Tapered Support Roller Drive for Full-Surface Workpiece Descaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing descaling devices for circular workpieces require repositioning to access all surfaces, which is time-consuming, costly, and leads to cooling of the workpiece, as only free surfaces can be descaled in a single step due to the design of prior art workpiece drives.
Innovation Solution
A workpiece drive with three support roller modules, each with a tapered surface that forms a conical receptacle, allowing the workpiece to be centered and rotated without a mandrel, enabling descaling of all surfaces, including end and inner lateral surfaces, in a single step using multiple scale washers positioned within the housing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a turntable with a mandrel guide is used to center the workpiece, then the workpiece can be centered with respect to the axis of rotation, but the workpiece must be turned over at least once for descaling from all faces, requiring repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The support structure is segmented into three separate support rollers instead of a single turntable with mandrel. Each roller independently supports the workpiece at 120-degree intervals, allowing the workpiece to be fully accessible from all sides simultaneously without requiring repositioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional turntable rotation to a three-dimensional support configuration where multiple rollers surround the workpiece. This spatial arrangement allows descaling tools to access all surfaces including end faces and inner lateral surfaces without moving the workpiece.
2Ease of operation
If the workpiece is turned over for descaling all surfaces, then all faces can be descaled, but the workpiece continues to cool during repositioning time
Solution Approach 1:
The three support rollers enable continuous descaling action on all surfaces of the workpiece simultaneously. Since the workpiece remains in a fixed position with all surfaces accessible, the descaling process can proceed without interruption or repositioning, maintaining the workpiece temperature throughout the operation.
3Measurement precision
If a mandrel guide is used to center the workpiece, then centering is achieved, but a repositioning device is required and costs time and money
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the mandrel guide component entirely from the system. Instead of using a central mandrel for centering, the three support rollers inherently provide stable support and positioning for the workpiece, eliminating the need for separate centering and repositioning devices.
4Force
If the workpiece sits on the turntable, then the workpiece is supported, but the workpiece is cooled by contact with the turntable
Solution Approach 1:
The three support rollers function as an integrated support system that provides mechanical support while minimizing thermal contact. The distributed point contacts of the rollers reduce the total contact area compared to a large turntable surface, thereby reducing heat loss from the workpiece.
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 solution reduces cooling and repositioning time, allowing for efficient descaling of all surfaces without the need for a repositioning device, maintaining the workpiece at a higher temperature for processing.
Implementation Method 1
The lateral surfaces for a workpiece placed on the support rollers form a tapered receptacle with a receptacle axis, wherein the receptacle axis is oriented substantially parallel to the earth gravity field vector
Implementation Method 2
The bearing supports the support roller for rotation around the longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 3
Each of the support roller modules has a drive and the drive is designed to rotate the support roller around the longitudinal axis
Implementation Method 4
Descaling of a hot workpiece is usually done with water under high pressure, which is blasted onto the workpiece. Essentially, the scale on the workpiece is knocked off the surface by the momentum of the impinging water
Implementation Method 5
The housing surrounds the workpiece, the first descaling device, and the turntable so that, in any event, the water and knocked-off scale do not pose a hazard to the surroundings of the descaling device
Data Source
AI summary
A workpiece drive for rotating a circular workpiece in a descaling device has a carrier and at least three support roller modules. Each of the support roller modules has a bearing and a support roller for the circular workpiece. The support roller has a longitudinal axis, a lateral surface and a radius between the longitudinal axis and the lateral surface, and the radius decreases in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis. The bearing supports the support roller rotatably around the longitudinal axis. Each of the support roller modules has a drive and the drive is designed to rotate the support roller around the longitudinal axis. The bearings are arranged on the carrier in such a way that the longitudinal axes have a point of intersection and lie in a plane perpendicular to the earth gravity field vector and such that the longitudinal directions are directed towards the point of intersection.