Welding Device Jaw Shoes for Continuous Casting Bars

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing welding devices for continuous casting of metallic materials suffer from significant heat loss and the formation of 'black spots' due to large contact areas between the jaws and the hot bars, leading to uneven microstructure, mechanical property inconsistencies, and increased wear on rolling mill equipment.

Innovation Solution

A welding device with clamping means that minimize the contact area between the jaws and the bars, using smaller shoes with a longitudinal extension of less than 0.67 times the length of the bar's side, and employing cooling only during the welding stage to reduce thermal stress and heat loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If large contact area jaws are used to withstand forces and compensate for surface irregularities, then the ability to compensate for surface irregularities improves, but heat loss from the cast product increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to compensate for surface irregularitiesVSAvoidheat loss from cast product
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The jaw shoes are designed with a localized contact approach, concentrating the clamping force on specific high-point areas of the bar surface rather than distributing it across a large area. This allows the jaws to compensate for surface irregularities through targeted contact points while minimizing the overall contact area and associated heat loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If large contact area jaws are used to withstand forces and compensate for surface irregularities, then the ability to withstand forces improves, but heat loss from the cast product increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to withstand forcesVSAvoidheat loss from cast product
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the parameters of the jaw shoe contact area by reducing its longitudinal extension to less than 0.67 times the bar side length. This parameter modification allows the jaws to maintain sufficient clamping force through increased pressure concentration while reducing the contact area that causes heat loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of moving object

If jaw shoes remain in contact with bar surface for long time to complete welding, then welding completion is ensured, but local cooling effects and black spots are produced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontact time for welding completionVSAvoidlocal cooling effects and black spots
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The jaw shoes are designed to contact only the essential high-point areas of the bar surface rather than the entire surface. This partial contact approach is sufficient to complete the welding operation while minimizing the area subjected to harmful cooling effects and black spot formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Temperature

If cooling means are applied to jaws during welding, then temperature control of jaws is improved, but thermal stress and heat loss from bar increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature control of jawsVSAvoidheat loss from bar
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The cooling of the jaw shoes is applied periodically or selectively during specific phases of the welding process rather than continuously. This allows temperature control of the jaws when necessary while minimizing the overall heat loss from the bar to the cooling system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic 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 configuration reduces the extent of black spots, enhances temperature uniformity, extends the life of the shoes, and improves the mechanical and metallurgical properties of the welded product, while minimizing cooling water consumption and maintenance needs.

Implementation Method 1

the contact between the jaw shoes, having a lower temperature than the temperature of the bars, and the surface of the bars, which are at substantially higher temperatures, produces local cooling effects

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

electrical power supply means for supplying an electrical current to the first and second elongated elements to be end-to-end welded

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentEP2164675B9A welding device and related process
Publication Date: 2015.02.18 DANIELI & C OFFICINE MECCANICHE SPA
  • EP2164675B9 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP2164675B9 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

A welding device for the end-to-end welding of bars, billets or blooms produced by continuous casting, comprising a roller table and a self-moving trolley, in which the welding means are housed, that accompanies the product to be welded along a stretch of the roller table, seizing jaws for seizing the bars and electrical power supply units that are brought into contact with the surface of the two bars to carry out a welding operation.