Coil Mandrel Stabilization for Thin Hot Strip

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Thin hot strips are prone to inner winding collapse when the coiler mandrel is expanded and during transport, leading to loose windings, which disrupts further processing and requires manual reworking or additional measures.

Innovation Solution

A method involving winding the strip onto a spread coiler mandrel, fixing the coil by spot welding or bonding between strip parts during discharge, and using a welding robot with thermal insulation and water cooling to stabilize the inner windings, ensuring the coil is securely removed from the mandrel.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the coiler mandrel is expanded to wind thin hot strip, then the strip can be wound onto the mandrel, but the inner windings collapse and come loose during transport and cooling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction share of thin stripVSAvoidcoil winding stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing spot welding or material bonding between superimposed strip parts in the coil eye region before the coil is fully removed from the mandrel. This提前 fixation prevents the inner windings from collapsing during subsequent mandrel retraction and transport operations, addressing the reliability issue while maintaining productivity for thin strip production

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary fixation mechanism (spot welding or material bonding) that acts as a mediator between the strip windings and the coil structure. This intermediary connection stabilizes the inner windings without requiring structural changes to the mandrel or coil, resolving the contradiction between handling thin strip efficiently and maintaining winding stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If manual reworking or additional measures are taken to prevent inner winding collapse, then coil stability improves, but production efficiency decreases due to extra steps

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinner winding stabilityVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by having the coil eye region perform its own stabilization through automatic spot welding or material bonding of superimposed strip parts. This eliminates the need for manual reworking operations, as the coil structure itself provides the necessary stabilization, thereby maintaining high production efficiency while improving reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical reworking operations with an automated welding or bonding process. This substitution eliminates labor-intensive manual interventions while providing more consistent and reliable fixation of the inner windings, thus improving both reliability and productivity simultaneously

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

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Prevents inner winding collapse and ensures stable coil formation, allowing for efficient processing and transportation of thin hot strips without manual reworking, particularly effective for strips with thicknesses less than 1.2 mm and high coil temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

fixing the coil by spot welding or bonding between strip parts during discharge

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpot welding: Welding

Implementation Method 2

the welding robot and/or the welding head and/or the power supply to the welding robot having water cooling

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWater cooling: Cooling

Implementation Method 3

the welding robot and/or the welding head and/or the power supply to the welding robot being provided with thermal insulation

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP2982452B1Method for producing a coil from metallic strip
Publication Date: 2016.10.19 SMS GROUP GMBH
  • EP2982452B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2982452B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2982452B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing a coil (1) from metallic strip, in which the strip is wound onto an expandable mandrel (2) and the finished coil (1) is placed onto a bale carriage (3) and transported away from the mandrel (2). To efficiently stabilize the windings in the inner region of the coil, the method comprises the following steps: a) winding the strip onto the mandrel (2); b) picking up the coil (1) onto the bale carriage (3); c) expanding the mandrel (2); d) retracting the coil (1) from the mandrel (2), wherein such a retraction movement is carried out that the axial end of the mandrel (2) is located a predetermined amount (X1) away from the end face of the coil (1) in the coil eye (4), wherein the predetermined amount (X1) is less than the width (B) of the coil (1). e) Spreading the reel tang (2);f) Setting a fix between at least two superimposed strip sections of the strip in the area of ​​the coil eye (4) from which the reel mandrel (2) was removed; g) Unspreading the reel mandrel (2) and completely withdrawing the coil (1) from the reel mandrel (2) by a relative movement between the reel mandrel (2) and the coil carriage (3) in the direction of the axis (a) of the reel mandrel (2). The invention further relates to a device for carrying out the method.