EP1343920B1 - Installation for producing a metal strip with protective coating - Google Patents

Installation for producing a metal strip with protective coating Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1343920B1
EP1343920B1 EP01999682.6A EP01999682A EP1343920B1 EP 1343920 B1 EP1343920 B1 EP 1343920B1 EP 01999682 A EP01999682 A EP 01999682A EP 1343920 B1 EP1343920 B1 EP 1343920B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
section
coating
strip
accumulator
exit
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Expired - Lifetime
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EP01999682.6A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP1343920A1 (en
Inventor
Jean-Luc Legoupil
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Clecim SAS
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Siemens VAI Metals Technologies SAS
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D7/00—Electroplating characterised by the article coated
    • C25D7/06—Wires; Strips; Foils
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
    • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
    • C23C2/00—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor
    • C23C2/34—Hot-dipping or immersion processes for applying the coating material in the molten state without affecting the shape; Apparatus therefor characterised by the shape of the material to be treated
    • C23C2/36—Elongated material
    • C23C2/40—Plates; Strips
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T24/00—Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
    • Y10T24/14—Bale and package ties, hose clamps
    • Y10T24/1457—Metal bands
    • Y10T24/1459—Separate connections

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an installation for producing a metal strip coated with at least one protective layer.
  • the metal strips are made in several successive stages, first of all the production of a raw product, by casting in the mold or continuous casting, the forging and hot rolling of this product for obtaining a so-called "hot" tape reel and, finally, a cold rolling.
  • the hot roll Prior to cold rolling, the hot roll is generally de-scaled, for example, by pickling or shot blasting.
  • Cold rolling is normally carried out in several successive passes, in two opposite directions on a reversible train, or on several rolling mill stands operating in tandem. An annealing treatment may also be necessary.
  • cold processing usually ends with finishing treatment by passing, for example, in a "Skin-Pass" rolling mill and a leveling machine, in order to obtain the desired surface quality and mechanical characteristics. .
  • the strip must be coated with a protective layer which may be a metal coating obtained, generally, by galvanizing or, more simply, a coating by coating such as a paint.
  • a protective layer which may be a metal coating obtained, generally, by galvanizing or, more simply, a coating by coating such as a paint.
  • the modern method may comprise a pickling section, a tandem mill, an annealing furnace and a work hardening cage.
  • the different sections for example annealing, pickling and rolling operate at quite different speeds and may be subject to slowdowns or even stops in case of failure or simply for maintenance. It is therefore necessary to interpose, between certain sections, accumulators which make it possible to continue processing in a section in the event of stopping or slowing down of the band in an upstream section or of accumulating the band at the exit of a section. processing section in case of downstream scrolling stop.
  • the accumulators must have a capacity of several hundred meters.
  • the strip forms a plurality of parallel strands along round trips determined by a set of stationary rollers and a set of movable rollers placed on a looping carriage movable between two positions, respectively minimum accumulation and maximum accumulation .
  • such an accumulator remains very bulky and continuous line installations are therefore placed in very large buildings including one or more halls equipped with cranes for handling the coils and / or the parts necessary for the maintenance of different equipment. Such buildings cover a very large floor area and are very expensive.
  • the rolled strip must often be coated, on at least one side, a protective layer, for example a metal coating made by galvanizing or painting.
  • the metal strip passes first into a bath of liquid metal which is deposited, at the outlet, on each side of the strip, forming a metal layer whose thickness is adjusted by means of 'spinning. To ensure the regularity of deposit, it is necessary that the band circulates vertically at the outlet of the bath. The deposited metal is then solidified by cooling. Generally, the strip thus travels along a path comprising an upstanding vertical leg that extends along a cooling device to a length sufficient for the metal to be sufficiently solidified to pass over a deflector roll and a descending branch along which continues the cooling of the band.
  • the coating may also be made by coating, the strip passing between rollers or paint spraying means.
  • the order book may require the manufacture of a strip coated with paint.
  • a production plant even if it is specialized in a certain type of product, must therefore include many equipment to perform the necessary operations, for example, a cold rolling line with optionally annealing and stripping, a galvanizing line and a paint coating line.
  • EP 0 254 633 discloses a scrolling tape coating apparatus having two tape coating sections sequentially arranged and adapted respectively for galvanizing and / or painting.
  • the object of the invention is to solve these various problems by means of a polyvalent installation making it possible to group, in one and the same line, the equipment necessary for coatings of different types.
  • the invention allows the use of these equipment, either alone or in combination with other equipment, for example to obtain the necessary surface quality or to achieve additional coating.
  • the entire installation can be placed in a single building comprising a central tower having two contiguous parts in which are installed the two sections of coating, respectively metal type and coating and two more halls low height which extend on either side of said central tower and in which are installed, respectively, the feed section and the outlet section.
  • these two halls each have a height and a length corresponding at least to the height and length of a corresponding capacity accumulator.
  • the outlet hall advantageously has a height determined so as to cover an output battery leaving below it a space of sufficient height to contain, firstly a processing section complementary to the band s extending below a rear part of the accumulator and, on the other hand, at least winding means of the strip extending below a front part of the accumulator, the length of said Hall being determined so as to leave, in front of the accumulator, a space necessary to place a means for reversing the band and, possibly, inspection means.
  • the second hall in which the feed section is located advantageously has a height determined so as to cover the assembly of an inlet accumulator and a baking oven superimposed.
  • the complementary treatment section which is placed on the path of the web between the exit of the first metal coating section and the entrance into the second coating coating section, comprises, for example, a "Skin-Pass" rolling mill. placed between two tensioners and / or a tensioning planer and / or an additional coating device such as a chromation or phosphatation.
  • the installation comprises means for selectively commissioning each processing section making it possible to choose a mode of operation adapted from one of a set of possibilities for combining said processing sections, for example a first mode with metal coating alone, a second mode with metal coating and complementary treatment, a third mode with complementary treatment and coating by coating, a fourth mode with two coatings combined, respectively metallic and coating, and a complementary treatment comprising at least one Skin-Pass "and a fifth mode with coating by coating alone.
  • a horizontal type of accumulator comprising, in a known manner, a plurality of parallel strands in two-way paths, between which separating arms spaced apart from one another come into play.
  • the rear portion of the accumulator between an average position of the looping carriage and its retracted position of minimum accumulation is devoid of separator arms, tensioners being placed upstream and downstream the accumulator so as to maintain sufficient traction on the belt to avoid contact between the forward and return strands. In this case, only the rear part of the accumulator, without separating arms, is used in painting mode.
  • FIG. 1 and 2 schematically shows the various members of an installation according to the invention for the production of a metal strip with protective coating, which comprises, in the running direction of the strip, a feed section A shown on the figure 1 , two coating sections B and C and an output section D shown on the figure 2 .
  • the strip to be treated is normally in the form of coils and the feed section A thus comprises unwinding means 1 comprising, as usual, two unrollers 11, 11 ', two shears 12, 12' and a welding device 13 which makes it possible to connect the tail of a reel to the head of the next reel so as to produce a continuous strip which runs in a longitudinal direction, following a path determined by a set of deflector rollers 2. Guiding blocks 14 and tensioning devices 15 of known type are placed at the desired locations on this course to ensure good scrolling and drive the M band while controlling the required traction levels in the various sections of the installation.
  • the continuous ribbon M thus formed passes into a cleaning-degreasing device 16, then into a horizontal type of accumulator 3, the capacity of which is provided, as a function of the time required for unwinding the coils and for welding, for make the connection of two successive coils without stopping the tape running in the rest of the installation.
  • the band arrives in a first section B metal type coating. Normally, this coating is made by galvanizing in a tank 40 filled with liquid metal inside which is placed a submerged deflector roll 21b.
  • the band M coming from the feed section A is deflected by a roller 21a to enter the bath 40 by passing on the submerged roll 21 and leaves the bath in a substantially vertical direction, so as to ensure the regular deposition of a layer of metal on both sides.
  • deflector rollers which define a strip travel path 4 comprising at least one upward vertical portion 41, a horizontal portion 42 placed at a high level and a downward portion 43.
  • the upward portion 41 is equipped with a rapid cooling device 44 extending over a height such that the zinc deposited on both sides of the strip is sufficiently solidified, at its exit, to pass without risk of creating a defect, on an upper rollers 22b.
  • the strip then rotates forwards, follows a horizontal path 42 to a roll 22'b, and then descends along the vertical path 43, to a lower baffle roll 23b placed at a low level of the section.
  • Complementary cooling devices 45, 45 'placed along this path make it possible to complete the cooling of the band M to the desired temperature.
  • the strip then rises to a guide block 46 for possible recentering, then down to an exit roller 24b placed at the bottom of section B to follow a horizontal branch 47 passing below the equipment of the second section C coating by coating to a second baffle roll 24'b.
  • the strip can then be directed towards the second coating section C, but previously it circulates in a complementary treatment section 5 in which finishing treatments may be carried out, in particular for obtaining the desired surface quality and comprising, for example, a "Skin-Pass" rolling mill 51 and a tensioning planer 52.
  • Tensioning devices 54 make it possible to determine the desired levels of traction in each of these equipments.
  • this complementary treatment section 5 is preferably placed at the lower level of the installation, in the extension of the horizontal branch 47.
  • the band turns on a pair of deflector rollers 21d, 21'd to return, at a median level, towards the second coating section C passing above the complementary treatment section 5, along a horizontal return branch 55.
  • This folded configuration of the complementary treatment section 5 makes it possible to add, at the end, additional coating equipment 53 for carrying out, for example, chromating or phosphating.
  • the strip then enters the coated coating section C by passing on a deflector roll 21c and then descends to a low level defined by a deflector roll 22c and a guide block 22 '.
  • the coating by coating can be realized, in the second section C, along a running path 6 defined by a set of deflection rollers and comprising at least one vertical path along which are placed at least one coating device and a fast drying device.
  • the scrolling path 6 can be folded so as to distribute the equipment in two nested columns.
  • the web can pass a first coating device 61 to receive a first surface preparation layer, which is dried in an oven vertical 62, for example a gas oven. Then the band turns on a high roll 23c and down to a roll 25c and a refocusing means 25'c placed at the bottom of the section.
  • a tensioner device 24c makes it possible to drive the belt under tension. This then passes a second coating device 63 which applies the paint layer, then goes back into a drying oven 64 operating, for example, by induction, to a high roller 26c.
  • a drying oven 64 operating, for example, by induction, to a high roller 26c.
  • Each furnace 62, 64 extends vertically to a height such that the applied layer is sufficiently dried so as not to be damaged by passing on the deflector roll 23c, 26c, placed at the outlet of the vertical furnace.
  • the scrolling path 6 then returns to the front, by a horizontal branch 65 extending between two rollers 26c, 27c and on which can be placed a cooling device to lower the temperature of the band to the desired level.
  • the strip then descends to an exit baffle roll 28c of the second cover section C, which is placed at a median level, a little above the entry roll 21c.
  • the path 6 of scrolling in the second section C thus comprises two nested columns for applying to the strip two superimposed layers of paint without substantially increasing the bulk of the section C.
  • the second coating device 63 is preferably constituted by two groups of superposed rollers which operate alternately so as to limit the downtime necessary for the maintenance of this equipment.
  • each coating section respectively metallic B and coating C, following a path of travel comprising at least two vertical branches connected by a horizontal branch.
  • Each covering section B, C is therefore part of a rectangular block having two vertical lateral sides perpendicular to the horizontal running direction of the strip and the height of which depends on the time required, on the one hand for the solidification of the zinc and, on the other hand, the drying of the paint, given the speed of scrolling.
  • the band M enters the lower part of the rear lateral side B1 of the galvanizing section B, comes out at the lower part of the front side B2, passes below the coating section C to the complementary treatment section 5 and returns back through the horizontal branch 55 to enter, in the section C at a median level of the lateral side before C2 of it.
  • the strip then passes successively in the first coating column 61, 62, inside the section, then in the second column 63, 64, along the rearward side C1, passes over the first by the horizontal branch 65, and descends along the lateral side before C2 to emerge at a median level thereof, above the 'Entrance.
  • the two coating sections B, C are thus arranged in two vertical blocks which are contiguous by their lateral sides, respectively before B2 and rear C1. This allows for a particularly compact installation.
  • the band M After having left the second coating section C, the band M enters an outlet accumulator 7 of the horizontal type comprising, in a manner known per se, two sets of looping rollers, respectively a fixed assembly 71 placed on the rear, side of the coating section C and near the output roller 27c, and a movable assembly 72 placed forward on a carriage not shown which can move horizontally under the action of a control means such as a Winch 73.
  • the loop rollers 71, 72 thus define a zigzag path of the web comprising a plurality of strands which run respectively in a forward and a backward direction.
  • the accumulator 7 comprises several sets of separator arms 74 which are rotatably mounted about vertical axes, on either side of the strip and whose engagement and clearance are controlled by the passage of the looping carriage, respectively forward and backward.
  • each set of separator arms opens just before the carriage 72 passes when the carriage returns to reduce the accumulated length.
  • the accumulator 7 it is particularly advantageous in the case of the invention for the accumulator 7 to have no separating arms 74 in its first part 7a.
  • the band M must be kept under tension by tensioning units 75, 75 'respectively placed at the inlet and the outlet of the strip. accumulator 7.
  • the complementary processing section 5 and the branch 55 of return of the strip towards the section C may advantageously be placed below a rear part of the horizontal accumulator 7, which makes it possible to reduce the overall bulk of the 'installation.
  • the metal strip M enters the accumulator 7 in the middle of the height thereof, follows a zigzag path by successively passing on the rolls of the looping assemblies 72a, 72b and exits, at the upper part of the accumulator, by a horizontal strand 70 which unrolls forward, ie to the left of the figure.
  • the strip then reaches winding means 50 which are preferably placed below the front part of the accumulator 7, the strip being turned over on a pair of deflector rollers 76, 76 'placed in front of the winch 73.
  • winding means 50 comprise, as usually, two winders 50, 50 'operating alternately through a switching system and a shear 56 placed upstream and possibly an oiling device 57.
  • downstream tensioning unit 75 ' which is intended to maintain the strip under tension in the accumulator is advantageously placed below it, downstream of the lower baffle roller 76'.
  • an inspection device 77 may advantageously be placed on the vertical path of the strip, between the two deflector rollers 76, 76 'for reversing towards the rear.
  • the arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to produce a particularly compact installation comprising a central part in which are regrouped the two contiguous coating sections B, C and two lateral parts, respectively of supply A and of exit D.
  • These two halls 81, 81 ' which rest on posts 82, are each equipped with at least one raceway 83, 83' for cranes 84, 84 'to ensure the maintenance of equipment placed in the hall .
  • These tracks 83, 83 ' converge towards the central tower 80 which can also be equipped with another crane.
  • the frames of the halls 81, 81 'and the central tower 80 are separated so as to avoid vibrations in the paint zone which is very sensitive to them.
  • each processing section of the installation is associated with means for selective commissioning of the equipment which can thus either carry out the planned processing or simply be traversed by the moving web, without treatment of it.
  • means for selective commissioning of the equipment which can thus either carry out the planned processing or simply be traversed by the moving web, without treatment of it.
  • the coating systems 61, 62 and 63, 64 are not put into service, the section C being simply traversed by the moving strip.
  • the galvanizing section B is neutralized, for example by raising the baffle roll 21b above the metal bath.
  • the strip then simply follows the scrolling path 4 in the first section B, before entering the complementary processing section 5.
  • the equipment of the complementary treatment section 5 can be used, or not, depending on the characteristics of the sheet and the desired surface quality.
  • the reversal towards the rear of the strip at the end of the output accumulator 7 makes it possible to place an inspection device 77, for example by mirrors. Such an inspection is particularly useful in the case where a simple galvanization is carried out, but it requires frequent stops.
  • the output accumulator 7 will therefore be sized according to this use.
  • the controls may be less frequent and that is why the possibilities of displacement of the looping carriage 72 on the rear part 7a of the accumulator 7 devoid of separating arms and whose length can be, for example, about one third of the total length of the accumulator 7.
  • the invention thus allows for a versatile installation, allowing to place in a continuous line all the necessary equipment and to use selectively, in various combinations, depending on the needs.
  • the invention is not limited to the details of the embodiment which has just been described as a simple example, such an installation may include a greater or lesser number of equipment of any kind.
  • the feed section A could simply include a reel associated with preheating means for bringing the strip to the desired temperature before entering the bath. galvanizing.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)
  • Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)
  • Coating With Molten Metal (AREA)

Description

L'invention a pour objet une installation de production d'une bande métallique revêtue d'au moins une couche de protection.The invention relates to an installation for producing a metal strip coated with at least one protective layer.

D'une façon générale, on sait que les bandes métalliques sont réalisées en plusieurs stades successifs, tout d'abord l'élaboration d'un produit brut, par coulée en lingotière ou coulée continue, le forgeage et laminage à chaud de ce produit pour l'obtention d'une bobine de bande dite « à chaud » et, enfin, un laminage à froid. Avant le laminage à froid, la bobine à chaud subit, généralement, une opération de décalaminage, par exemple, par décapage ou grenaillage. Le laminage à froid s'effectue, normalement, en plusieurs passes successives, soit dans deux sens opposés sur un train réversible, soit sur plusieurs cages de laminoir fonctionnement en tandem. Un traitement de recuit peut aussi être nécessaire. D'autre part, la transformation à froid se termine, le plus souvent, par un traitement de finition par passage, par exemple, dans un laminoir « Skin-Pass » et une planeuse, pour obtenir la qualité de surface et les caractéristiques mécaniques souhaitées.In general, it is known that the metal strips are made in several successive stages, first of all the production of a raw product, by casting in the mold or continuous casting, the forging and hot rolling of this product for obtaining a so-called "hot" tape reel and, finally, a cold rolling. Prior to cold rolling, the hot roll is generally de-scaled, for example, by pickling or shot blasting. Cold rolling is normally carried out in several successive passes, in two opposite directions on a reversible train, or on several rolling mill stands operating in tandem. An annealing treatment may also be necessary. On the other hand, cold processing usually ends with finishing treatment by passing, for example, in a "Skin-Pass" rolling mill and a leveling machine, in order to obtain the desired surface quality and mechanical characteristics. .

D'autre part, pour certaines applications, la bande doit être revêtue d'une couche de protection qui peut être un revêtement métallique obtenu, généralement, par galvanisation ou, plus simplement, un revêtement par enduction tel qu'une peinture.On the other hand, for certain applications, the strip must be coated with a protective layer which may be a metal coating obtained, generally, by galvanizing or, more simply, a coating by coating such as a paint.

Ces différents traitements sont réalisés dans des équipements spécifiques qui, normalement, fonctionnent à des vitesses différentes et c'est pourquoi ils étaient réalisés, auparavant, dans des sections séparées d'une usine ou, même, dans des usines différentes, la bande étant enroulée en bobine pour être transportée d'une section à la suivante.These different treatments are carried out in specific equipment which, normally, operate at different speeds and that is why they were done, previously, in separate sections of a factory or, even, in different factories, the band being rolled up. in reel to be transported from one section to the next.

Depuis quelques années, on a cherché à intégrer autant que possible plusieurs traitements successifs dans une ligne continue de fabrication de façon à éviter les ruptures de charges, les stockages intermédiaires et la manutention des bobines d'une section à l'autre. Par exemple, une installation moderne peut comprendre, dans une seule ligne, une section de décapage, un laminoir tandem, un four de recuit et une cage d'écrouissage.In recent years, it has been sought to integrate as many successive treatments as possible in a continuous production line so as to avoid load interruptions, intermediate storage and handling of the coils from one section to another. For example, an installation In a single line, the modern method may comprise a pickling section, a tandem mill, an annealing furnace and a work hardening cage.

Cependant, les différentes sections, par exemple de recuit, de décapage et de laminage fonctionnent à des vitesses assez différentes et peuvent être soumises à des ralentissements ou même des arrêts en cas de panne ou, simplement, pour entretien. Il faut donc interposer, entre certaines sections, des accumulateurs qui permettent de continuer le traitement dans une section en cas d'arrêt ou de ralentissement de la bande dans une section placée en amont ou bien d'accumuler la bande à la sortie d'une section de traitement en cas d'arrêt du défilement en aval.However, the different sections, for example annealing, pickling and rolling operate at quite different speeds and may be subject to slowdowns or even stops in case of failure or simply for maintenance. It is therefore necessary to interpose, between certain sections, accumulators which make it possible to continue processing in a section in the event of stopping or slowing down of the band in an upstream section or of accumulating the band at the exit of a section. processing section in case of downstream scrolling stop.

Une installation de ce type est décrite, par exemple, dans un article, intitulé « L'usine à froid de demain » paru dans la Revue de Métallurgie de janvier 1990 .An installation of this type is described, for example, in an article entitled "The Cold Plant of Tomorrow" published in the January 1990 Journal de Métallurgie .

Jusqu'à présent, de telles installations, qui nécessitent des investissements considérables, n'étaient considérées comme rentables que pour des productions très importantes. Elles fonctionnent donc à des vitesses assez élevées et, pour absorber un arrêt ou un ralentissement, même de quelques minutes, sur une section de traitement, les accumulateurs doivent avoir une capacité de plusieurs centaines de mètres. Habituellement, la bande forme une pluralité de brins parallèles suivant des trajets aller-retour déterminés par un ensemble de rouleaux fixes et un ensemble de rouleaux mobiles placés sur un chariot de bouclage déplaçable entre deux positions, respectivement d'accumulation minimale et d'accumulation maximale. Cependant, un tel accumulateur reste très encombrant et les installations en ligne continue sont donc placées dans des bâtiments de très grandes dimensions comprenant une ou plusieurs halles équipées de ponts roulants permettant de manutentionner les bobines et/ou les pièces nécessaires à l'entretien des différents équipements. De tels bâtiments couvrent une très grande surface au sol et sont très onéreux.Until now, such installations, which require considerable investment, were considered profitable only for very important productions. They therefore operate at fairly high speeds and, to absorb a stop or a slowdown, even for a few minutes, on a processing section, the accumulators must have a capacity of several hundred meters. Usually, the strip forms a plurality of parallel strands along round trips determined by a set of stationary rollers and a set of movable rollers placed on a looping carriage movable between two positions, respectively minimum accumulation and maximum accumulation . However, such an accumulator remains very bulky and continuous line installations are therefore placed in very large buildings including one or more halls equipped with cranes for handling the coils and / or the parts necessary for the maintenance of different equipment. Such buildings cover a very large floor area and are very expensive.

Comme on l'a indiqué, après la transformation à froid et les traitements de finition, la bande laminée doit souvent être revêtue, sur au moins une face, d'une couche de protection, par exemple un revêtement métallique réalisé par galvanisation ou une peinture.As indicated, after cold processing and finishing treatments, the rolled strip must often be coated, on at least one side, a protective layer, for example a metal coating made by galvanizing or painting.

On sait que pour la galvanisation, la bande métallique passe d'abord dans un bain de métal liquide qui se dépose, à la sortie, sur chaque face de la bande, en formant une couche métallique dont l'épaisseur est réglée par un moyen d'essorage. Pour assurer la régularité de dépôt, il est nécessaire que la bande circule verticalement à la sortie du bain. Le métal déposé est ensuite solidifié par refroidissement. Généralement, la bande défile donc suivant un chemin comprenant une branche verticale ascendante qui s'étend le long d'un dispositif de refroidissement sur une longueur suffisante pour que le métal soit suffisamment solidifiée pour passer sur un rouleau déflecteur et une branche descendante le long de laquelle se poursuit le refroidissement de la bande.It is known that for galvanizing, the metal strip passes first into a bath of liquid metal which is deposited, at the outlet, on each side of the strip, forming a metal layer whose thickness is adjusted by means of 'spinning. To ensure the regularity of deposit, it is necessary that the band circulates vertically at the outlet of the bath. The deposited metal is then solidified by cooling. Generally, the strip thus travels along a path comprising an upstanding vertical leg that extends along a cooling device to a length sufficient for the metal to be sufficiently solidified to pass over a deflector roll and a descending branch along which continues the cooling of the band.

Une telle installation est donc placée dans un bâtiment dont la hauteur correspond à la longueur de refroidissement nécessaire.Such an installation is therefore placed in a building whose height corresponds to the necessary cooling length.

Le revêtement peut également être réalisé par enduction, la bande défilant entre des rouleaux ou des moyens d'aspersion de peinture.The coating may also be made by coating, the strip passing between rollers or paint spraying means.

Cependant, les exigences de la clientèle sont très variées et, selon l'utilisation prévue, il peut être nécessaire de réaliser, soit une galvanisation, soit une peinture, soit même deux couches de protection superposées.However, the requirements of the customer are very varied and, depending on the intended use, it may be necessary to achieve either a galvanization or a paint, or even two layers of protection superimposed.

Après la production, par exemple, d'un certain nombre de bobines d'une bande galvanisée, le carnet de commande peut nécessiter la fabrication d'une bande revêtue de peinture. Pour répondre de façon souple à de telles exigences, une usine de production, même si elle est spécialisée dans un certain type de produit, doit donc comprendre de nombreux équipements permettant de réaliser les opérations nécessaires, par exemple, une ligne de laminage à froid avec, éventuellement, recuit et décapage, une ligne de galvanisation et une ligne de revêtement par peinture.After the production, for example, of a number of coils of a galvanized strip, the order book may require the manufacture of a strip coated with paint. To respond flexibly to such requirements, a production plant, even if it is specialized in a certain type of product, must therefore include many equipment to perform the necessary operations, for example, a cold rolling line with optionally annealing and stripping, a galvanizing line and a paint coating line.

Le plus souvent, ces équipements sont placés dans des bâtiments séparés, les bobines laminées à froid étant dirigées vers l'une ou l'autre des deux lignes de revêtement en fonction du carnet de commande.Most often, these equipments are placed in separate buildings, the cold-rolled coils being directed towards one or the other of the two coating lines according to the order book.

Ceci permet d'utiliser des équipements dont la production peut être adaptée aux besoins mais la manutention des bobines entraîne un risque de détérioration de celles-ci et nécessite des stockages intermédiaires.This allows the use of equipment whose production can be adapted to the needs but the handling of the reels entails a risk of deterioration thereof and requires intermediate storage.

D'autre part, une telle usine constituée de plusieurs bâtiments qui sont utilisés seulement en fonction des besoins, couvre, globalement, une surface extrêmement importante.On the other hand, such a plant consisting of several buildings that are used only according to the needs, covers, globally, an extremely important surface.

Par ailleurs, il est parfois nécessaire de réaliser une peinture au-dessus d'un revêtement métallique dont la qualité de surface doit, alors, être adaptée à l'application d'une peinture.Furthermore, it is sometimes necessary to paint over a metal coating whose surface quality must, then, be adapted to the application of a paint.

A titre d'exemple, EP A 0 254 633 présente une installation de revêtement de bande en défilement présentant deux sections de revêtement de bande séquentiellement disposées et adaptées respectivement pour une galvanisation et/ou une réalisation de peinture.For exemple, EP 0 254 633 discloses a scrolling tape coating apparatus having two tape coating sections sequentially arranged and adapted respectively for galvanizing and / or painting.

Il apparaît donc qu'il serait intéressant de combiner les différents traitements de façon à répondre facilement aux exigences de la clientèle mais ceci est difficile dans les installations actuelles dont les conditions de fonctionnement sont assez rigides.It therefore appears that it would be interesting to combine the various treatments so as to easily meet the requirements of the customers, but this is difficult in current installations whose operating conditions are quite rigid.

L'invention a pour objet de résoudre ces différents problèmes grâce à une installation polyvalente permettant de regrouper, dans une même ligne, les équipements nécessaires à des revêtements de différents types. En outre, l'invention permet d'utiliser ces équipements, soit isolément, soit en combinaison avec d'autres équipements, par exemple pour obtenir la qualité de surface nécessaire ou bien réaliser un revêtement supplémentaire.The object of the invention is to solve these various problems by means of a polyvalent installation making it possible to group, in one and the same line, the equipment necessary for coatings of different types. In addition, the invention allows the use of these equipment, either alone or in combination with other equipment, for example to obtain the necessary surface quality or to achieve additional coating.

L'invention concerne donc une installation de production d'une bande métallique revêtue d'au moins une couche de protection comprenant des moyens de commande du défilement de la bande, successivement, dans une série de sections de traitement placées l'une après l'autre en une ligne continue. Selon l'invention, l'installation comporte au moins, dans un sens de défilement de la bande :

  • une section d'alimentation,
  • une première section de revêtement de type métallique ayant deux côtés latéraux perpendiculaires à une direction longitudinale de défilement de la bande, respectivement un premier côté et un second côté, et comprenant un moyen d'entrée de la bande dans ladite section de revêtement métallique, placé à un niveau bas du premier côté latéral de celle-ci et débouchant dans une cuve susceptible d'être remplie d'un bain de métal liquide, des moyens de guidage de la bande suivant un premier chemin de défilement comprenant une partie d'immersion pénétrant dans la cuve pour le dépôt de métal sur la bande, une partie ascendante s'étendant suivant une direction sensiblement verticale entre la sortie de la cuve et un niveau haut et une partie descendante s'étendant entre ledit niveau haut et un moyen de sortie de ladite première section de revêtement, placé à un niveau bas sur le second côté latéral de celle-ci, et des moyens de refroidissement disposés au moins le long de la partie ascendante dudit premier chemin de défilement pour la solidification du métal déposé sur la bande,
  • une seconde section de revêtement de type par enduction, placée à côté de la première section et ayant deux côtés latéraux perpendiculaires à la direction de défilement, respectivement un premier côté s'étendant le long du second côté de la section de revêtement métallique et un second côté, ladite section d'enduction comprenant des moyens d'enduction de la bande placés à un niveau bas dudit premier côté, des moyens de guidage de la bande suivant un second chemin de défilement passant devant lesdits moyens d'enduction et comprenant au moins une partie ascendante s'étendant verticalement entre le niveau bas desdits moyens d'enduction et un niveau haut, des moyens de séchage du revêtement après enduction, s'étendant au moins le long de ladite partie ascendante et un moyen de sortie de la section d'enduction, placé sur le second côté de celle-ci,
  • une section de sortie comportant au moins un accumulateur de
    bande et des moyens de bobinage,
  • un moyen (21c) d'entrée dans la seconde section C de revêtement par enduction étant placé sur le second côté C2 de celle-ci, opposé à la première section B de revêtement et entre le moyen (24b) de sortie de la première section B de revêtement et le moyen (21c) d'entrée dans la seconde section de revêtement C et la bande suivant alors, entre les deux sections de revêtement, un parcours de liaison coudé comprenant une première branche horizontale (47) passant, à un niveau bas, au-dessous de la seconde section de revêtement C, et sur laquelle peut être placée une section de traitement complémentaire, et une seconde branche horizontale (55) revenant en arrière, à un niveau médian, jusqu'au moyen d'entrée (21c) dans la seconde section de revêtement C.
The invention therefore relates to an installation for producing a metal strip coated with at least one protective layer comprising means for controlling the running of the strip successively in a series of treatment sections placed one after the other. other in a continuous line. According to the invention, the installation comprises at least, in a running direction of the strip:
  • a feeding section,
  • a first metal-like cladding section having two lateral sides perpendicular to a longitudinal running direction of the web, respectively a first side and a second side, and comprising web entry means in said metal cladding section, placed at a low level of the first lateral side thereof and opening into a tank that can be filled with a bath of liquid metal, means of guiding the strip along a first scroll path comprising an immersion portion penetrating the tank for depositing metal on the strip, an ascending portion extending in a substantially vertical direction between the outlet of the tank and a high level and a descending portion extending between said high level and an output means of said first coating section, placed at a low level on the second lateral side thereof, and cooling means disposed at least along the ascending portion of said first scroll path for solidification of the metal deposited on the strip,
  • a second coating type coating section, placed next to the first section and having two lateral sides perpendicular to the running direction, respectively a first side extending along the second side of the metal coating section and a second side extending along the second side of the metal coating section and a second side extending along the second side of the metal coating section and a second side extending along the second side of the metal coating section; side, said coating section comprising means for coating the strip placed at a low level of said first side, means for guiding the strip along a second path passing in front of said coating means and comprising at least one ascending portion extending vertically between the low level of said coating means and a high level, means for drying the coating after coating, extending at least along said upward portion and outlet means of the section of said coating, placed on the second side of it,
  • an output section comprising at least one accumulator of
    tape and winding means,
  • inlet means (21c) in the second coating surface section C being placed on the second side C2 thereof, opposite to the first facing section B and between the outlet means (24b) of the first section B of coating and means (21c) entering the second coating section C and the next strip then, between the two coating sections, a bent connecting course comprising a first horizontal branch (47) passing at a level low, below the second coating section C, and on which may be placed a complementary processing section, and a second horizontal branch (55) returning, at a median level, to the input means ( 21c) in the second coating section C.

Grâce à l'invention, l'ensemble de l'installation peut être placé dans un bâtiment unique comprenant une tour centrale ayant deux parties accolées dans lesquelles sont installées les deux sections de revêtement, respectivement de type métallique et par enduction et deux halles de plus faible hauteur qui s'étendent de part et d'autre de ladite tour centrale et dans lesquelles sont installées, respectivement, la section d'alimentation et la section de sortie.Thanks to the invention, the entire installation can be placed in a single building comprising a central tower having two contiguous parts in which are installed the two sections of coating, respectively metal type and coating and two more halls low height which extend on either side of said central tower and in which are installed, respectively, the feed section and the outlet section.

De préférence, ces deux halles présentent chacune une hauteur et une longueur correspondant au moins à la hauteur et la longueur d'un accumulateur de capacité correspondante.Preferably, these two halls each have a height and a length corresponding at least to the height and length of a corresponding capacity accumulator.

En particulier, la halle de sortie présente avantageusement une hauteur déterminée de façon à recouvrir un accumulateur de sortie en laissant au-dessous de celui-ci un espace de hauteur suffisante pour contenir, d'une part une section de traitement complémentaire de la bande s'étendant au-dessous d'une partie arrière de l'accumulateur et, d'autre part, au moins des moyens de bobinage de la bande s'étendant au-dessous d'une partie avant de l'accumulateur, la longueur de ladite halle étant déterminée de façon à laisser, en avant de l'accumulateur, un espace nécessaire pour y placer un moyen de retournement de la bande et, éventuellement, des moyens d'inspection.In particular, the outlet hall advantageously has a height determined so as to cover an output battery leaving below it a space of sufficient height to contain, firstly a processing section complementary to the band s extending below a rear part of the accumulator and, on the other hand, at least winding means of the strip extending below a front part of the accumulator, the length of said Hall being determined so as to leave, in front of the accumulator, a space necessary to place a means for reversing the band and, possibly, inspection means.

La seconde halle dans laquelle est placée la section d'alimentation présente avantageusement une hauteur déterminée de façon à recouvrir l'ensemble d'un accumulateur d'entrée et d'un four de recuit superposés.The second hall in which the feed section is located advantageously has a height determined so as to cover the assembly of an inlet accumulator and a baking oven superimposed.

La section de traitement complémentaire qui est placée sur le parcours de la bande entre la sortie de la première section de revêtement métallique et l'entrée dans la seconde section de revêtement par enduction, comprend, par exemple, un laminoir « Skin-Pass» » placé entre deux tensionneurs et/ou une planeuse sous tension et/ou un dispositif de revêtement supplémentaire tel qu'une chromatation ou une phosphatation.The complementary treatment section which is placed on the path of the web between the exit of the first metal coating section and the entrance into the second coating coating section, comprises, for example, a "Skin-Pass" rolling mill. placed between two tensioners and / or a tensioning planer and / or an additional coating device such as a chromation or phosphatation.

Selon une autre caractéristique préférentielle, l'installation comprend des moyens de mise en service sélective de chaque section de traitement permettant de choisir un mode de fonctionnement adapté aux besoins parmi un ensemble de possibilités de combinaison desdites sections de traitement, par exemple un premier mode avec revêtement métallique seul, un second mode avec revêtement métallique et traitement complémentaire, un troisième mode avec traitement complémentaire et revêtement par enduction, un quatrième mode avec deux revêtements combinés, respectivement métallique et par enduction, ainsi qu'un traitement complémentaire comportant au moins un «Skin-Pass» et un cinquième mode avec revêtement par enduction seul.According to another preferred feature, the installation comprises means for selectively commissioning each processing section making it possible to choose a mode of operation adapted from one of a set of possibilities for combining said processing sections, for example a first mode with metal coating alone, a second mode with metal coating and complementary treatment, a third mode with complementary treatment and coating by coating, a fourth mode with two coatings combined, respectively metallic and coating, and a complementary treatment comprising at least one Skin-Pass "and a fifth mode with coating by coating alone.

Afin de ne pas marquer la bande, à la sortie de la ligne de peinture, il serait préférable d'utiliser un accumulateur vertical mais celui-ci devrait être placé dans un autre bâtiment de grande hauteur.In order not to mark the strip, at the exit of the painting line, it would be preferable to use a vertical accumulator but this one should be placed in another high-rise building.

Pour éviter cet inconvénient, on utilise un accumulateur du type horizontal comprenant, de façon connue, une pluralité de brins parallèles suivant des trajets aller - retour, entre lesquels viennent s'interposer des bras séparateurs écartés les uns des autres. Cependant, selon une autre caractéristique de l'invention, la partie arrière de l'accumulateur comprise entre une position moyenne du chariot de bouclage et sa position reculée d'accumulation minimale est dépourvue de bras séparateurs, des tensionneurs étant placés en amont et en aval de l'accumulateur de façon à maintenir sur la bande une traction suffisante pour éviter un contact entre les brins aller et retour. Dans ce cas, seule la partie arrière de l'accumulateur, sans bras séparateurs, est utilisée en mode peinture.To avoid this drawback, use is made of a horizontal type of accumulator comprising, in a known manner, a plurality of parallel strands in two-way paths, between which separating arms spaced apart from one another come into play. However, according to another characteristic of the invention, the rear portion of the accumulator between an average position of the looping carriage and its retracted position of minimum accumulation is devoid of separator arms, tensioners being placed upstream and downstream the accumulator so as to maintain sufficient traction on the belt to avoid contact between the forward and return strands. In this case, only the rear part of the accumulator, without separating arms, is used in painting mode.

D'autres caractéristiques avantageuses de l'invention apparaîtront au cours de la description qui va suivre d'un mode de réalisation particulier, donné à titre d'exemple et représenté sur les dessins annexés.

  • La figure 1 représente schématiquement la section d'alimentation d'une installation en ligne continue selon l'invention.
  • La figure 2 représente schématiquement deux sections de revêtement et la section de sortie de l'installation.
  • La figure 3 est une vue de détail qui montre schématiquement la partie centrale d'un bâtiment dans lequel est placée l'installation.
Other advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings.
  • The figure 1 schematically represents the supply section of a continuous line installation according to the invention.
  • The figure 2 schematically represents two sections of coating and the outlet section of the installation.
  • The figure 3 is a detail view that shows schematically the central part of a building in which the installation is located.

Sur les figures 1 et 2, on a représenté schématiquement les différents organes d'une installation selon l'invention pour la production d'une bande métallique avec revêtement de protection, qui comprend, dans le sens de défilement de la bande, une section d'alimentation A représentée sur la figure 1, deux sections de revêtement B et C et une section de sortie D représentées sur la figure 2.On the figures 1 and 2 schematically shows the various members of an installation according to the invention for the production of a metal strip with protective coating, which comprises, in the running direction of the strip, a feed section A shown on the figure 1 , two coating sections B and C and an output section D shown on the figure 2 .

La bande à traiter se présente, normalement, sous forme de bobines et la section d'alimentation A comprend donc des moyens de déroulement 1 comportant, comme habituellement, deux dérouleuses 11, 11', deux cisailles 12, 12' et un dispositif de soudage 13 qui permet de relier la queue d'une bobine à la tête de la bobine suivante de façon à produire une bande continue qui défile suivant une direction longitudinale, en suivant un parcours déterminé par un ensemble de rouleaux déflecteurs 2. Des blocs de guidage 14 et des dispositifs tensionneurs 15 de type connu sont placés aux endroits voulus sur ce parcours pour garantir un bon défilement et entraîner la bande M tout en contrôlant les niveaux de traction requis dans les différentes sections de l'installation.The strip to be treated is normally in the form of coils and the feed section A thus comprises unwinding means 1 comprising, as usual, two unrollers 11, 11 ', two shears 12, 12' and a welding device 13 which makes it possible to connect the tail of a reel to the head of the next reel so as to produce a continuous strip which runs in a longitudinal direction, following a path determined by a set of deflector rollers 2. Guiding blocks 14 and tensioning devices 15 of known type are placed at the desired locations on this course to ensure good scrolling and drive the M band while controlling the required traction levels in the various sections of the installation.

Après la soudure, le ruban continu M ainsi formé passe dans un dispositif de nettoyage-dégraissage 16, puis dans un accumulateur 3 du type horizontal, dont la capacité est prévue, en fonction du temps nécessaire au déroulement des bobines et à la soudure, pour réaliser le raccordement de deux bobines successives sans arrêter le défilement de la bande dans la suite de l'installation.After welding, the continuous ribbon M thus formed passes into a cleaning-degreasing device 16, then into a horizontal type of accumulator 3, the capacity of which is provided, as a function of the time required for unwinding the coils and for welding, for make the connection of two successive coils without stopping the tape running in the rest of the installation.

Après la sortie de l'accumulateur 3, la bande arrive dans une première section B de revêtement de type métallique. Normalement, ce revêtement est réalisé par galvanisation dans une cuve 40 remplie de métal liquide à l'intérieur de laquelle est placé un rouleau déflecteur immergé 21 b. La bande M venant de la section d'alimentation A est déviée par un rouleau 21a pour pénétrer dans le bain 40 en passant sur le rouleau immergé 21 et ressort du bain selon une direction sensiblement verticale, de façon à assurer le dépôt régulier d'une couche de métal sur ses deux faces. A l'intérieur de la section de revêtement métallique B sont placés des rouleaux déflecteurs qui définissent un chemin 4 de défilement de la bande comprenant au moins une partie ascendante verticale 41, une partie horizontale 42 placée à un niveau haut et une partie descendante 43.After the output of the accumulator 3, the band arrives in a first section B metal type coating. Normally, this coating is made by galvanizing in a tank 40 filled with liquid metal inside which is placed a submerged deflector roll 21b. The band M coming from the feed section A is deflected by a roller 21a to enter the bath 40 by passing on the submerged roll 21 and leaves the bath in a substantially vertical direction, so as to ensure the regular deposition of a layer of metal on both sides. Inside the metal cladding section B are placed deflector rollers which define a strip travel path 4 comprising at least one upward vertical portion 41, a horizontal portion 42 placed at a high level and a downward portion 43.

La partie ascendante 41 est équipée d'un dispositif de refroidissement rapide 44 s'étendant sur une hauteur telle que le zinc déposé sur les deux faces de la bande soit suffisamment solidifié, à sa sortie, pour passer sans risque de création de défaut, sur un rouleaux supérieur 22b.The upward portion 41 is equipped with a rapid cooling device 44 extending over a height such that the zinc deposited on both sides of the strip is sufficiently solidified, at its exit, to pass without risk of creating a defect, on an upper rollers 22b.

La bande tourne alors vers l'avant, suit un parcours horizontal 42 jusqu'à un rouleau 22'b, puis descend le long du parcours vertical 43, jusqu'à un rouleau déflecteur inférieur 23b placé à un niveau bas de la section. Des dispositifs de refroidissement complémentaire 45, 45' placés le long de ce parcours permettent d'achever le refroidissement de la bande M jusqu'à la température souhaitée.The strip then rotates forwards, follows a horizontal path 42 to a roll 22'b, and then descends along the vertical path 43, to a lower baffle roll 23b placed at a low level of the section. Complementary cooling devices 45, 45 'placed along this path make it possible to complete the cooling of the band M to the desired temperature.

De préférence, la bande remonte alors vers un bloc de guidage 46 pour recentrage éventuel, puis redescend jusqu'à un rouleau de sortie 24b placé en bas de la section B pour suivre une branche horizontale 47 passant au-dessous des équipements de la seconde section C de revêtement par enduction jusqu'à un second rouleau déflecteur 24'b.Preferably, the strip then rises to a guide block 46 for possible recentering, then down to an exit roller 24b placed at the bottom of section B to follow a horizontal branch 47 passing below the equipment of the second section C coating by coating to a second baffle roll 24'b.

La bande peut alors être dirigée vers la seconde section C de revêtement mais, auparavant, elle circule dans une section de traitement complémentaire 5 dans laquelle peuvent être réalisés des traitements de finition destinés, en particulier, à obtenir la qualité de surface souhaitée et comprenant, par exemple, un laminoir «Skin-Pass» 51 et une planeuse sous traction 52. Des dispositifs tensionneurs 54 permettent de déterminer les niveaux de traction souhaités dans chacun de ces équipements.The strip can then be directed towards the second coating section C, but previously it circulates in a complementary treatment section 5 in which finishing treatments may be carried out, in particular for obtaining the desired surface quality and comprising, for example, a "Skin-Pass" rolling mill 51 and a tensioning planer 52. Tensioning devices 54 make it possible to determine the desired levels of traction in each of these equipments.

Comme le montre schématiquement la figure 2, cette section de traitement complémentaire 5 est placée, de préférence, au niveau inférieur de l'installation, dans le prolongement de la branche horizontale 47.As schematically shows figure 2 this complementary treatment section 5 is preferably placed at the lower level of the installation, in the extension of the horizontal branch 47.

A la sortie de cette section 5, la bande se retourne sur une paire de rouleaux déflecteurs 21d, 21'd pour revenir, à un niveau médian, vers la seconde section de revêtement C en passant au-dessus de la section de traitement complémentaire 5, le long d'une branche de retour horizontale 55.At the exit of this section 5, the band turns on a pair of deflector rollers 21d, 21'd to return, at a median level, towards the second coating section C passing above the complementary treatment section 5, along a horizontal return branch 55.

Cette configuration repliée de la section de traitement complémentaire 5 permet de lui adjoindre, en extrémité, un équipement de revêtement supplémentaire 53 permettant de réaliser, par exemple, une chromatation ou une phosphatation.This folded configuration of the complementary treatment section 5 makes it possible to add, at the end, additional coating equipment 53 for carrying out, for example, chromating or phosphating.

La bande entre alors dans la section de revêtement par enduction C en passant sur un rouleau déflecteur 21c puis redescend jusqu'à un niveau bas défini par un rouleau déflecteur 22c et un bloc de guidage 22'.The strip then enters the coated coating section C by passing on a deflector roll 21c and then descends to a low level defined by a deflector roll 22c and a guide block 22 '.

Le revêtement par enduction peut être réalisé, dans la seconde section C, le long d'un chemin de défilement 6 défini par un ensemble de rouleaux déflecteurs et comprenant au moins un parcours vertical le long duquel sont placés au moins un dispositif d'enduction et un dispositif de séchage rapide.The coating by coating can be realized, in the second section C, along a running path 6 defined by a set of deflection rollers and comprising at least one vertical path along which are placed at least one coating device and a fast drying device.

Avantageusement, le chemin de défilement 6 peut être replié de façon à répartir les équipements en deux colonnes imbriquées.Advantageously, the scrolling path 6 can be folded so as to distribute the equipment in two nested columns.

Par exemple, à partir du bloc de guidage 22'c placé au niveau bas de la section C, la bande peut passer devant un premier dispositif d'enduction 61 pour recevoir une première couche de préparation de la surface, qui est séchée dans un four vertical 62, par exemple un four à gaz. Puis la bande se retourne sur un rouleau haut 23c et redescend jusqu'à un rouleau 25c et un moyen de recentrage 25'c placés au niveau bas de la section.For example, from the guide block 22'c placed at the bottom of section C, the web can pass a first coating device 61 to receive a first surface preparation layer, which is dried in an oven vertical 62, for example a gas oven. Then the band turns on a high roll 23c and down to a roll 25c and a refocusing means 25'c placed at the bottom of the section.

Avantageusement, un dispositif tensionneur 24c permet d'assurer l'entraînement sous traction de la bande. Celle-ci passe ensuite devant un second dispositif d'enduction 63 qui applique la couche de peinture, puis remonte dans un four de séchage 64 fonctionnant, par exemple, par induction, jusqu'à un rouleau haut 26c. Chaque four 62, 64 s'étend verticalement sur une hauteur telle que la couche appliquée soit suffisamment séchée pour ne pas être détériorée en passant sur le rouleau déflecteur 23c, 26c, placé à la sortie du four vertical.Advantageously, a tensioner device 24c makes it possible to drive the belt under tension. This then passes a second coating device 63 which applies the paint layer, then goes back into a drying oven 64 operating, for example, by induction, to a high roller 26c. Each furnace 62, 64 extends vertically to a height such that the applied layer is sufficiently dried so as not to be damaged by passing on the deflector roll 23c, 26c, placed at the outlet of the vertical furnace.

Le chemin de défilement 6 revient alors vers l'avant, par une branche horizontale 65 s'étendant entre deux rouleaux 26c, 27c et sur laquelle peut être placée un dispositif de refroidissement permettant d'abaisser la température de la bande jusqu'au niveau souhaité.The scrolling path 6 then returns to the front, by a horizontal branch 65 extending between two rollers 26c, 27c and on which can be placed a cooling device to lower the temperature of the band to the desired level.

La bande redescend ensuite jusqu'à un rouleau déflecteur 28c de sortie de la seconde section de revêtement C, qui est placé à un niveau médian, un peu au-dessus du rouleau d'entrée 21 c.The strip then descends to an exit baffle roll 28c of the second cover section C, which is placed at a median level, a little above the entry roll 21c.

Le chemin 6 de défilement dans la seconde section C comprend ainsi deux colonnes imbriquées permettant d'appliquer sur la bande deux couches de peinture superposées sans augmenter sensiblement l'encombrement de la section C.The path 6 of scrolling in the second section C thus comprises two nested columns for applying to the strip two superimposed layers of paint without substantially increasing the bulk of the section C.

Comme indiqué sur la figure 2, le second dispositif d'enduction 63 est constitué, de préférence, de deux groupes de rouleaux superposés qui fonctionnent en alternance de manière à limiter les temps d'arrêt nécessaires à la maintenance de ces équipements.As indicated on the figure 2 , the second coating device 63 is preferably constituted by two groups of superposed rollers which operate alternately so as to limit the downtime necessary for the maintenance of this equipment.

Il apparaît donc que la bande défile dans chaque section de revêtement, respectivement métallique B et par enduction C, en suivant un chemin de défilement comprenant au moins deux branches verticales reliées par une branche horizontale. Chaque section de revêtement B, C s'inscrit donc dans un bloc de forme rectangulaire ayant deux côtés latéraux verticaux perpendiculaires à la direction générale horizontale de défilement de la bande et dont la hauteur dépend du temps nécessaire, d'une part à la solidification du zinc et, d'autre part, au séchage de la peinture, compte tenu de la vitesse de défilement. Lorsque deux couches de peinture sont nécessaires, il est possible, comme on l'a indiqué plus haut, de réduire la hauteur de la section en repliant le chemin de défilement en deux colonnes parallèles.It therefore appears that the strip passes through each coating section, respectively metallic B and coating C, following a path of travel comprising at least two vertical branches connected by a horizontal branch. Each covering section B, C is therefore part of a rectangular block having two vertical lateral sides perpendicular to the horizontal running direction of the strip and the height of which depends on the time required, on the one hand for the solidification of the zinc and, on the other hand, the drying of the paint, given the speed of scrolling. When two layers of paint are needed, it is possible, as noted above, to reduce the height of the section by folding the scroll path into two parallel columns.

Si l'on considère une direction générale de défilement de la bande allant de la droite vers la gauche sur les figures, on voit que la bande M entre à la partie basse du côté latéral arrière B1 de la section de galvanisation B, sort à la partie basse du côté avant B2, passe en dessous de la section d'enduction C vers la section de traitement complémentaire 5 et revient en arrière par la branche horizontale 55 pour entrer, dans la section C à un niveau médian du côté latéral avant C2 de celle-ci. La bande passe alors successivement dans la première colonne d'enduction 61,62, à l'intérieur de la section, puis dans la seconde colonne 63, 64, le long du côté arrière C1, repasse au dessus de la première par la branche horizontale 65, et redescend le long du côté latéral avant C2 pour ressortir à un niveau médian de celui-ci, au-dessus de l'entrée.If we consider a general direction of movement of the band from right to left in the figures, we see that the band M enters the lower part of the rear lateral side B1 of the galvanizing section B, comes out at the lower part of the front side B2, passes below the coating section C to the complementary treatment section 5 and returns back through the horizontal branch 55 to enter, in the section C at a median level of the lateral side before C2 of it. The strip then passes successively in the first coating column 61, 62, inside the section, then in the second column 63, 64, along the rearward side C1, passes over the first by the horizontal branch 65, and descends along the lateral side before C2 to emerge at a median level thereof, above the 'Entrance.

Les deux sections de revêtement B, C sont ainsi disposées dans deux blocs verticaux qui sont accolés par leurs côtés latéraux, respectivement avant B2 et arrière C1. Ceci permet de réaliser une installation particulièrement compacte.The two coating sections B, C are thus arranged in two vertical blocks which are contiguous by their lateral sides, respectively before B2 and rear C1. This allows for a particularly compact installation.

Après avoir quitté la seconde section de revêtement C, la bande M pénètre dans un accumulateur de sortie 7 du type horizontal comprenant, de façon connue en soi, deux ensembles de rouleaux de bouclage, respectivement un ensemble fixe 71 placé sur l'arrière, à côté de la section de revêtement C et à proximité du rouleau de sortie 27c, et un ensemble mobile 72 placé vers l'avant sur un chariot non représenté qui peut se déplacer horizontalement sous l'action d'un moyen de commande tel qu'un treuil 73. Les rouleaux de bouclage 71, 72 définissent ainsi un trajet en zigzag de la bande comprenant une pluralité de brins qui défilent respectivement, dans un sens aller vers l'avant et dans un sens retour vers l'arrière.After having left the second coating section C, the band M enters an outlet accumulator 7 of the horizontal type comprising, in a manner known per se, two sets of looping rollers, respectively a fixed assembly 71 placed on the rear, side of the coating section C and near the output roller 27c, and a movable assembly 72 placed forward on a carriage not shown which can move horizontally under the action of a control means such as a Winch 73. The loop rollers 71, 72 thus define a zigzag path of the web comprising a plurality of strands which run respectively in a forward and a backward direction.

Pour éviter les risques de contact entre deux brins superposés défilant dans des sens différents, l'accumulateur 7 comprend plusieurs ensembles de bras séparateurs 74 qui sont montés rotatifs autour d'axes verticaux, de part et d'autre de la bande et dont l'engagement et le dégagement sont commandés par le passage du chariot de bouclage, respectivement vers l'avant et vers l'arrière.To avoid the risk of contact between two superposed strands moving in different directions, the accumulator 7 comprises several sets of separator arms 74 which are rotatably mounted about vertical axes, on either side of the strip and whose engagement and clearance are controlled by the passage of the looping carriage, respectively forward and backward.

Ainsi, à partir de sa position reculée 72a correspondant à la longueur d'accumulation minimale, le chariot 72 se déplace vers l'avant sous l'action du moyen de commande 73 en passant entre les ensembles de bras 74 qui sont ouverts. Après le passage du chariot 72 au niveau de chaque ensemble de bras, ceux-ci se referment de façon à venir s'interposer entre les différents brins de la bande pour éviter leur contact. Inversement, chaque ensemble de bras séparateurs s'ouvre juste avant le passage du chariot 72 lorsque celui-ci revient en arrière pour diminuer la longueur accumulée.Thus, from its retracted position 72a corresponding to the minimum accumulation length, the carriage 72 moves forward under the action of the control means 73 passing between the arm assemblies 74 which are open. After the carriage 72 has passed through each set of arms, they are closed so as to come between the different strands of the band to prevent their contact. Conversely, each set of separator arms opens just before the carriage 72 passes when the carriage returns to reduce the accumulated length.

Toutes ces dispositions sont bien connues et ne nécessitent pas une description plus détaillée.All these arrangements are well known and do not require a more detailed description.

Toutefois, comme on l'a indiqué schématiquement sur la figure 2, il est particulièrement avantageux, dans le cas de l'invention, que l'accumulateur 7 ne comporte pas de bras séparateurs 74 dans sa première partie 7a.However, as indicated schematically on the figure 2 it is particularly advantageous in the case of the invention for the accumulator 7 to have no separating arms 74 in its first part 7a.

En effet, il est ainsi possible, lorsque l'on réalise un revêtement par peinture, de n'utiliser que cette partie arrière 7a de l'accumulateur dépourvue de bras séparateurs, de façon à éviter les risques de marquage de la peinture. Le chariot de bouclage 72 se déplace alors entre la position reculée 72a et une position moyenne 72c entre lesquelles les bras séparateurs ont été supprimés.Indeed, it is possible, when making a coating by painting, to use only this rear portion 7a of the accumulator without separator arms, so as to avoid the risk of marking the paint. The looping carriage 72 then moves between the retracted position 72a and an average position 72c between which the separator arms have been removed.

Cependant, pour éviter le contact entre deux brins superposés de la bande, dans cette partie 7a sans bras séparateurs, la bande M doit être maintenue sous tension par des blocs tensionneurs 75, 75' placés respectivement à l'entrée et à la sortie de l'accumulateur 7.However, to avoid contact between two superimposed strands of the strip, in this part 7a without separator arms, the band M must be kept under tension by tensioning units 75, 75 'respectively placed at the inlet and the outlet of the strip. accumulator 7.

Bien entendu, en limitant ainsi la longueur sur laquelle se déplace le chariot de bouclage, on diminue la capacité d'accumulation mais, pour les raisons indiquées plus loin, celle-ci reste suffisante pour un revêtement par peinture.Of course, thus limiting the length on which the looping carriage moves, decreases the capacity of accumulation but, for the reasons indicated below, it remains sufficient for a coating by paint.

Comme le montre la figure 2, la section de traitement complémentaire 5 et la branche 55 de retour de la bande vers la section C peuvent avantageusement être placées au-dessous d'une partie arrière de l'accumulateur horizontal 7, ce qui permet de diminuer l'encombrement global de l'installation.As shown in figure 2 , the complementary processing section 5 and the branch 55 of return of the strip towards the section C may advantageously be placed below a rear part of the horizontal accumulator 7, which makes it possible to reduce the overall bulk of the 'installation.

Comme habituellement, la bande métallique M entre dans l'accumulateur 7 au milieu de la hauteur de celui-ci, suit un parcours en zigzag en passant successivement sur les rouleaux des ensembles de bouclage 72a, 72b et sort, à la partie supérieure de l'accumulateur, par un brin horizontal 70 qui se déroule vers l'avant, c'est à dire vers la gauche de la figure. La bande parvient, alors, à des moyens de bobinage 50 qui sont placés, de préférence, au dessous de la partie avant de l'accumulateur 7, la bande étant retournée sur une paire de rouleaux déflecteurs 76, 76' placée en avant du treuil 73.As usual, the metal strip M enters the accumulator 7 in the middle of the height thereof, follows a zigzag path by successively passing on the rolls of the looping assemblies 72a, 72b and exits, at the upper part of the accumulator, by a horizontal strand 70 which unrolls forward, ie to the left of the figure. The strip then reaches winding means 50 which are preferably placed below the front part of the accumulator 7, the strip being turned over on a pair of deflector rollers 76, 76 'placed in front of the winch 73.

Ces moyens de bobinage 50 comprennent, comme habituellement, deux enrouleuses 50, 50' fonctionnant alternativement grâce à un système d'aiguillage et une cisaille 56 placée en amont ainsi que, éventuellement, un dispositif de huilage 57.These winding means 50 comprise, as usually, two winders 50, 50 'operating alternately through a switching system and a shear 56 placed upstream and possibly an oiling device 57.

D'autre part, le bloc tensionneur aval 75' qui a pour objet de maintenir la bande sous traction dans l'accumulateur est avantageusement placé au-dessous de celui-ci, en aval du rouleau déflecteur inférieur 76'.On the other hand, the downstream tensioning unit 75 'which is intended to maintain the strip under tension in the accumulator is advantageously placed below it, downstream of the lower baffle roller 76'.

Compte tenu de la hauteur globale de l'accumulateur 7, un dispositif d'inspection 77 peut avantageusement être placé sur le parcours vertical de la bande, entre les deux rouleaux déflecteurs 76, 76' de retournement vers l'arrière.Given the overall height of the accumulator 7, an inspection device 77 may advantageously be placed on the vertical path of the strip, between the two deflector rollers 76, 76 'for reversing towards the rear.

Comme on le voit sur les schémas, la disposition selon l'invention permet de réaliser une installation particulièrement compacte comprenant une partie centrale dans laquelle sont regroupées les deux sections de revêtement accolées B, C et deux parties latérales, respectivement d'alimentation A et de sortie D.As can be seen in the diagrams, the arrangement according to the invention makes it possible to produce a particularly compact installation comprising a central part in which are regrouped the two contiguous coating sections B, C and two lateral parts, respectively of supply A and of exit D.

Il est donc possible d'installer l'ensemble des équipements de la ligne dans un bâtiment unique 8 comprenant une tour centrale 80 ayant deux parties accolées dans lesquelles sont placées les deux sections de revêtement, respectivement métallique B et par enduction C, et deux halles 81', 81 de plus faible hauteur qui s'étendent de part et d'autre de cette tour centrale et dans lesquelles sont installées, respectivement, la section d'alimentation A et la section de sortie D.It is therefore possible to install all the equipment of the line in a single building 8 comprising a central tower 80 having two contiguous parts in which are placed the two coating sections, respectively metallic B and by coating C, and two halls 81 ', 81 of lower height which extend on either side of this central tower and in which are respectively installed the supply section A and the outlet section D.

Ces deux halles 81, 81', qui reposent sur des poteaux 82, sont équipées chacune d'au moins un chemin de roulement 83, 83' pour des ponts roulants 84, 84' permettant d'assurer la maintenance des équipements placés dans la halle. Ces chemins de roulement 83, 83' convergent vers la tour centrale 80 qui peut également être équipée d'un autre pont roulant. Avantageusement, les charpentes des halles 81, 81' et de la tour centrale 80 sont désolidarisées de façon à éviter les vibrations dans la zone de peinture qui y est très sensible.These two halls 81, 81 ', which rest on posts 82, are each equipped with at least one raceway 83, 83' for cranes 84, 84 'to ensure the maintenance of equipment placed in the hall . These tracks 83, 83 'converge towards the central tower 80 which can also be equipped with another crane. Advantageously, the frames of the halls 81, 81 'and the central tower 80 are separated so as to avoid vibrations in the paint zone which is very sensitive to them.

Selon une autre caractéristique essentielle de l'invention, chaque section de traitement de l'installation est associée à des moyens de mise en service sélective des équipements qui peuvent ainsi, soit réaliser le traitement prévu, soit être simplement traversés par la bande en défilement, sans traitement de celle-ci. De la sorte, sans modifier la constitution de la ligne, il est possible de choisir différents modes de fonctionnement parmi un ensemble de possibilités, en mettant en service certains équipements, isolément ou en combinaison.According to another essential characteristic of the invention, each processing section of the installation is associated with means for selective commissioning of the equipment which can thus either carry out the planned processing or simply be traversed by the moving web, without treatment of it. In this way, without modifying the constitution of the line, it is possible to choose different modes of operation among a set of possibilities, putting into operation certain equipment, alone or in combination.

Par exemple, si l'on souhaite réaliser uniquement une galvanisation, les systèmes d'enduction 61, 62 et 63, 64 ne sont pas mis en service, la section C étant simplement traversée par la bande en défilement.For example, if it is desired to perform only a galvanization, the coating systems 61, 62 and 63, 64 are not put into service, the section C being simply traversed by the moving strip.

En revanche, si l'on doit réaliser uniquement un revêtement par enduction, la section de galvanisation B est neutralisée, par exemple en soulevant le rouleau déflecteur 21 b au dessus du bain de métal. La bande suit alors simplement le chemin de défilement 4 dans la première section B, avant de pénétrer dans la section de traitement complémentaire 5.On the other hand, if only coating is required, the galvanizing section B is neutralized, for example by raising the baffle roll 21b above the metal bath. The strip then simply follows the scrolling path 4 in the first section B, before entering the complementary processing section 5.

De même les équipements de la section de traitement complémentaire 5 peuvent être utilisés, ou non, en fonction des caractéristiques de la tôle et de la qualité de surface souhaitée.Similarly, the equipment of the complementary treatment section 5 can be used, or not, depending on the characteristics of the sheet and the desired surface quality.

Mais on peut aussi utiliser simultanément les deux sections de revêtement pour appliquer une peinture sur les faces galvanisées de la bande. Dans ce cas, il est possible d'équiper le laminoir Skin-Pass 51 de rouleaux ayant une rugosité adaptée de façon à donner aux faces galvanisées une qualité de surface favorisant l'adhérence de la peinture.But one can also use both sections of coating simultaneously to apply a paint on the galvanized faces of the strip. In this case, it is possible to equip the rolling mill Skin-Pass 51 rollers having a roughness adapted to give the galvanized faces a surface quality promoting the adhesion of the paint.

Par ailleurs, comme on l'a indiqué plus haut, le retournement vers l'arrière de la bande, à l'extrémité de l'accumulateur de sortie 7, permet de placer un dispositif d'inspection 77, par exemple par miroirs. Une telle inspection est particulièrement utile dans le cas où l'on réalise une simple galvanisation, mais elle nécessite des arrêts assez fréquents. L'accumulateur de sortie 7 sera donc dimensionné en fonction de cette utilisation.Moreover, as indicated above, the reversal towards the rear of the strip at the end of the output accumulator 7 makes it possible to place an inspection device 77, for example by mirrors. Such an inspection is particularly useful in the case where a simple galvanization is carried out, but it requires frequent stops. The output accumulator 7 will therefore be sized according to this use.

En revanche, lorsque la bande est peinte, les contrôles peuvent être moins fréquents et c'est pourquoi on peut limiter les possibilités de déplacement du chariot de bouclage 72 sur la partie arrière 7a de l'accumulateur 7 dépourvue de bras séparateurs et dont la longueur peut être, par exemple, d'environ un tiers de la longueur totale de l'accumulateur 7.On the other hand, when the tape is painted, the controls may be less frequent and that is why the possibilities of displacement of the looping carriage 72 on the rear part 7a of the accumulator 7 devoid of separating arms and whose length can be, for example, about one third of the total length of the accumulator 7.

L'invention permet donc de réaliser une installation polyvalente, permettant de placer en une ligne continue tous les équipements nécessaires et de les utiliser sélectivement, suivant diverses combinaisons, en fonction des besoins.The invention thus allows for a versatile installation, allowing to place in a continuous line all the necessary equipment and to use selectively, in various combinations, depending on the needs.

Ainsi, il n'est plus nécessaire de transporter les bobines d'un atelier à l'autre et de réaliser des stockages intermédiaires, toutes les opérations étant réalisées en continu, dans un bâtiment unique.Thus, it is no longer necessary to transport the reels from one workshop to another and to perform intermediate storage, all operations being performed continuously, in a single building.

Bien entendu, l'invention ne se limite pas aux détails du mode de réalisation qui vient d'être décrit à titre de simple exemple, une telle installation pouvant comprendre un plus ou moins grand nombre d'équipements de toutes natures. En particulier, si l'on dispose de bobines prêtes à la galvanisation, la section d'alimentation A pourrait comprendre, simplement, une dérouleuse associée à des moyens de préchauffage permettant de porter la bande à la température voulue avant son entrée dans le bain de galvanisation.Of course, the invention is not limited to the details of the embodiment which has just been described as a simple example, such an installation may include a greater or lesser number of equipment of any kind. In particular, if galvanized reels are available, the feed section A could simply include a reel associated with preheating means for bringing the strip to the desired temperature before entering the bath. galvanizing.

Mais, il serait également possible d'alimenter l'installation par une bande obtenue d'une autre façon, par exemple à la sortie d'une installation de coulée continue permettant d'obtenir une bande assez mince pour passer directement dans les sections de revêtement, aucun préchauffage n'étant alors nécessaire.But, it would also be possible to feed the installation by a band obtained in another way, for example at the exit of a continuous casting installation to obtain a thin enough band to pass directly into the sections of coating no preheating is necessary then.

Les signes de référence insérés après les caractéristiques techniques mentionnées dans les revendications, ont pour seul but de faciliter la compréhension de ces dernières et n'en limitent aucunement la portée.The reference signs inserted after the technical features mentioned in the claims, are intended only to facilitate the understanding of the latter and in no way limit the scope.

Claims (23)

  1. Plant for producing a metal strip coated with at least one protection layer comprising means for controlling the running of the strip M, successively, through a series of treatment sections, placed one after the other in a continuous line, and comprising at least, in one running direction of the strip:
    - a supply section A,
    - a first metal-type coating section B with two sides spaced apart perpendicular to a longitudinal running direction of the strip M, respectively a first side B1 and a second side B2, and comprising a means (21a) for feeding the strip into said metal coating section B, located at a low level of the first side B1 thereof and ending in a tub (40) liable to be filled with a liquid metal bath, means (22b, 23b) for guiding the strip along a first running path (4) comprising at least an immersion section penetrating into the tub (40) for depositing metal on the strip M, a rising section (41) extending along a more or less vertical direction between the exit from the tub (40) and a high level (22b, 22'b) and
    a falling section (43) extending between said high level and an exit means (23b) from said first coating section B, located at a low level on the second side B2 thereof, cooling means (44) being arranged at least along the rising section (41) of said first running path (4) for solidification of the metal deposited on the strip M,
    - a second application-type coating section C, located beside the first section B and having two sides spaced apart perpendicular to the running direction, respectively a first side C1 extending along the second side B2 of the metal coating section B and a second side C2, said application-coating section C comprising means (61, 63) for application-coating the strip M that are placed at a low level of said first side Cl, means (25c, 26c, 27c) for guiding the strip along a second running path (6) passing in front of said application-coating means (61, 63) and comprising at least one rising section extending vertically between the low level of said application-coating means (63) and a high level (26c, 27c), along which are placed means for drying the coating after application, and an exit means (28c) from the application-coating section C, placed on the second side C2 thereof,
    - an exit section D comprising at least one strip accumulator (7) and winding means (50),
    characterised by an inlet means (21c) into the second application-coating section C being placed on the second side C2 thereof, opposite to the first coating section B and that, between the exit means (24b) of the first coating section B and the inlet means (21c) into the second coating section C, the strip follows a bent linking path comprising at least a first horizontal branch (47) passing beneath the second coating section C, and a second horizontal branch (55) returning to the inlet means (21c) into the second coating section C.
  2. Plant according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a complementary treatment section (5) placed on the path of the strip M between the exit (23b) of the first metal coating section B and the inlet (21c) in the second application-coating section C.
  3. Plant according to claim 2, characterised in that the complementary treatment section (5) comprises a 'skin-pass' mill (51) placed between two tensioners (54a, 54b).
  4. Plant according to claim 3, characterised in that the complementary treatment section comprises a planer under load (52) placed between two tensioners (54a, 54b).
  5. Plant according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the complementary treatment section (5) comprises an additional coating device (53) such as a chromating or phosphating device.
  6. Plant according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that between the exit means (24b) of the first coating section B and the inlet means (21c) into the second coating section C, the strip follows a bent linking path comprising at least the first horizontal branch (47) passing, at low level, beneath the second coating section C, means (21d, 21'd) for turning over and the second horizontal branch (55) returning, at middle level, to the inlet means (21c) into the second coating section C.
  7. Plant according to claim 6, characterised in that it comprises a complementary treatment section (5) placed in the extension of the first branch (47) of the linking path and that the second branch (55) returning to the inlet (21c) in the second coating section C passes above said complementary treatment section (5).
  8. Plant according to claim 7, characterised in that the exit section (D) comprises an exit accumulator (7) of horizontal type and that the complementary treatment section (5) and the branch (55) returning to the second coating section C are placed beneath at least one rear portion of the exit accumulator (7).
  9. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the running path (6) in the application-coating section C is folded into two nested columns comprising successively, from a low level (22c) of the coating section C, a first rising path comprising application-coating (61) and drying (62) means, a means (23c) for turning over, a falling path to a means (25c) for turning over, a second rising path comprising application-coating (63) and drying (64) means and a path (65) returning to the front to an exit means (28c) from the application-type coating section C, placed on the second side C2 thereof, above the inlet means (21c).
  10. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the exit section (D) comprises successively, in the running direction of the strip M, an exit accumulator (7) of horizontal type, means (76, 76') for turning over and winding means (50) placed beneath a front portion of the exit accumulator (7).
  11. Plant according to claim 10, characterised in that it comprises means (77) for inspecting the strip that are placed between two rolls (76, 76') for turning over to the rear of the strip and that the exit accumulator (7) is sized to enable strip stoppages for inspection purposes.
  12. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises means for putting into service selectively pieces of equipment in each treatment section thereby enabling to choose an operating mode suited to the needs among a set of combination possibilities of said pieces of equipment.
  13. Plant according to claim 11, characterised in that the means for putting into service selectively pieces of equipment in each treatment section enable to choose an operating mode among a set of possibilities comprising at least a first mode with metal coating only, a second mode with metal coating and complementary treatment, a third mode with complementary treatment and application-coating,
    a fourth mode with two combined coatings, respectively metal and application, and a fifth mode with application-coating only, each operating mode being able to comprise a complementary treatment with at least one 'skin-pass'.
  14. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the exit accumulator (7) is of the type comprising a plurality of parallel belts travelling back and forth along paths predetermined by a set (71) of fixed rolls and a set (72) of mobile rolls placed on a looping-in carriage that can move between two positions, respectively a minimum accumulation retracted (72a) position and a maximum accumulation extended (72b) position, and intermediate sets (74) of separating arms spaced apart and distributed over the length of the accumulator in order to come between the parallel belts of the strip, each set (74) of separating arms being connected to means for controlling respectively the engagement or the disengagement of said arms, as the looping-in carriage moves respectively in the increasing direction or in the reduction direction of the accumulated length.
  15. Plant according to claim 14, characterised in that a rear portion (7a) of the exit accumulator (7), included between a middle position (72c) of the looping-in carriage and the retracted position (72a) of minimum accumulation, does not contain any separating arms and in that tensioners (75, 75') are placed, respectively upstream and downstream of the exit accumulator (7) in order to maintain on the strip M sufficient traction to prevent any contact between the belts, on said rear portion (7a) of the accumulator (7) lacking separating arms.
  16. Plant according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the strip is brought to a temperature at least equal to that of the liquid metal contained in the bath (40).
  17. Plant according to claim 16, characterised in that the supply section A comprises means (11, 11') for unwinding reels, an inlet accumulator (3) and means (32, 33) for pre-heating the strip.
  18. Plant according to claim 17, characterised in that the means for pre-heating the strip comprise an annealing furnace (32) and means (33) for cooling the strip M to a temperature compatible with the metal coating.
  19. Plant for producing a coated strip according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is placed in a single building (18) comprising a central tower (80) with two abutting sections in which are provided respectively both coating sections, respectively, the metal-type B and the application-type C coating sections, as well as two halls (81, 81') of smaller height that extend respectively on either side of said central tower (80) and in which are installed, respectively, the exit section D and the supply section A.
  20. Plant according to claim 19, characterised in that the exit section D is placed in a hall (81) whose height and length correspond at least to the height and to the length of the exit accumulator (7).
  21. Plant according to claim 20, characterised in that the hall (81) in which is placed the exit section D exhibits a height determined in order to cover the exit accumulator (7) while leaving beneath said accumulator a space of sufficient height to contain, on the one hand a complementary treatment section (5) of the strip extending beneath a rear portion of the accumulator (7) and, on the other hand, at least means (50) for winding the strip extending beneath a front portion of the accumulator (7), the length of said hall (81) being determined in order to leave, ahead of the accumulator (7), sufficient room to place therein means (76, 76') for turning the strip M over.
  22. Plant according to claim 20, characterised in that the supply section A is placed in a second hall (81') whose height and length correspond at least to the height and length of an inlet accumulator (3).
  23. Plant according to claim 22, characterised in that the second hall (81') in which is placed the supply section A exhibits a height determined in order to cover the assembly composed of an inlet accumulator (3) and of means (32, 33) for pre-heating the strip.
EP01999682.6A 2000-12-08 2001-12-07 Installation for producing a metal strip with protective coating Expired - Lifetime EP1343920B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR0016030A FR2817876B1 (en) 2000-12-08 2000-12-08 INSTALLATION FOR PRODUCING A METAL STRIP WITH PROTECTIVE COATING
FR1600030 2000-12-08
PCT/FR2001/003891 WO2002046487A1 (en) 2000-12-08 2001-12-07 Installation for producing a metal strip with protective coating

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1343920A1 EP1343920A1 (en) 2003-09-17
EP1343920B1 true EP1343920B1 (en) 2013-10-23

Family

ID=8857449

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01999682.6A Expired - Lifetime EP1343920B1 (en) 2000-12-08 2001-12-07 Installation for producing a metal strip with protective coating

Country Status (8)

Country Link
US (1) US6764641B2 (en)
EP (1) EP1343920B1 (en)
KR (1) KR100800394B1 (en)
CN (1) CN1416476A (en)
AU (1) AU2002217220A1 (en)
BR (1) BR0108209B1 (en)
FR (1) FR2817876B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2002046487A1 (en)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7611584B2 (en) * 2005-12-13 2009-11-03 Lg Electronics Inc. Electroless metal film-plating system
FR2919816B1 (en) * 2007-08-10 2009-10-09 Siemens Vai Metals Tech Sas INSTALLATION FOR COATING A METAL STRIP
CN102582153A (en) * 2012-02-10 2012-07-18 王宝根 Production line of supersonic flame zinc-powder blended iron composite plate
DE102018215102A1 (en) * 2018-05-28 2019-11-28 Sms Group Gmbh Vacuum coating apparatus, and method for coating a belt-shaped material
CN109023194B (en) * 2018-08-24 2020-08-28 江苏腾威彩钢集团有限公司 Surface treatment process for single-sided galvanized steel sheet
DE102019110271A1 (en) * 2019-04-18 2020-01-02 Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH Cold rolling mill with alternative feeding of a steel strip in two different ways
CN112058607A (en) * 2020-09-03 2020-12-11 河南鑫昊晟达实业有限公司 Method for coating both sides of ultrathin metal strip of amorphous nanocrystalline and the like and continuous annealing device

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US2311616A (en) * 1940-02-15 1943-02-16 American Rolling Mill Co Apparatus for treating metal strips
CA1081058A (en) * 1976-11-05 1980-07-08 Robert F. Hunter Pretreatment of portion of ferrous metal strip with phosphoric acid solution to prevent subsequent galvanization thereon
GB2093486B (en) * 1981-02-24 1985-06-26 Kloeckner Werke Ag Plant for the continuous treatment of thin plate or strip
DE3170723D1 (en) * 1981-08-25 1985-07-04 Nippon Steel Corp Dual-purpose plant for producing cold rolled steel sheet and hot-dip galvanized steel sheet
FR2601700A1 (en) * 1986-07-18 1988-01-22 Gerard Guy METAL PRODUCTS ONLINE PROCESSING UNIT
JPH01142065A (en) * 1987-11-27 1989-06-02 Nippon Steel Corp Equipment for producing both cold rolled steel sheet and plated steel sheet
JPH02258961A (en) * 1989-03-30 1990-10-19 Nippon Steel Corp Equipment for producing galvanized steel sheet having excellent weldability
JPH06170332A (en) * 1992-12-08 1994-06-21 Sumitomo Metal Ind Ltd Manufacture of colored plated steel sheet
JPH06280046A (en) * 1993-03-26 1994-10-04 Sumitomo Metal Ind Ltd Equipment for continuous production of colored plated steel sheet
JPH07126863A (en) * 1993-10-27 1995-05-16 Nippon Steel Corp Flexible production equipment for metallic sheet and plated metallic sheet

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20020095747A1 (en) 2002-07-25
AU2002217220A1 (en) 2002-06-18
WO2002046487A8 (en) 2003-02-13
CN1416476A (en) 2003-05-07
BR0108209B1 (en) 2012-09-04
US6764641B2 (en) 2004-07-20
WO2002046487A1 (en) 2002-06-13
BR0108209A (en) 2003-03-05
FR2817876A1 (en) 2002-06-14
EP1343920A1 (en) 2003-09-17
KR20020084118A (en) 2002-11-04
FR2817876B1 (en) 2003-03-28
KR100800394B1 (en) 2008-02-04

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