Patent Application
20240216968
The invention relates to a method for changing the work rolls of a rolling mill, in particular in the presence of a metal strip intended to be rolled between the two work rolls, including an upper work roll and a lower work roll suited for the extraction of the work rolls from the rolling mill stand.
The invention also relates to a method for changing the work rolls of a rolling mill in the presence of a metal strip intended to be rolled between the two work rolls, including an upper work roll and a lower work roll, suited for the insertion and set-up of the lower or upper work rolls, in particular new or ground ones.
The present disclosure also relates to a grasping tool configured for the implementation of the method suited for the extraction of the work rolls and/or for the insertion and set-up of lower and/or upper work rolls in the stand of the rolling mill, as well as a set comprising a robotic system for a rolling plant and a grasping tool, handled by the robotic system.
Thus, the present invention finds advantageous application for multi-roll rolling mills, such rolling mills typically consisting of “Sendzimir” rolling mills.
Cold rolling allows obtaining the final thickness of a metal strip by successive passages of this strip between rolls in the presence of high forces simultaneously in compression and in tension.
A “Sendzimir” type rolling mill includes a plurality of rolls, which are arranged with respect to one another so as to enable change of the mechanical characteristics of a metal strip and to obtain a strip thickness that could be less than 3 millimetres.
More particularly, a “Sendzimir” rolling mill which may include twenty rolls is known; an embodiment of such a 20-high rolling mill is illustrated in the documents U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,193,377 and 5,471,859.
This nomenclature for the different rolls making up a 20-high rolling mill is common in the field of rolling mills, and is well known to a person skilled in the art.
It is recognised in the field of rolling mills that this arrangement of rolls illustrated in
Because of the stresses exerted on the work rolls 12 and when working a metal strip BM, these parts 12 require very regular maintenance: it is therefore desirable to be able to extract and replace the work rolls 12, quickly and safely for the operators.
In order to roll a strip with very good surface conditions, for example a shiny appearance, the cylindrical surface of the work roll is ground on a regular basis. To this end, the sidewalls of the roll may comprise cavities, centred on the axis of the roll, usually known as “machining centres” to a person skilled in the art, which are used during the turning operations, as a positioning reference for the machining tooling.
According to the knowledges of the applicant, robotic systems are known from the prior art, such as a multi-axis arm equipped with a gripper configured to ensure removal of the rolls from a rolling mill. These robotic systems allow ensure the change of the rolls of the rolling mill while limiting the risks of injury to the operators, and in comparison with hoist-based changeover methods, requiring the physical presence of an operator in the proximity of the work roll being handled, to conduct extraction of the roll and replacement thereof with a new or ground roll.
Most of the time, these known robotic systems do not allow guaranteeing safe extraction (or insertion) of the work rolls, in a 20 Hi rolling mill, while avoiding the risks of marking between the work roll, on the one hand, and the metal strip, and possibly the first intermediate rolls, on the other hand.
Nonetheless, a tool configured especially for the insertion or extraction of a work roll is known from the application FR 3 108 047 by the present Applicant, which addresses this problem, in particular when the opening of the stand is small and as found in 20-high rolling mills with an integral stand. Nonetheless, this is a relatively complex tooling.
Nonetheless, the present disclosure focuses more particularly on this problem in particular in 20-high rolling mills known under the English name “split housing” wherein the stand of the rolling mill includes an upper cage portion and a lower cage portion, which are spaced apart from one another when opening the cage, typically offering a cage opening with an amplitude larger than that of a 20-high rolling mill with an integral stand.
The present disclosure improves the situation.
According to a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for changing the two work rolls of a rolling mill, in particular in the presence of a metal strip intended to be rolled between the two work rolls, including an upper work roll and a lower work roll, each of said work rolls has a cylindrical surface and sidewalls, including a first sidewall and a second sidewall having, at the two longitudinal ends of the work roll, respectively centring cavities centred on an axis of the work roll, including a first centring cavity on the first sidewall and a second centring cavity on the second sidewall and wherein in a closure position of a stand of the rolling mill configured for rolling the metal strip, each of said work rolls has a contact generatrix with the metal strip, said contact generatrixes and the axes of the work rolls lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to a running direction of the metal strip, rolling members such as first intermediate rolls, being in contact along two contact generatrixes with each of the work rolls, the rolling members ensuring transmission of a rolling load to the lower and upper work rolls in contact with the metal strip, in which method the extraction of a work roll from the rolling mill stand is ensured after opening, at least partially, the stand of the rolling mill wherein the work rolls are brought away from one another with respect to the positions of the work rolls in the closure position of the stand of the rolling mill, thereby clearing a room, by implementation of the following steps:
According to a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for changing the two work rolls of a rolling mill in the presence of a metal strip intended to be rolled between the two work rolls, including an upper work roll and a lower work roll, each having a cylindrical surface and sidewalls, including a first sidewall and a second sidewall respectively having, at both longitudinal ends of the roll, centring cavities centred on an axis of the work roll, including a first centring cavity on the first sidewall and a second centring cavity on the second sidewall, and wherein in a closure position of the rolling mill configured for rolling the metal strip, each of said work rolls has a contact generatrix with the metal strip, and wherein said contact generatrixes and the axes of the work rolls lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to a running direction of the metal strip, rolling members such as first intermediate rolls, being in contact along two contact generatrixes with each of the work rolls, the rolling members ensuring the transmission of a rolling force to the lower and upper work rolls in contact with the metal strip, in which method the insertion of the new or ground work rolls into the rolling mill stand in the presence of the metal strip and the rolling members is ensured after opening at least partially the stand of the rolling mill thereby clearing a room, by implementation of the following steps, for said upper and/or lower work roll
According to optional features of the method according to the present disclosure according to the first aspect or the second aspect:
According to one embodiment, the centring step /c1/ according to the method according to the first aspect, or the shifting step /e2/ according to the method according to the first aspect is obtained by joint rotation of the support shaft, on the one hand, and of the first finger and of the second finger secured to the support shaft, on the other hand, in particular according to a pivot axis coaxial with the support shaft.
According to one embodiment, the second finger, at the proximal end of the support shaft, possibly movable axially relative to the support shaft, is secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft and wherein the first finger is movable relative to the support shaft between a stowed position for which the first finger and the second finger are offset, up to a centring position for which the first finger and the second finger are aligned and wherein the centring step /c1/ according to the method according to first aspect is completed by moving the first finger from the stowed position up to the centring position, without pivoting the support shaft, or the shifting step /e2/ according to the method according to second aspect is completed by moving the first finger from the stowed position up to the centring position, without pivoting the support shaft.
According to an embodiment of the method according to the first aspect, the grasping tool comprises the first finger and the second finger forming a first pair of fingers, ensuring grasping according to step /d1/ of the work roll in the rolling mill stand and extraction according to step /e1/, and wherein the grasping tool comprises a second pair of fingers comprising a third finger and a fourth finger, the third finger and the fourth finger being movable between a third spacing position between the third finger and the fourth finger, larger than the distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the work roll, and up to a fourth position for which the third finger and the fourth finger are brought close to one another, the fourth finger, arranged at the proximal end of the support shaft, possibly movable axially to the support shaft is secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft and wherein the third finger is movable relative to the support shaft between a stowed position for which the third finger and the fourth finger are offset, up to a centring position for which the third finger and the fourth finger are aligned configured to penetrate the centring cavities of a new work roll and hold a new work roll,
According to one embodiment, the worn work roll, held between the first finger and the second finger, is extracted by moving the grasping tool along the direction of the work roll according to step /e1/ up to a position outside the stand, at least partially, enabling a pivoting of the grasping tool about its axis, and wherein the grasping tool is pivoted, together with the worn work roll, held by the first pair of fingers, and the new work roll, held by the second pair of fingers, up to an angular position enabling the insertion of the new work roll, and wherein the insertion of the new work roll into the rolling mill stand is ensured, without having deposited the extracted worn roll, held by the first pair of fingers, through the following steps:
According to an embodiment of the method according to the first aspect configured for the extraction of the work roll from the stand of the rolling mill, or the method according to the second aspect configured for the insertion of the work roll in the stand of the rolling mill, wherein steps /a1/ to /e1/ of the method according to the first aspect or steps /a2/ to /e2/ of the method according to the second aspect are implemented without any contact between the grasping tool and the cylindrical surface of the work roll intended to be in contact with the strip to be rolled.
According to an embodiment of the method according to the first aspect configured for the extraction of the work roll from the stand of the rolling mill, or of the method according to the second aspect configured for the insertion of the work roll, the stand of the rolling mill comprises a lower stand portion, transmitting a clamping force to the lower rolls, including to the lower work roll; and possibly to said sets of lower rollers, and an upper stand portion, movable vertically relative to the lower stand portion transmitting a clamping force to the upper rolls, including to the lower work roll, and possibly to said sets of upper rollers
and wherein the stand receives:
According to a third aspect, the present disclosure relates to a grasping tool suited in particular for the implementation of the method according the first aspect or according to the second aspect, comprising a support shaft, as well as a first finger and a second finger, secured to the support shaft, movable relative to one another from a first spacing position between the first finger and the second finger, larger than the distance between a first sidewall and a second sidewall of a work roll, and up to a second position for which the first finger and the second finger are brought close to one another until penetrating respectively a first centring cavity of the first sidewall and a second centring cavity of the second sidewall to ensure grasping of the work roll and wherein said support shaft is provided with an endpiece configured for gripping the grasping tool.
According to a first embodiment of the grasping tool, the support shaft is extended by the endpiece at a proximal end of the support shaft, the first finger arranged at the distal end of the shaft, secured to the distal end by a bracket, the second finger being arranged, along the direction of the support shaft between the first finger and the endpiece, and wherein the first finger is fixed with respect to the support shaft, the second finger being movable under the action of an actuator, to switch from the first spacing position into the second spacing position between the first finger and the second finger.
According to a second embodiment of the grasping tool, the support shaft is extended by the endpiece at a proximal end of the support shaft, the first finger arranged at the distal end of the shaft, secured to the distal end of the support shaft by a pivoting arm on the support shaft, the second finger being arranged, along the direction of the support shaft between the first finger and the endpiece, the second finger arranged at the proximal end of the support shaft, possibly movable axially to the support shaft, the second finger being secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft and wherein the first finger is movable relative to the support shaft by rotation of the pivoting arm between a stowed position for which the first finger and the second finger are offset, and while the first finger and the second finger are in the first position.
According to such an embodiment, the grasping tool may comprise the first finger and the second finger forming a first pair of fingers, suited to ensure the extraction of a first work roll and wherein the grasping tool comprises a second pair of fingers comprising a third finger and a fourth finger, the third finger and/or the fourth finger being movable between a third spacing position between the third finger and the fourth finger, larger than the distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall of the work roll, and up to a fourth position wherein the third finger and the third finger are brought close to one another to grasp a work roll, the fourth finger, arranged at the proximal end of the support shaft, possibly movable axially to the support shaft, is secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft and wherein the third finger is movable relative to the support shaft between a stowed position wherein the third finger and the fourth finger are offset, up to a centring position wherein the third finger and the fourth finger are aligned, configured to penetrate the centring cavities of a new work roll and hold a new work roll after having brought the third finger and the fourth finger close to one another in the third position,
According to a fourth aspect, the present disclosure relates to a set comprising a robotic system for a plant for rolling a metal strip, and a grasping tool according to the third aspect, handled by the robotic system, suited to ensure the operations of changing work rolls of the rolling mill, by extraction of the worn work rolls from the stand of the rolling mill according to the method according to the first aspect and/or to ensure insertion of new or ground work rolls in the stand of the rolling mill according to the method according to second aspect.
According to an embodiment of the set according to the fourth aspect, said robotic system has a robot comprising:
According to an embodiment of said set, the grasping system comprises a tubular frame inside which a locking/unlocking device is provided, pivotably mounted via rolling bearings, about an axis of rotation, intended to be parallel, and possibly coincident with the axis of the support shaft of the grasping tool, via motor means, in particular six motor means, and wherein the locking/unlocking device comprises the actuator, including motor means configured to switch the locking device from a locking state of the endpiece into an unlocking state of the endpiece.
Other features, details and advantages will appear upon reading the detailed description hereinafter, and upon analysis of the appended drawings, wherein:
The drawings and the description hereinafter essentially contain elements of certain nature. Hence, they could be used not only to better understand the present disclosure, but also contribute to the definition thereof, where appropriate.
The present disclosure relates to a method for changing the work rolls 12 of a rolling mill 10, in particular in the presence of a metal strip BM intended to be rolled between the two work rolls 12, including an upper work roll 12 and a lower work roll 12.
The present disclosure finds a particular application for a 20-high rolling mill, and as illustrated in
Thus, the stand 2 may receive:
For such a stand in two portions, the at least partial opening of the stand is completed by bringing the upper stand portion away from the lower stand portion.
The stand also typically receives:
When opening the stand of the rolling mill, the two upper spraying ramps may be typically directed so as to form a support cradle for the upper work roll 12, keeping the upper work roll at a distance from the metal strip. Such a holding of the upper work roll by the spraying ramps leaves a free room between the metal strip and the upper work roll thus supported, enabling the insertion of a grasping tool, which is described hereafter.
Each of the lower or upper two work rolls 12 has a cylindrical surface and sidewalls, including a first sidewall 121 and a second sidewall 122 at the two longitudinal ends of the work roll and which respectively face the side of the stand where the motor drive of the rolling mile is provided, and on the opposite side which comprises an access hatch for the insertion of the grasping tool 8.
The cylindrical surface of the work roll, usually known as “table” of the roll to a person skilled in the art is the surface of the roll that should be maintained with a high surface condition (namely a low roughness). This cylindrical surface comes into contact with the strip to be rolled. Maintaining a high surface condition allows rolling the strip while limiting as much as possible the imprint of a roughness by the work roll on the strip. To this end, the work rolls 12 may be periodically extracted from the rolling mill in order to proceed with grinding of the table, using a machining equipment, typically a machining equipment using mechanical lathing techniques.
To this end, the first sidewall 121 and the second sidewall 122 of the work roll respectively have centring cavities centred on an axis of the work roll 12, including a first centring cavity Cav1 on the first sidewall 121 and a second centring cavity Cav2 on the second sidewall 122. The cavities typically have a conical section, with the axis of the cone coaxial with the axis of the roll. The machining equipment takes these cavities as reference.
In a closure position of a stand of the rolling mill configured for rolling the metal strip BM, each of said work rolls 12 has a contact generatrix with the metal strip, said work rolls 12, and the contact generatrixes and the axes of the work rolls lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to a running direction of the metal strip.
Rolling members such as first intermediate rolls 13, are in contact along two contact generatrixes with each of the work rolls 12, the rolling members ensuring the transmission of a rolling force to the lower and upper work rolls 12 in contact with the metal strip BM.
In such a method according to a first aspect of the present disclosure, the extraction of a work roll 12 from the rolling mill stand is ensured after opening, at least partially, the stand of the rolling mill wherein the work rolls 12 are brought away from one another relative to the positions of the work rolls in the closure position of the stand of the rolling mill, while clearing a room, in particular between the upper work roll and the second work roll when these are present, and in particular a first room between the metal strip and the upper work roll, and a second room between the metal strip and the lower work roll.
According to the method according to this first aspect, the following steps are implemented:
Thus, the insertion step /b1/ and/or the extraction step /e1/ may be completed by moving the grasping tool in the room according to a translational movement of the tool, along a direction Y in
According to a first embodiment, the centring step /c1/ may be completed by moving the grasping tool and the support shaft by the handling system and in particular by pivoting the grasping tool about the axis of the support shaft 80. Thus, the centring step /c1/ may be completed by joint rotation of the support shaft 80, on the one hand, and of the first finger 81 and of the second finger 82, on the other hand, secured to the support shaft 80, and in particular according to a pivot axis coaxial with the support shaft 80. Such a centring may be implemented in particular for a grasping tool according to a first embodiment, illustrated for indicative purposes in
According to a second embodiment, the second finger 82, at the proximal end of the support shaft 80, which is possibly movable axially to the support shaft 80, is secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft 80.
On the contrary, the first finger 81 may be movable relative to the support shaft 80, typically in a motor-driven manner, between a stowed position Pesc wherein the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 are offset, namely not aligned and up to a centring position Pce wherein the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 are aligned, typically parallel to the axis of the support shaft 80. To this end, he first finger 81 may be secured to a pivoting arm BP at a first end of the pivoting arm BP, and while the pivoting arm is pivotably hinge at the distal end of the support shaft, at a second end of the pivoting arm, and according to an axis of rotation, typically parallel to the axis of the support shaft 80.
In the stowed position Pesc of the first finger 81, the latter is offset and shifted with respect to the second finger 82, which enables the insertion of the grasping tool in a position of the support shaft wherein the second finger 82 is aligned with the second centring cavity Cav2, on the side of the access hatch of the rolling mill, and without any risk of interference of the work roll (and of the spraying ramps) with the first finger 81 which is then offset/stowed.
This second embodiment is illustrated for indicative purposes in particular in the embodiment of
According to an advantageous variant of the second embodiment, the grasping tool which comprises the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 forming a first pair of fingers 81, 82, ensuring grasping of the work roll in the rolling mill stand according to step /d1/ and extraction according to step /e1/, may advantageously comprise a second pair of fingers comprising a third finger 83 and a fourth finger 84. This second pair of fingers allows grasping a second work roll, in parallel with the first work roll grasped by the first pair of fingers.
The third finger 83 and the fourth finger 84 are movable between a third spacing position P3 between the third finger 83 and the fourth finger 84, larger than the distance between the first sidewall 121 and the second sidewall 122 of the work roll, and up to a fourth position P4 wherein the third finger 83 and the fourth finger 84 are brought close to one another.
The fourth finger 84 is arranged at the proximal end of the support shaft intended to be handled. The fourth finger is possibly movable axially to the support shaft 80 so as to switch from the third position P3 into the fourth position P4 of the tool and vice versa. The fourth finger 84 is secured to the support shaft 80, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft 80. The fourth finger 84 of the second pair of fingers and the second finger 82 of the first pair may typically be at angularly shifted positions around the support shaft 80.
The third finger 83 is movable relative to the support shaft 80 between a stowed position Pesc wherein the third finger 83 and the fourth finger 84 are offset, up to a centring position Pce wherein the third finger 83 and the fourth finger are aligned configured to penetrate the centring cavities Cav1, Cav2 of a new work roll 12 and hold a new work roll. To this end, the third finger 83 may be secured to a pivoting arm BP at a first end of the pivoting arm BP, and while the pivoting arm is pivotably hinged at the distal end of the support shaft, at a second end of the pivoting arm, and according to an axis of rotation, typically parallel to the axis of the support shaft.
According to such an advantageous variant, the first pair of fingers 81, 82 and the second pair of fingers 83, 84, are arranged on the support shaft 80, advantageously configured so that the first pair of fingers ensures grasping of the work roll according to step /d1/ and extraction of the work roll that is a worn work roll according to step /e1/, and that being so while the second pair of fingers 83, 84 holds a new work roll 12, parallel to the worn roll held by the first pair of fingers 81, 82. Such an embodiment is illustrated in
Thus,
In
According to one embodiment, the worn work roll 12 held between the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 could thus be extracted by moving he grasping tool along the direction of the work roll according to step /e1/ up to a position outside the stand, at least partially, enabling pivoting the grasping tool 8 about its axis, by the handling system which could advantageously enable the insertion and set-up of the new work roll, held by the second pair of fingers, and advantageously, without having to put down the worn work roll, held by the first pair of fingers.
To this end, the grasping tool 8, and concomitantly the worn work roll 12, held by the first pair of fingers, and the new work roll 12, held by the second pair of fingers 83, 84, are pivoted up to an angular position enabling the insertion of the new work roll, and as illustrated in
Afterwards, the insertion of the new work rolls 12 into the rolling mill stand is ensured, without having deposited the extracted worn roll, held by the first pair of fingers 81, 82 through the following steps:
Thus,
Finally,
Such a second embodiment according to
In general, all or part of the steps /a1/ to /f1/ are preferably implemented by means of a robotic handling system, and as a non-limiting example of the robotic system 1 illustrated in the figures.
Preferably, steps /a1/ to /f1/ of the method are implemented without any contact between the grasping tool and the cylindrical surface of the work roll 12 intended to be in contact with the strip to be rolled BM.
The present disclosure also relates to a method according to a second aspect wherein the insertion of the work rolls 12, in particular new or ground, into the rolling mill stand, in particular in the presence of the metal strip and the rolling members, is ensured after opening, at least partially, the stand of the rolling mill thereby clearing a room for the implementation of the next steps, for said upper and/or lower work roll
According to a first embodiment, the shifting step /e2/ according to the method may be completed by the joint rotation of the support shaft 80 and of the first fingers 81 and of the second finger 82 secured to the support shaft 80, in particular according to a pivot axis coaxial with the support shaft 80.
Such a shift is implemented in particular for a grasping tool according to a first embodiment, illustrated for indicative purposes in
According to the second embodiment, the second finger 82, at the proximal end of the support shaft 80, which is possibly movable axially to the support shaft 80, is secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft 80. On the contrary, the first finger 81 may be movable relative to the support shaft 80, typically in a motor-driven manner, between the stowed position Pesc wherein the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 are offset, namely not aligned and up to a centring position Pce wherein the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 are aligned, typically parallel to the axis of the support shaft 80. To this end, the first finger 81 may be secured to a pivoting arm BP at a first end of the pivoting arm BP, and while the pivoting arm is pivotably hinged at the distal end of the support shaft, at a second end of the pivoting arm, and about an axis of rotation, typically parallel to the axis of the support shaft.
In the stowed position Pesc of the first finger 81, the latter is offset and shifted with respect to the second finger 82, which enables removal of the grasping tool in a position of the support shaft wherein the second finger 82 is aligned with the second centring cavity Cav2, on the side of the access hatch of the rolling mill, and without any risk of interference with the first finger 81 during removal.
All or part of steps /a2/ to /f2/ are preferably implemented by means of a robotic system, and as a non-limiting example, the robotic system 1 illustrated in the figures.
Preferably, steps /a2/ to /f1/ of the method are implemented without any contact between the grasping tool and the cylindrical surface of the work roll 12 intended to come into contact with the strip to be laminated BM.
According to a third aspect, the present disclosure relates to a grasping tool 8 configured for the implementation of the method according to the present disclosure, namely according to the first aspect or the second aspect.
The grasping tool 8 comprises a support shaft 80, as well as a first finger 81 and a second finger 82, secured to the support shaft 80, movable relative to one another from a first spacing position P1 between the first finger 81 and the second finger 82, by a dimension larger than the distance between a first sidewall 121 and a second sidewall 122 of a work roll 12, and up to a second position P2 wherein the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 are brought close to one another, until respectively penetrating a first centring cavity Cav1 of the first sidewall 121 and a second centring cavity Cav2 of the second sidewall 122 to ensure grasping of the work roll 12.
Said support shaft is provided with an endpiece Eb configured for gripping thereof in particular by a robotic system 1. The support shaft 80 may be extended by the endpiece Eb at a proximal end of the support shaft 80. The first finger 81 may be arranged at the distal end of the support shaft, secured to the distal end by a bracket Eq.
The second finger 82, is arranged, secured to the support shaft 80, along the direction of the support shaft 80 between the first finger 81 and the endpiece Eb. According to the first embodiment, the first finger 81 may be fixed with respect to the support shaft 80 while the second finger 82 is configured to be movable under the action of an actuator At, to switch from the first spacing position P1 into the second spacing position P2 between the first finger 81 and the second finger 82. The actuator At may comprise a motor and a worm screw system, ensuring a movement of the second finger, typically in translation, along a direction parallel to the support shaft. When moving according to a limited stroke, the second finger 82 slides in a guide GD, this guide extending radially projecting from the support shaft, on the same side as the bracket Eq.
According to a second embodiment, the support shaft 80 is extended by the endpiece Eb at a proximal end of the support shaft 80, the first finger 81 arranged at the distal end of the shaft, secured to the distal end of the support shaft 80 by a pivoting arm BP on the support shaft.
The second finger 82 is arranged, along the direction of the support shaft 80 between the first finger 81 and the endpiece Eb, the second finger 82 arranged at the proximal end of the support shaft 80, possibly movable axially to the support shaft 80. The second finger is secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft 80 and while the first finger 81 is movable relative to the support shaft 80 by rotation of the pivoting arm BP between a stowed position Pesc for which the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 are offset, and while the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 are in the first position P1.
The grasping tool comprising the first finger 81 and the second finger 82 forming a first pair of fingers 81, 82, suited to ensure the extraction of a first work roll, the grasping tool 8 may advantageously comprise a second pair of fingers comprising a third finger 83 and a fourth finger 84, the third finger 83 and/or the fourth finger 84 being movable between a third spacing position P3 between the third finger 83 and the fourth finger 8, larger than the length between the distance between the first sidewall 121 and the second sidewall 122 of the work roll, and up to a fourth position P4 for which the third finger 83 and the third finger 84 are brought close to one another to grasp a work roll.
The fourth finger 84 is arranged at the proximal end of the support shaft, possibly movable axially to the support shaft 80, and is secured to the support shaft, at a fixed angular position on the support shaft 80 and wherein the third finger 83 is movable relative to the support shaft 80 between a stowed position Pesc for which the third finger 83 and the fourth finger 84 are offset, up to a centring position Pce for which the third finger 83 and the fourth finger are aligned, configured to penetrate the centring cavities Cav1, Cav2 of a new work roll and hold a new work roll after having brought the third finger and fourth finger close to one another in the third position. To this end, the third finger 83 may be secured to a pivoting arm BP at a first end of the pivoting arm BP, and while the pivoting arm is pivotably hinged at the distal end of the support shaft, at a second end of the pivoting arm, and according to an axis of rotation, typically parallel to the axis of the support shaft.
The first pair of fingers 81, 82 and the second pair of fingers 83, 84 are arranged on the support shaft 80, advantageously configured so that the first pair of fingers ensures grasping of a first work roll which is a worn work roll, and while the second pair of fingers 83, 84 holds a second work roll, which is typically a new roll, in parallel with the first work roll held by the first pair of fingers 81, 82, and as explained before in particular according to the embodiment of
According to a fourth aspect, the present disclosure also relates to a set comprising a robotic system 1 for a plant for rolling a metal strip, and a grasping tool 8 according to the present disclosure, handled by the robotic system, suited to ensure the operations of changing work rolls of the rolling mill, by extraction of the worn work rolls from the stand of the rolling mill according to the method according to the first aspect and/or to ensure insertion of new or ground work rolls in the stand of the rolling mill according to the method according to the second aspect.
For example, the robotic system may be that one filed by the Applicant under the number FR 21 04141.
A reference frame XYZ is illustrated in the figures: in this reference frame, the metal strip Bm extends longitudinally along a horizontal direction X in the stand of the rolling mill, and transversely according to a horizontal direction Y, the Y direction being parallel to the axes of the rolls of the rolling mill. The Z direction is vertical.
In this reference frame, said robotic system has a robot Ro comprising:
Possibly, the system may comprise a fourth frame 5, and rotational guide means connecting the fourth frame and the third frame about a vertical axis of rotation Av, configured to cause the rotation of the fourth frame 5 relative to the third frame 4, under the action of fourth motor means M4.
The robotic system 1 is then configured to ensure the extraction of a work roll, by grasping the roll with the grasping tool locked by the grasping system, with the deposition of the work roll, laterally to the rails Ra1, after pivoting of the roll by rotation of the fourth frame 4 relative to the third frame 4 about the vertical axis of rotation Av, and as illustrated in
The grasping system 6 may be hinged to the fourth frame according to a second horizontal hinge axis Ah perpendicular to the vertical axis of rotation Av between the fourth frame 5 and the third frame 4, so-called first axis of rotation, and perpendicular to the axis of the roll grasped by the grasping system, the robotic system including motor means M5, in particular fifth motor means, configured to set the inclination of the grasping system 6, and thus the inclination of the grasped roll, by rotation of the grasping system about said second axis of rotation.
The grasped system 6 may comprise a tubular frame 60 inside which a locking/unlocking device 7 is provided, pivotably mounted via rolling bearings 61, 62, about an axis of rotation, intended to be parallel, and possibly preferably coincident with the axis of the support shaft 80 of the grasping tool 6, via motor means M6, in particular six motor means, and wherein the locking/unlocking device 7 comprises the actuator, including motor means M7 configured to switch the locking device from a locking state of the endpiece into an unlocking state of the endpiece Eb of the grasping tool 8.
Step/c1/ of centring by joint rotation of the support shaft 80 and of the fingers 81, 82 (according to the first embodiment) may be implemented by rotation of the locking device 7 relative to the tubular frame 60, which causes the rotation of the support shaft 80 of the grasping tool 8 about its axis, and until the (first and second) fingers 81, 82 are coaxial with the axis of the work roll to be grasped, and thus respectively opposite the first cavity Cav1 and the second cavity Cav2.
Step/e2/ of shifting the first finger and the second finger until the first finger and the second finger are shifted from the work roll along a radial direction of the work roll (according to the first embodiment), may be implemented by rotation of the locking device 7 relative to the tubular frame 60, which causes the rotation of the support shaft 80 of the grasping tool 8 about its axis, and until the (first and second) fingers 81, 82 are radially shifted up to a position enabling removal of the tool substantially by translation according to the transverse direction Y.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2300036 | Jan 2023 | FR | national |
