Rolling Mill Stand Layout for Precise Alignment and Fast Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rolling mills face issues such as symmetry about the horizontal axis requiring two abutments, gravity-induced wear, safety and practicality concerns, difficulty in individual locking, vibration, high maintenance costs, and alignment challenges, leading to reduced reliability and product quality.
Innovation Solution
A rolling mill design with vertically oriented rollers and 210° and 330° angled rollers, allowing for individual locking and alignment in three directions, with separate translation and positioning guides for precise stand positioning, reducing wear and maintenance, and enabling efficient stand replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If stands are arranged with horizontal axis symmetry in traditional rolling mills, then the machine structure is simplified, but the stands require overturning between even and odd positions which reduces productivity and increases maintenance complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by arranging rollers with vertical axes at different angular positions (210° and 330°) rather than symmetric horizontal arrangement. This asymmetric configuration eliminates the need to overturn stands between even and odd positions, as each stand maintains its optimal configuration throughout operation, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If stands are overturned between even and odd positions, then the same hardware can serve both configurations, but gravity-induced wear increases and safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of overturning stands to achieve different configurations, the patent inverts the approach by using vertically oriented rollers with asymmetric angular positions that eliminate the need for stand overturning. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining adaptability through the asymmetric roller arrangement while eliminating gravity-induced wear and safety concerns associated with stand overturning.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional horizontal roller arrangement is used, then manufacturing and installation are easier, but alignment precision and product quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal roller arrangement to vertical roller orientation, representing a dimensional change in the roller axis orientation. This vertical configuration with asymmetric angular positions (210° and 330°) improves alignment precision and product quality while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized vertical mounting procedures.
4Stability of the object's composition
If stands are locked in fixed positions, then alignment stability is improved, but individual stand replacement becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by designing the rolling mill with modular stands that can be individually locked in position during operation but independently replaced when needed. The vertical roller configuration with asymmetric angular positions allows each stand to be segmented as an independent replaceable unit, resolving the contradiction between alignment stability during operation and ease of replacement during maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
A stretch reducer and/or calibrating rolling mill for rod-shaped bodies, in particular tubular bodies, in particular hollow bodies, said rolling mill comprising a plurality of rolling stands each comprising a plurality of rolling rollers mutually arranged so as to define a passage for said rod-shaped bodies, wherein said rolling stands are arranged in sequence along a rolling direction so that the respective passages are substantially aligned to define a rolling path substantially parallel to said rolling direction, wherein each of at least two of said rolling stands comprises three rolling rollers.