Rolling Mill Drawing Action Control for Cobble Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Continuous rolling mills face issues with cobble, where material does not flow correctly between rolling stands, leading to accumulation, equipment damage, and safety risks. Existing solutions do not effectively control and adjust the drawing action to prevent such blockages.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a video monitoring system, processing system, and automation system that acquires frames of the product being rolled, processes them to define normal rolling ranges, and adjusts rolling parameters, such as motor speeds and roll gaps, to maintain optimal drawing action and prevent cobble.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the drawing action between rolling stands is not correctly controlled, then material flow becomes unstable and cobble occurs, but increasing control complexity may lead to more sophisticated equipment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses video monitoring to detect product position and oscillations in real-time, feeds this information back to the control system, which automatically adjusts rolling stand speeds to maintain optimal drawing action and prevent cobble
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical monitoring and adjustment with an automated optical detection system (video cameras) and electronic control system that automatically adjusts rolling parameters based on detected product position and oscillations
2Object-affected harmful factors
If special caissons are used to confine riskiest rolling passes, then damage to machines is limited, but visual check by operators is prevented and operator safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual visual monitoring with automated video monitoring that can safely observe rolling passes without requiring operators to be in dangerous positions, while still providing continuous surveillance data
Solution Approach 2:
The video monitoring system acts as an intermediary between operators and the rolling process, allowing operators to remotely monitor product position and oscillations without being exposed to dangerous areas
3Object-affected harmful factors
If spider web metal wire is inserted in free spaces of the machine, then damage on machines is limited when cobble occurs, but production loss increases due to manual intervention requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically detecting cobble conditions through video monitoring and triggering emergency stops without requiring manual inspection or intervention, allowing the system to protect itself and maintain continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The video monitoring system provides continuous feedback on product position and oscillations, enabling the control system to automatically detect cobble conditions and initiate protective actions before machine damage occurs
4Reliability
If video monitoring is used to detect product deformations and adjust rolling roll speeds, then cobble prevention is improved, but the system cannot carry out precise adjustment of inter-stand drawing action
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses video monitoring feedback to detect product position and oscillations, and the control system processes this information to automatically adjust rolling stand speeds with precise control, maintaining optimal drawing action between stands
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances the video monitoring system with automated image processing and control algorithms that precisely measure product position and oscillations, enabling accurate automatic adjustment of rolling parameters without manual intervention
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus to control and adjust the drawing action in a rolling mill provided with rolling stands through which a product passes. A video monitoring system acquires frames of the product; a processing system that processes the frames and defines a normal rolling range within which the product being rolled must be positioned; identifies the position of the product and its geometric characteristics; and identifies a possible variation of the position of the product being rolled over time based on the analysis of the sequence of frames acquired. An automation system is associated with the rolling mill, configured to receive data relating to the position of the product to determine the continuation of the rolling if the product is correctly positioned in the range, or a variation of the rolling parameters if the position of the product being rolled is able to generate a cobble which is outside of the range.