Reversing rolling of rolled products made of aluminium

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and method for the reversing rolling of rolled products (100, 110) made of metal, preferably for the rolling of rolled products (100, 110) made of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, the method comprising the steps of: transporting a first rolled product (100) over a roller line (10) to a pre-rolling train (20); reversing rolling the first rolled product (100) through the pre-rolling train (20), wherein the first rolled product (100) occupies a reversing region (Rb) of the roller line (10) during reversing rolling; during the rolling process of the first rolled product (100) through the pre-rolling train (20), transporting a second rolled product (110) over the roller line (10) to a transfer device (30) which is located in the reversing region (Rb) of the first rolled product (100); and during the rolling process of the first rolled product (100) through the pre-train (20), transferring the second rolled product (110), located in a transfer region (Tb), by means of the transfer device (30) out of the roller line (10) and into a waiting region (40) such that the reversing region (Rb) of the roller line (10) is free for the next rolling phase of the first rolled product (100) which is in the rolling process.

Description

[0001] Reversing rolling of rolled aluminum products

[0002] Technical area

[0003] The invention relates to a device and a method for the reversible rolling of rolled products made of metal, in particular for the hot rolling of rolled products made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] During the hot rolling of aluminum, ingots made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, also known as "ingots," are heated to a temperature suitable for roughing, for example, approximately 400 to 600 °C, and then placed on a roller conveyor via an ingot tipper or similar device, which transports the ingots to a roughing mill with one or more rolling stands. The roughing mill typically rolls the ingots in a reversing motion in several passes to a desired thickness. One or more cropping shears are installed at a defined distance from the roughing stand to trim the inferior strip ends produced during and as a result of rolling.

[0006] Such a hot rolling mill for aluminum is described, for example, in WO 2005 / 049241 A1.

[0007] Due to the reversing rolling in a roughing mill, the billet or strip lengthens with each pass, corresponding to the reduction. The roller table before and after the roughing mill must be sufficiently long to accommodate the entire product up to the final dimension produced by the roughing mill. When the next rolled product is prepared, a corresponding rolling break for the roughing mill of the plant is required, depending on the design of the roller table, the billet feeder, and the billet transport. Loading the next billet onto the roller table is not easily possible during the rolling process of the previous billet / strip, as the corresponding roller table is occupied for reversing transport during rolling.

[0008] Time savings can be achieved by ensuring that the distance between the ingot tipper or a similar loading device and the roughing mill is sufficiently large, and that the previous strip does not remain below the position of the ingot tipper during the final reversal (change of direction) on the roller table. This allows the loading of the next ingot onto the roller table to begin before the final change of direction on the corresponding roller table and to take place parallel to the roughing process of the previous strip.

[0009] The rolling pause between two rolled products depends on the length of the previous strip during the last reversal on the corresponding roller table, the speed of this strip returning to the roughing mill, and the speed of the next billet during transport to the roughing mill. Due to these kinematic constraints, the required rolling pause between two rolled products for the roughing mill can vary greatly, although the pause time for the roughing mill is usually significantly exceeded by approximately 50 seconds.

[0010] Description of the invention

[0011] One object of the invention is to provide an improved device and an improved method for the reversible rolling of rolled metal products, preferably for the hot rolling of rolled products made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and in particular to increase productivity. This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of the independent method claim. Advantageous further developments follow from the subclaims, the following description of the invention, and the description of preferred embodiments.

[0012] The device is used for the reversible rolling of rolled products made of metal, preferably aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The device functions particularly well as a hot rolling mill for hot rolling rolled products, for example, at approximately 350 to 600 °C.

[0013] The device comprises a roller conveyor configured to transport the rolled products along a conveyor line. The rolled product is typically loaded onto the roller conveyor in the form of a billet at a loading position, for example, by means of a crane and / or a billet tipper or the like, and then transported via the roller conveyor in a main conveying direction along the conveyor line.

[0014] The device further comprises a roughing mill train which comprises at least one roughing stand and is configured to reversibly roll the rolled products.

[0015] During reversing rolling, the rolled product defines or occupies a reversing area of ​​the roller table. This refers to the area that must be provided or kept free on the roller table for the rolled product to be moved back and forth in the roughing mill, extending it intermittently. As the thickness decreases due to rolling in the roughing mill, the rolled product becomes proportionally longer. Accordingly, the reversing area of ​​the roller table lengthens after each reduction.

[0016] The roughing mill stands are preferably four-high, each with two work rolls forming the roll gap and two backup rolls. The roughing mill preferably comprises a maximum of two roll stands. In reversing operation, after each process step in which one or more stands in the roughing mill have been passed through, the direction of rotation of the rolls is reversed, and the rolled product is passed through the roughing mill again in the opposite direction. Rolling in the roughing mill thus comprises several process steps with corresponding reductions or reversing operations before the rolled product is (roughly) rolled to the desired thickness and can be fed to further processes in the main conveying direction along the conveyor line. Interrelated process steps are summarized as so-called rolling and / or process phases.

[0017] According to the invention, the device comprises a transfer device arranged within the reversing area, preferably upstream of the roughing train, i.e., upstream of the roughing train as viewed in the main conveying direction. The transfer device is configured to transfer the rolled products from the roller table to a waiting area and back. The effective area of ​​the transfer device within the reversing area is hereinafter referred to as the transfer area.

[0018] The process sequence is controlled and / or regulated by a control device that communicates with the roller table, the roughing mill, and the transfer device. The control device is configured to transport a second rolled product via the roller table to the transfer device during the reversing rolling process of a first rolled product and to transfer it from the roller table to the waiting area by means of the transfer device, so that the reversing area of ​​the roller table is free for the next pass of the first rolled product in the rolling process.

[0019] In this way, the rolling pause in the roughing mill between two rolled products can be shortened through better utilization of the roller table. The transfer device and the waiting area, with appropriate control of the device, thus allow for increased production. When the subsequent rolled product is ready, the necessary kinematically determined rolling pause between two rolled products can theoretically be shortened to as little as 5 seconds using this device. Taking realistic process conditions into account, rolling pauses of less than or equal to 30 seconds, preferably less than or equal to 20 seconds, and most preferably less than or equal to 15 seconds can be achieved. In extreme cases (e.g., when modernizing an unfavorably designed billet feeding area), this would mean a time saving of up to 120 seconds per rolled product.

[0020] The waiting area can be relatively short, since at the time the transfer device is used, the rolled product has not yet been lengthened or has only been lengthened to a very small extent by a corresponding thickness reduction during rolling in the roughing train.

[0021] Existing systems can be easily retrofitted by installing the transfer system and waiting area. This only increases the system's dimensions insignificantly. The retrofit is usually possible without extending the system. Thus, the mechanical engineering contribution to improving productivity is particularly space-saving.

[0022] The control device is configured as described above to transport the second rolled product via the roller table to the transfer device during the reversing rolling process of the first rolled product and to transfer it from the roller table to the waiting area by means of the transfer device. The "rolling process" of a rolled product X comprises the time period from the start of the first to the end of the last pass of the rolled product X through the roughing train and comprises at least one rolling phase. Between the passes and rolling phases, further tasks can take place if necessary, such as scooping out the rolled product X. In other words, the transport and / or transfer of the second rolled product can, but does not have to, take place simultaneously with the execution of a rolling phase of the first rolled product, but merely simultaneously with the rolling process thus defined.

[0023] Communication between the control device and the system components to be controlled or regulated and / or read out can be wired or wireless, digital or analog. The control device can receive and / or send signals (control signals, data, etc.) accordingly, whereby both signal transport in one direction and in both directions falls under the term "communication" in this context. The control device does not necessarily have to be implemented by a central computing device or electronic control system, but can include decentralized and / or multi-level systems, control networks, cloud systems, and the like. The control device can also be an integral component of a higher-level system control system or communicate with such a system. The control device can also communicate with lower-level system control systems, i.e. controllers assigned to the corresponding devices.

[0024] Preferably, the control device is configured to transfer the second rolled product back to the roller table by means of the transfer device after the first rolled product has passed through the transfer area for the last time, i.e., following the last use of the corresponding roller table or reversing area by the first rolled product, and to roll it through the roughing stand in reverse. In this way, the second rolled product is pre-positioned during the rolling process of the first rolled product and can then be rolled through the roughing stand without a significant production interruption.

[0025] Preferably, the transfer device is configured to move the rolled product parked in the waiting area from the roller conveyor to the waiting area as quickly as possible, for example, at a speed of approximately 400 mm / s, and then return it to the roller conveyor at a later time, in particular to raise or lower it. When depositing the billet, the transfer speed can be significantly reduced shortly before it is placed on the roller conveyor to avoid possible surface damage to the rolled product caused by the transfer device, for example, during the last 50 mm until the rolled product comes into contact with the roller conveyor rollers.

[0026] Preferably, the control device is configured to transfer the second rolled product to the waiting area by means of the transfer device before the first dedicated pass (i.e., removal, thickness reduction) through the roughing stand. In other words, the second rolled product is parked in the waiting area in its unprocessed form, in particular as a slab or ingot. The transfer device and the waiting area can thus be designed to be particularly compact.

[0027] Alternatively, the control device can be configured to subject the second rolled product to at least one pass, preferably two or more passes, through the roughing train before transfer from the roller table to the waiting area by the transfer device ("multi-ingot rolling"). Such roughing of the second rolled product before transfer to the waiting area is particularly useful if the first rolled product is subjected to a further processing process during the rolling process, i.e., before a reversing process, which, for example, according to a preferred embodiment, includes scooping of the strip ends.

[0028] For this purpose, the device preferably comprises at least one cropping shear, which is installed at a defined position in the roughing mill and configured to trim the ends of the rolled products. The task of the cropping shear is to cut off the inferior ends of the rolled product produced by rolling. Preferably, the second rolled product is subjected to at least one pass, preferably two or more passes, through the roughing mill before transfer to the waiting area, while the first rolled product is scooped by means of the at least one cropping shear. In this way, the scooping of the first rolled product can be used synergistically to begin the rolling process of the second rolled product.

[0029] The transfer device preferably comprises a lifting device (such as a crane, walking beam, etc.) and / or a turret device and / or a rotating roller table and / or a shifting device (such as parallel ferries, pivoting ferries, pushers, etc.) and / or a tilting device. The transfer device is particularly preferably designed as a lifting device which lifts the rolled product upwards out of the roller table. With the aid of a rotating roller table, the ingot can be rotated 90° horizontally out of the transport direction and then transported out of the reversing area. With the aid of a shifting device, the ingot is transported into a position parallel to the main conveying direction. With a tilting device, the ingot is pivoted out of the reversing area with a pivoting movement of, for example, 45-180°. With a turret device, the ingot can be brought into a position parallel to the main roller table by rotating a turret.

[0030] Preferably, a temperature control device is installed in the waiting area, designed to actively or passively condition the temperature of the rolled product parked there. In the simplest case, the temperature control device is designed as an insulating hood to prevent or at least reduce cooling during the waiting time of the rolled product to be hot-rolled.

[0031] In certain cases, however, a possible temperature loss of the rolled product in the waiting area is acceptable and in some cases even desirable. For example, if low target temperatures are required in a finishing train to further increase production. The waiting time can be used to perform temperature measurements to optimize the control of the subsequent rolling process using precise measurement data.

[0032] The above-mentioned object is further achieved by a method for the reversing rolling of rolled products made of metal, in particular for the hot rolling of rolled products made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The method comprises: transporting a first rolled product via a roller table to a roughing mill; reversingly rolling the first rolled product through one or more roughing stands of the roughing mill, wherein the first rolled product defines a reversing region of the roller table during the reversing rolling.occupied; during the rolling process of the first rolled product through the roughing train, transporting a second rolled product via the roller table to a transfer device which is located in the reversing area of ​​the first rolled product and defines a transfer area; and during the rolling process of the first rolled product through the roughing train, transferring the second rolled product located in the transfer area by means of the transfer device from the roller table to a waiting area, so that the reversing area of ​​the roller table is free for the next reversing process of the first rolled product in the rolling process.

[0033] The technical effects, advantages and embodiments described with regard to the device apply analogously to the method.

[0034] For the reasons mentioned above, preferably after the first rolled product has passed through the transfer area for the last time, the second rolled product is transferred back to the roller table by means of the transfer device and then rolled in reverse through the roughing train.

[0035] Once the second rolled product has been conveyed from the waiting position back onto the roller conveyor and has cleared the transfer area, another (third) rolled product can be conveyed toward the transfer area. For the sake of simplicity, further numbering has been omitted. It is understood that the logical sequence of first and second rolled products continues continuously.

[0036] For the reasons stated above, the second rolled product is preferably transferred to the waiting area by means of the transfer device before the first pass through the roughing stand.

[0037] For the reasons mentioned above, the second rolled product is preferably passed through the

[0038] Transfer device subjected to at least one pass, preferably two or more passes, through the roughing train.

[0039] Preferably, for the reasons stated above, the second rolled product is subjected to at least one pass through the roughing train before transfer to the waiting area, while the first rolled product is scooped by means of at least one cropping shear.

[0040] For the reasons mentioned above, the rolled product parked in the waiting area is preferably subjected to temperature conditioning by means of a tempering device.

[0041] Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments. The features described therein can be implemented alone or in combination with one or more of the features set forth above, provided the features do not contradict each other. The following description of preferred embodiments is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Figures Preferred further embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Herein:

[0042] Figures 1a to 1e schematically show an apparatus for reversing rolling of rolled metal products according to an embodiment in different process stages;

[0043] Figures 2a to 2d schematically show a device for reversing rolling of rolled metal products according to a further embodiment in different process stages; and

[0044] Figures 3a to 3c schematically show devices for reversing rolling according to further embodiments.

[0045] Detailed description of preferred embodiments

[0046] Preferred embodiments are described below with reference to the figures. Identical, similar, or equivalent elements are provided with identical reference numerals in the figures, and a repeated description of these elements is partially omitted to avoid redundancy.

[0047] Figures 1a to 1e schematically show a device 1 for reversibly rolling a rolled product 100, 110 made of metal according to an embodiment in different process stages.

[0048] The device 1 functions in particular as a hot rolling mill for hot rolling, in particular pre-rolling, rolled products 100, 110, preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The device 1 has a roller table 10 configured to transport the rolled products 100, 110 along a conveyor line F. The roller table 10 comprises a plurality of rollers that are at least partially actively operable to transport the rolled products 100, 110 along the conveyor line F.

[0049] The rolled product 100, 110 is fed in the form of an ingot onto the roller conveyor 10 at a feed position A, for example by means of a crane and / or an ingot tipper, and then transported over the roller conveyor 10 in a main conveying direction along the conveying line F.

[0050] The device 1 further comprises a roughing mill 20 configured to reversibly roll the rolled product 100, 110, whereby the thickness of the rolled product 100, 110 gradually decreases while simultaneously increasing its length, so that the rolled product 100, 110 is rolled from a billet into a metal strip. The roughing mill 20 is depicted in the present figures as a single-stand roughing mill, although a multi-stand roughing mill can alternatively be used.

[0051] The roughing stand of the roughing mill 20 is preferably a four-high design, with two work rolls 21 forming the roll gap and two backup rolls 22.

[0052] In reversing operation, after each process step of the rolled product 100, 110, in which one and / or more stands in the roughing mill 20 have been passed through, the direction of rotation of the rolls 21, 22 is reversed, and the rolled product 100, 110 is passed through the roughing mill 20 again in the opposite direction. Rolling in the roughing mill 20 thus comprises several process steps before the rolled product 100, 110 is rolled to the desired thickness and can be fed to further processes in the main conveying direction along the conveyor line F. The roller table 10 upstream and downstream of the roughing mill must be dimensioned accordingly to accommodate the entire rolled product 100, 110 up to the dimension produced by the roughing mill 20.During reversing rolling, the rolled product 100, 110 thus occupies a reversing area Rb of the roller table 10, with the reversing area Rb between the ingot feed area A and the roughing stand 20 being particularly relevant here. The roller table behind the last stand of the roughing train 20 can also belong to the reversing area Rb.

[0053] The device 1 further comprises a transfer device 30, which, viewed in the main transport direction, is arranged directly in front of and / or behind the roughing stand 20 or at least within the reversing area Rb in front of and / or behind the roughing stand and is configured to move the rolled product 100, 110 from the roller table 10 into a waiting area 40 and, at the appropriate time, back onto the roller table 10. The transfer device 30 is installed, for example, within a distance of 50 m from the roughing stand of the roughing mill train 20. The effective area of ​​the transfer device 30 within the reversing area Rb is also referred to herein as the transfer area Tb.Because the transfer device 30 is positioned within the reversing area Rb, a simultaneous stay of the two rolled products 100,110 within the transfer area Tb must be avoided, whereas it is permissible for both rolled products 100,110 to be located at different locations within the reversing area Rb.

[0054] In the present embodiment, the transfer device 30 is configured to move the rolled product 100, 110 into the waiting area 40 and back before the first pass. In other words, the rolled product 100, 110 is parked in the unprocessed form as a slab in the waiting area 40 - in contrast to the subsequent embodiment of Figures 2a to 2d. In this way, through better utilization of the roller table 10, the

[0055] Shorten the rolling break of the roughing stand 20 between two rolled products 100, 110

[0056] This is achieved by transporting a subsequent, second rolled product 110 via the roller table 10 to the transfer device 30 simultaneously with a pass of a first rolled product 100 in the main transport direction. The subsequent, second rolled product 110 follows the first rolled product 100 in the rolling process and is then transferred by the transfer device 30 to the waiting area 40, so that the roller table 10 is free for the next pass of the first rolled product 100 in the rolling process. After the first rolled product 100 has left the transfer area Tb for the last time, the second rolled product 110 can be placed back onto the roller table 10 by the transfer device 30 from the waiting area 40 and subjected to reversing rolling by the roughing train 20.

[0057] The rolling and positioning process according to the present embodiment in detail:

[0058] Figure 1a shows a process stage in which a first rolled product 100 is reverse-rolled through the roughing train 20, with the current pass occurring opposite to the main conveying direction. Simultaneously, a second rolled product 110 in the form of a billet is placed on the roller table 10 at the loading position A.

[0059] At the time shown in Figure 1b, the rolling direction of the first rolled product 100 has been reversed; the first rolled product 100 is transported through the roughing train 20 in the main transport direction, and at the same time the second rolled product 110, i.e. the subsequent rolled product 110, is transported by the roller table 10 in the main transport direction to the transfer device 30. The second rolled product 110 thus directly follows the first rolled product 100 in the rolling process on the roller table 10. Figure 1c shows a process stage in which the second rolled product 110 has reached the transfer device 30, while the first rolled product 100 has completed or at least almost completed the current pass. The second rolled product 110 is now moved by the transfer device 30 from the roller table 10 to the waiting area 40.The first and second rolled products 100, 110 are located simultaneously in the reversing area Rb on the roller table 10, whereby only the second rolled product remains in the transfer area Tb in order to be transferred to the waiting area 40.

[0060] At the time shown in Figure 1d, the second rolled product 110 has been transferred from the transfer device 30 to the waiting area 40. The roller table 10 is now available for one or more additional passes of the first rolled product 100.

[0061] After completion of the last rolling phase of the first rolled product 100 on the corresponding roughing stand in the roughing mill train 20, the second rolled product 110 pre-positioned in the waiting area 40 is placed back onto the roller table 10 by means of the transfer device 30, see Figure 1e, and can now be regularly rolled in reversing through the roughing mill train 20.

[0062] The transfer device 30 can be designed as a lifting device that lifts the rolled product 110 upwards (alternatively downwards) out of the roller table 10. Alternatively, the rolled product 110 can be moved laterally out of the roller table 10 via the transfer device 30. The transfer device 30 can have a lifting device, a turret device, a rotating roller table, a shifting device, a tilting device, or alternative means designed to move the rolled product 110 out of the roller table 10 in such a way that it can be used for the reversing rolling of a previous rolled product 100. For example, the rolled product 110 can be lifted by the transfer device 30 approximately 1.5 m above the upper edge of the roller table rollers.The pre-positioning of the rolled product 110 in the waiting area 40 can, for example, take place 300 mm above the upper edge of the roller table rollers, while the previous, first rolled product 100 is transported below the parked, second rolled product 110 in the rolling process.

[0063] Preferably, the transfer device 30 is configured to move the rolled product 110 parked in the waiting area 40 from the roller conveyor to the waiting area 40 as quickly as possible, for example at a speed of approximately 400 mm / s, and then return it to the roller conveyor 10 at a later time, in particular to raise or lower it. When depositing the ingot, the transfer speed can be significantly reduced shortly before it is placed on the roller conveyor 10 in order to avoid possible surface damage to the rolled product 110 caused by the transfer device 30. For example, during the last 50 mm, until the rolled product 110 comes into contact with the roller conveyor rollers. The roller conveyor 10 can then be released again before the transfer device 30 or a lifting table thereof is in a final position, for example, approximately 10 mm below the upper edge of the roller conveyor rollers.The end position of the lifting table can be 40 mm or more below the top edge of the roller conveyor rollers.

[0064] Preferably, a temperature control device 41 is installed at the waiting area 40, which actively or passively conditions the temperature of the rolled product 110 parked there. In the simplest case, the temperature control device 41 is designed as an insulating hood to prevent or at least reduce cooling of the rolled product 110 to be hot-rolled.

[0065] Figures 2a to 2d show a further embodiment in which the second rolled product 110 to be parked in the waiting area 40 is subjected to at least one pass, here two passes, through the roughing train 20 before being transferred from the roller table 10. This is possible or expedient if the previous, first rolled product 100 is subjected to a further processing process between two passes, which according to the present exemplary embodiment comprises scooping out the strip ends. In contrast to the previous embodiment, the second rolled product 110 is therefore not parked in the waiting area 40 in the form of an ingot, i.e. before the first rolling phase, but the second rolled product 110 has already undergone one or more removal steps by the roughing stand 20.

[0066] The device 1 according to the present embodiment comprises, in addition to the roller table 10, the roughing stand 20, the transfer device 30, and the waiting area 40, at least one cropping shear 50, which is installed at a defined distance from the roughing stand 20, here behind (i.e., downstream of the roughing stand 20) as seen in the main transport direction. The task of the cropping shear 50 is to cut off the inferior ends of the rolled product 100, 110 produced by rolling.

[0067] The rolling and positioning process is carried out in detail according to the present embodiment:

[0068] Figure 2a shows a process stage in which a first rolled product 100 is rolled through the roughing mill 20, wherein the current rolling phase is completed and the first rolled product 100 is located behind the roughing mill 20 in the main transport direction. At the same time, a second rolled product 110 has been placed on the roller table 10 at the loading position A or is already being conveyed to the roughing mill in the main transport direction.

[0069] Subsequently, the ends of the first rolled product 100 are scooped by the cropping shear 50, while simultaneously the subsequent, second rolled product 110 is transported (further) in the main transport direction to the roughing stand 20 and there undergoes a first rolling pass through the roughing train 20. The second rolled product 110 thus first passes the transfer device 30 without the billet being moved out of the roller table 10. At the time in Figure 2b, both the first rolled product 100 and the second rolled product 110 are located behind, i.e., downstream of, the corresponding roughing stand of the roughing train 20, as seen in the main transport direction.

[0070] Subsequently, the rolling direction for the subsequent second rolled product 110 is reversed, and the transport of the second rolled product 110 through the roughing train 20 takes place counter to the main transport direction, whereby it can be subjected to further removal by the roughing stand 20, while at the same time the process of scooping the first rolled product 100 by the cropping shear 50 is continued.

[0071] At the time of Figure 2c, the subsequent, second rolled product 110, which has now already undergone at least one, preferably two or more removals, is located at the transfer device 30. The scooping of the first rolled product 100 is terminated and it can now be fed to the roughing train 20 for a further pass, counter to the main transport direction.

[0072] At the same time, the second rolled product 110 is moved by the transfer device 30 from the roller conveyor 10 into the waiting area 40.

[0073] At the time shown in Figure 2d, the second rolled product 110 has been transferred from the transfer device 30 to the waiting area 40. The roller table 10 is now available for the final rolling phase, with at least one, preferably two or more removals, of the advancing, first rolled product 100.

[0074] After the first rolled product 100 has left the transfer area Tb, the second rolled product 110 parked in the waiting area 40 is placed back onto the roller table 10 by means of the transfer device 30 and can now be further rolled regularly through the roughing train 20.

[0075] The transfer device 30 and the waiting area 40 described herein, with a suitable control of the device 1, allow an increase in production by saving time in the provision of the subsequent rolled product 110 on the roughing train 20.

[0076] The waiting area 40 does not have to be particularly long, since the rolled product 110 has not yet been lengthened or has only been lengthened very slightly by a corresponding thickness reduction during rolling in the roughing train 20 at the time the transfer device 30 is used.

[0077] Existing systems can be easily retrofitted by installing the transfer device 30 and the waiting area 40, optionally with a temperature control device 41. This only increases the system's dimensions insignificantly. The retrofit is usually possible without extending the system. Thus, the mechanical engineering contribution to improving productivity is particularly space-saving.

[0078] Any temperature loss of the rolled product 100, 110 in the waiting area 40 is acceptable in most cases and in some cases even desirable, for example, when low target temperatures are used in the finishing train (not shown in the figures) to further increase production.

[0079] For controlling and / or regulating the rolling processes with pre-positioning described above, a control device 200 is provided, which communicates with the various assemblies 10 to 50, actuators, sensors, and the like. The control device 200 is signal-connected to the components of the device 1 to be controlled or regulated and / or read, thus in particular to the roller table 10, the roughing mill 20, the transfer device 30, if applicable, the tempering device 41 of the waiting area 40, and the cropping shear 50.

[0080] Communication between the control device 200 and the system components to be controlled or regulated and / or read out can be wired or wireless, digital or analog. The control device 200 can receive and / or send signals (control signals, data, etc.) accordingly, whereby both signal transport in one direction and in both directions falls under the term "communication" in this context. The control device 200 does not necessarily have to be implemented by a central computing device or electronic control system; rather, decentralized and / or multi-level systems, control networks, cloud systems, and the like are included. The control device 200 can also be an integral component of a higher-level system control system or communicate with such a system. The control device 200 can also communicate with lower-level system controls, i.e., controls assigned to the corresponding devices.

[0081] Figures 3a, 3b and 3c schematically show further embodiments of a device 1 for reversing rolling of a rolled product, the level of detail being somewhat reduced for the sake of clarity.

[0082] The device 1 in Figure 3a essentially corresponds to the exemplary embodiment in Figures 1a to 1e with a feed device or feed position A and transfer device 30 arranged on one side of the roughing train 20, and a cropping shear 50 arranged on the other side of the roughing train 20. After roughing, the finished rough-rolled first rolled product is conveyed out of the area of ​​the roughing train 20 in a discharge direction Fa. The device 1 in Figure 3b has an arrangement in which a cropping shear 50 is arranged on each side of the roughing train 20. The feed position A can be positioned either in the area between one of the cropping shears 50 and the roughing train 20, or outside. In a logistically optimal manner, the transfer device 30 is arranged between the feed position A or a first cropping shear 50 and the roughing train 20.

[0083] The arrangement shown in Figure 3b allows a finished pre-rolled first rolled product to be discharged either in the direction of the discharge direction Fa according to the first arrow (left arrow) or according to the second arrow (right arrow). Typically, heavy pre-rolled products, which are processed into sheets or plates, are discharged in one direction, while other products, which are further rolled into thinner materials, are transported and discharged in the other direction.

[0084] Arranging the transfer device 30 on a side of the roughing mill 20 opposite the feed position A is technically feasible, but results in somewhat longer waiting times. Nevertheless, it may be quite sensible to choose such an alternative arrangement for the transfer device 30, for example, in the context of modernization projects.

[0085] The device 1 according to Figure 3c has an arrangement with two spaced-apart reversing stands of a roughing mill train 20. The feed position A is preferably located between the spaced-apart reversing stands of the roughing mill train 20. Due to the spacing of the two rolling stands of the roughing mill train 20, it is expedient to assign a transfer device 30 to each stand in order to keep the waiting times of the individual stands as short as possible. Due to the arrangement of the cropping shears 50, this arrangement allows the selective discharge of a first product in two discharge directions, as indicated by the corresponding arrows. It should be noted that designations of spatial relationships, for example "between", "vertical", "horizontal", "above", "below", "upstream", "downstream", "in front of", "behind", etc., are clearly determined by the design and intended use of the device 1 as well as the main transport direction of the rolled products 100, 110.

[0086] Where applicable, all individual features presented in the embodiments may be combined and / or exchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0087] List of reference symbols

[0088] 1 Device for reversing rolling of rolled products

[0089] 10 roller conveyor

[0090] 20 Roughing mill

[0091] 21 work roll

[0092] 22 support roller

[0093] 30 Transfer facility

[0094] 40 Waiting area

[0095] 41 Tempering device

[0096] 50 hair shears

[0097] 100 First rolled product

[0098] 110 Second rolled product

[0099] 200 control device

[0100] F conveyor line

[0101] A task position

[0102] Rb reversing range

[0103] TB transfer area

[0104] Fa discharge direction

Claims

Patent claims 1. Apparatus (1) for the reversing rolling of rolled products (100, 110) made of metal, in particular for rolling rolled products (100, 110) made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the apparatus (1) comprising: a roller table (10) configured to transport the rolled products (100, 110) along a conveyor line (F); a roughing train (20) configured to reversingly roll the rolled products (100, 110), the rolled products (100, 110) defining a reversing region (Rb) of the roller table (10) during the reversing rolling; a transfer device (30) arranged within the reversing area (Rb) and configured to transfer the rolled products (100, 110) located in a transfer area (Tb) from the roller table (10) to a waiting area (40) and back;and a control device (200) which is in communication with the roller table (10), the roughing train (20) and the transfer device (30) and is set up to control and / or regulate the reversing rolling process of the rolled products (100, 110) through the roughing train (20); wherein the control device (100) is further set up to transport a second rolled product (110) via the roller table (10) to the transfer device (30) during the reversing rolling process of a first rolled product (100) and to transfer it from the roller table (10) to the waiting area (40) by means of the transfer device (30), so that the; Reversing area (Rb) of the roller table (10) is free for the next rolling phase of the first rolled product (100) in the rolling process.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control device (200) is set up to transfer the second rolled product (110) back to the roller table (10) by means of the transfer device (30) after the first rolled product (100) has passed through the transfer area (Tb) for the last time and to roll it reversibly through the roughing train (20).

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device (200) is arranged to transfer the second rolled product (110) into the waiting area (40) by means of the transfer device (30) before the first separate pass through the roughing train (20).

4. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the control device (200) is arranged to subject the second rolled product (110) to at least one pass, preferably two or more passes, through the roughing train (20) before the transfer from the roller table (10) into the waiting area (40) by the transfer device (30).

5. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has at least one cropping shear (50) which is installed at a defined position in the roughing train (20) and is designed to trim the rolled products, in particular their ends (100, 110).

6. Device (1) according to claim 4 and 5, characterized in that the control device (200) is arranged to subject the second rolled product (110) to the at least one pass through the roughing train (20) before the transfer into the waiting area (40) while the first rolled product (100) is scooped by means of the at least one cropping shear (50).

7. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transfer device (30) comprises a lifting device and / or a turret device and / or a rotary roller table and / or a displacement device and / or a tilting device.

8. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a tempering device (41) is installed at the waiting area (40), which is designed to actively or passively condition the temperature of the rolled product (110) parked there, wherein the tempering device (41) preferably comprises an insulating hood.

9. A method for the reversible rolling of rolled products (100, 110) made of metal, in particular for rolling rolled products (100, 110) made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the method comprising: Transporting a first rolled product (100) via a roller table (10) to a roughing train (20); reversibly rolling the first rolled product (100) through the roughing train (20), wherein the first rolled product (100) defines a reversing region (Rb) of the roller table (10) during the reversing rolling; during the rolling process of the first rolled product (100) through the roughing train (20), transporting a second rolled product (110) via the roller table (10) to a transfer device (30) located in the reversing region (Rb) of the first rolled product (100); and during the rolling process of the first rolled product (100) through the roughing train (20), transferring the second rolled product (110) located in a transfer area (Tb) by means of the transfer device (30) from the roller table (10) into a waiting area (40), so that the reversing area (Rb) of the roller table (10) is free for the next rolling phase of the first rolled product (100) in the rolling process.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that after the first rolled product (100) has passed through the transfer area (Tb) for the last time, the second rolled product (110) is transferred back to the roller table (10) by means of the transfer device (30) and is then rolled in reverse by the roughing train (20).

11. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the second rolled product (110) is transferred into the waiting area (40) by means of the transfer device (30) before the first separate pass through the roughing train (20).

12. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the second rolled product (110) is subjected to at least one pass, preferably two or more passes, through the roughing train (20) before being transferred from the roller table (10) to the waiting area (40) by the transfer device (30).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the second rolled product (110) is subjected to at least one removal by the roughing train (20) before transfer to the waiting area (40), while the first rolled product (100) is scooped by means of at least one cropping shear (50).

14. Method according to one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the rolled product (110) parked in the waiting area (40) is subjected to temperature conditioning by means of a tempering device (41).

15. Method according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the rolled products (100, 110) are hot-rolled, preferably at approximately 350 to 600 °C.

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