Tandem rolling mill output method and installation with coiling carousel coupled with on-line inspection

Abstract

Method for coiling and on-line inspection of a continuously-rolled metal strip, involving continuous coiling on at least one mandrel of a coiling station, preferably of carousel type, wherein: the strip is cut by a shears situated before the coiling station, advances over a certain length on an insertion table so as to at least partially cover this table and is then cut a second time by the shears in order to obtain a specimen; the coiling performed on the mandrel is terminated and the coil is discharged from the coiling station; at the same time, the insertion table bearing the specimen is moved parallel to the rolling-coiling line until it lies in an inspection line comprising an inspection table; the specimen is inspected on the inspection table so that faults can be detected; once the specimen has left the insertion table, the latter is placed back in the rolling-coiling line.

Claims

1. An installation for coiling and on-line inspection of a continuously-rolled metal strip to be coiled, comprising, downstream from a last rolling stand, in a main line, a first shears (4) for successively cutting the strip a first time and a second time after the strip has advanced over a certain length to obtain a strip specimen cut in a strip tail and having a predetermined length, a coiling station (3) having at least one coiling mandrel (10, 20) for coiling the strip, and an inspection table (8) for detecting faults on at least one of the faces of the strip specimen, wherein the inspection table (8) is part of a separate, inspection line, and parallel to the main line, and wherein the installation further comprises an insertion table (6), initially situated between the shears (4) and the coiling station (3) in the main line and able to be moved by means of a conveyor (15) from said main line toward the inspection line while being parallel to the main line so that the insertion table (6) allows to transport, toward the inspection table (8), the strip specimen cut in the strip tail and having a predetermined length, said predetermined length corresponding at least partially to the length of the insertion table (6).

2. The installation as in claim 1, wherein the coiling station (3) is a carousel station.

3. The installation as in claim 1 comprising, in association with the inspection table (8), gripping means with claws (8, 8) that allow to turn over the strip specimen, in order to inspect the other face thereof.

4. The installation as in claim 1, wherein, in the inspection line, the inspection table (8) is extended by an evacuation table (12), at the end of which is a second shears (13) for cutting the strip specimen into waste pieces, as well as a waste tub (14) or similar member to collect said waste pieces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a planar view of the carousel coiling station coupled with an inspection table according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows two longitudinal cross-sectional views AA and BB, respectively, of the carousel coiling station according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) One preferred embodiment of the installation according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(4) The installation successively comprises, at the output of the last stand of the tandem rolling mill, in the motion direction of the metal strip (passing line 100): a first shears 4 allowing to obtain a strip specimen; an insertion table 6; a conveyor 15 allowing to move the insertion table 6 parallel to itself, outside the continuous rolling-coiling line; in a direction parallel to the continuous rolling-coiling line, successively, an inspection table 8; and means 8, 8 for gripping the strip specimen, in order to turn it over; an evacuation table 12; a second shears 13; a waste tub 14; in the continuous rolling-coiling line, a carousel 3 equipped with a first upper right mandrel 10 for making a coil 1, 1, 1, etc., provided with a mandrel-nose holder 9, a second lower left mandrel 20 for making a coil 2, 2, 2, etc., provided with a mandrel-nose holder 11 and a belt winder 5 for priming the winding on the mandrel 20; means 16 for evacuating the completed coils 1, 1, 1, etc.

(5) The sequence of operations performed on this installation as described below. The order in which the operations are described below is not necessarily (always) chronological. Some operations may take place in parallel and be simultaneous.

(6) Step 1

(7) First of all, the progression speed of the strip and the rotation speed of the upper right mandrel 10 are decreased.

(8) The strip of coil no. 1 1 (on the upper right mandrel 10) is cut a first time at the first shears 4, which generates a strip tail of coil 1 that will be coiled.

(9) The strip advances another Y meters on the insertion table 6 before it is cut again by the shears 4, in order to obtain a specimen that covers all or part of the length of the insertion table 6.

(10) The conveyor 15 moves the insertion table 6 with the specimen parallel to itself and the rolling-coiling line, until it is positioned along the inspection line, facing the inspection table 8. At that time, the progression of the strip is completely stopped. In the meantime, coil 1 is completely coiled.

(11) The mandrel-nose holder 9, supporting the right mandrel 10, is evacuated. Coil No. 1 1 is then removed from the right mandrel 10 and evacuated with evacuation means 16.

(12) The cut specimen advances on the inspection table 8 and the first face of the specimen is inspected. The ends of the specimen are gripped by gripping means 8, 8 and the sample is turned over (not shown). The other face of the specimen is inspected. The ends of the specimen are un-gripped. The specimen advances on the evacuation table 12, at the end of which a shears 13 cuts the specimen into pieces, which are next oriented toward a tub or waste car 14.

(13) Step 2

(14) Once the specimen has passed over the inspection table 8 and the insertion table 6 is freed, the latter is sent back in the other direction by the conveyor 15, until it is back in its place in the rolling-coiling line.

(15) The head of the following strip advances onto the insertion table 6 as far as the coiling carousel 3 and coil no. 2 2 begins to be coiled on the lower left mandrel 20. Once several turns have been coiled, the belt winder 5 used to prime the winding of the strip is evacuated. The coiling speed increases.

(16) The mandrel-nose holder 11, supporting the left mandrel 20, is evacuated and the coiling continues. During said coiling, the carousel 3 rotates by 180 clockwise.

(17) Once the rotation of the carousel 3 is complete, the mandrel-nose holder 9 positions itself to support the new upper right mandrel 10. The coiling of the new coil no. 2 1 therefore continues on the new upper right mandrel 10.

(18) The mandrel-nose holder 11 positions itself to support the new lower left mandrel 20. The belt winder 5 used to prime the winding of the strip is placed in the operating position.

(19) Step 3

(20) The progression speed of the strip and the rotation speed of the upper right mandrel 10 are decreased.

(21) The strip from coil no. 2 1 is cut for a first time at the shears 4, which generates a strip tail of coil 1 that will be coiled. The strip advances another Y meters on the insertion table 6 before it is cut again by the shears 4, in order to obtain a specimen that covers the entire length of the insertion table 6. The inspection is then achieved as above. The coiling of coil no. 2 is completed and the coil is evacuated. Once the insertion table is returned to the rolling-coiling line, it will be possible to coil a coil no. 3 2 on the lower left mandrel 10. Once several turns have been coiled, the belt winder 5 is evacuated. The coiling speed increases, and so forth.