Conical Support Roller Drive for Single-Step Workpiece Descaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing descaling devices for circular workpieces require multiple repositioning steps to access all surfaces, leading to increased time, cooling, and manufacturing costs due to the need for relocation devices and the inability to descale concealed surfaces in a single step.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece drive with three support roller modules, each with a rotating support roller forming a conical receptacle, allowing the workpiece to be centered and rotated without a guide, enabling simultaneous descaling of all surfaces with reduced contact area and cooling, and a descaling device with multiple descalers positioned to irradiate the workpiece's outer and inner surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rotary table with a single axis of rotation is used, then the workpiece can be rotated for descaling, but the workpiece must be repositioned multiple times to access all surfaces, increasing processing time and cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a single-axis rotary table to a multi-axis support roller system. The three support rollers are arranged to rotate about different axes that intersect at a common point, enabling the workpiece to be accessed from multiple dimensions simultaneously. This dimensional change allows all surfaces to be descaled without repositioning, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention divides the single rotary table into three separate support rollers, each capable of independent rotation about its own axis. This segmentation allows each roller to be optimally positioned for accessing specific workpiece surfaces, eliminating the need for repositioning and reducing processing time while maintaining operational ease.
2Reliability
If the workpiece rests on the rotary table, then the workpiece is supported, but the contact area causes cooling of the workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The support rollers are designed with conical surfaces that contact the workpiece at reduced contact areas compared to a flat rotary table surface. The curved conical geometry concentrates the support function at specific points while minimizing the contact area, thereby reducing heat transfer to the rollers and maintaining workpiece temperature while providing reliable support.
3Measurement precision
If a guide (mandrel) is used to center the workpiece, then the workpiece can be centered on the axis of rotation, but the guide covers another surface of the workpiece, making it inaccessible to the descaling machine
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the central mandrel guide from the system and replaces it with three support rollers whose axes intersect at a common point. This extraction eliminates the obstruction caused by the mandrel, allowing all surfaces of the workpiece to be accessed by the descaling machine while the support rollers themselves provide the necessary centering function through their geometric arrangement.
4Ease of operation
If multiple repositioning steps are required to access all surfaces, then all surfaces can be descaled, but relocation devices are needed, increasing device complexity and manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
The three support rollers serve multiple functions simultaneously: they support the workpiece, enable rotation, provide centering, and allow access to all surfaces. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate relocation devices, reducing device complexity and manufacturing costs while maintaining full surface accessibility for descaling.
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
Enables the descaling of all surfaces of a circular workpiece in a single step, reducing cooling and eliminating the need for relocation devices, thus decreasing processing time and costs while maintaining the workpiece's high temperature.
Implementation Method 1
The radius decreases in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis. The bearings are arranged on the carrier in such a way that the longitudinal axes have an intersection point, that the longitudinal directions are directed towards the intersection point, and that the lateral surfaces for a workpiece placed on the support rollers form a conical receptacle
Implementation Method 2
Each support roller module has a drive, and the drive is configured to rotate the support roller about the longitudinal axis
Data Source
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AI summary
A workpiece drive (3) for rotating a circular workpiece (20) in a descaling device (1) is presented, wherein the workpiece drive (3) has a carrier (8). The invention addresses the problem of making all the faces of the circular workpiece (20) accessible for descaling in a single work step. The problem is solved by a workpiece drive (3) having at least three carrier roller modules (9), wherein each of the carrier roller modules (9) has a mount (10) and a carrier roller (11) for the circular workpiece (20), wherein the carrier roller (11) has a longitudinal axis (12), a lateral surface (13) and a radius (14) between the longitudinal axis (12) and the lateral surface (13), and the radius (14) decreases in a longitudinal direction (15) along the longitudinal axis (12), wherein the mount (10) mounts the carrier roller (11) such that the latter is rotatable about the longitudinal axis (12), wherein each of the carrier roller modules (9) has a drive (16) and the drive (16) is configured to rotate the carrier roller (11) about the longitudinal axis (12), and wherein the mounts (10) are arranged on the carrier (8) such that the longitudinal axes (12) have an intersection point (18) and lie in a plane (19) perpendicular to the gravity field vector (g) and such that the longitudinal directions (15) are directed towards the intersection point (18).