Mill Roll Thermal Spraying for Uniform Roughness and Coating Thickness

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed thermal spraying technology struggles to reliably manage the thickness and uniform roughness of coatings on work mill rolls, affecting the service life and quality of sheet metal production, as it influences the coefficient of friction and roughness transfer to the strip, leading to defects and increased wear.

Innovation Solution

A method involving thermal spraying of a powder with specific granulometry and feed flow to achieve isotropic roughness, using a helical deposition pattern with controlled rotational and translational speeds, ensuring uniform coating thickness and managing the number of peaks to optimize roughness and extend the service life of mill rolls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If high-speed thermal spraying is used to deposit hard coating on mill rolls, then the service life of mill rolls is improved, but the uniformity of roughness and thickness control becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice life of mill rollsVSAvoiduniformity of roughness and thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the mill roll rotate during the thermal spraying process. The rotation speed and spray gun movement speed are dynamically coordinated to ensure uniform coating deposition. The spray gun moves parallel to the roll axis while the roll rotates, creating a controlled helical deposition pattern that distributes coating material uniformly across the surface, thereby maintaining both service life improvement and roughness uniformity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Force

If the roughness of mill rolls is increased to improve friction coefficient, then the grip on strip is improved, but the abrasion and contamination of strip increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoefficient of frictionVSAvoidabrasion and contamination of strip
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the roughness parameters through coordinated rotation and spray speeds. By optimizing the interaction between roll rotation speed and spray gun movement speed, the coating deposits with controlled roughness characteristics. This allows achieving the optimal friction coefficient range that provides sufficient grip on the strip while minimizing excessive roughness that would cause abrasion and contamination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of stationary object

If the coating thickness is increased to ensure service life, then the durability of mill rolls is improved, but the roughness uniformity and defect risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice life of mill rollsVSAvoidrisk of defects in strip
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses dynamic coordination between roll rotation and spray gun movement to achieve uniform coating thickness. The synchronized motion ensures that coating material is deposited at a consistent rate across the entire roll surface, preventing localized thick deposits that could create defects. This dynamic approach allows achieving sufficient coating thickness for service life while maintaining uniformity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Strength

If traditional chrome plating is used on mill rolls, then the surface hardness is improved, but the service life compared to hard particle coating is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurface hardnessVSAvoidservice life of mill rolls
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies composite materials by depositing a coating consisting of hard particles (such as carbides) embedded in a metal matrix binder. This composite structure combines the high hardness of ceramic particles with the toughness and adhesion of the metal matrix. The resulting coating achieves superior service life compared to traditional chrome plating, as the hard particles provide wear resistance while the metal matrix ensures proper adhesion and shock absorption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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 method achieves uniform and controlled roughness, enhancing the service life of mill rolls by maintaining the required coefficient of friction and preventing defects, thereby improving the quality and performance of the strip during rolling.

Implementation Method 1

high-speed thermal spraying technology

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal spraying: Plasma Spray

Implementation Method 2

thermal spraying of a powder to be sprayed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal heating: Heating

Implementation Method 3

the spraying column moves translationally at a speed (Vt), parallel to the axis of the mill roll to deposit the material according to a helical figure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHelical figure deposition: Helix

Implementation Method 4

the roughness of the mill roll affects the coefficient of friction between the strip and the mill rolls during rolling

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS20240401182A1Method for optimising the roughness of a rolling mill roll by means of high-speed thermal spraying
Publication Date: 2024.12.05 FIVES STEEL SPAIN SA
  • US20240401182A1 patent drawing
  • US20240401182A1 patent drawing
  • US20240401182A1 patent drawing

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for coating a mill roll by means of thermal spraying of a powder by means of a spraying column to form an isotropic roughness (Ra) on the surface of said mill roll, wherein the mill roll rotates at a speed (Vr) about the longitudinal axis thereof and the spraying column moves translationally at a speed (Vt), depositing the material in a helicoidal way. After establishing a granulometry (G) of powder to be sprayed, an objective roughness (Ra) and an objective thickness (t) of the coating, the corresponding feed flow (Fr) of powder is determined in an empirical table which shows the objective roughness (Ra) on the basis of the feed flow (Fr) and the granulometry (G) according to a pre-established formula, after which the rotational speed (Vr) and the translational speed (Vt) are defined from an equation that relates the objective coating thickness (t) as a function of the defined feed flow (Fr), the translational speed (Vt) and the rotational speed (Vr).