Laser Grooving and Spatter Removal for Grain-Oriented Electrical Steel

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for miniaturizing magnetic domains in directional electric steel plates face challenges such as temporary effects, damage to insulating coatings, high manufacturing costs, difficulty in controlling groove formation, environmental concerns, and complexity in processing, which affect iron loss and magnetic flux density.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that control the vertical position of a steel plate using a supporting roll, emit a laser beam to form grooves while adjusting tension and controlling warp, and include a removing unit to efficiently remove spatters and contaminants, optimizing the process for high-speed processing and maintaining magnetic domain miniaturization effects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If laser beam is emitted to form grooves on steel plate surface, then magnetic domains are miniaturized and iron loss is reduced, but spatters and contaminants are generated on the surface

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveiron lossVSAvoidspatters and contaminants
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies air blowing to remove spatters and contaminants generated by laser processing. The harmful spatters are converted into removable particles by utilizing air flow to blow them away from the steel plate surface, transforming a harmful byproduct into a manageable condition that can be easily eliminated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Productivity

If high-speed laser processing is performed, then productivity is improved, but magnetic domain miniaturization stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidmagnetic domain miniaturization stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies air blowing before the steel plate enters the laser processing zone to pre-remove spatters and contaminants. This preliminary action ensures that the surface is clean before laser processing begins, maintaining stable magnetic domain miniaturization even at high processing speeds by preventing contamination buildup that would otherwise destabilize the process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If laser processing is performed without air blowing, then device complexity is reduced, but product quality deteriorates due to contaminants

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocess simplicityVSAvoidproduct quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an air blowing mechanism using pneumatic principles to remove spatters and contaminants from the steel plate surface during laser processing. By utilizing compressed air flow, the system achieves effective contaminant removal without requiring complex mechanical scraping or chemical cleaning systems, maintaining relatively simple device architecture while significantly improving product quality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

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

This approach stabilizes magnetic domain miniaturization at high speeds, improves iron loss reduction, enhances product quality by removing contaminants, and minimizes magnetic flux density deterioration, enabling efficient mass production of high-quality products.

Implementation Method 1

melting the steel plate by emitting a laser beam to form grooves on the surface of the steel plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLaser heating: Laser

Implementation Method 2

spraying air to blow spatters dropped on the steel plate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAir flow: Fluid Spray

Data Source

PatentEP3406743B1Method for refining magnetic domains of grain-oriented electrical steel plates, and apparatus therefor
Publication Date: 2022.01.05 POHANG IRON & STEEL CO LTD
  • EP3406743B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3406743B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3406743B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

By optimizing equipment and processing, magnetic domain miniaturization efficiency can be increased, workability can be improved, and processing ability can be increased through same. Provided is a method for miniaturizing the magnetic domains of a directional electric steel plate, the method comprising: a steel plate supporting roll position adjusting step of controlling the vertical direction position of a steel plate while supporting the steel plate progressing along a production line; and a laser emitting step of melting the steel plate by emitting a laser beam to form grooves on the surface of the steel plate and a removing steel plate surface step of to remove remaining spatters dropped on the surface of the steel plate after the laser emitting.