Asymmetric Guide Elements for Parallelogram Plate Rolling

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge in plate rolling mills is that rectangular plates often become parallelogram-shaped due to uneven friction, leading to instability and deformation, especially when rolling thin and wide plates, as they may not enter the roll stand with straight edges, causing transverse forces and rotation issues.

Innovation Solution

The method involves using guide elements that are initially positioned symmetrically but adjusted asymmetrically after detecting offset side surfaces during the first rolling pass, ensuring the guide elements are adjusted to prevent further deformation by maintaining contact with one side and creating a tolerance gap to prevent sticking, thereby stabilizing the plate's entry into the roll stand.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If guide elements are positioned symmetrically at a distance from the plate, then the plate can be centered, but the plate rotates and becomes unstable when entering the roll stand

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplate stabilityVSAvoidplate straightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The guide elements are positioned asymmetrically relative to the plate width, with the first guide element closer to the first side surface and the second guide element closer to the second side surface. This asymmetric positioning compensates for the plate's tendency to rotate during entry, allowing the plate to enter the roll stand straight despite having a parallelogram shape, thereby maintaining manufacturing precision while preserving stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The method detects whether the plate has a parallelogram shape before it enters the roll stand and pre-adjusts the guide element positions accordingly. This preliminary action of detecting and adjusting guide element positions prevents the plate from rotating during entry, ensuring stable and precise rolling from the outset

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If guide elements are driven close to the plate side surfaces, then the plate guidance is improved, but the wider plate ends get stuck in the side guide

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplate guidance accuracyVSAvoidplate passage smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element positions are made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The system can change the position of guide elements between rolling passes, allowing them to be closer to the plate for improved guidance accuracy when needed, and adjusted to accommodate varying plate widths and shapes to prevent getting stuck

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The distance between guide elements and plate side surfaces is changed as a variable parameter based on plate conditions. By detecting the plate shape and adjusting the guide element positions accordingly, the system optimizes the balance between guidance accuracy and smooth passage, preventing plate ends from getting stuck while maintaining precise guidance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If plates with width greater than length are pushed into the roll gap at excessive speed, then they are straightened, but production efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplate straightnessVSAvoidproduction efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical method of pushing plates at excessive speed to straighten them is replaced with a control system that detects plate shape and adjusts guide element positions. This substitution eliminates the need for excessive speed pushing while achieving the same straightening effect, thereby maintaining production efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates detection of plate shape (whether side surfaces are offset) and uses this feedback to adjust guide element positions accordingly. This closed-loop control achieves plate straightening through intelligent guidance rather than brute force, maintaining both precision and productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2699365B1Method for rolling plates, computer program, data carrier and control device
Publication Date: 2015.06.24 PRIMETALS TECH GERMANY GMBH
  • EP2699365B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2699365B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

Trouble-free operation of an installation for rolling plates (4) or sheets that have lost their rectangular form and have the form of a parallelogram is ensured by preventing the plate (4) from meandering as it enters a rolling stand (2). A first rolling pass is carried out and, when the plate runs out from the rolling stand, it is determined whether the side faces (12, 14) of the plate (4) are offset in relation to one another in the rolling direction. If the side faces (12, 14) of the plate (4) are offset in relation to one another in the rolling direction (6), i.e. if the plate (4) is parallelogram-shaped and has an oblique end, in a second rolling pass guiding elements (12, 14) of the rolling stand (2) are set asymmetrically with respect to a centre line (M). A first guiding element (18) for the side face (14), which is the first to enter the rolling stand (2) in the second rolling pass, is thereby adjusted further away from the centre line (M) than the second guiding element (16).