EP2205369B1 - Device for inspecting a metal strip - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for inspecting a metal strip at the output of an on-line processing facility.

In an on-line processing plant, in particular a rolling mill, a metal strip must be wound in a reel, at the outlet of the processing section, so as to be easily transported to another part of the installation or any other place of use.

For this purpose, winding machines comprising a mandrel rotatably mounted on a frame around an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of travel of the strip and on which a torque is applied to wind the strip with a force of traction necessary to the rolling process and also allowing to ensure the application of the turns on one another.

For some time, to increase the production capacity, such facilities work in continuous flow, the tail of a coil at the end of unwinding being welded to the head of the next coil.

In order to maintain the continuity of the running of the strip in the treatment plant, it is usually equipped, at its output, with two winding mandrels which operate alternately.

Conventionally, using two winders placed one after the other in a pit formed in the foundation, below the band scrolling plane.

The document WO 2006/051239 for example, describes a provision of this type.

However, to reduce the time required for the reel change while reducing the costs of infrastructure and equipment, it is advantageous to use a so-called "carousel" winder with two winding mandrels mounted on a frame in the form of drum rotating about an axis orthogonal to the running direction to place each mandrel, successively, in a first winding start position and then, by rotation of the frame, in a second end winding position for which the another mandrel comes, in turn, in the first position. In this way, when the coil wound on the mandrel placed in the second position has reached the maximum desired diameter, the band is cut by a shear placed at the outlet of the treatment section to allow the evacuation of the wound coil and the head of the strip being processed can immediately be directed to the other mandrel already in the first winding start position.

Moreover, during the rolling of a metal strip, such as a sheet, flatness defects may occur. Similarly, there may be a marking of one or the other face of the strip, for example in contact with the rolling rolls, and this marking repeats periodically during rolling and is therefore found throughout the coil after winding the tape.

It is therefore necessary, in order to detect any geometrical or surface quality defects of the product, to regularly inspect the sheets coming out of a rolling mill, at least over a length corresponding to the repetition period of the marking. A simple visual inspection can be performed for apparent defects. Currently, however, it is preferred to use a so-called honing process which consists in passing on the sheet placed on a horizontal table, a special stone showing the defects.

To carry out this inspection, a coil can be removed from the installation from time to time and placed on a reel to unroll the length of the strip necessary for the inspection.

Such devices are heavy and expensive. In addition, they allow to inspect only one side of the band.

It has also been proposed to use in-line inspection devices to control a certain length of sheet metal taken from the web and forming a sample which is placed on an inspection table, and which can then be returned for further processing. inspect the other side.

The document JP-A-2000-254725 , for example, describes a device of this type comprising, at the exit of a rolling installation, a carousel-type winder and an inspection table carrying a plurality of pairs of pinch rollers that can simultaneously rotate 180 ° about a lateral axis. A shear placed downstream of the last cage thus makes it possible to cut a sample which is held between the different pairs of rollers so as to first inspect the upper face, the sample being then returned by rotation of 180 ° pinch rollers, to inspect the underside.

The document WO 2006/051239 describes another provision to avoid taking support on a table. In this case, in fact, the sample is stretched between two grippers respectively mounted on two rotating plates spaced longitudinally, and can rotate simultaneously about a longitudinal axis, to return the sample.

In this arrangement, as indicated above, two successive coils are used placed in a pit. Each winder must be equipped with a wrapper to facilitate the start of winding, and a switch for either directing the sample to the inspection device, or guide the tape head to the mandrel.

On the other hand, a carousel winder of the type described in the document JP-A-2000-254725 , allows to use a single switch and a single wrapper for the two mandrels that come successively in the winding start position.

However, to facilitate the engagement of the head of the strip, it must be directed accurately to the mandrel, by means of the switching device placed downstream of the shear. It is therefore necessary to exert a certain bending force on the strip to direct it towards the mandrel placed below the plane of travel. For this, we can pass the band between two rollers movable transversely, or push the tape head to the mandrel by means of a pusher roller actuated by a jack. It is also possible to use a guiding device comprising, in known manner, two inclined plates placed on either side of the strip and forming a guiding chute converging towards the mandrel.

Furthermore, after engagement on the mandrel of the head of the strip, it is wound on a few turns then the rotation of the frame is controlled to bring the mandrel into its winding position, and replace it with the other mandrel in the winding start position.

In this second position, diametrically opposed, the strip must be subjected to a relatively large tensile force and directed towards a deflector roll placed in the plane of travel, above the winder.

However, it has been observed that this upward pulling force has a tendency to lift the rotary drum carrying the mandrels, by exerting a force on its centering bearings and on the fixing means of the frame. support on the foundation mass which, in the long run, can have a detrimental effect on the behavior of the material and the quality of the winding.

The subject of the invention is a new provision making it possible to solve all these problems while avoiding such drawbacks.

The invention therefore generally relates to a device for inspecting a metal strip at the outlet of a processing installation successively comprising, along a running direction of the strip, a processing section. , a shear, a carousel type winder having at least two winding mandrels mounted on a rotating frame, means for guiding the strip, after shearing, to the mandrel in the winding start position and a winding device. inspection comprising means for conveying a sample taken by shearing the strip towards an inspection table extending downstream of the coiler in a substantially horizontal plane.

According to the invention, the mandrel in the winding start position is placed substantially at a plane of travel of the strip downstream of the shear, while the mandrel in the end winding position is placed at above said plane of travel so that the tensile force applied by the belt is always directed downwards, and the means for conveying the sample between the shear and the inspection table are formed on at least one guide table tilted upwards by an angle sufficient to pass over the coil at any moment of the winding and whatever the diameter of the coil.

On the other hand, the inspection table is placed above the plane of travel of the strip downstream of the shear, at a distance from said plane greater than the maximum radius of a coil at the end of winding, increased by distance between the axis of rotation of the mandrel and the plane of scrolling.

In a preferred embodiment, the conveying means are arranged along a lower face of the inclined guide table, facing towards the strip running plane and advantageously comprise means for applying the sample. on said lower face, with the possibility of longitudinal displacement.

Preferably, these means of conveying the sample comprise an endless belt extending between two spaced apart rolls, between the upstream end and a downstream end of the guide table and provided, advantageously, magnetic means for applying the sample to the carpet.

According to another particularly advantageous characteristic, the guide table carrying the sample conveying means is articulated, at an upstream end, about an axis orthogonal to the direction of travel and extends along an inclined plane passing above the coil in winding end position, to a downstream end placed substantially at the axis of said coil, above it. In addition, the guide table may be provided, at its upstream end, with a baffle roll centered on the axis of articulation of the frame and on which the sample taken from the strip is applied, at the exit of the shears.

Preferably, the guide table is articulated about an axis orthogonal to the direction of travel, and is supported on the coil in end winding position, by means of a roller.

According to another preferred feature, the device comprises a transfer table provided with means for longitudinal conveying of the sample, and extending between a downstream end of the inclined guide table and an upstream end of the inspection table. the upstream end of this transfer table being placed at an intermediate level between the downstream end of the guide table and the coil in end winding position.

According to another preferred feature, the switching device placed downstream of the shear comprises a plate hinged about an axis orthogonal to the running direction of the strip and means for orienting the plate between a substantially horizontal conveying position. of the strip towards the mandrel in the starting position and an upwardly inclined position, of connection with an upstream end of the means of conveying the sample.

Advantageously, this switch plate is articulated about an axis placed in its central part, substantially at the upstream end of the conveying means, so as to comprise, in the inclined position of the plate, a downstream portion which comes substantially in contact with said conveying means and an upstream portion which deviates downwards for the passage of the sample.

• La figure 1 est une vue d'ensemble schématique d'un dispositif d'inspection placé à la sortie d'une ligne de traitement de bande, avec un aiguillage en position de guidage de la bande vers le mandrin d'une bobineuse à carrrousel.
• La figure 2 est une vue d'ensemble du dispositif avec un aiguillage en position de guidage de l'échantillon, et pour une bobine de grand diamètre.
• La figure 3 montre l'ensemble du dispositif avec un aiguillage en position de guidage de l'échantillon, et pour une bobine de petit diamètre.

Other advantageous features will appear in the following description of a particular embodiment, given by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings.

• The figure 1 is a schematic overview of an inspection device placed at the exit of a strip processing line, with a switch in the guide position of the strip towards the mandrel of a carrousel winder.
• The figure 2 is an overview of the device with a switch in the guide position of the sample, and for a coil of large diameter.
• The figure 3 shows the entire device with a switch in the guide position of the sample, and for a small diameter coil.

In the drawings, there is shown diagrammatically an inspection device placed at the outlet of an on-line processing plant of metal sheets, downstream from a treatment section A, not shown, for example a cold rolling plant. comprising several successive cages operating in tandem.

For example, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, the output section 1 of the installation may comprise successively, in the direction of travel of the band M, that is to say from right to left on the figure, a deflector roll 11 for guiding the band M to a shear shear 12, means for driving the band, for example a pair of nip rollers 13 mounted on a frame 12 and rotated, a Flying shear 14 of known type for cutting the band parade and a winder 2 for winding in the coil of the band M after rolling or other treatment.

As indicated above, this winder 2 is advantageously of the carousel type comprising two diametrically opposite mandrels 21, 21 'carried by a not shown frame, drum-shaped, rotatably mounted on a support frame 22, about a horizontal axis 20, orthogonal to the running direction of the strip M. Each mandrel 21, 21 'is provided, in a known manner, with not shown means for engaging and clamping the tape head and can be rotated around its head. 23, 23 'axis with a driving torque for applying to the strip a tensile force T required, on the one hand, rolling and, secondly, sufficient to ensure a winding of the band in contiguous turns .

Moreover, in known manner, the winder 2 is equipped with a single wrapper 25 comprising at least two guide arms 26, 26 'determining a bending of the band for winding the first turns on the mandrel and this wrapper is mounted on a frame movable between the engagement position shown in the drawings, for which said guide arms 24, 24 'surround the mandrel 21, and a spaced apart position for rotating the frame rotating about its axis 20.

At the beginning of a rolling pass, the band M (indicated in phantom) is driven by the nip rolls 13 and its head is engaged on a first mandrel placed in its first position E1 winding start. After engagement of the head of the strip on the mandrel and winding a few turns, the frame is rotated so as to bring the first mandrel into a second position E2 diametrically opposite, the second mandrel then coming into the first position E1. The winding of the strip continues in this second position E2, until a coil 3 having a diameter d is obtained.

As indicated above, during all the winding, the band is subjected to a tangential force T.

After winding on the mandrel 21 'of the desired strip length corresponding to a maximum diameter d of the spool 3, the band M is cut by the shear 14 and the spool 3 can be lowered on a handling trolley 24, in order to to be evacuated. Articulated arms 31 make it possible to hold the wound strip before it is taken over by the carriage 24.

However, immediately after cutting, the head of the new band was directed to the mandrel 21 in the first winding start position E1. As mentioned above, in the usual arrangement described, for example, in the document JP-A-2000 254725 , the carousel winder is placed in a pit, below the plane of travel of the band and it is therefore necessary to apply on the head thereof a bending force to direct it accurately to the mandrel of the winder.

On the other hand, in the arrangement according to the invention, represented in the drawings, the mandrel 21 in the winding start position is placed substantially at the level of the horizontal plane P of the strip downstream of the shear 14, the axis 20 of rotation of the rotating frame of the winder being placed above this plane.

Therefore, it is no longer necessary to make a pit in the foundation block 15 on which are fixed the various apparatus of the installation, in order to place the winder 2.

But an essential advantage of the invention lies in the fact that, after cutting, the head of the new band, driven by the nip rollers 13, naturally moves towards the mandrel 21 which is substantially at the level of the scroll plane, and can therefore easily engage in the clamping means provided on the mandrel 21. It is therefore sufficient, to direct the strip towards the mandrel 21, to place, between the latter and the shear 14, a substantially horizontal guide plate 4 , consisting, for example of a belt conveyor comprising an endless belt 41 stretched between two rollers 42, 42 '.

Furthermore, since the axis of rotation 20 of the rotating chassis is placed above the mandrel 21, the second mandrel 21 'placed in the second diametrically opposed position of the end of the winding E2 is at a relatively high height. In this way, during the rotation of the rotating frame for the passage of the mandrel in this position E2 and until the end of the winding of the coil 3, the strip follows an inclined path of a angle (a) relative to the scroll plane P and the tensile force T applied to the strip is directed permanently downwards. Thus, while in the conventional arrangement, this tensile force tends to lift the winder, in the invention, on the contrary, the tensile force applied to the belt and transmitted by the mandrel, tends to apply the frame 22 of the winder on the foundation 15.

As a result of this arrangement of the winding machine, the inspection table 5 on which a sample of the strip to be inspected is to be placed is placed clearly above the scroll plane P and not, as before, substantially at this plane. . Therefore, to convey the strip sample from the shear 14 to the inspection table 16, according to the invention, conveying means 6 are used passing over the coil 3.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, these conveying means 6 comprise a guide table 61 forming a plate inclined upwards so as to pass over the coil 3 at the end of winding and carrying an endless belt 62 stretched between two rollers apart, respectively an upstream roller 63 placed a little above the plane P scrolling of the strip and a downstream roll 63 'placed a little downstream of the vertical plane Q passing through the axis 23' of the mandrel 21 'in the end winding position E2.

Preferably, this endless belt 62 is of the magnetic type comprising a series of magnets 64 interposed between the two strands of the endless belt 62 and this latter is formed on the lower face of the guide table 61, turned towards the plane scroll P and the winder 2.

Furthermore, to maintain the guide table 6 at a minimum distance above the strip during winding, the plate 6 is articulated, at its lower end, about an axis 60 orthogonal to the direction of travel and is supported, at its upper end, on the outer face 32 of the coil 3, via a roller 65. Preferably, this roller is coated with a material that does not risk damaging the surface quality of the band and used, conventionally, for the various deflector rollers for guiding the band.

Furthermore, to reduce the force applied by the roller 65 on the coil, the weight of the plate carrying the guide belt 6 is compensated by a jack 67 articulated on the frame C of the installation.

On the other hand, at its upstream end in the running direction of the strip, the guide table 6 is provided with a deflector roll 66 rotatably mounted about the hinge axis 60 of the plate 61.

According to another preferred arrangement, the device 4 for guiding the band between the shear 14 and the mandrel 21 is used to apply the band sample to the magnetic belt 62, 64 in order to direct it towards the inspection table 5.

For this purpose, the endless belt 41 is mounted on a tray-shaped frame hinged about an axis 40 and can be oriented by means of a jack 43 whose body bears on the foundation block 15 and whose rod is articulated, about an axis 44, on a support piece secured to the orientable plate 4.

To carry out the inspection of the strip, two separate cuts corresponding to the desired length of inspection are carried out on it by means of the shear 14.

After the first cut, the tail of the previous strip is wound on the coil 3 which can be evacuated. The cylinder 43 then rotates upwardly the guide plate 4, in the intermediate position shown in FIG. figure 2 , so that, from the first cut of the sample, the head thereof is directed towards the magnetic belt 62 which can then support the sample. The plate 4 continues its pivoting until it comes into alignment with the belt 62, in the position shown in FIG. figure 3 and the shear 14 makes a second cut to separate the sample M1. This is pushed by the nip rolls 13 and applied to the magnetic belt 62, so as to be driven by it to the inspection table 5, passing over the coil 3.

Because the magnetic belt 62 is disposed on the underside of the plate 61, the sample leaving the belt 62 can simply be deposited on the inspection table 5. This is usually made of an endless belt and it is preferable that the upstream end 51 thereof is moved away from the winder 2 and connected to the downstream end 63 'of the guide table 6 by a transfer table 7 also comprising an endless belt 71 mounted on a not shown frame, in the form of a plate and stretched between two spaced rollers, respectively an upstream roll 72 placed below the downstream roll 63 'of the guide table 6 and a downstream roll 72' placed next to the upstream roll 51 of the inspection table 5.

In this way, the sample M1 applied on the underside of the magnetic belt 62 and driven by it is detached from the belt 62 from the downstream roller 63 'and is deposited on the upper end of the endless belt 71 of the table transfer 7 which in turn leads downstream to the inspection table 5 of which only the upstream portion has been shown, this table 5 also being constituted by an endless belt having, in known manner, a length corresponding to the desired length of the sample.

As indicated above, the guide table 6 bears directly, by the roller 65, on the spool 3, in order to follow the variations in diameter thereof. However, the coil-wound tape length and, therefore, the maximum diameter thereof may vary because, in continuous rolling, it is possible successively to treat sheets of different types and sizes. For example, Figures 1 and 2 show a coil 3 of maximum diameter while the figure 3 shows the arrangement corresponding to a coil 3 of small diameter.

It is therefore necessary that the transfer table 7 also follow these variations in diameter.

For this, the transfer table 7 is articulated, at its downstream end, about a horizontal axis corresponding, preferably to the axis of rotation of the downstream roller 72 'placed near the upstream roller 51 of the inspection table 5. The transfer table 7 can be oriented by means of a jack 73 so that its upstream end 74 is always placed at an intermediate level between the coil 3 at the end of winding and the downstream end of the table. guide 6, that is to say the downstream roll 63 'of the magnetic belt 62.

As indicated, in the drawings, the upstream end of the transfer table 7 may be provided with a tapered portion 73 forming a guide nose extending below the bottom run of the guide table 6 to facilitate the passage from the sample to the transfer table 7.

Thanks to these arrangements, at the beginning of the winding the head of the strip is directed directly to the mandrel 21 while remaining in its scroll plane P. Given that, according to the invention, the axis of rotation 23 of the mandrel 21 is placed substantially in this plane P, one of the arm 25 of the wrapper extends above the mandrel 21 forming, with the latter, a guide space which is gradually tightened and in which the head of the band naturally engages.

After winding the first turns, the frame of the winder can rotate to bring the mandrel to its position E2, the jack 67 can move the guide table 6 to allow this rotation of the coil during winding. When the coil is in the position E2, the guide table 7 is lowered until the roller 65 comes into contact with the outer face of the coil. As noted above, during winding, the strip is inclined upwardly at an angle (a) from the baffle roller 66, the tensile force T being directed downwards.

At the end of the coil winding of the desired strip length, it is cut in order to make the head of the sample M1 which is directed towards the guide table 6 by rotation of the switch table 4. It should be noted that, advantageously, the hinge axis 40 thereof is placed in its central part and shifted downwards. as shown in the figures. In this way, the endless belt constituting the switching table 4 rotates about its point of tangency with the deflector roller 66 and the upstream roller 42 moves downwards to let the head of the sample M1 which is applied on the underside of the endless belt 61 by the upward movement of the downstream end 42 'of the switch mat 4, as shown in FIG. figure 3 .

The sample M1 is thus successively guided by the switching table 4, the guide table 6 and the transfer table 7 to the inspection table 5, passing over the coiler 2.

The raised position thereof eliminates the pit in which it is usually placed, all devices can be placed on the same foundation floor 15. In addition, the evacuation coiled coils 3 'is facilitated.

Similarly, raising the inspection table 5 to a relatively large height above the foundation floor 15 facilitates the establishment of turning mechanisms as described, for example, in the documents WO 2006/051239 or JP 2000 254725 , cited above.

However, the invention is obviously not limited to the details of the preferred embodiment which has just been described as a simple example.

In particular, it is advantageous to pass the sample over a succession of endless mats 4, 6, 7, 5 but other conveying means could be used.

Similarly, it has been described, as usually a carousel winder with two diametrically opposed mandrels but could also be used, for example three-mandrel winders.

Moreover, because the mandrel 21 is placed in position E1 winding start at a certain height above the floor 15, it is easier to arrange around the mandrel wrappers of any type known to facilitate the engagement of the tape head and the beginning of winding.

Claims (12)

1. Device for inspecting a metal strip (M) at the outlet from an in-line processing installation successively comprising along a direction of travel of the strip (M), at least one processing section (A) as well as one set of shears (14), a coiler (2) of the carousel type for coiling the strip (M) under traction, comprising at least two coiling mandrels (21, 21') mounted on a frame rotating about an axis (20) orthogonal to the direction of travel, so as to shift each mandrel (21, 21') alternately from a coiling start position (E1) to a coiling end position (E2), means (4) for guiding the strip (M), after shearing, towards the mandrel (21) in the coiling start position (E1) and an inspection device comprising means for conveying a sample (M1) collected on the strip (M) towards an inspection table (5) extending downstream of the coiler (2), characterised in that, in its coiling start position (E1), the mandrel (21) is located approximately at the level of a plane (P) of travel of the strip (M) downstream of the shears (14) while, in the coiling end position (E2), the mandrel (21') is located above said plane of travel (P) so that the traction force (T) applied by the strip (M) is always directed downwards and the means (6) for conveying the sample between the shears (14) and the inspection table (5) are arranged on at least one guide table (61) inclined upwards so as to pass above the coil (3) at any moment during coiling and whatever the diameter thereof.
2. Inspection device according to claim 1, characterised in that the inspection table (5) is located above the plane (P) of travel of the strip downstream of the shears (14), at a distance from said plane greater than the maximum radius of a coil (3) at the end of coiling, increased by the distance between the axes of rotation (23) of the mandrel (21) and (20) the rotating frame.
3. Inspection device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the means (6) of conveying the sample (M1) are arranged along a lower face of the inclined guide table (61), turned towards the plane (P) of travel of the strip.
4. Inspection device according to claim 3, characterised in that the conveying means (6) comprise means for applying the sample (M1) onto the lower face of the guide table (61), with the possibility for longitudinal movement.
5. Inspection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the means (6) of conveying the sample comprise an endless belt (62) extending between two separated rollers (63, 63'), between an upstream end and a downstream end of the guide table (61).
6. Inspection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the guide table (6) carrying the means (62) of conveying the sample (M1) is articulated, at an upstream end (63), about an axis (60) orthogonal to the direction of travel and extends along an inclined plane passing above the coil (3) in coiling end position (E2) to a downstream end (63') located approximately at the level of the vertical plane Q passing through the axis of said coil (3), above the latter.
7. Inspection device according to claim 6, characterised in that the frame (61) of the guide table (6) is fitted, at its upstream end, with a deflecting roller (66) centred on the axis (60) of articulation of said frame (61) and onto which the sample (M1) collected on the strip (M) at the outlet from the shears (14) is to be applied.
8. Inspection device according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterised in that the guide table (6) is supported on the coil (3) in coiling end position (E2) by means of a roller (65) turning about an axis orthogonal to the direction of travel.
9. Inspection device according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterised in that it includes a transfer table (7) fitted with means (71) for conveying the sample (M1) longitudinally and extending between a downstream end (63') of the inclined guide table (6) and an upstream end (51) of the inspection table (5).
10. Inspection device according to claim 9, characterised in that the upstream end (72) of the transfer table (7) is located at an intermediate level between the downstream end (63') of the guide table (6) and the coil (3) in end of coiling position (E2).
11. Inspection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a switching device (4) located downstream of the shears (14) and including a plate (4) articulated about an axis (40) orthogonal to the direction of travel of the strip (M) and means (43) for orientating the plate (4) between an approximately horizontal position for conveying the strip (M) towards the mandrel (21) in start position (E1) and a position inclined upwards for connecting with an upstream end (63) of the means (6) of conveying the sample (M1).
12. Inspection device according to claim 11, characterised in that the switching plate (4) is articulated about an axis (40) located in its central part, approximately at the level of the upstream end (66) of the conveying means (6) so as to comprise, in the inclined position of the plate (4), an upstream part (42), which moves away downwards for the sample (M1) to pass, and a downstream part (42'), which comes into approximate contact with said conveying means (6).

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