WO2003004191A1

WO2003004191A1 - Rotary tools for in-line perforation of profiled products

Info

Publication number: WO2003004191A1
Application number: PCT/BE2002/000115
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Kergen
Original assignee: Recherche Et Developpement Du Groupe Cockerill-Sambre
Priority date: 2001-07-06
Filing date: 2002-07-04
Publication date: 2003-01-16
Also published as: BR0211239B1; EP1273365A1; CN1524021A; US20040231385A1; DE60204888T2; PT1404469E; JP2007175780A; ES2243743T3; KR20040032849A; EP1404469A1; EP1404469B1; JP2004532739A; BR0211239A; DE60204888D1; ATE298637T1; CN1286593C

Abstract

The invention concerns a device comprising rotary cutting tools, for joint cutting and profiling of metal plates, the cutting density being preferably very high, said cutting operations being preferably integrated to an automated profiling line. The invention is characterised in that it comprises a first pair of rotary cutting tools (1, 2) producing a first plurality of rotary cut-outs (7, 7', 7'') and a second pair of rotary cutting tools (3, 4) completing and finishing off the first cut-outs with a second plurality of cut-outs or by folding (8) to obtain respectively a final cut-out with waste shedding or lancing.

Description

ROTARY TOOLS FOR ONLINE DRILLING OF PRODUCTS

PROFILES

Subject of the invention

The present invention relates to a new method for the association of industrial cutting and profiling operations, preferably online. The invention also relates to rotary tools allowing the implementation of the method.

STATE OF THE ART In many industrial applications, it is known to combine cutting and profiling operations. These cuts can be few or, on the contrary, the cutting density can be very high. This is the case, for example, of profiles with an acoustic function or of profiles intended to act as cable trays.

One of the techniques for producing walls having acoustic sound absorption properties is based on the use of profiled metal facings whose surface has numerous orifices. Current methods consist in using either perforated profiles, generally round holes of small diameter, or even profiles in which punctures have been made. The punctures are partial cuts leaving the cutting waste attached to the sheet, these cuts being generally of rectangular shape. The profiles mentioned above are characterized by a very high cutting density, of the order of several thousand holes per square meter.

Among the techniques for making cable trays, profiling figures prominently. In this case also, cutting and profiling operations must be combined. The number of cuts, lower than in the case of profiles with acoustic function, remains very large, however. Other products, such as uprights for metal shelves, are commonly made from profiles having cutouts. In this last example, the cuts are however much less numerous.

To obtain these profiled products having more or less numerous cuts, different methods are used. In fact, two main families of processes must be distinguished depending on whether the cuts are made with the press or with rotary tools.

Press cuts can be made before the profiling operation, outside the profiling line, or by a press installed in the profiling line or after the profiling operation.

When the cuts are made before and outside the profiling line, there are numerous additional handling operations and they entail a non-negligible additional cost. When the press is placed in the profiling line, the cutting operation significantly penalizes the profiling speed. Finally, making cuts after profiling induces limitations as to the position of the cuts on the profile by the access constraints imposed by the cutting tool, which also penalizes productivity. Rotary tools offer an interesting alternative to the use of presses, in that they can operate at speeds compatible with that of the profiling line. Such types of tools are for example described in (patent applications) GB-A-1 044 313, GB-Al 123 536, US-A-1 581 236, US-A-1 333 704, US-A-3 828 636, US-A-3 205 744, US-A-3 709 077, US-A-3 438 835, US-A-3 274 873, US-A-3 066 542 and US- A-5 040 397. The systems described in these various documents do not respond well to the problem envisaged here. Either they are intended only for cutting operations and not for perforation, or their production is very complex and costly when there are many perforations to be produced. They pose in particular the problem of the evacuation of the very large waste resulting from the perforation.

Thus, an alternative practiced in this case is the flat which consists in making a partial cut, leaving the waste attached to the sheet, which eliminates the problem of its disposal. This operation can be carried out by rotary tools but then has other drawbacks. The lower knives being discs, a quality cut is only obtained in the direction parallel to the advance of the sheet, the perpendicular side being rather torn off, which can deteriorate the corrosion behavior. In addition, the waste remaining attached to the sheet prohibits the presence of punctures in areas in contact with profiling rollers, which significantly reduces the relative surface of the profile in which one can effectively practice these punctures. In addition, due to the technology of the rotary tool, the angle of the waste relative to the plane of the sheet is closer to 45 ° than to 90 ° which significantly reduces the apparent opening. Functional profiles Acoustics produced on the basis of the ^' punctured ^' technique then have significantly lower performance than those achieved by drilling.

US Patent US-A-4,766,707 describes a machine comprising a first pair of rotary drilling drums followed by a second pair of rotary drums for cutting a metal strip. According to the proposed installation, this machine is followed by a forming or folding machine in order to produce clips intended for roofing panels. The first pair of tools carries out a conical push-back or a hole, serving to receive later fixing means such as nails. The second pair of tools transversely cuts a notch at each longitudinal edge of the strip, two contiguous sections of strip no longer being connected loosely through the middle, in order to promote easy subsequent separation of the clips. The steps of the two types of operation are significantly different.

American patent US-A-1,931,468 describes a similar installation where the movement of the pairs of rollers is coordinated by a gear drive system. Drilling in one or two operations is carried out using a pair of rotary tools, one of which has channels for removing cutting waste.

Aims of the invention

The present invention aims to provide a solution to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a rotary tool technology allowing either the cutting of many small holes in the profiling line, or the production of punctures of improved geometry and without penalizing the profiling speed. Main characteristic features of the invention The present invention relates to a device comprising rotary cutting tools, for the joint performance of sheet metal cutting and profiling operations, the cutting density preferably being very high, said operations cutting tools preferably being integrated into an automated profiling line, characterized in that it comprises a first pair of rotary cutting tools making a first plurality of cuts and a second pair of rotary cutting tools completing and completing the first cuts by a second plurality of cuts or by folding to obtain respectively a closed final cut with falling cut waste or a puncture.

[0018] According to a first form ^"of a preferred embodiment of the invention, the final cut being essentially _{rectangular.,} The first pair of rotary tools cuts in the transverse direction with respect to the advance of the sheet for the achievement of notches and the second pair of rotary tools is cutting in the longitudinal direction relative to the advance of the sheet. Note that the role of the two pairs of tools can be reversed (cut first in the longitudinal direction , then transverse).

According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the final cut being essentially rectangular and of the punctured type, said first pair of tools is cutting on three contiguous sides of said rectangle and said second pair of tools is folding with respect to the axis formed by the fourth side of said rectangle. Preferably, said rotary tools are mounted on shafts supported by bearings whose axis is perpendicular to the direction of advance of the sheet.

Advantageously, the direction of rotation of the upper and lower tools is such that the tangential speed of said tools at the point of contact with the sheet is of the same direction and essentially of the same value as the speed of travel of the sheet.

Particularly advantageously, said device comprises means for ensuring the relative positioning along the circumference of teeth belonging to the upper and lower tools of said first pair of circular tools, said means preferably being a take-up gear box game synchronizing the trees.

According to a particular embodiment of the device of the invention, the first pair of tools comprises an upper tool, consisting of an alternating succession of elementary circular knives and spacers, and a lower tool, consisting of a succession alternative of elementary circular knives and elements acting as side knives. In addition, the second pair of tools comprises an upper tool and a lower tool, each consisting of an alternative succession of elementary circular knives and spacers.

Advantageously, each upper elementary circular knife has teeth at its periphery, the arc of which has an equivalent length, apart from the cutting clearances, at the distance between the two notches belonging to the same final cut and produced by the first pair of tools. The elementary circular knives, as well as the spacers of the second pair of tools have equivalent widths, essentially apart from cutting sets.

The device of the invention is advantageously provided with means to facilitate the removal of cutting waste, preferably combs whose teeth are interposed between the elementary circular tools of the second pair of tools. Still according to the invention, the upper tool of the second pair of tools can be provided with teeth which are rounded or softened at the folding edge and having clearances compatible with folding. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for the joint performance of cutting operations of the pierced type and of profiling of sheets, the cutting density preferably being very high, said cutting operations being preferably integrated into an automated profiling line, characterized by the following successive stages:

- A first pair of rotary cutting tools performs a first plurality of transverse cuts relative to one advance of the sheet; a second pair of rotary cutting tools makes a second plurality of longitudinal cuts relative to the advance of the sheet, the combined result of these two operations being a set of closed cuts, preferably rectangular;

- the cutting waste is removed by the movement of the tools, preferably by means of combs incorporated in the second pair of tools and / or removed transversely by a conveyor belt.

The invention also relates to a method for the joint realization of puncture operations and sheet metal profiling, said cutting operations being preferably integrated into an automated profiling line, characterized by the following successive steps: a first pair of rotary cutting tools makes a first plurality of "U" shaped cuts inscribed in a rectangle; a second pair of rotary cutting tools performs a folding whose axis is along the remaining side to form a set of rectangular cutouts of the punctured type. In a particularly advantageous manner, the method of the invention can combine, on the same machine, cutting and puncture operations, distributed in sheet metal strips parallel to the advancement of the sheet, said punctures being produced in areas not in contact with profiling tools.

Advantageously, said rectangular cutouts of the pierced or punctured type are offset, the offset between two adjacent cuts being equal to the long pitch (Plg) divided by an offset parameter X, X being non-zero.

In use, the device of the invention is used for the production of walls having acoustic sound absorption properties, for the production of cable trays, or even for the production of metal shelves.

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 shows an overview of the rotary tool system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 represents two elements of tools belonging to the first pair of corresponding rotary tools of FIG. 1. [0034] The Figure.3 shows a view in ^elevation of the first pair of rotary tools according to the invention. FIG. 4 represents two particular embodiments of the teeth of the upper rotary tool shown in FIG. 3.

Figure 5 shows the detail of the notches made with the first pair of tools according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. 6 shows a detailed view of the two tool elements belonging to the second pair of corresponding rotary tools of Figure 1. [0038] Figure 7 shows an elevational view of the second pair of tools rotary machines according to the invention. Figure 8 shows an optimized positioning diagram of the cuts in the sheet, according to one invention.

Figure 9 shows the parameters for defining the cutouts as shown in Figure 8. Figure 10 shows a real example of cutout scheme according to the invention.

Figure 11 shows the detail of the cuts made with the first pair of tools according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, respectively and alternately in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction. FIG. 12 shows the detail of the teeth of the elementary folding tool on the second pair of tools corresponding to the cutouts in FIG. 11.

Detailed description of the invention

The object of the present invention is to obtain either a rectangular cutout or a puncture by breaking down the operations into two phases so as to guarantee good cutting quality and easy removal of waste in the case of cutting or good cutting and folding quality in the case of puncture. The basic principle, illustrated in Figure 1, is to use two successive pairs of rotary tools. In the case of hole cutting, this principle allows the cutting to be broken down into two phases. On the one hand, the first pair of rotary knives makes transverse cuts relative to the advance of the sheet. On the other hand, the second pair makes longitudinal cuts and ensures easy removal of waste. In the case of punctured type cuts, the first pair of knives makes, for example, a cut on three sides. The second pair then folds the cutting waste, which makes it possible to obtain an apparent opening that is significantly improved compared to the state of the art. In addition, in the prior art US-A-4,766,707, the successive operations carried out by the rotary tools (pushing or drilling, transverse shearing) relate to different zones and have entirely distinct purposes.

Figure 1 shows an overview of the system. A first pair of rotary tools composed of tools 1 and 2, mounted respectively on shafts 6 and 6 ', performs a partial cut on the sheet, without removing waste. The cutting is completed by a second pair of tools, composed of tools 3 and 4, mounted respectively on 6 '' and 6 '' shafts. These shafts are supported by bearings mounted in heads similar to the profiling heads (not shown). The direction of rotation of each tool is indicated (B, B ', B'',B'''). The sheet advancement takes place in direction A, in the direction indicated and is equivalent to the common peripheral speed of tools 1, 2, 3 and 4. Description of several preferred embodiments of the invention

Figures 2 and 3 show a preferred embodiment of rotary tools 1 and 2. In particular, Figure 2 shows the two elements of upper circular tool 11 and lower 21 making a notch 7 perpendicular to the direction of travel sheet 5 (see Figure 5). As shown in Figure 3, the upper tool 1 consists of a stack of elementary circular tools 11 and spacers 12. These tool elements are mounted on the shaft 6, positioned and locked on the shaft in the direction of rotation by elements such as keys. These elements are also locked in the axial direction so as to guarantee precise positioning. The lower tool 2 is similarly constituted by a stack of elements 21, located opposite the elements 11 and separated by elements 22 which act as lateral knives when cutting the notch 7. The elements 21 and 22 are locked in rotation and positioned in the axial direction, as for tool 1. The elements 11, 21 and 22 are preferably made of a tool-treated heat-treated steel, as for cutting tools classics. This mode of construction of rotary tools is particularly advantageous because it allows economical production of tools, elements such as 11 or 21 which can be produced by cutting by wire from a stack of discs of treated tool steel discs. The positioning in the axial direction of the tools 1 and 2 is achieved by stops mounted on the shafts at the bearings located in the support head. The relative radial positioning of the teeth of the circular tools 11 and 21 is achieved by at least one box gears synchronizing the shafts 6 and 6 '. They are preferably backlash gears, so as to guarantee precise positioning compatible with cutting clearances. At least one of the shafts 6 or 6 'is motorized so as to guarantee a circumferential speed of rotation of the tools equal to the advance of the sheet A.

Figure 4 shows two embodiments of the teeth 111 or 111 'of the circular tool 11. After passing through the first pair of rotary tools, the sheet has notches 7 as shown in Figure 5 .

Figures 6 and 7 show the elementary knives 31 and 41 performing the second cutting operation. The circular knife 31 has teeth 311 at its periphery, the arc of which has a length equivalent to the cutting clearance, at the distance between two successive notches 7. The complete upper circular tool 3 is produced by a stack of elementary knives 31 separated by spacers 32. The circumferential and axial positioning of the knives 31 is produced in a similar manner to that of tools 1 and 2. In addition, the shaft 6 '' is synchronized with respect to the shaft 6 so as to guarantee the precise positioning of the notches 7 with respect to the knives 311. This synchronization is for example carried out by a gear system.

The tool 4 consists of a stack of elementary cutting discs 41 and tabs 42

(Figure 7). Their axial positioning is carried out as for tools 1 and 2, the relative positioning of tools 3 and 4 must be guaranteed only in the axial direction. The tool elements 11, 21 and 31 as well as the spacers 42 have equivalent widths, apart from the cutting clearances. The cutting waste is very easily evacuated between the discs 41, a comb is optionally provided, the teeth of which are inserted between the discs 41 to guarantee the evacuation of waste which would remain trapped between the cutting discs 41, the waste then being evacuated transversely, for example using a conveyor belt.

Figure 8 schematically shows an optimized positioning of the cutouts. Indeed, a delicate point of the process is the cutting effort to be provided, particularly when cutting the notches by tools 1 and 2. To reduce this effort, it is thus advantageous to offset the cuts as presented in FIG. 8. The parameters to be considered are presented in FIG. 9: the transverse pitch Ptr, the long pitch Plg, the transverse cut DecTr and the long cut DecLg. The cutting rate, a parameter determining for example the acoustic quality of the panels, is the ratio between the cut surface (DecTr x DecLg) and the surface of the steps (Plg x Ptr). The parameter X determining the offset is chosen to be high enough to reduce the stress on the trees. In fact, the higher the parameter X, and in particular if X is not an integer, the fewer the cuts that are made simultaneously.

Another important parameter is the ratio between the length not cut lengthwise, Plg - DecLg, and the offset step, Plg / X. If this ratio is complete, some first cuts of rectangular openings coincide with the second cuts offset by a number of rows equal to said ratio. In this case, the number of cuts being made simultaneously is relatively high, which gives a relatively large load in bending of the trees, but the cuts being made in pairs, the radial forces ^" on the knives compensate each other, which reduces the torque applied to the shafts. If we choose the cutting parameters so that this ratio (Plg - DecLg) / (Plg / X) is not an integer , the number of cuts made simultaneously is reduced, which reduces the bending force, but increases the torque applied to the shafts.

Table 1 shows an example of an adequate choice of parameters corresponding to a non-integer ratio and FIG. 10 illustrates a concrete example of cutting.

The technique of the invention also optimizes the cutting of openings in punctured mode, that is to say without removing material. The technology of the tools is in principle identical. At the first pair of tools 1 and 2, a U-shaped cut is made as shown in 7 '(longitudinal direction) or 7' '(transverse direction) in Figure 11. The type 111 teeth of the tool elementary 11 are adapted accordingly. On the second pair of tools, cutting is no longer carried out, as above, but folding according to 8. The teeth 311 of the elementary tool 31 are of course adapted accordingly: rounded at the level of the folding edge and games compatible with folding. Figure 12 shows typical views of this type of puncture, for the longitudinal direction and for the transverse direction.

For these different applications, the diameter of the tools will be conditioned by the considerations of resistance of the materials which govern the dimensioning of the shafts, but also by the conditions of contact of the circular tool with the sheet. Thus the radius of tools 1 and 2 will preferably be equal to or greater than 100 times the thickness of the sheet. In the case of the flat tire, we can also choose different radii for tools .3 and 4 ,, the tool 4 having, for example, a radius substantially greater than the tool 3, so as to guarantee good support for the sheet during the folding operation. In a particular embodiment, it is possible to combine, in the same machine, cutting and puncture operations distributed in strips parallel to the advancement of the sheet, the punctures being located in areas which do not come into contact with profiling tools.

Table 1. Example parameters

Claims

. CLAIMS

1. Device comprising rotary cutting tools, for carrying out sheet cutting and profiling operations, the cutting density preferably being very high, said cutting operations being preferably integrated into an automated profiling line, characterized in that it comprises a first pair of rotary cutting tools (1,2) carrying out a first plurality of cuts (7, 7 ', 7' ') and a second pair of rotary cutting tools (3, 4) completing and completing the first cuts by a second plurality of cuts or by folding (8) to obtain respectively a closed final cut with falling cut waste or a puncture. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the final cut being essentially rectangular, the first pair of rotary tools (1,

2) is cutting in the transverse direction relative to the advance of the sheet (A) for making notches (7) and in that the second pair of rotary tools (3,4) is cutting in the direction longitudinal with respect to the advance of the sheet (A).

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the final cut being essentially rectangular and of the punctured type, said first pair of tools (1,2) is cutting on three contiguous sides of said rectangle (7 ', 7' ' ) and said second pair of tools (3,4) is folding with respect to the axis formed by the fourth side of said rectangle (8). 4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said rotary tools (1,2,3,

4) are mounted on shafts

(6, 6 ', 6'',6''') supported by bearings whose axis is perpendicular to the direction of advance of the sheet (A).

5. Device according to any one ^".Des preceding claims, characterized in that the direction of rotation of the upper tools (1,3) and lower (2,4) is such that the tangential speed of said tools at the point of contact with the sheet is of the same direction and essentially of the same value as the speed of travel of the sheet.

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for ensuring the relative positioning along the circumference of teeth (111, 111 ', 211, 211') belonging to the upper tools (1) and lower (2) of said first pair of circular tools, said means preferably being a gear take-up gear box synchronizing the shafts (6,6 ').

7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first pair of tools (1,2) comprises an upper tool

(1), consisting of an alternative succession of elementary circular knives (11) and spacers (12), and a lower tool (2), consisting of an alternative succession of elementary circular knives (21) and elements acting as side knives (22).

8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the second pair of tools (3,4) comprises an upper tool (3) and a lower tool (4), each consisting of a succession alternative of elementary circular knives (31,41) and spacers (32,42).

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that each upper elementary circular knife (31) has teeth (311) at its periphery, the arc of which has an equivalent length, apart from the cutting clearances, at the distance between the two notches (7) belonging to the same final cut and produced by the first pair of tools (1,2).

10. Device according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the elementary circular knives (11,21,31), as well as the spacers (42) of the second pair of tools have equivalent widths, essentially with the cutting games close.

11. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that it is provided with means for the evacuation of cutting waste, preferably combs whose teeth are inserted between the elementary circular tools (41) of the second pair of 'tools.

12. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the upper tool (3) of the second pair of tools is provided with teeth (311) which are rounded or softened at the folding edge and having clearances compatible with folding.

13. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the final cut being essentially rectangular, the first pair of rotary tools (1,2) is cutting in the longitudinal direction relative to one advance of the sheet (A) and in that the second pair of rotary tools (3,4) is cutting in the transverse direction relative to the advance of the sheet (A).

14. Method for the joint performance of cutting operations of the pierced type and of sheet metal profiling, the cutting density being preferably very high, said cutting operations being preferably integrated into an automated profiling line, implementing a device according to claim 2, characterized by the following successive steps: a first pair of rotary cutting tools (1,2) makes a first plurality of transverse cuts (7) relative to the advance of the sheet (A); a second pair of rotary cutting tools (3,4) performs a second plurality of longitudinal cuts relative to the advance of the sheet (A), the combined result of these two operations being a set of closed cuts, preferably rectangular; - the cutting waste is removed by the movement of the tools, preferably by means of combs incorporated in the second pair of tools and / or removed transversely by a conveyor belt.

15. A method for carrying out puncture operations and sheet metal profiling, said cutting operations preferably being integrated into an automated profiling line, implementing a device according to claim 3, characterized by the successive steps. following: - a first pair of rotary cutting tools (1,2) makes a first plurality of "U" shaped cuts (7 ', 7' ') inscribed in a rectangle; a second pair of rotary cutting tools (3,4) performs a folding (8) whose axis is along the remaining side to form a set of rectangular cutouts of the punctured type.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, characterized in that it combines, on the same machine, cutting and puncture operations, distributed in sheet metal strips parallel to the advancement of the sheet, said punctures being produced in areas not in contact with profiling tools.

17. The method of claim 14 or 15, characterized in that said rectangular cutouts of the pierced or punctured type are offset, the offset between two adjacent cuts being equal to the long pitch (Plg) divided by an offset parameter X, X being not bad.

18. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 for the production of walls having acoustic sound absorption properties.

19. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 for the production of cable trays.

20. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 13 for the production of metal shelves.