Precision machine for cutting and depositing n0n-metallic spacers
The precision machine automates the cutting and deposition of non-metallic spacers between steel tube layers, addressing inefficiencies and safety concerns in existing methods, enhancing production efficiency and reducing costs and waste.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TECH HIVE LABS ASTIKI MI KERDOSKOPIKI ETAIREIA
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-23
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for addressing humidity issues in stacked steel tubes and hollow sections are inefficient, costly, and unsafe, as they either rely on air drying which is ineffective or manual spacer placement which is dangerous and labor-intensive.
A precision machine that cuts and deposits non-metallic spacers of varying materials into precise lengths and positions them between steel tube layers, integrating sensors and real-time communication to automate the process, reducing the need for human intervention and optimizing production efficiency.
Enhances safety, reduces production costs, improves reliability, and minimizes material waste by automating the spacer placement process while ensuring precise and repeatable placement of non-metallic spacers.
Smart Images
Figure GR2025050040_23072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] DESCRIPTION
[0002] PRECISION MACHINE FOR CUTTING AND DEPOSITING NON-METALLIC SPACERS
[0003] The invention relates to a machine advancing raw material of various cross-sections, such as cylindrical, square, and other, made of various materials, such as string, plastic, nylon, and other, cutting said raw material into desired length sections, and then depositing said sections as spacers on a predetermined, in three-dimensional space, position, in particular between consecutive layers of steel tubes and hollow sections during their vertical stacking according to claim 1.
[0004] Nowadays, steel tubes and hollow sections are mass-produced in a variety of cross-sections and dimensions and at the end of the production process they are stacked in bundles of various arrangements, most often of rectangular or hexagonal transverse - along their longitudinal axis - cross-section. In all of these production lines and at the various stages of the production process metal working fluid solutions for cooling and lubricating the steel are used, which contain a high amount of water. Humidity residues unavoidably trapped on the tube and hollow section surfaces create over time surface oxidations making the product less appealing to the buyer.
[0005] The most common solution to address this issue is that of leading the produced bundles in front, of an array of fans blowing air aiming at removal of humidity. However, this process is time-consuming and costly, due to the heavy weight and volume of the bundles, while most of the time it can't solve the problem as humidity still remains. An alternative solution to address the problem would be the production line operators to manually place prefabricated spacers between the tube and hollow section layers. This process creates the necessary clearance gap between the layers allowing natural circulation of air and finally humidity elimination while it prevents the creation of surface oxidation. However, manual placement of prefabricated spacers between the tube and hollow section layers is dangerous, as it takes place during the production process while in terms of productivity is malpractice due to inactivity intervals of human operators, their reduced performance as a result of fatigue resulting from the recurring and boring task, and prefabricated spacer raw material consumption, beyond normal levels, as only one length (the greatest existing) is used for each type of steel tube or hollow section.The present invention aims to provide a precision machine for cutting and depositing non- metallic spacers. This is achieved according to ciaim 1. Further embodiments and impiementations of the invention are the object of the dependent ciaims.
[0006] The advantage of this invention lies in the fact that the precision machine is adapted to the existing production process machines and a increases safety while at the same time reduces production cost as human personnel isn’t necessary any more in the production line for the placement of the spacers, b) improves the production line reliability as it enables repeatability., and c) reduces the wastage involved in the spacer construction as the raw material constituting the spacer is measured and cut in the required per case dimensions.
[0007] The machine according to the present invention is characterized in that it advances any raw material, of various cross-sections, such as cylindrical, square, as well as other, and made of various non-metallic materials, such as string, plastic, nylon, as well as other, cuts the raw material into desired length sections, and then deposits said sections on predetermined positions in the three-dimensional space, repeatedly.
[0008] According to the invention the machine for cutting and depositing non-metallic spacers includes supply spool supplying the raw material of any cross-section of various non-metallic materials, an effector rotating a pair of driving rollers at the same speed so that they advance the raw material linearly, by means of friction, a specially configured cylinder bearing circumferentially equally spaced magnets creating a Hall sensor, a flexible yet stable and long- lasting blade, which moves back and forth to cut the raw material, two sensors verifying the presence of material at the inlet and outlet of the raw material and an electronics unit ensuring two-way communication of the machine in real time by means of digital inputs- outputs with the other production line processes. The machine is configured to precisely cut and deposit on the three-dimensional space sections of desired length made of the raw material along the advancement axis.
[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the supply spool is configured to supply the raw material for mass production and includes a brush to prevent uncontrolled unwinding due to internal stress. Likewise, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention the precision machine is characterized by its ability to use square cross-section nylon to achieve high mechanical strength, zero humidity absorption, and increased sliding resistance.
[0010] According to an embodiment of the invention, the arrangement a) can supply thread of square cross-section nylon so that it combines high mechanical strength, zero humidity absorption,and increased sliding resistance, b) incorporates supply spool containing the thread in large quantities to respond to mass production needs, c) has rollers with shrinkage set under stress to reliably advance the raw material, d) includes sensors to verify the presence of material and at least one Hall sensor to calculate the length of the advanced raw material, e) has a blade to cut the raw material in the desired length, and f) includes electronics unit for two-way communication of the arrangement in real time with the other production line machines, An implementation mode of the invention Is described by reference to Figure 1, where it. depicts a perspective view of the arrangement, and Figure 2, which presents the inside of the arrangement. The arrangement, comprises a supply spool 1 with incorporated brush to prevent uncontrolled unwinding due to internal stress, which supplies the raw material 2 simultaneously preventing uncontrolled unfolding. The raw material 2 is advanced by a pair of driving rollers 3 by means of friction, the coefficient of which is increased by the shrinkage they have as well as the fact that they are under stress by means of an arrangement comprising at least one spring.
[0011] A rotary effector 4 rotates the pair of driving rollers 3 at the same rotational speed. A second pair of rollers includes a specially configured cylinder 5 bearing circumferentially equally spaced magnets thus creating a Hall sensor to calculate the length of the advanced raw material 2 by counting the number of rotations of the specially configured cylinder 5. A flexible yet stable and long-lasting blade 6 moves back and forth, preferably by a linear effector to cut the raw material 2. Two sensors 7, one at the inlet and the other at the outlet of the arrangement verify the presence of raw material 2 tn the arrangement. The operation of the machine is paused in case the presence of raw material 2 is not verified. An electronics unit 8 ensures two-way communication of the arrangement in real time via digital inputs-outputs with the other production line machines for its simultaneous operation.
Claims
CLAIMS1. Precision machine for cutting and depositing non-metallic spacers which includes supply spool (1) supplying raw material (2) of any cross-section made of various non- metallic materials, an effector (4) rotating a pair of driving rollers (3) at the same speed so that they advance, by means of friction, the raw materia! (2) linearly, a specially configured cylinder (5) bearing circumferentially equally spaced magnets creating a Hall sensor, a flexible yet stable and long-lasting blade (6), which moves back and forth to cut the raw material, two sensors (7) verifying the presence of materia! at the inlet and outlet of the raw material (2) and an electronics unit (8) ensuring two-way communication of the arrangement In real time via digital inputs- outputs with the other production line processes for its simultaneous operation, wherein the machine is configured in such a way that it precisely cuts and deposits in the three-dimensional space non-metallic sections of desired length made of the raw material {2} along the advancement axis.
2. The precision machine for cutting and depositing non-metallic spacers according to claim 1 characterized by the supply spool (1) supplying the raw material (2) for mass production and comprising brush to prevent uncontrolled unwinding due to internal stress.
3. The precision machine for cutting and depositing non-metallic spacers according to claim 1 or 2 characterized by the ability to use square cross-section nylon to achieve high mechanical strength, zero humidity absorption, and increased sliding resistance.
4. The precision machine for cutting and depositing non-metaliic spacers according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that the rollers (3) have shrinkage and are under stress by means of an arrangement comprising at least one spring, so that the coefficient of friction is increased due to the shrinkage of the rollers and application of stress.
5. The precision machine for cutting and depositing non-metallic spacers according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 characterized in that the rotary effector (4) rotates the driving rollers (3) at the same speed so that the raw material (2) motion in space is rectilinear.
6. The precision machine for cutting and depositing non-metailic spacers according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 characterized by a second pair of rollers which includes the specially configured cylinder (5) that bears circumferentially equally spaced magnets creating a Hall sensor and calculates the advanced raw material (2) length by counting the number of rotations of the specially configured cylinder (5).
7. The precision machine for cutting and depositing non-metailic spacers according to ciaim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 characterized in that the blade (6) moves back and forth by a linear effector.