Reel Drive Control for Constant Wire Tension

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for controlling the drive of a reel with a coil in wire processing machines fail to maintain constant wire tension and adapt to highly dynamic processing machines, leading to uneven wire feed and fluctuating tensile loads, which affect the accuracy and reproducibility of machining tasks.

Innovation Solution

A method where the speed profile of the reel is controlled using a predetermined speed-time profile that is offset by a specified period of time relative to the feed speed profile, allowing the reel to start before the feed rollers, ensuring smooth operation and compensating for rapid changes in wire feed speed, thereby maintaining constant tensile loads and achieving higher processing speeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the reel is controlled as a reaction to feed movement using known control methods, then the reel can adapt to feed speed changes, but the reaction is not sufficiently rapid for highly dynamic processing machines, causing uneven wire feed and fluctuating tensile loads

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire feed consistencyVSAvoidreel response speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The speed-time profile for the reel is determined in advance based on the feed speed-time profile, allowing the reel to anticipate and prepare for speed changes rather than reacting to them. This preliminary determination enables the reel control to proactively adjust wire delivery speed before feed speed changes occur, eliminating delays and ensuring consistent wire tension during dynamic processing operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the reel speed is adjusted to follow feed speed changes, then wire feed can adapt to processing requirements, but tensile loads fluctuate and wire can buckle, affecting machining accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewire feed adaptationVSAvoidmachining accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The control system continuously monitors the feed speed and uses this information to dynamically adjust the reel speed through the determined speed-time profile. This feedback mechanism ensures that the reel delivers wire at the precise speed required by the processing machine, maintaining constant tensile loads and preventing wire buckling while adapting to varying processing requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of manufacture

If the reel starts after the feed rollers, then the system follows a simple sequential operation, but pressure peaks occur during start-up and wire tension fluctuates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system simplicityVSAvoidwire tension stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The reel is configured to start before the feed rollers based on the predetermined speed-time profile, which calculates the optimal start sequence. This preliminary action allows the reel to begin delivering wire in advance, creating a buffer that prevents tension fluctuations and pressure peaks during feed roller startup, while the automated profile determination keeps the control system relatively simple

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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 ensures smooth reel operation, maintains constant tensile loads, and allows for higher processing speeds, improving the accuracy and reproducibility of machining tasks while enabling the production of different parts without changing the coiler, with minimal fluctuation in tensile loads.

Implementation Method 1

a tensioning device which is resiliently pretensioned in a direction of deflection and is effective up to a maximum deflection, in order to keep the wire tension approximately constant

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2368649B1Method of controlling the drive of a reel
Publication Date: 2012.02.08 WAFIOS AKTIENGES
  • EP2368649B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2368649B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2368649B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The device has a wire storage that is formed in the form of a coil (9), from which the wire (5) is fed under interposition of a clamping unit (11) for approximated stabilization of the wire tension of a transverse feed unit (4). The drive control of a winch (3) starts the speed-time profile of the reel opposite to the speed-time profile of feed speed around a predetermined time period.