Vertical Looper Meandering Prevention via Carriage Tilt Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional steel-sheet snaking preventing devices for vertical loopers are complex and costly due to the need for detectors and controllers to adjust chain or wire rope lengths based on elongation, and they often cause one-sided elongation of the steel sheet due to limited looper stroke, leading to plastic deformation.
Innovation Solution
A device that uses a tilt meter and level meter to detect the looper carriage tilt and height, allowing for precise control of the tilt to prevent snaking without adjusting chain or wire rope lengths, thereby simplifying the facility and preventing one-sided elongation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a large diameter loopers is used to process wide steel plates, then the steel plate can be processed without lateral bending, but the equipment size and investment cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single large-diameter looper into multiple small-diameter loopers (first looper, second looper, third looper, etc.) arranged in sequence. Each small looper handles a portion of the steel plate width, collectively achieving the flatness control that would otherwise require a single large looper. This segmentation reduces individual looper diameters while maintaining overall processing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-point contact approach (one large looper) to a distributed multi-point contact approach (multiple small loopers across the plate width). By distributing the loopers along the width direction and adjusting their individual diameters and positions, the system achieves comprehensive flatness control without requiring any single looper to have a large diameter.
2Device complexity
If multiple small diameter loopers are used instead of a single large diameter looper, then equipment size is reduced, but the steel plate may still experience lateral bending during processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic adjustment mechanisms for each small-diameter looper, including adjustable support rollers and tension control systems. These allow real-time modification of each looper's diameter, position, and applied force during processing, enabling the system to adapt to varying steel plate conditions and maintain flatness control that static single-looper systems cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates detection devices that monitor the steel plate's running state and flatness in real-time. This feedback information is used to dynamically adjust the parameters of each small looper (position, diameter, tension) to compensate for lateral bending tendencies, ensuring stable flatness control despite using multiple small loopers instead of one large looper.
3Strength
If the looper diameter is reduced, then the bending force on steel plate edges decreases, but the control precision over steel plate flatness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the flatness control function across multiple small loopers, each handling a specific zone of the steel plate, the system reduces the bending force required at each location while collectively maintaining high precision control. The distributed architecture allows fine-grained adjustment of each segment to optimize both force application and control precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical force application with a hybrid system incorporating detection devices and control mechanisms. This allows small loopers to achieve precise flatness control through intelligent coordination and real-time adjustment rather than relying on large mechanical forces, thereby maintaining control precision despite reduced individual looper diameters.
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
The solution effectively prevents steel-sheet snaking with a simpler facility setup, maintaining the steel sheet's integrity by controlling the looper carriage tilt to zero snaking points, reducing operational complexity and elongation issues.
Implementation Method 1
a tilt meter detects an amount of tilt of a looper carriage
Implementation Method 2
a level meter detects a height of the looper carriage
Data Source
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AI summary
An object is to provide a steel-sheet snaking preventing device and a steel-sheet snaking preventing method for a vertical looper that are capable of preventing snaking of a steel sheet with a simple facility. A steel-sheet snaking preventing device for a vertical looper includes a jack mechanism provided at each of at least two corners of a looper carriage and coupled via a metal fitting to a chain or a wire rope that pulls the looper carriage; a tilt meter configured to detect the amount of tilt of the looper carriage; a level meter configured to detect a height of the looper carriage; and a means for receiving detection signals from the tilt meter and the level meter, determining the amount of tilt of the looper carriage at which the amount of snaking of a steel sheet becomes zero, sending the determined amount of tilt of the looper carriage as a command to the jack mechanism, and controlling the amount of tilt of the looper carriage by the jack mechanism.