FIXING A STRIP END SEGMENT OF A METAL STRIP COIL TO AN ADJACENT STRIP WINDING

Abstract

A method for fixing a strip end segment of a metal strip wound into a coil to a strip winding of the coil arranged adjacent to the strip end segment. In order to enable the production of metal strip with improved quality, the strip end segment is fixed by materially bonding on the strip winding by means of a friction welding method.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A method for fixing a strip end segment of a metal strip wound to form a coil to a strip winding of the coil arranged adjacent to the strip end segment, wherein the strip end segment is fixed by material bonding on the strip winding by a friction welding method.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the friction welding method is a friction spot welding method.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the friction welding method is a friction stir welding method.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the friction welding method is carried out by means of a welding robot.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein while the friction spot welding method is being carried out, at least the strip end segment is automatically pressed radially outward and/or inward against the adjacent strip winding.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein a position and/or a shape of the strip end segment is automatically detected before the friction welding method is carried out.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein before the friction welding method is carried out, a space available within a coil eye of the coil for a friction welding device of the welding robot insertable therein is automatically detected.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the friction welding device is automatically supported on the coil while the friction welding method is being carried out.

23. A device for fixing a strip end segment of a metal strip wound into a coil to a strip winding of the coil arranged adjacent to the strip end segment, having a holding device; wherein the holding device has at least one friction welding device insertable into an end of a coil eye of the coil for the materially-bonded connection of the strip end section to the strip winding and at least one support unit for automatically supporting the friction welding device inside the coil eye, wherein the friction welding device has a housing having an opening and the support unit can be brought into contact with the coil through the opening.

24. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the holding device is designed as a welding robot.

25. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the holding device has at least one sensor unit for detecting a position and/or a shape of the strip end segment and/or for detecting a space available within the eye of the coil for the friction welding device insertable therein.

26. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the welding robot/the holding device has at least one protective unit for externally protecting the friction welding device and/or at least one cooling unit for cooling the friction welding device.

27. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the holding device has at least one cooling unit for cooling the friction welding device.

28. The device as claimed in claim 23, wherein the friction welding device is a friction stir welding device or a friction spot welding device.

Description

[0030] In the following, the invention is explained by way of example with reference to the attached figures using preferred embodiments, wherein the features explained below can represent an advantageous or refining aspect of the invention both individually and in combination of at least two of these features with one another. In the figures:

[0031] FIG. 1: shows a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment for a method according to the invention.

[0032] FIG. 2: shows a schematic side view of three different coils having non-fixed inner strip end segment or outer strip end segment.

[0033] FIG. 3: shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention,

[0034] FIG. 4: shows a schematic top view of the device shown in FIG. 3; and

[0035] FIG. 5: shows a schematic sectional illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention.

[0036] In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference signs. A repeated description of these components can be omitted.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of a method 1 according to the invention for fixing a strip end segment (not shown), located in an inner coil eye (not shown), of a metal strip (not shown) that is wound into a coil (not shown) having the coil eye to a strip winding (not shown) of the coil arranged adjacent to the strip end segment. A device according to the invention (not shown), can be used to carry out the method 1.

[0038] In method step 100, the coil is drawn off of a reel mandrel (not shown) and deposited on a roller table (not shown) for which purpose a crane, a coil lift truck, or the like can be used, for example. In addition, in method step 100, the coil can be transported by means of a coil lift truck or the like to a location at which the strip end segment is to be fixed by carrying out a friction welding method by means of a welding robot or at which the strip end segment is to be fixed by material bonding to the strip winding by the friction welding method.

[0039] In method step 200, a position and/or a shape of the strip end segment is automatically detected by means of at least one sensor unit (not shown). Furthermore, in method step 200 it is detected whether a space available within the coil eye for a friction welding device (not shown) of the welding robot insertable therein is sufficient for this insertion or not.

[0040] If the space detected in method step 200 is sufficient for inserting the friction welding device into the coil eye, the friction welding device is inserted into the coil eye in method step 300.

[0041] The friction welding method is then carried out in method step 400. In method step 400, at least the strip end segment can be automatically pressed radially outward against the adjacent strip winding while the friction welding method is being carried out. In addition, in method step 400, the friction welding device can be automatically supported within the coil eye while the friction welding method is being carried out. In method section 400, the friction welding device is alternatively or additionally supported from the outside against the coil surface in order to press the outer strip end segment against the coil surface and the adjacent strip winding.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of three different coils 2, 3, and 4 having a non-fixed inner strip end segment 5. This allows the inner strip end segment 5 to collapse or bend locally, as shown on the left in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the inner strip end segment 5 can collapse or curve inward as a whole, as is shown in the center of FIG. 2. An outer strip end segment 5 can also protrude from the outside of the coil, as shown on coil 3. In addition to the inner strip end segment 5, further strip windings 6 can collapse or bend, as is shown on the right in FIG. 2

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of an exemplary embodiment of a device 7 according to the invention for fixing an inner strip end segment (not shown) of a metal strip (not shown) wound into a coil 8 to a strip winding (not shown) of the coil 8 arranged adjacent to the strip end segment. The coil 8 has an inner coil eye 9. The device 7 has a shelf 14 formed by two rollers 12 and 13, on which the coil 8 is placed.

[0044] The device 7 has a welding robot 10 for the materially-bonded connection of the strip end segment to the strip winding. For this purpose, the welding robot 10 has a friction welding device 11. Moreover, the welding robot 10 has a preferably multi-link robot arm 15 holding the friction welding device 11. In addition, the welding robot 10 has a stationary linear guide 16 on which the robot arm 15 is displaceably arranged in order to be displaceable parallel to a longitudinal axis 17 of the coil 8 perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of FIG. 3.

[0045] The welding robot 10 also has a sensor unit 25 for detecting a position and/or a shape of the strip end segment and/or for detecting a space available within the coil eye of the coil for the friction welding device 11 to be inserted therein. In addition, the welding robot 10 has a protective unit (not shown) for the external protection of the friction welding device 11 and/or at least one cooling unit (not shown) for cooling the friction welding device 11. The welding robot 10 furthermore has a support unit 26 for automatically supporting the friction welding device 11 on the coil 8.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view of the device 7 shown in FIG. 3. The device 7 is shown in two different positions. In the position shown by solid lines, the friction welding device 11 is inserted into one end of the coil eye 9, while in the position shown by dashed lines, it is positioned in front of the other end of the coil eye 9, to be able to fix the inner strip end segment (not shown in FIG. 4) of the coil 8 on both ends of the coil eye 9.

[0047] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a further exemplary embodiment of a device 18 according to the invention for fixing an inner strip end segment (not shown) of a metal strip (not shown) wound to form a coil 8 to a strip winding (not shown) of the coil 8, which is arranged adjacent to the strip end segment. The device 18 can otherwise be designed in accordance with the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0048] The friction welding device 19 of the device 18 has a housing 20 which is conically tapered on an insertion side in order to facilitate the insertion of the friction welding device 19 into the coil eye 9 of the coil 8. The sensor unit 25 and the support unit 26 for automatic support on the coil external diameter are additionally located on this housing. The friction welding device 19 moreover has a friction welding unit 21 which can carry out a friction spot welding method or a friction stir welding method through an opening 22 in the housing 20. In addition, the friction welding device 21 has a support unit 23 for automatically supporting the friction welding device 19 on the coil 8, which can be brought into contact with the coil 8 through a further opening 24 in the housing 20.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0049] 1 method

[0050] 2 coil

[0051] 3 coil

[0052] 4 coil

[0053] 5 strip end segment

[0054] 5′ strip end segment

[0055] 6 strip winding

[0056] 7 device

[0057] 8 coil

[0058] 9 coil eye

[0059] 10 holding device/(welding) robot

[0060] 11 friction welding device

[0061] 12 roller

[0062] 13 roller

[0063] 14 shelf

[0064] 15 robot arm

[0065] 16 linear guide

[0066] 17 longitudinal axis of 8

[0067] 18 device

[0068] 19 friction welding device

[0069] 20 housing of 19

[0070] 21 friction welding unit

[0071] 22 opening on 20

[0072] 23 support unit of 19

[0073] 24 opening on 20

[0074] 25 sensor unit

[0075] 26 support unit of 19

[0076] 100 method step

[0077] 200 method step

[0078] 300 method step

[0079] 400 method step