Wire Replacement Device for Calender Downtime Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing wire replacement process in calender devices disrupts the production of rubber sheets, as it requires suspending operations to align new wires, leading to reduced operation rates due to the manual and time-consuming nature of wire fitting and alignment.
Innovation Solution
A wire replacement device with movable carriages and a splicer that aligns the front end portions of new wires before switching, allowing for seamless integration during production, reducing downtime by omitting the need for post-stop wire alignment and facilitating roll handling and exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the process of producing rubber sheets is temporarily suspended to perform wire fitting operation, then the wires can be properly aligned onto the roll, but the operation rate of the calender device is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by aligning the front end portions of subsequent wires onto the roll before the calender device is stopped. This allows the wire fitting operation to be completed in advance, so that when the wire replacement is needed, only a quick connection is required rather than a complete alignment process, thus maintaining high operation rate while ensuring proper wire alignment.
2Manufacturing precision
If a plurality of subsequent wires is fit into grooves of the roll and aligned manually, then the wires are properly positioned for production, but the wire fitting operation becomes time-consuming and reduces operation rate
Solution Approach 1:
The front end portions of subsequent wires are aligned onto the roll in advance while the calender device is still operating. This preliminary alignment eliminates the need for time-consuming manual wire fitting operations after the device is stopped, reducing wire fitting time while maintaining precise wire positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire alignment operation is performed continuously during the operation of the calender device, rather than interrupting the device to perform alignment. This continuity maintains both precise wire positioning and minimizes time loss by keeping the production process uninterrupted.
3Manufacturing precision
If the calender device is stopped for wire replacement, then the wire alignment can be performed, but the production process is interrupted and operation rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By aligning the front end portions of subsequent wires onto the roll before stopping the calender device, the invention ensures that wire alignment is already completed when replacement is needed. This allows the device to continue operating without interruption, maintaining both alignment accuracy and production continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The splicer acts as an intermediary device that connects the previously aligned front end portions of subsequent wires with the currently used wires. This intermediary connection mechanism enables wire replacement without stopping the calender device, maintaining production continuity while ensuring alignment accuracy through the pre-aligned wire ends.
Data Source
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AI summary
A wire replacement device includes a plurality of carriages which is movable in a space provided between creel stands and a calender device and to which one roll or a plurality of rolls for aligning wires supplied to the calender device is detachably attached, and a splicer that joins back end portions of a plurality of preceding first wires passing through the calender device to front end portions of a plurality of subsequent second wires extending from the creel stands at a joining position between the calender device and the creel stands.