WO2012100802A1

WO2012100802A1 - Automated pipe forming press comprising a light source for measuring the internal contour of the pipe

Info

Publication number: WO2012100802A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/006367
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Krauhausen; Manfred Kolbe; Rainer Lorenz; Uwe Feldmann; Johannes VAN SANTEN; Jochen Vochsen
Original assignee: Sms Meer Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-01-27
Filing date: 2011-12-16
Publication date: 2012-08-02
Also published as: CN107716606A; DE102011009660B4; JP2014508042A; DE102011009660A1; EP2667984A1; RU2579408C2; RU2013130972A; KR20130058064A; CN103328121A; EP2667984B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for shaping flat products (1) into slit pipes or primary pipe products (2), comprising at least one internal shaping tool (3) for the at least stepwise shaping of the flat product (1) in the radial direction of the cross-section of the slit pipe or primary pipe product to be produced, and at least one external shaping tool (4) for shaping the flat product (1) from the exterior, characterised in that at least one light source (7) and at least one receiver (8) for measuring at least the internal contour of the slit pipe or primary pipe product are connected to at least one internal shaping tool (3). The invention further relates to a method for shaping flat products (1) into slit pipes or primary pipe products (2), with at least one internal shaping tool (3) for shaping the flat product (1) in the radial direction of the cross-section of the slit pipe or primary pipe product to be produced, and at least one external shaping tool (4) for shaping the flat product (1) from the exterior, characterised in that at least one light source (7) and at least one receiver (8) are connected to at least one internal shaping tool (3) and detect the local contour or shape of the shaped flat product (1) at least during the shaping process.

Description

AUTOMATION PIPE PRESSURE WITH A LIGHT SOURCE

FOR MEASURING THE TUBE CONTOUR

The invention relates to a device and a method for forming flat products in slotted tubes or pipe precursors, comprising at least one Innenumformwerkzeug for at least gradually forming the flat product in the radial direction of the Schlitzrohr- or Rohrvorprodukt- cross section to produce and at least one outer mold for forming the flat product from the outside ,

The production of particularly thick-walled tubes, for example for pipeline applications or the like, is usually carried out by stepwise forming of flat products into a so-called slotted tube. In a first case, sheets are spirally wound so that their side edges abut one another and by introducing a helical weld a tube with a round cross-section is produced. In an alternative manufacturing process, the step-by-step transformation of flat products over their entire length to a last tubular product having a substantially circular cross-section, which eventually becomes a tube by introducing a longitudinal seam of a slit pipe or pipe precursor.

The conversion of the flat product usually also takes place in two steps, wherein a first transformation leads to a precursor having a contour that corresponds to a sequence of polygons. A nearly circular contour of the cross section is then achieved in a second step by means of an expander.

By means of a Freibiegestempels and usually two counter-bearings or sub-tools, for example in the form of sub-beams, the flat product locally formed in the above-mentioned first forming step and achieved by the series connection of many such Umformoperationen the ultimately desired shape of the workpiece.

In this context, the person skilled in the art usually speaks of a two-dimensional "contour" of the tube cross-sections and a three-dimensional "shape" of the entire tube, slot tube or tube precursor. This conversion is often carried out on the basis of empirical values of the operating personnel, whereby the positioning of the flat products in the forming as well as the adjustment of the respective degrees of deformation in each section requires a lot of experience. This process becomes all the more complex if steel grades with different strengths and correspondingly different forming behavior are to be formed into slotted tubes. An industrial production of such slotted tubes is therefore due to several disturbances, such as sheet thickness and batch fluctuations and the springback after forming a very complex process.

An apparatus for producing pipes from such metal sheets is described, for example, in DE 102 32 098 B4 entitled "Apparatus for producing pipes from metal sheets".

There is therefore a desire in the art to be able to automate such complex forming processes as far as possible and at the same time to be able to produce tube cross sections with the smallest possible deviation from the desired contour, preferably roundness of the cross section, finally also the desired shape over the entire length. on the one hand to meet all quality requirements of the market and on the other not to complicate the subsequent welding process. Proceeding from this, it was the object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a method for forming flat products in slotted tubes or pipe precursors, which allow a constant review and finally automation of the forming itself largely independent of the thickness and the material properties of the flat product to be formed , This object is achieved in the sense of the invention with a device comprising the features of claim 1 and with a method comprising the features of claim 14. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the respective dependent claims.

In the context of the invention, at least one light source, for example a superluminescent diode or a white light source and at least one receiver are connected to at least one forming tool and serve to measure the slot pipe or pipe precursor inner contour. Use according to the invention is any optical measuring device comprising a light source and a receiver. However, it is preferred if the measuring device comprises a laser source and a laser detector.

In this way, a device is provided, which allows a particularly accurate means of a high-precision verification of the respective forming steps up to the final verification of the contour of the entire cross-section, preferably the shape of the slit pipe or pipe precursor. The measurement also takes place quickly and can be integrated space-saving in commonly used tube-forming presses of the type described above, without disturbing the forming itself. Depending on the measurement results, finally, any local, step-by-step forming process or the entire forming process can preferably be continuously checked online and fully automated and, if necessary, a readjustment be carried out. Such a preferred automation of the forming process as a whole, in which a continuous tracking of the results of individual forming steps allows efficient process control and a much more controlled transformation of the starting materials to formed sheet metal structures with defined contours or shapes than the previously practiced deformation based on experience of the plant operator. Finally, deviations can be compensated much faster and more precisely, and the formed sheet metal structures can be manufactured much more reliably and accurately. This ultimately leads to a lower reject rate in the production and consequently also to a cost saving, not least also due to a lower personnel requirement.

Since the control and regulation is regularly based on the results of individual forming steps or the entire forming process, also disturbances such as material fluctuations or inaccuracies in the pre-modeling of the process can be compensated immediately.

For this purpose, the light source projects light structures, in particular dots, lines or patterns, onto the inner surface of the at least partially formed flat product. This light structure can be changed particularly preferably locally and / or temporally. The detection and evaluation of the scattered light structure is carried out by a receiver and preferably with a suitable control unit, which then allows the determination of the (two-dimensional) contour and most preferably also the (three-dimensional) shape of the slot pipe or pipe precursor.

It is particularly advantageous if the internal forming tool is part of a forming blade of a tube forming press. In this forming process, the individual steps are shown substantially in Figure 1, lowers the forming blade, especially the tool connected to the sword stroke on a flat product, which usually rests on two thrust bearings from. The conversion Forming then takes place depending on the distance of the abutment each other, the contour of the Umformschwerts itself and the stroke of the Umformschwerts. The deformation takes place stepwise to the desired cross-sectional contour or shape of the slot pipe or pipe precursor.

Preferably, the distance between the abutment to each other or the relative positions of the Umformschwert and abutments to each other and their bending over the length of the slot tube or pipe can be changed to thereby influence the Umformergebnis targeted.

Especially in this forming process, which is composed of a plurality of successive switching forming operations, the inventive device and the method according to the invention is particularly advantageous for use, since the local transformations, especially curvatures especially after completion of the forming process and lifting the Umformschwerts from the formed flat product particularly simple and can be safely determined.

It is furthermore preferred if at least one light source and at least one optical receiver are integrated in a common sensor system. As a result, a modular construction of the measuring apparatus as a whole and space-saving use is particularly advantageously supported or implemented. The result is a device in which the laser sensor can be mounted on the forming tool in such a space-saving manner that obstruction of the forming process is completely avoided.

Particularly preferred is an embodiment of the device according to the invention, in which in each case a light source and a respective receiver, preferably each an integrated sensor, are attached to each side of the Umformschwerts. In this context, it is highly preferred if the light source, preferably together with the receiver, is rotatably mounted on the internal forming unit. are attached. In this way, it is possible on the device side that a single light source can detect the desired measurement results in each case for at least half the slot pipe or pipe precursor cross section.

Particularly preferred is a device in which the forming tool arranged on the sword has one or more slots or bores through which the light beam can impinge on the inner surface of the workpiece even in the region of the local deformation. As a result, an accurate determination of the contour and / or shape of the workpiece, possibly also during the forming process itself is made possible.

Thus, a device is provided which, with particularly simple means and without having to modify the design of the internal forming tool, in particular the forming blade, allows a measurement of the entire cross section of the product to be produced.

Preferably, when more than two light sources and receivers, preferably the sensors of the type described above, are preferably arranged distributed equidistantly over the length of the slot pipe or pipe precursor. In this way it can be ensured that both the roundness of the end faces and the quality requirements for the quality of the tube over its length are reliably maintained. In the production of a slot pipe with 18 meters in length usually about 15 forming tools arranged on a common forming sword, are used. Distributed over this length can be determined with sufficient accuracy over the entire length of the slot pipe with three preferably equidistantly arranged measuring devices, the contour or shape of the formed flat product. While as close as possible roundness is required in the region of the end faces of the tube to a welding two pipes together without previous contour adjustments allow, over the length of the tube only small deviations from this predetermined form, the so-called ovality, allowed.

Preferably, when the light source, preferably together with the receiver, height-adjustable is attached to the Innenumformwerkzeug. This will particularly advantageously increase the flexibility of the device in the forming of flat products in slotted tubes with different tube cross-section in tube forming presses with forming dies. The height adjustment of the light source and the receiver is ideally carried out so that the light source is disposed substantially in the vicinity of the center of the final tube cross-section, whereby the measurement in particular of a finished tube cross-section after the last stroke of the forming sword is facilitated.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the receiver is connected to a control unit for the forming process. This control unit very particularly preferably performs a nominal value-actual value adjustment for the individual measurements and outputs correction values for at least the inner forming tool, possibly also one or more outer tools, based on this setpoint-actual value adjustment. The setpoint values can be taken from the control unit to a memory provided for this purpose, and the correction values for the control of the internal forming tool are in turn output as a result of a model for the forming process which has been corrected on the basis of the measured actual values.

This finally, as already mentioned, very particularly preferably allows a fully automated forming of the flat product into a slot pipe or pipe precursor by the control and regulation by means of the control unit. In terms of the method, the invention is characterized in that the light source and the receiver are connected to the internal forming tool and the deformation produced at that time, preferably local curvature, which was caused by the internal forming tool on the flat product, is detected at least during the forming process. It may be advantageous if the detection of the contour or the shape of the flat product is continued beyond the forming itself, so as to be able to fully detect springbacks of the previously formed material. In particular, it is preferred if the light measurement lasts up to one second after completion of the forming process, thus after completion of the contact of the inner forming tool with the flat product. Most preferred is a duration of light measurement that is between 0.5 and 1 second longer than the actual forming operation.

In a further preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the determination of the contour or shape of the flat product produced by the deformation takes place by means of the triangulation method. In this case, a light beam is directed onto a workpiece in a manner known to those skilled in the art. The light beam scattered by the workpiece is then imaged by a lens on a spatially resolved receiver, for example a CCD line. Depending on the position of the light spot imaged on the receiver, the distance between the workpiece inner surface and the receiver is determined. As a result, a particularly simple and manageable method for determining the actual value of the forming path is provided. From a plurality of mutually adjacent measuring points can then be derived in the same way, the contour or shape of the converted flat product.

The inventive method uses as the above-discussed in detail device according to the invention particularly preferably a sensor that is rotated during the measuring process so that the laser deformation of each forming step up to the contour or shape of the entire Schlitzrohr- or Can capture pipe precursor cross-section. This is particularly preferably achieved when in each case a light source and a receiver are mounted on each side of the internal forming tool, preferably the forming blade, so that they are rotatably mounted so that in each case at least half the pipe or pipe precursor cross section can be detected by the sensor.

Particularly preferred is an embodiment of the device and the method, which allow a permanent rotation of the sensor system about its own axis of rotation, thus beyond 360 °. As a result, the drive for the sensors can be designed particularly simple.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to some figures. While Figure 1 generally describes the prior art, Figures 2 to 5 disclose preferred embodiments of the invention, which, however, are not susceptible to limiting the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims in any way.

In the figures is

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of individual working steps of a forming process for producing a slot pipe from a flat product,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a light sensor system according to the invention for installation on a device according to the invention, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the triangulation method used in the invention, and

FIG. 5 shows a schematic flow diagram for the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows, in eight working steps a) to h), the transformation of a flat product 1 into a slot pipe or pipe precursor 2 with a substantially round cross section. In step a), the flat product 1 is shown with pre-formed edge regions 1a, 1b. The edge portions 1a, 1b are usually preformed outside the tube forming presses. As step b) shows, the forming process in the tube press begins by threading the flat product 1 between two abutments 4a, 4b and the Umformschwert 3. The forming blade 3 in turn can move stroke wise substantially perpendicular to the flat product 1 out between the two abutments 4a, 4b become. The interaction of the abutment 4a, 4b and the actual forming tool 3a of Umformschwerts 3 then takes place the introduction of local transformations in the flat product 1. While in the steps a) to d) the deformation of the first side of the flat product is carried out to a slot tube cross-section, is in steps e) to h) the stepwise deformation of the right side of the flat product 1 to a slit pipe 2 is shown. Both forming processes are usually carried out as a series of a plurality of local forming steps from the side edges 1 a, 1 b from inside.

FIG. 2 shows a device according to the invention for forming a flat product 1 into a slot tube 2 in the form of a conventional tube forming press with abutments 4a, 4b and a forming blade 3, at the head end of which the actual forming tool 3a is attached. Figure 2 shows the last step of the forming. On the shaft of the forming blade 3, a laser sensor 5a, 5b are mounted on the left and right, via which the measurement of the contour of the cross section of the tube 2 can be done in total. While the laser sensor 5a, 5b mounted in its entirety adjustable in height along the arrow A on Umformschwert 3, the rotational movement shown by the arrow B does not refer to the entire housing of the laser sensor 5a, 5b, but rather only to individual components of the laser sensor 5a, 5b , in particular the laser source (not shown) and the laser sensor (not shown). By means of the rotational movement and possibly also assisted by the height adjustment, a sweeping can then be achieved over the entire cross section of the slot tube 2 by the laser beams 6 emitted by the laser source.

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a laser sensor system 5 according to the invention for attachment to a forming blade (not shown). The laser sensor 5 comprises as main components a drive motor 9, an angle measuring device 10, a laser source 7 and a laser sensor 8, wherein the laser source 7 together with the laser sensor 8 form the triangulation sensor according to the invention. All of these components 7-10 of the laser sensor 5 are in a housing integrated and can be connected via an interface 11 securely with the (not shown) Umformschwert. The laser sensor 5 is also attached via the interface 11 so spaced from the (not shown) Umformschwert that the laser beam emitted from the laser source 7 preferably continuously can sweep over the entire extent of the previously formed circumference of (not shown) Schlitzrohrquerschnitts.

In Figure 4, the measuring principle of the triangulation method is shown schematically briefly. A laser beam 6 emitted from a laser source 7 strikes, schematically indicated, either on the item 1 or on the item 2 on the inner surface of a flat product 1 to be reshaped or already locally reshaped. The laser beams scattered from the inner surface are transmitted from an objective 12 to the receiver 12 depending on the position of the inner surface of the flat product 1 to the laser source 7 at different points Ρ1 ', P2 "on the Detector, which is part of the sensor 8, shown. The position Ρ1 ', P2' on the detector of the laser sensor 8 thus allow a direct inference to the position of the inner surface of the flat product P1, P2 with respect to the laser source. 7

Finally, FIG. 5 shows a schematic flow diagram for carrying out a method according to the invention. Based on the recipe for producing a pipe type, into which tool data and workpiece data are received, the production takes place as a sequence of individual steps. Subsequently or online, the workpiece or at least individual indentations are measured by means of the system according to the invention. This then leads to the determination of any correction quantities of the model for the or the subsequent step (s). The answer to the question then follows as to whether this last step, namely the determination of correction quantities, has been carried out. If yes, the finished and dimensionally stable slot pipe is output. If not, a return to production takes place for the further execution of the forming process.

Claims

claims

1. An apparatus for forming flat products (1) in slotted tubes or pipe precursors (2), comprising at least one Innenumformwerkzeug (3) for at least gradually forming the flat product (1) in the radial direction of the slotted or Rohrvorprodukt- cross section to be produced, and at least an outer forming tool (4) for forming the flat product (1) from the outside, characterized in that at least one light source (7) and at least one receiver (8) for measuring at least the Schlitzrohr- or pipe precursor inner contour with at least one Innenumformwerkzeug (3) are.

2. Device according to claim 1,

characterized,

in that the light source (7) and the receiver (8) serve to measure the slot tube or tube precursor inner shape.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner forming tool (3) is a Umformschwert a pipe mold press.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (7) is a laser source.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one light source (7) and at least one receiver (8) are integrated in a common sensor system (5).

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 to 5, characterized in that in each case a light source (7) and in each case a receiver (8), preferably each a sensor (5), are mounted on each side of the Umformschwerts (3).

7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (7), preferably together with the receiver (8), are rotatably mounted on the inner forming tool (3).

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the rotation range of the light source (7) allows sweeping at least half of the tube or pipe precursor cross-section with the light (6).

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source projects a light structure, preferably a dot or a line, more preferably a pattern, onto the inner surface of the slot pipe or pipe precursor.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the light structure is locally and / or temporally variable.

11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (7), preferably together with the receiver (8), is mounted vertically displaceably on the inner forming tool (3).

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiver (8) is connected to a control unit for the forming process, and that preferably by the control unit, a setpoint-actual value adjustment for the individual measurements feasible and correction values for at least the inner forming tool (3) based on this setpoint-actual value adjustment can be output, whereby very particularly preferably a fully automated forming of the flat product (1) in a pipe or pipe precursor (2) can be controlled and regulated by the control unit.

13. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a number of up to 20 forming tools (3a), preferably 12 to 16 forming tools, and at least 2, preferably 3, light sources (7) and receiver (8) over the length of Slot pipe or pipe precursors are preferably arranged distributed equidistantly.

14. A method for forming flat products (1) in slotted tubes or pipe precursors (2) with at least one Innenumformwerkzeug (3) for forming the flat product (1) in the radial direction of the slit pipe or pipe precursor cross-section to produce and at least one outer ßenumformwerkzeug (4) for forming the flat product (1) from the outside, characterized in that

at least one light source (7) and at least one receiver (8) with the Innenumformwerkzeug (3) is connected and at least during the forming process, the local contour or shape of the formed flat product (1) detect. 5. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the deformation takes place stepwise.

16. The method according to any one of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that the laser measurement takes longer, preferably up to 1 second, more preferably between 0.5 and 1 second, as the actual forming process.

17. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that the curvature of the flat product (1) by means of Lasertriangulations- method is determined.

18. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the light source (7), preferably together with the receiver (8) during the measuring operation is rotated so that the laser (6) at least half, preferably the entire slotted tube - or Rohrvorprodukt- cross section sweeps.

19. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that the measurement results are transmitted to a control unit, and that the control unit performs a setpoint-actual value adjustment for the individual measurements and correction values for at least the internal forming tool (3) based outputs on this setpoint-actual value adjustment, whereby very particularly preferably the control unit preferably online controls a fully automated forming of the flat product (1) in a slit pipe or pipe precursor (2) and controls.