Variable-Thickness Plate Shearing with Profile-Based Cut Positioning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cross shearing units cannot accurately shear plates of continuously variable thickness to meet specific length requirements, leading to unusable sample plates when trying to cut materials with periodically varying thickness.

Innovation Solution

An automatic shearing apparatus and method that uses a control system with a length-measuring device, thickness gauge, and mark identification device to determine the precise shearing position based on the strip material's profile, ensuring accurate cutting and differentiation between finished and waste products.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If existing cross shearing units are used for cutting to length, then equal length plates can be produced, but the sheared sample plate does not meet requirements when the strip material has periodically varying thickness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshearing position accuracyVSAvoidadaptability to variable thickness material
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The thickness profile is measured and marked in advance during the rolling process. Marking holes are created at the head and tail positions of each profile period, providing preliminary information about where shearing should occur. This allows the shearing unit to accurately position cuts on variable thickness material without real-time adjustment complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A mark identification device detects the marking holes on the strip material and provides feedback to the control system. The control system uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the shears position, ensuring accurate shearing at the correct locations regardless of the periodic thickness variations in the material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If shearing is performed without identifying the thickness profile, then the process is simple, but the sheared sample plate is unusable when thickness varies periodically

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshearing efficiencyVSAvoidshearing position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The thickness profile identification and marking is performed in advance during rolling, before shearing. This preliminary action captures all the information needed for accurate shearing, allowing the shearing process itself to be simple and efficient while still achieving high precision through the pre-established marking system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The marking holes serve as an intermediary between the thickness profile information and the shearing operation. Instead of requiring complex real-time measurement and calculation during shearing, the marking holes provide a simple visual cue that the control system can use to automatically position the shears accurately, bridging the gap between material variability and cutting precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the shears position is not adjusted according to the thickness profile, then the shearing operation is simple, but the required shearing position cannot be achieved on variable thickness material

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshearing operation simplicityVSAvoidshearing position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs self-service by automatically detecting the marking holes and adjusting the shears position without operator intervention. The control system receives feedback from the mark identification device and autonomously positions the shears at the correct location, maintaining both operational simplicity and high precision simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual or mechanical positioning method is replaced with an automated control system that uses optical or electromagnetic detection of marking holes. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms while achieving precise shearing position control through electronic feedback and automated actuation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3299104B1Equipment for automatic shearing of cold-rolled variable thickness plate, and shearing method based on same
Publication Date: 2021.07.21 BAOSHAN IRON & STEEL CO LTD
  • EP3299104B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3299104B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8

AI summary

Disclosed are an automatic shearing apparatus for a cold-rolled plate of variable thickness, and a shearing method using the apparatus. The method comprises that: a thickness gauge (4) and a length-measuring device (3) are successively arranged in front of shears (5); and a control device identifies the profile of a strip material passing through the thickness gauge (4) according to length tracing data and measured thickness values, and determines the position of the strip material at the shears (5), simultaneously compares the profile with the set profile of a plate of continuously variable thickness, and decides the action time of the shears. The apparatus and the method can efficiently and accurately shear rolls of supplied materials of continuously variable thickness into plates of continuously variable thickness which can be directly used by a user.