Non-Rotating Shaft Osculation for Continuous Casting Rolls
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Bearing life is shortened in continuous casting machines due to harsh environments, and there is a need for improved osculation between the non-rotating shaft and the inner ring of the bearing to facilitate service and replacement of roll segments.
Innovation Solution
A non-rotating shaft with a circular cross-section and a portion that has a smooth peripheral, where the distance from any point on the portion to the center is shorter than the radius, providing a larger contact area and facilitating mounting and dismounting of roll segments, with adjustable angles and shapes to enhance osculation and load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a standard circular shaft is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the osculation with the bearing inner ring is poor and bearing life is shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is designed with a portion having a smooth peripheral where the distance from any point to the center is shorter than the radius, creating a locally modified geometry that improves osculation with the bearing inner ring. This local quality change increases the contact area between shaft and bearing, thereby extending bearing life without requiring complete structural redesign
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a curved smooth peripheral portion on the shaft with radius shorter than the nominal shaft radius. This curvature modification creates better osculation with the bearing inner ring, improving contact conditions and reducing stress concentrations that would otherwise shorten bearing life
2Reliability
If the shaft diameter is increased to improve osculation, then the contact area increases, but the ease of mounting and dismounting roll segments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the overall shaft diameter, the invention creates a localized smooth peripheral portion with modified geometry. This local modification provides improved osculation and larger contact area at the bearing interface while maintaining the original shaft diameter elsewhere, preserving ease of mounting and dismounting operations
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft geometry is segmented into different zones: a portion with smooth peripheral for bearing support and other sections with standard geometry. This segmentation allows the bearing-contacting portion to have optimized osculation characteristics while other portions maintain features that facilitate assembly and disassembly operations
Data Source
Figure 1a~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention comprises a non-rotating shaft for supporting a mechanical element of a roll segment in a continuous casting machine, having an essentially circular cross-section. The circular cross-section presents a portion having a smooth peripheral, wherein the distance between any point of the portion and a center of the circular cross-section is shorter than a radius of the circular cross-section. Furthermore, the circular cross-section presenting the portion extends axially, which defines a section of the shaft meant to a least partly receive the mechanical element, and the section of the shaft is meant to receive a load at least partly at the portion. In addition, according to a second aspect, the invention comprises a segment roll for a continuous casting machine, which comprises the non-rotating shaft according to the first aspect.