JP4854627B2 - Induction heating billet heater and billet heating method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an induction heating type billet heater, and more particularly to an induction heating type billet heater that can prevent a billet that does not satisfy a predetermined length from being supplied to an induction heating unit.

  Conventionally, metal parts of automobiles and the like are often manufactured by forging, and the metal material immediately before forging is a metal billet (metal bar-like body, hereinafter referred to as “metal billet” in an induction heating type billet heater. For example, around 1250 ° C. (see Patent Documents 1-3).

  This heating is generally introduced sequentially into a dielectric heating billet heater in a state where each billet of a fixed length (predetermined length) according to a desired forged product is aligned in series. Done. The length of the billet heater is configured to be long enough for the billet to have a processing length (processing time) sufficient to perform the heat treatment until the surface temperature and the center temperature of the billet are substantially the same. .

  The size of each billet is not particularly limited and may vary depending on the shape of the desired forged product. In general, the short billet is about 50 mm long, and the long billet is not long. Some have a length of about 200 mm and in some cases about 500 mm.

  The billet having a finite length is generally prepared by cutting a long rod-shaped primary material having a length of about 6 to 8 m with an appropriate cutting mechanism.

  The rod-like primary material cutting mechanism is installed on the same floor as the heater as the supply part of the induction heating billet heater device, upstream of the processing line of the induction heating heater, or cut at a completely different cutting factory And the like are carried into the supply section of the billet heater device.

  And in any case, in the case of cutting into individual billets of a fixed length (predetermined length) according to a predetermined desired forged product from a long rod-shaped primary material of about 6-8 m, At the rear end of the primary material, billets less than the standard (predetermined length) are generated.

  If a billet that is less than this standard length (predetermined length) is directly introduced into the induction heating billet heater device and further flows to the forging process, the forged product has a forging defect such as a product with insufficient product length or a lack of thickness. When a product is made and delivered to the user's component assembly manufacturer, etc., all of them are no longer used in actual production, even though most are normal products, including defective products. It becomes.

  Therefore, billets that are less than the standard length (predetermined length) should be removed from the forging line, but conventionally, since they occur periodically to some extent, the monitoring operator determines, It has been removed from the billet production to immediately before forging, or from the line after forging to shipment.

In the end, the billet that does not satisfy the standard (hereinafter referred to as “short billet”) out of the total number of billets has a frequency of one level per several tens to one level per several hundreds. Is inevitable, and it is necessary to take countermeasures because of its importance when it flows into the post-process. On the other hand, in order to improve overall productivity, monitoring for the occurrence of short billets It has been desired that monitoring work by an operator is unnecessary and that short billets are not mixed in the forging process.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No.6-211195 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-144462 JP-A-11-251045

  In view of the above-described points, the present invention makes it unnecessary to monitor the billet by the monitoring worker with respect to the problem that the short billet is generated, and the short billet is not mixed in the forging process. Another object of the present invention is to provide an induction heating billet heater and a billet heating method that can be reliably removed from a processing line.

The induction heating type billet heater of the present invention that achieves the above object has the following configuration (1).
(1) Induction having a billet supply unit for supplying a billet of a finite length, a conveyor for conveying the billet, a pinch roller for feeding the billet to the induction heating unit, and an induction heating unit in this order along the conveyance line for conveying the billet An induction heating system, which is a heating billet heater, and is provided with a short material discharging device having at least the following configurations (a) to (e) between the billet supply unit and the pinch roller: Billet heater.
(A) A pair of feed rollers that are actively driven to rotate, sandwich the billet on the conveyor being conveyed, and actively rotate to send the billet downstream of the conveying path at a speed lower than the conveying speed of the conveyor,
(B) two photoelectric switches for measuring the total length of the object billet being conveyed separated from the subsequent billet by the speed difference between the feed roller and the conveyor;
(C) a payout arm for paying out the billet from the conveyor conveyance path, as a result of length measurement by the photoelectric switch;
(D) an air cylinder that drives the payout arm;
(E) a receiving mechanism for receiving the billet paid out by the paying arm;

In addition, the induction heating billet heater of the present invention preferably has a configuration of any one of the following (2) to (5) as a more specific configuration.
(2) The induction heating billet heater according to (1), wherein the short material discharging device includes an air cylinder that opens and closes the pair of feed rollers of (a).
(3) The induction heating type billet heater according to (1) or (2), wherein the pair of feed rollers of (a) are juxtaposed in a horizontal direction with a rotation axis direction as a vertical direction.
(4) The delivery speed of the pair of feed rollers in (a) that sends billets to the downstream of the transport path at a lower speed than the transport speed of the conveyor is 0.15 to 0.4 times the transport speed of the conveyor. The induction heating type billet heater according to any one of the above (1) to (3).
(5) The payout arm has three payout plates extending in parallel with the billet transport direction, and the predetermined length is set by sliding the payout arm perpendicular to the billet transport direction. The billet heater according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the billet determined to be unsatisfactory is paid out from the conveyor conveyance path.

The billet heating method of the present invention that achieves the above-described object has the following configuration (6).
(6) When a billet of a finite length is passed through a billet supply unit, a conveyor for conveying the billet, and a pinch roller for feeding the billet to the induction heating unit in this order and introduced into the induction heating unit for heating, the billet conveyance path of the conveyor The billet conveyed on the conveyor is sandwiched between a pair of feed rollers that are actively driven to rotate, and the billet is sent to the downstream of the conveying path at a speed lower than the conveying speed of the conveyor. A gap is formed between the billets and the billet being transported in the state where the gap is generated determines whether or not the billet has a predetermined length of the billet by using two photoelectric switches. Billets that do not satisfy the length are removed from the conveyor path, and billets that satisfy the predetermined length are introduced into the induction heating unit by the pinch rollers. Heating method of the billet to said Rukoto.

The billet heating method of the present invention preferably has the following configuration (7) as a more specific configuration.
(7) The billet according to (6), wherein a speed at which the billet is sent out by the pair of feed rollers that are actively driven to rotate is 0.15 to 0.4 times lower than a conveying speed of the conveyor. Heating method.

  According to the induction heating type billet heater of the present invention as set forth in claim 1, it is not necessary to monitor the billet by a monitoring operator for the unavoidable problem that a short billet is generated, and the short billet An induction heating billet heater that can be reliably removed from the processing line so as not to be mixed in the forging process is provided.

  According to the induction heating type billet heater of the present invention according to claim 2, the short billet can be surely removed from the processing line without problems such as slowing the billet conveyance speed.

  According to the induction heating type billet heater of the present invention according to any one of claims 3 to 5, the present invention can be carried out without problems such as slowing the billet transport speed.

  According to the billet heating method of the present invention according to any one of claims 6 to 7, the billet monitoring work by the monitoring worker is unnecessary for the unavoidable problem that short billets are generated, and There is provided a heating method of a billet heater that can be surely removed from a processing line so that a short billet is not mixed in a forging process.

  Hereinafter, the induction heating billet heater and billet heating method of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view schematically illustrating an example of a short material discharging device, which explains a short material discharging device constituting a main part of an induction heating type billet heater according to the present invention.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the short material dispensing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 which constitutes a main part of the induction heating type billet heater of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic side cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the structure around the payout arm as a model for further explaining the short material payout device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the structure in the vicinity of the payout plate as a model for further explaining the short material payout device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The induction heating type billet heater of the present invention includes a billet supply unit (not shown, but in the direction of arrow A in FIGS. 1 and 2) for supplying a billet of a finite length along a conveyance line for conveying the billet, billet Induction heating billet having a conveyor 2, a pinch roller for feeding the billet to the induction heating unit (not shown, but on the arrow B side in FIGS. 1 and 2), and an induction heating unit (not shown) in this order. It is a heater, and a short material dispensing device 1 having the following configurations (a) to (e) is provided between the billet supply part (arrow A side) and the pinch roller (arrow B side). .
(A) A pair of feed rollers 4 that are actively driven to rotate, sandwich the billet 3 on the conveyor 2 being conveyed, and actively rotate and feed the billet 3 downstream of the conveyor 2 at a lower speed than the conveyor 2;
(B) The predetermined length for determining whether the total length of the object billet 3 being transported separated from the subsequent billet 3 due to the speed difference between the feed roller 4 and the conveyor 2 satisfies the predetermined length. Two photoelectric switches 5, 6, provided upstream and downstream of the conveyance path at intervals corresponding to
(C) A payout arm for paying out the short billet 3 'that is determined not to satisfy the predetermined length as a result of determining whether or not the total length of the billet satisfies the predetermined length by the photoelectric switch from the conveyor conveyance path;
(D) an air cylinder 9 for driving the discharge arm;
(E) A receiving mechanism 10 that receives a billet paid out by the payout arm.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the short material discharging apparatus 1 sandwiches a billet 3 that is sequentially conveyed in a series on a conveyor 2 from both sides by a pair of feed rollers 4 on the conveyor 2. The billet 3 is sent out one by one at a speed lower than the conveying speed of the conveyor.

  The pair of feed rollers 4 is not particularly limited. For example, the pair of feed rollers 4 is positively rotated by a motor 14 installed on an arm 16 on which an air cylinder 11 that opens and closes the pair of feed rollers 4 is installed. Is.

  The pair of feed rollers 4 is opened by detecting the progress of the billet 3 with a photoelectric tube or the like (not shown) and operating the air cylinder 11. The billet 3 is fed in correspondence with the grippable length (distance) one by one, the roller 4 is opened by the operation of the air cylinder 11, and the billet is sent downstream by releasing the gripping.

  The feed speed of the pair of feed rollers 4 is preferably 0.15 to 0.4 times the transport speed of the conveyor 2, more preferably 0.2 times to 0.35 times, and most preferably 0. It is about 25 times to 0.3 times. However, the speed ratio may be appropriately determined in accordance with the speed of the conveyor transport speed, billet length, and the like.

  By the action of the pair of feed rollers 4, the billet 3 conveyed in series in a continuous manner without any gaps thereafter corresponds to the aforementioned speed difference in the conveyance direction between the individual billets 3. A gap having a length is formed and conveyed downstream.

  While a gap is formed between the billets and is transported on the conveyor 2, the total length of each billet is installed at a predetermined distance corresponding to a predetermined billet length upstream and downstream. Using the two photoelectric switches 5 and 6, it is determined whether the billet 3 that has been conveyed satisfies a predetermined billet length condition.

  The downstream photoelectric switch 5 is used as the start element 31 and the upstream photoelectric switch 6 is used as the edge element 32. If there is a moment when the two photoelectric switches 5 and 6 enter at the same time by one billet sent, the billet 3 can be determined as an acceptable product that satisfies a predetermined length, but if the switch is not turned on at the same time, the billet is determined as a defective product (short billet 3 ') that does not reach the predetermined length.

  That is, when the photoelectric switch is not turned on at the same time, the control device 33 of the air cylinder 9 is operated to operate the dispensing arm 8 provided downstream of the photoelectric switch installation portion, thereby transporting the short billet 3 that has been conveyed. ′ Is paid out from the transport route.

  The structure of the dispensing arm 8 is not particularly limited, but the air cylinder 9 is operated to reciprocate a distance sufficient to remove the short billet 3 ′ from the conveyance path and drop it in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the billet 3. It is configured to exercise.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows the structure, and an air cylinder 9 is fixed on the dispensing arm 8 and is engaged with the LM guide 15 at two locations below the dispensing arm 8.

  With this configuration, the LM guide 15 can be reciprocated along the LM guide rail 15 'by the operation of the air cylinder 9, and the payout plate ceiling portion 7' is engaged with the LM guide 15, Three payout plates 7 extending in parallel with the billet transport direction are fixed to the payout plate ceiling portion 7 '. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the payout plate 7 reciprocates perpendicularly to the billet conveying direction to push the short billet 3 ′ in the moving direction and receive the short billet 3 ′. It will be dropped. That is, when the short billet is conveyed, the three payout plates 7 move in one direction of the billet in the horizontal direction by the installation interval to drop the short billet 3 ', and the next short billet 3' is conveyed. Until the next short billet 3 'is conveyed, it moves in the direction opposite to the previous movement direction and drops the short billet 3' on the receiving mechanism 10 (the previous one) This reciprocation is repeated sequentially in the direction opposite to the falling direction (FIG. 3).

  FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the billet transport line, schematically illustrating the main part of the short material dispensing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 according to the present invention. .

  By the above mechanism, the short billet 3 'that does not satisfy the predetermined length is surely removed from the conveying path of the conveyor, and the billet 3 that satisfies the predetermined length is transferred to the induction heating unit downstream by a pinch roller (not shown). It can be surely introduced.

  In the short material dispensing apparatus according to the present invention, an appropriate bar-shaped billet conveyance guide may be provided in order to ensure the linear conveyance of the billet on the conveyor, and two pieces extending in the conveyance direction on the conveyor. A convex portion may be provided to ensure linear conveyance. In particular, in a zone in which billet length measurement is performed using a photoelectric switch, it is important that the billet is accurately parallel to the transport direction. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a guide as described above.

  In the present invention, the billet supply section for supplying a billet of a finite length has a mechanism for cutting a long rod-shaped primary material as long as 6 to 8 m as described above into a predetermined billet length, The cut billets may be continuously sent to the downstream side (short material dispensing device side), or one billet at a time from a collection of billets that have already been cut at other factories or the like. May be sent to the downstream side (short material dispensing device side).

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view schematically illustrating an example of a short material discharging device, which explains a short material discharging device constituting a main part of an induction heating type billet heater according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the short material dispensing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 which constitutes a main part of the induction heating type billet heater of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic side cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the structure around the payout arm as a model for further explaining the short material payout device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the structure of the payout arm as a model for further explaining the short material payout device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view for explaining the billet transport line, schematically illustrating the main part of the short material dispensing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 according to the present invention. .

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Short material delivery apparatus 2 Conveyor 3 Billet 3 'Short billet 4 A pair of feed roller 5 Photoelectric switch 6 Photoelectric switch 7 Delivery board 7' Delivery board ceiling part 8 Delivery arm 9 Air cylinder 10 which drives delivery arm 8 By delivery board 7 Receiving mechanism 11 for receiving the billet (short billet) paid out 11 Air cylinder 12 for opening and closing the pair of feed rollers 4 Short material discharging device cover 13 Supporting point 14 for opening and closing the pair of feed rollers 4 Motor 15 LM guide 16 Arm 31 Start element 32 Edge element 33 Control device for air cylinder 9

Claims (7)

An induction heating billet having a billet supply unit for supplying a billet of a finite length, a conveyor for conveying the billet, a pinch roller for sending the billet to the induction heating unit, and an induction heating unit in this order along the conveyance line for conveying the billet An induction heating type billet heater which is a heater and is provided with a short material discharging device having at least the following configurations (a) to (e) between the billet supply unit and the pinch roller: .
(A) A pair of feed rollers that are actively driven to rotate, sandwich the billet on the conveyor being conveyed, and actively rotate to send the billet downstream of the conveying path at a speed lower than the conveying speed of the conveyor,
(B) Corresponding to the predetermined length in order to determine whether the total length of the object billet being conveyed separated from the subsequent billet by the speed difference between the feed roller and the conveyor satisfies the predetermined length. Two photoelectric switches provided upstream and downstream of the conveyance path at an interval,
(C) A payout arm for paying out the billet from the conveyor conveyance path determined as not satisfying the predetermined length as a result of the determination as to whether or not the total length of the billet satisfies the predetermined length by the photoelectric switch;
(D) an air cylinder that drives the payout arm;
(E) a receiving mechanism for receiving the billet paid out by the paying arm;   The induction heating type billet heater according to claim 1, further comprising an air cylinder for opening and closing the pair of feed rollers of (a).   3. The induction heating type billet heater according to claim 1, wherein the pair of feed rollers of (a) are juxtaposed in a horizontal direction with a rotation axis direction as a vertical direction.   The feed speed of the pair of feed rollers in (a) that sends billets downstream of the conveyor at a lower speed than the conveyor speed is 0.15 to 0.4 times the conveyor speed of the conveyor. The induction heating type billet heater according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The payout arm has three payout plates extending in parallel with the billet transport direction, and the predetermined length is not satisfied by sliding the payout arm perpendicular to the billet transport direction. 5. The induction heating type billet heater according to claim 1, wherein the determined billet is paid out from the conveyor conveyance path.   When a billet of a finite length is passed through the billet supply unit, the conveyor that transports the billet, and the pinch roller that sends the billet to the induction heating unit in this order and introduced into the induction heating unit and heated, it is provided on the billet conveyance path of the conveyor A pair of feed rollers that are driven to rotate positively sandwich the billet conveyed on the conveyor, and send the billet to the downstream of the conveyance path at a speed lower than the conveyance speed of the conveyor. A gap is formed between the heads, and it is determined by using two photoelectric switches whether the billet being conveyed in the state where the gap is generated has a predetermined length of the billet. The unsatisfied billet is removed from the conveyor conveyance path, and the billet satisfying a predetermined length is introduced into the induction heating unit by the pinch roller. Heating method of the billet to said.   The billet heating method according to claim 6, wherein a speed at which the billet is fed by the pair of feed rollers that are actively driven to rotate is 0.15 to 0.4 times lower than a conveying speed of the conveyor.

Images