processing module; 9. Computer control platform; 10. Flame cutting machine encoder; 11. Flame cutting machine trolley; 12. Trolley track;

[0027] 51. Protective cover; 52. Mounting base; 53. Encoder body; 54. Threaded hole; 55. Bracket;

[0028] 101. Fixed base; 102. Fixing hole; 103. Housing; 104. Mounting base; 105. Code disk; 106. Light source; 107. Output circuit; 108. Photosensitive element. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples.

[0030] See attached document Figure 1-4 A dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire cutting machine includes a fire cutting machine 1, an encoder cable pull bracket 2, a cable pull point 3, a high-strength steel wire rope 4, a cable pull encoder 5, a fire cutting machine encoder 10, a fire cutting machine trolley 11, and a trolley track 12. The fire cutting machine 1, the encoder cable pull bracket 2, and the fire cutting machine encoder 10 are respectively fixed on the fire cutting machine trolley 11. The fire cutting machine trolley 11 travels on the trolley track 12. One end of the high-strength steel wire rope 4 is fixed to a reference point on the trolley track 12, and the other end of the high-strength steel wire rope 4 is fixedly connected to the cable pull encoder 5. The cable pull encoder 5 is slidably connected to the trolley track 12. The high-strength steel wire rope 4 is wound around the cable pull point 3, and the cable pull point 3 is fixed to the encoder cable pull bracket 2.

[0031] In this example, refer to the appendix. Figure 1-4The three-flow slab fire-cutting machine with dual encoders includes a fire-cutting machine 1, an encoder pull-wire bracket 2, a pull-wire hanging point 3, a high-strength steel wire rope 4, a pull-wire encoder 5, a water-cooled cover inlet 6, a water-cooled cover outlet 7, a signal processing module 8, a computer control platform 9, a fire-cutting machine encoder 10, a fire-cutting machine trolley 11, and a trolley track 12. The fire-cutting machine 1, the encoder pull-wire bracket 2, and the fire-cutting machine encoder 10 are respectively fixed on the fire-cutting machine trolley 11. The fire-cutting machine trolley 11 travels on the trolley track 12. One end of the high-strength steel wire rope 4, i.e., the pull wire, is fixed to a reference point on the trolley track 12. This reference point is precisely measured and positioned using a total station, with an error controlled within ±1mm, providing an accurate starting reference for displacement measurement. The other end of the pull wire is fixedly connected to the pull-wire encoder 5. The high-strength steel wire rope 4 is wound around the pull-wire hanging point 3, which is fixed to the encoder pull-wire bracket 2. The encoder pull wire bracket 2, pull wire hanging point 3, high-strength steel wire rope 4, i.e., the pull wire and the pull wire encoder 5 constitute the pull wire encoding unit.

[0032] The pull-wire encoder 5 is provided with a protective cover 51. One end of the protective cover 51 is fixedly connected to one side of two mounting bases 52 respectively. The encoder body 53 is fixedly installed inside the protective cover 51. One end of the protective cover 51 is fixedly connected to a water-cooled cover inlet 6, and the other end of the protective cover 51 is fixedly connected to a water-cooled cover outlet 7. A signal processing module 8 is fixedly installed on the surface of the protective cover 51, and a computer control platform 9 is provided on one side of the signal processing module 8.

[0033] Both ends of the two mounting bases 52 are provided with symmetrically arranged threaded holes 54. The encoder body 53 is made of 316L stainless steel. This material not only has excellent high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, but is also particularly suitable for water cooling systems. In terms of scale removal, 316L stainless steel has good resistance to weak acid cleaning agents, including oxalic acid. When scale is generated in the water cooling channel, maintenance personnel can quickly remove the scale by injecting oxalic acid solution for circulation cleaning without disassembling the equipment, which greatly reduces the difficulty and time cost of maintenance.

[0034] The four corners where the protective cover 51 connects to the encoder body 53 are fixedly equipped with brackets 55. The brackets 55 have been subjected to mechanical calculations and simulation analysis, and have sufficient strength and rigidity to firmly support the wire-drawing encoding unit and effectively isolate the influence of external vibration on the encoder. At the same time, the structural design of the brackets 55 fully considers the heat dissipation requirements of the encoder, and reserves sufficient ventilation space to achieve dual heat dissipation in conjunction with the water cooling system.

[0035] Signal processing module 8 includes a motor speed sensor information processing unit, an encoder position data processing unit, a Kalman filter algorithm unit, and an information transmission unit. The Kalman filter algorithm unit includes a prediction algorithm submodule and an update algorithm submodule.

[0036] The signal processing module 8 fuses the processed encoder position data with the feedback information from the motor speed sensor;

[0037] The motor speed sensor in the motor speed sensor information processing unit usually adopts the Hall effect principle to convert the rotational speed of the motor into a pulse signal. The number of pulses per unit time corresponds to the motor speed. Based on the transmission ratio of the motor and the wheel diameter parameters, the speed pulse signal is converted into a theoretical displacement.

[0038] The encoder position data processing unit processes the processed encoder position data;

[0039] Because uneven track surfaces, wheel wear, and slippage can cause discrepancies between theoretical and actual displacements in real-world operating conditions, the Kalman filter algorithm is introduced. This algorithm is based on the system's state equations and measurement equations, and the predicted state update calculation formula is as follows:

[0040] ,

[0041] in, Let F(k) represent the predicted state value at time k, F(k) be the state transition matrix, u(k) be the control input, and the formula for calculating the prediction covariance update is:

[0042] ,

[0043] in, To predict the covariance matrix, where Qk is the process noise covariance matrix, the Kalman gain is calculated using the following formula:

[0044] ,

[0045] Where K(k) is the gain coefficient, H(k) is the measurement matrix, R(k) is the measurement noise covariance matrix, and the state correction calculation formula is:

[0046] ,

[0047] in, The corrected state estimate is z(k), and the actual measured value is z(k).

[0048] The prediction algorithm submodule predicts the displacement and error covariance at the current moment based on the state and system model at the previous moment.

[0049] The update algorithm submodule combines the actual displacement data measured by the encoder to correct the predicted value, thereby obtaining a more accurate displacement estimate;

[0050] The information transmission unit converts the fused displacement data into a standard industrial communication protocol format and sends it to the computer control platform 9 of the computer control program in the fire-cutting machine operator's room.

[0051] The computer control platform 9 includes a fault detection module, a fault switching mechanism module, a fault recording module, a program switching module, an audible and visual alarm module, a data acquisition module, and a simulation test module;

[0052] The fault detection module program continues to periodically detect the fault encoder, and once a fault is detected, it is recorded to the data acquisition module.

[0053] If the fault switching mechanism module receives data that exceeds the reasonable range three times in a row or the signal interruption time exceeds 50ms, the fault switching mechanism will be triggered immediately.

[0054] The fault recording module records the status information of the fault encoder, including the time of fault occurrence and the type of fault, for subsequent analysis and maintenance.

[0055] The program switching module quickly switches to data from another normal encoder as the basis for displacement measurement;

[0056] The audible and visual alarm module sends out audible and visual alarm prompts to the operator.

[0057] The data acquisition module collects relevant data from the encoder;

[0058] The simulation test module artificially simulates various fault scenarios. When a certain encoder signal is selected to be blocked in the test interface, the program will immediately start the single encoder working mode and compare the measurement data of the other encoder with the pre-set theoretical cutting path. By calculating the error between the actual cutting size and the theoretical size and comparing it with the error standard required by the process, the measurement accuracy of the single encoder under different working conditions is evaluated. During the test, the program will also record various performance indicators, such as the response time from the occurrence of the simulated fault to the completion of the switch, and the error change curve, to provide data support for system optimization and improvement.

[0059] The flame cutting machine encoder 10 includes a fixed base 101 and a mounting base 104. The middle part of the top of the fixed base 101 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting base 104. A housing 103 located outside the mounting base 104 is fixedly installed on the fixed base 101. A code disk 105 is fixedly installed on one side of the top of the mounting base 104. A light source 106 is fixedly installed on the other side of the top of the mounting base 104. An output circuit 107 is fixedly installed on the top of the inner wall of the housing 103. A photosensitive element 108 is fixedly installed at the bottom of the output circuit 107. Fixing holes 102 are provided at the four corners of the top of the fixed base 101. The bottom of the fixed base 101 is fixedly connected to the flame cutting machine carriage 11. The user screws through the fixing holes 102 to install the flame cutting machine encoder 10 on the flame cutting machine carriage 11.

[0060] When the flame cutting machine trolley starts running, the trolley body drives the wire encoder to move along the track. Since one end of the wire is fixed to the track reference point and the other end is connected to the wire encoder, the displacement of the flame cutting machine trolley is directly converted into the stretching or retraction of the wire. The extension and retraction of the wire is converted into rotational motion through an internal precision pulley system and lead screw transmission mechanism, driving the code disk of the flame cutting machine encoder, i.e., the photoelectric encoder, to rotate. The code disk has evenly distributed light-transmitting and opaque fan-shaped areas. When the code disk rotates, the light emitted by the photoelectric sensor shines through the light-transmitting area of ​​the code disk onto the receiving end, generating... The electrical signal changes; while the opaque area blocks the light, forming alternating high and low levels. After these electrical signals are shaped and amplified, they are encoded according to the SSI protocol format and output as serial data. During this process, the water-cooling protection device continues to function. The circulating cooling water carries away the heat generated by the encoder and the high temperature conducted from the outside through the serpentine pipe inside the protective cover, keeping the encoder in the ideal operating temperature range of 20℃-30℃. This ensures the stable operation of the photoelectric sensor and circuit board components and avoids signal distortion or component damage caused by high temperature.

[0061] Under normal operating conditions, the computer control program in the fire-cutting machine's control room simultaneously receives displacement data from both encoders at a frequency of 100 times per second. The program first checks the validity of the data from both encoders to determine if it is within a reasonable range. For example, a data threshold is set based on the fire-cutting machine's stroke range; data exceeding this range is considered invalid. After the validity check, the program calculates the difference between the two encoder data. When the difference is within the allowable error range of ±2mm, a weighted average algorithm is used to fuse the data. The weighted average algorithm assigns different weights to each encoder based on its historical accuracy and operating time. For example, encoders with stable operation and small historical errors are given higher weights, thus obtaining more accurate displacement measurements.

Claims

1. A dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire-cutting machine, characterized in that: The device includes a fire-cutting machine (1), an encoder pull-wire bracket (2), a pull-wire hanging point (3), a high-strength steel wire rope (4), a pull-wire encoder (5), a fire-cutting machine encoder (10), a fire-cutting machine trolley (11), and a trolley track (12). The fire-cutting machine (1), the encoder pull-wire bracket (2), and the fire-cutting machine encoder (10) are respectively fixed on the fire-cutting machine trolley (11). The fire-cutting machine trolley (11) travels on the trolley track (12). One end of the high-strength steel wire rope (4) is fixed to the reference point of the trolley track (12), and the other end of the high-strength steel wire rope (4) is fixedly connected to the pull-wire encoder (5). The pull-wire encoder (5) is slidably connected to the trolley track (12). The high-strength steel wire rope (4) is wound around the pull-wire hanging point (3), and the pull-wire hanging point (3) is fixed on the encoder pull-wire bracket (2).

2. The dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire-cutting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pull-wire encoder (5) is installed inside the protective cover (51), which is fixed on the mounting base (52). The mounting base (52) is slidably connected to the trolley rail (12).

3. The dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire-cutting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: The protective cover (51) is provided with a water-cooled cover inlet (6) and a water-cooled cover outlet (7), and the protective cover (51) is provided with a bracket (55) that cooperates with the encoder body (53) of the pull-wire encoder (5).

4. A dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire-cutting machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The pull-wire encoder (5) is equipped with a signal processing module (8), which includes a motor speed sensor information processing unit, an encoder position data processing unit, a Kalman filter algorithm unit and an information transmission unit. The information transmission unit is connected to the computer control platform (9).

5. A dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire-cutting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The Kalman filter algorithm unit includes a prediction algorithm submodule and an update algorithm submodule.

6. The dual encoder for a three-flow slab fire-cutting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The computer control platform (9) includes a fault detection module, a fault switching mechanism module, a fault recording module, a program switching module, an audible and visual alarm module, a data acquisition module, and a simulation test module.

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