METHOD FOR JOINING EDGES AND/OR SURFACES OF A PROFILE, JOINING ROLLER ARRANGEMENT AND PROFILING INSTALLATION

Abstract

A method for joining edges and/or surfaces of a profile in a profiling installation for longitudinally forming a virtually endless material strip into an at least partially closed profile shape. The material strip or profile is formed roll forming tools into a profile which is closed or partially closed, and is fixed in a joining zone, with a longitudinally running joining seam being formed. The profile passes in the joining zone through a joining roller arrangement and/or planar joining arrangement to feed the profile to a joining point and to stabilize the profile there, and/or to ensure that it is dimensionally stable during and after joining. Forces or magnitudes of force components which act on the profile from at least one of the joining rollers and/or a subsection of the planar joining arrangement are detected in the joining zone. A planar joining arrangement and a profiling installation are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for joining edges and/or surfaces of a profile (14) in a profiling installation for longitudinally forming a virtually endless material strip (1) or profile or plate into an at least partially closed profile shape, the method comprising: forming the material strip (1) or profile or the plate in the profiling installation using a plurality of roll forming tools (2) into the profile (14) which is at least partially closed; securing said profile (14) in a joining zone (8) of the profiling installation via a joining method, including at least one of welding, brazing, adhesive bonding or folding, during a longitudinal pass of the profile (14), forming a longitudinally running joining seam (16); passing the profile (14) in the joining zone (8) through at least one of a joining roller arrangement (11) or a planar joining arrangement (22) in order to feed the profile (14) in a controlled manner to a joining point (10) and stabilizing said profile at least one of at or downstream of the joining point (10), and ensure that the profile (14) is dimensionally stable during and after joining; detecting forces or magnitudes of force components which act on the profile (14) from at least one of joining rollers (15, 18) of the joining roller arrangement or at least one subsection of the planar joining arrangement (22) in the joining zone (8).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the planar joining arrangement (22) includes a plurality of the joining rollers (15), around which a flexible belt, a link belt, a link chain or a chain-like structure (23) is looped in order to make contact with the profile (14) by a planar contact region which moves together with the profile (14) and distributes a holding pressure in a planar manner to the profile (14).

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining contact pressures acting on the profile (14) in at least one spatial direction from at least one of a) at least some of the joining rollers (15) or b) the planar joining arrangement (22) by detecting the forces acting on the profile at at least one of the joining point (10) or within the joining zone (8).

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising at least partially regulating the contact pressures acting on the profile (14) in the joining zone (8) based on the detected forces or force components by adjusting at least of a) one said joining roller (15) in the joining roller arrangement (11) or b) at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22), such that the contact pressures acting on the profile at least at one of the joining point (10) or behind the joining point (10) from at least one of the joining rollers (15) or the planar joining arrangement (22) are regulated.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising, for the regulation of the contact pressures, taking into account further process parameters, including at least one of actual positions of the regions of the profile (14) that are to be joined, roller positions, or a position of the planar joining arrangement (22).

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising after the profile (14) passes the joining point (10), passing the profile (14) through a stabilization zone (24) within the joining zone in order to stabilize the connecting seam by at least one of cooling or curing, at least one of a) a part of the joining roller arrangement (11) or a part of the planar joining arrangement (22) serves for stabilizing the profile (14) in the stabilization zone (24), and detecting forces which act on the profile (14) from at least one of a) at least one said joining roller (15) or at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22) in the stabilization zone (24).

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising using specifications for at least one of the contact pressures or forces acting on the profile (14) in the joining zone (8) as target values for setting up at least one of the joining roller arrangement (21) or the planar joining arrangement (24).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuously detecting forces in at least one of the joining roller arrangement (11) or the planar joining arrangement (24), said forces acting on the profile (14) from at least one a) at lease one said joining roller (15) or at least a part of the planar joining arrangement (22), in order to identify changes in the process conditions, outputting a warning indication when changes are identified.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, after the joining zone (8), at least one of detecting or checking a quality of at least one of the joining seam or of the component.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising continuously optimizing target values for forces acting on the profile (14) in the joining zone (8) using machine learning algorithms.

11. A joining roller arrangement for carrying out the method according to claim 1, comprising: the joining rollers (15); and at least one measurement transducer configured to determine at least one force component of the force acting on the passing-through profile (14) connected to at least one said joining roller (15).

12. The joining roller arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising a motor by which at least one said joining roller (15) is adjustable, and a controller is operatively connected to the motor and to the measurement transducer in order to at least partially regulate the contact pressures acting on the profile (14) in the joining zone (8) based on the detected forces by adjusting the at least one said joining roller (15).

13. A planar joining arrangement for carrying out the method according to claim 1, the planar joining arrangement comprising a plurality of the joining rollers (15), a flexible belt, a link belt, a link chain or a chain-like structure (23) looped around the plurality of the joining rollers (15) in order to make contact with the profile (14) by a planar contact region which moves with the profile (14) and distributes the holding pressure in a planar manner to the profile (14), and at least one measurement transducer configured to determine at least one force component of the force acting on the passing-through profile (14).

14. The planar joining arrangement according to claim 13, further comprising a motor connected to at least one said joining roller (15), and a controller is operatively connected to the motor and the measurement transducer to at least partially regulate the contact pressures acting on the profile (14) in the joining zone (8) based on the detected forces by adjusting at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22).

15. A profiling installation for longitudinally forming a virtually endless material strip (1) or profile or a plate into an at least partially closed profile shape, the profiling installation comprising: a plurality of roll forming tools (2) configured to successively form the material strip (1) or profile into a profile (14) which is at least partially closed; a joining device in a joining zone (8) configured to secure the profile (14) which is at least partially closed at a joining point (10) by a joining method, including at least one of welding, brazing, adhesive bonding or folding during a longitudinal pass of the profile (14), to form a longitudinally running joining seam (16); at least one of a joining roller arrangement (11) or a planar joining arrangement (22) configured to feed the profile (14) to the joining point (10) in a controlled manner and to stabilize said profile at least one of at or downstream of the joining point (10), and to ensure that the profile (14) is dimensionally stable during and after joining; and at least one measurement transducer that interacts with at least one of the joining roller arrangement (11) or the planar joining arrangement (22) in order to detect forces or magnitudes of force components which act on the profile (14) from at least one of joining rollers (15) of the joining roller arrangement or from at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22).

16. The profiling installation according to claim 15, wherein at least one a) at least one said joining roller (15) of the joining roller arrangement (11) or b) at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22) is adjustable by motor, and the profiling installation further comprises a controller operatively connected to the at least one of the joining roller arrangement (11) or the planar joining arrangement (22) and to the at least one measurement transducer that is configured to at least partially regulate the contact pressures acting on the profile (14) in the joining zone (8) based on the detected forces by adjusting at least one of a) at least one said joining roller (15) in the joining roller arrangement (11) or b) at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22).

17. The profiling installation according to claim 16, wherein the planar joining arrangement (22) is provided and includes a number of the joining rollers (15), around which a flexible belt, a link belt, a link chain or a chain-like structure (23) is looped in order to make contact with the profile (14) by a planar contact region which moves with the profile (14) and distributes the holding pressure in a planar manner to the profile (14).

18. The profiling installation according to claim 15, further comprising a stabilization zone (24) within the joining zone through which the profile (14) passes after the joining point (10), in order to stabilize the connecting seam by at least one of cooling or curing, at least one of a) at least part of the joining roller arrangement (11) or b) at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22) serves for stabilizing the profile (14) in the stabilization zone (24), and the at least one transducer is configured to detect forces which act on the profile (14) from at least one of a) the at least one of the joining rollers (15) or b) the at least part of the planar joining arrangement (22) in the stabilization zone (24).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Exemplary embodiments for a profiling installation, for a joining roller arrangement according to the invention and for a planar joining arrangement according to the invention, on the basis of which a method designed by way of example according to the present invention is also described, will be explained below with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a profiling installation which is or can be designed according to the invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a joining roller arrangement designed according to the invention, during the process;

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a joining roller arrangement designed according to the invention with corresponding holding structures in the profiling installation;

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a process example for integrally bonding joining in a joining roller arrangement according to the invention;

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a process example for interlocking joining in a joining roller arrangement designed according to the invention;

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a schematic illustration as per FIG. 2, but with a combined joining roller arrangement and planar joining arrangement;

[0043] FIG. 7 shows a top view of the joining roller arrangement according to FIG. 3, but modified by provision of a planar joining arrangement in the form of a chain-like structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a profiling installation in a schematic lateral view. In the latter, a virtually endless material strip 1 made from metal is formed successively by means of a plurality of roll forming tools 2, which are grouped here in 16 forming stations 3, to form a profile. For this purpose, the material strip 1 is uncoiled from a coil 5 on a reel 4, guided through a straightening machine 6 and a loop 7 before it is formed continuously and successively longitudinally into the desired profile shape in the forming stations 3. Following the 16 forming stations 3, the material strip 1 or the profile then already formed into a closed profile shape passes through a joining zone 8. In said joining zone 8 there is a welding device 9 which closes the profile by welding at a joining point 10. In the joining zone 8, around and downstream of the joining point 10, there is at least part of a joining roller arrangement 11, only illustrated schematically here, in order to ensure that the weld seam is joined under controlled conditions and can cure in a controlled manner on the closed profile 14. The material strip 1 or the already closed profile 14 then passes through two further forming stations, which act as calibration stations 12, before it is then cut into individual hollow profiles with a desired length in a cutting-to-length station by a rotating cutting machine 13.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows, in a schematic illustration, the joining roller arrangement 11 from FIG. 1, which is arranged in and downstream of the welding device 9. It should be noted at this juncture that it also lies within the scope of the present invention if the joining roller arrangement 11 is positioned directly on the joining point 10, depending on the joining method, or can be arranged not only downstream of the joining point 10, but also extending over the joining point 10.

[0046] The material strip 1 which has already been formed into a profile 14 with a closed profile shape is guided between three pairs of joining rollers 15 in the joining roller arrangement 11 illustrated in FIG. 2. A joining seam 16 which has been produced by the welding device 9 can be seen on the top side of the profile 14. Said joining seam 16 first of all has to cool and solidify before it is stable. During the time which this procedure requires, the profile is guided between the joining rollers 15 in such a manner that the joining seam 16 can neither open nor be loaded too greatly with pressure. For this purpose, the joining rollers 15, as indicated by double arrows 17, are adjustable towards the profile 14 and away from the latter. According to the invention, the joining rollers 15 are monitored, preferably at an adjustment mechanism (not illustrated) by means of force sensors, in order to detect the forces which act on the profile from the joining rollers 15—at least those force components which substantially contribute to loading the joining seam 16 or relieving the latter of load.

[0047] The reference sign 10 between parentheses indicates a possible joining point 10 here since this can also be localized between the first pair of joining rollers 15, i.e. the laser beam of the welding device 9 acts on the profile 14 at said joining point 10 and to this extent the joining roller arrangement 11, differently than illustrated in FIG. 1, extends over the entire joining zone 8, i.e. is also present at the joining point 10.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the joining roller arrangement 11 in a less schematic illustration with some details. The profile 14 is stabilized here in turn between two pairs of vertically oriented cylindrical joining rollers 15, wherein two further joining rollers 18 act on the two upper edges of the profile 14, which is provided with an approximately rectangular cross section, in order to be able to cure the joining seam 16 even better under controlled conditions.

[0049] The details in FIG. 3 are intended to clarify the adjustment mechanism for the adjustable joining rollers 15, 18: the position of each individual joining roller 15, 18 can be changed via holding plates 19, spindles 20 and adjustment wheels to be operated by motor or manually. The further joining rollers 18 can be adjusted both vertically and horizontally here, as FIG. 3 indicates.

[0050] The force sensors or measurement transducers necessary for the detection according to the invention of forces or magnitudes of force components in the joining zone can be attached at very different points of the adjustment mechanism, for example to the holding plates 19, the adjustment wheels 21, the axles of the joining rollers 15, the spindles 20, in transverse guides and the like. The evaluation of the current signals of adjustment motors which are optionally present can also serve for evaluating the forces or force components.

[0051] FIG. 4 once again shows the basic construction of the joining roller arrangement 11 from FIG. 3 in a highly schematic illustration. The profile 14 with the joining seam 16 is held in a defined state between the adjustable joining rollers 15 and the likewise adjustable further joining rollers 18, which act on the upper edges of the profile 14, and the positions of the joining rollers 15, 18 are selected—according to the invention by monitoring forces and force components—and are optionally readjusted or regulated in such a manner that the joining seam 16, which here is a weld seam, can cure under controlled and reproducible conditions.

[0052] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration as per FIG. 4, but of a different exemplary embodiment: the profile 14 here is a tube with a substantially circular cross section, and the joining seam 16 is not produced here by welding, but rather by folding and optionally subsequent brazing. The folding is undertaken by means of two specially designed joining rollers 15, i.e. here the joining point 10 is illustrated in cross section. The two joining rollers 15 can be adjusted towards one another and away from another in order to form the joining seam 16 by forming the profile 14 to a greater or lesser extent at this point.

[0053] According to the invention, the forces which are exerted on the profile 14 at the joining seam 16 by the joining rollers 15 are in turn detected, and therefore the joining rollers 15 can always be positioned in such a manner that the joining seam 16 is not loaded with forming forces too weakly, but also not too greatly. The corresponding forces or force components can be detected, for example, quite simply by measurement transducers on the shafts or axles (not illustrated) of the joining rollers 15.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary embodiment of curing, controlled according to the invention, of the joining seam 16 in the profile 14, specifically on the basis of an illustration which substantially corresponds to FIG. 2. Accordingly, the same elements are provided with identical reference signs.

[0055] The profile 14 with the joining seam 16 freshly produced by welding passes through three pairs of joining rollers 16 which are each adjustable in their relative positions with respect to the profile 14, and the profile 14 is held or transported between said pairs of joining rollers 15 with forces which are monitored according to the invention and which act on the profile 14 and in particular on the joining seam 16. A respective chain-like structure 23 similar to a conveyor belt is looped here around the joining rollers 15 on each side of the profile 14 such that a planar joining arrangement 22 is produced from the joining roller arrangement 11 as a result. This is because the chain-like structure 23 distributes the forces which act on the profile 14 from the joining rollers 15 and, in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, are transmitted via a linear contact, to a surface, and this more gently deals with a profile 14 having sensitive material, for example aluminum, or with a sensitive surface. The forces ultimately acting on the joining seam 16 can also be distributed more uniformly in the planar joining arrangement 22 by means of the chain-like structure 23. In addition, the surface of the chain-like structure 23 moves with the profile 14, which protects the surface of the profile 14.

[0056] Instead of the chain-like structure 23, a flexible belt, a link belt or a link chain can also be looped around the joining rollers 15 of the planar joining arrangement 22 illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0057] FIG. 7 finally shows, in a schematic top view, a joining roller arrangement 11 according to FIG. 3, but wherein, in addition, downstream of the further joining rollers 18, a planar joining arrangement 22 has been combined therewith. Said planar joining arrangement 22 is in turn formed from joining rollers 15, around which a chain-like structure 23 is looped in the manner of the chain of a crawler vehicle, here in order to protect sensitive surfaces of the profile 14 (not illustrated here) and to distribute the holding pressure in as planar a manner as possible to the profile 14 when the joining seam 16 cures.

[0058] The two joining rollers 15 illustrated on the left in FIG. 7 are responsible for feeding the profile 14 to the joining point 10 which is located between the further joining rollers 18. The joining seam 16 is then cured in stabilization zone 24 in which the profile 14 is held and guided by the planar joining arrangement 22 and can cure under controlled conditions—according to the invention by monitoring the forces exerted by the planar joining arrangement 22.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0059] 1 Material strip

[0060] 2 Roll forming tools

[0061] 3 Forming stations

[0062] 4 Reel

[0063] 5 Coil

[0064] 6 Straightening machine

[0065] 7 Loop

[0066] 8 Joining zone

[0067] 9 Welding device

[0068] 10 Joining point

[0069] 11 Joining roller arrangement

[0070] 12 Calibration stations

[0071] 13 Cutting machine

[0072] 14 Profile

[0073] 15 Joining rollers

[0074] 16 Joining seam

[0075] 17 Double arrows

[0076] 18 (Further) joining rollers

[0077] 19 Holding plates

[0078] 20 Spindles

[0079] 21 Adjustment wheels

[0080] 22 Planar joining arrangement

[0081] 23 Chain-like structure

[0082] 24 Stabilization zone