AUTOMATIC CONTROLLED ELECTRIC HEATING EQUIPMENT FOR PRODUCTION OF HIGH RESISTANCE PARTS

Abstract

An automatic controlled electric heating device (1) for the production of stamped parts, by tool hardening from hot stamping of the material with specific raw material, granting greater hardness and mechanical resistance to the part, which allows the creation of lighter end products which support greater loads and impacts, consisting basically of the following parts: heating controller system (2), power controller system (3), power transformer (4), data acquisition system (5), mechanical fastening device (6) of the plate (P) and performance of electrical contact and expansion compensation system (7).

Claims

1) An automatic controlled electric heating equipment for production of high resistant parts comprising: (a) a heating controller system (2), (b) a power controller system (3), (c) a power transformer (4), (d) a data acquisition system (5), (e) a mechanical fastening device (6) of a plate or part (P) and (f) a performance of an electrical contact and expansion compensation system (7).

2) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein the heating controller system (2) performs closed-loop control of the heating of the part (P), receiving signals from the temperature sensor (St) (thermocouple, thermal camera, etc.) and acting on the power controller (3).

3) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein the power controller system (3) supplies the power transformer (4) with the energy required during heating.

4) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein the power transformer (4) converts the voltage and current values supplied by the power controller system (3), for the levels applied directly on the plate (P), from an established transformation ratio.

5) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein the data acquisition system (5) performs the closing of the control loop by performing temperature measurements of the plate (P) and feeding this information to the heating controller system, (2) so that control can be performed.

6) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical device (6) for securing the plate and carrying out electric contact mechanically secures the plate (P) to be heated by promoting the electrical contact of the electrodes with it.

7) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical device (6) for securing the plate and carrying out electric contact comprises the following movable parts for fixing the plate: support structure (6.1); thermal expansion compensator assembly (6.2); cylinders (6.3); copper electrodes (6.4) with cooling channels (6.4.1); and a mechanical device (7) for fastening and closing the electrodes (6.5); all connected to the electric power set formed by the power controller (3) and power transformer (4).

8) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein all power equipment (3 and 4), including the electrodes (6.4), is cooled through internal cooling channels (6.4.1).

9) The automatic controlled electric heating equipment according to claim 1, wherein during the heating of the plate (P), the expansion compensation system (7) moves the electrodes (6.4) to avoid warping of the plate (P).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is an illustration, in perspective view of the device.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an illustration, in perspective view of the equipment, showing the thermal expansion compensation system in detail.

[0014] FIG. 3 is an illustration, in side view of the device, showing the arrangement of the electrodes and their mechanical structure.

[0015] FIG. 4 is an illustration, in perspective view of the electrode, showing its internal cooling duct.

[0016] FIG. 5 is an electric block diagram of the equipment.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the equipment activity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] According to these figures and their numerical references, the subject of this invention relates to (1) an automatic controlled electric heating device for the production of high-strength parts consisting basically of the following parts: heating controller system (2), power controller system (3), power transformer (4), data acquisition system (5), mechanical fastening device (6) of the plate and implementation of electric contact and expansion compensation system (7).

[0019] In this equipment (1) the heating controller system (2) performs closed-loop heating control of the part, receiving signals from the temperature sensor (St) (thermocouple, thermal camera, etc.) acting on the power controller (3) in order to provide the electrical power (voltage and current) required to achieve a homogeneous heating according to the specified parameters.

[0020] The power controller system (3), fed by the electrical network (R) of the installation site and upon command from of the heating controller system (2), supplies the power transformer (4) with the required power during heating, and is responsible for supplying all energy demand for heating.

[0021] The power transformer (4) converts the voltage and current values supplied by the power controller system (3) to the levels applied directly to the plate from an established transformation ratio.

[0022] The data acquisition system (5) closes the control loop by performing temperature measurements of the part, feeding said information to the heating controller system (2), so that control can be made. This heating control system (2) promotes precise and efficient temperature control and monitoring.

[0023] The mechanical device (6) for securing the plate (P) and implementation of electrical contact mechanically fixes the plate to be heated promoting the electrical contact of the electrodes with the plate (P). This device (6) contains the following movable parts for fixing the plate: support structure (6.1), thermal expansion compensator set (6.2), fixing cylinders (6.3), copper electrodes (6.4) with cooling channels (6.4.1), a mechanical device (7) for securing and closing the electrodes (6.5), which are connected to the electric power assembly formed by the power controller system (3) and the power transformer (4). All power equipment (3 and 4), including the electrodes (6.4), are cooled to avoid any heat build-up that may lead to undesired efficiency loss in the equipment.

[0024] The electrodes (6.4) used in the automatic heating equipment (1) are made of material (copper) of high electrical conductivity and good mechanical resistance in order to conduct the electrical current used in the heating in an efficient way to reduce the losses of the system, having internal cooling channels (6.4.1) for low temperature maintenance to increase energy transfer efficiency.

[0025] In practice, when a plate or part (P) is deposited in the device (1), it is in contact with the electrodes (6.4) and the fixing cylinders (6.3) are closed to promote the best contact of the electrodes (6.4) with the plate (P). With the plate (P) in position, the heating control system (2) starts the operation, sending to the power controller system (3) a reference for releasing electrical energy to the power transformer (4).

[0026] The power controller system (3) when receiving the power to be used in its power supply (grid of the installation) performs its treatment through rectification/modulation and releases the heating controller system (2) to start the heating by applying a voltage to the power transformer (4) specific for that moment of heating. The power transformer (4) performs the transformation of this received voltage and applies the transformed value on the electrodes (6.4), on which the plate (P) is positioned. The application of this voltage to the plate (P) promotes the appearance of a high electric current on its inside, generating the heating.

[0027] Upon initiation of heating, the data acquisition system (5) performs temperature measurements and sends them to the heating controller system (2), which in turn processes the information and sends commands so that the power controller system (3) can adjust the voltage/current values applied to the transformer and consequently to the plate (P) being heated.

[0028] During heating the plate undergoes thermal expansion due to the promoted heating, when the expansion compensation system (7) moves the electrodes (6.4) to avoid warping of the plate (P) during the process, ensuring that it is always flat.