Method and Device for the Deformation of Semi-Finished Material in Wire and Rod Form, Close to the Final Dimensions, as Well as a Flat Profile Produced Accordingly

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for shaping wire-shaped and rod-shaped starting materials by rolling, especially for rolling flat profiled elements consisting of a wire rod. The starting material is heated in a heating station at a desired temperature, shaped during at least one rolling process, and then cooled. According to the invention, once the starting material has been heated in the heating station, it is cooled in a cooling station to a pre-determinable rolling temperature; it is then shaped into a flat profiled element by rolling close to the gauge block, and then cooled and/or subjected to a subsequent treatment according to joining properties to be correspondingly adjusted. In this way, a series of different methods can be carried out by means of an installation for rolling starting materials with a patented structure, an austenite structure, a bainite structure or an undercooled austenite structure.

1 . Method for deformation of semi-finished material ( 17 ) in wire or rod form, by means of rolling technology, particularly for rolling of flat profiles ( 18 ) from rolled wire, in which heating of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) to a desired temperature takes place in a heating station ( 5 ), the semi-finished material ( 17 ) is deformed in at least one rolling process ( 7 ), and subsequently cooled, wherein 
 after heating of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) in the heating station ( 5 ), which is brought about by means of supplying electrical or thermal energy, the semi-finished material ( 17 ) is subsequently cooled to a rolling temperature that can be pre-determined, in a cooling station ( 14 ), for setting a microstructure that can be predetermined, over a period of effect, deformed into a flat profile ( 18 ) at this rolling temperature, close to the final dimensions, and subsequently is cooled and/or post-treated in accordance with the microstructure properties that are to be set.    
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) takes place, in the heating station ( 5 ), to a temperature above the A 3  temperature of the γ mixed crystal (austenite).  
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) takes place, in the heating station ( 5 ), to a temperature in the range of the α/γ mixed crystal (ferrite/austenite).  
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) takes place in the heating station ( 5 ), to a temperature in the range just below the A 1  point.  
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein round wire or oval wire is used as the semi-finished material ( 17 ).  
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein the round wire or oval wire runs through the process as a semi-finished material ( 17 ) that can be wound up.  
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 5 , wherein the round wire or oval wire runs through the process as a rod-like semi-finished material ( 17 ).  
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein unalloyed or low-alloyed carbon steels are used as the semi-finished material ( 17 ).  
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein cooling in the cooling zone or cooling station ( 14 ) cools the semi-finished material ( 17 ), before rolling ( 7 ), to a temperature for setting an austenite microstructure, of only slightly above the A 3  temperature, for C 75 to a temperature of about 800° C.  
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein cooling in the cooling zone or cooling station ( 14 ) cools the semi-finished material ( 17 ), before rolling ( 7 ), to a temperature for setting a patenting microstructure, for C 75 to a temperature between 400-550° C.  
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein cooling in the cooling zone or cooling station ( 14 ) cools the semi-finished material ( 17 ), before rolling ( 7 ), to a temperature for setting a bainite microstructure, for C 75 to a temperature between 275-370° C  
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein cooling in the cooling zone or cooling station ( 14 ) cools the semi-finished material ( 17 ), before rolling ( 7 ), to a temperature for setting an undercooled austenite microstructure, for C 75 to a temperature between 220-280° C.  
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the semi-finished material ( 17 ) is held at least at the temperature set in the cooling zone or cooling station ( 14 ), after cooling of the semi-finished material ( 17 ), during the rolling process ( 7 ).  
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the semi-finished material ( 17 ) is subjected to further cooling ( 9 ,  10 ), particularly rapid cooling ( 10 ), after the deformation ( 7 ) by means of roller technology to produce a flat profile ( 18 ) close to the final dimensions.  
     
     
         15 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the rapid cooling ( 10 ) cools the rolled flat profile ( 18 ) at least below the temperature limit for the occurrence of oxidation processes at the surface of the flat profile ( 18 ).  
     
     
         16 . Method according to  claim 9 , wherein after rolling ( 7 ) of the flat profile ( 18 ) in the temperature range of the austenite microstructure, immediately afterward, cooling of the austenite microstructure for conversion to a sorbite microstructure is carried out.  
     
     
         17 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein after rolling ( 7 ) of the flat profile ( 17 ) in the temperature range of the undercooled austenite microstructure, and cooling in a cooling segment ( 9 ,  10 ) with quenching of the undercooled austenite microstructure for conversion into a martensite microstructure, immediately afterward, an annealing treatment with cooling of the flat profile ( 18 ) before it is wound up is carried out.  
     
     
         18 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein after rolling ( 7 ) of the flat profile ( 18 ) in the temperature range of the undercooled austenite microstructure, immediately afterward, a tempering treatment without quenching of the undercooled austenite microstructure, but with an annealing treatment for forming a bainite microstructure, and an annealing treatment with cooling of the flat profile ( 18 ) before it is wound up ( 11 ) is carried out.  
     
     
         19 . Method according to  claim 12 , wherein after rolling ( 7 ) of the flat profile ( 18 ) in the temperature range of the austenite microstructure, quenching of the austenite microstructure for conversion into a martensite microstructure is carried out, and afterward, an annealing treatment with cooling of the flat profile ( 18 ) before it is wound up ( 11 ) is carried out.  
     
     
         20 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) takes place after it has passed through the heating station ( 5 ) and before rolling ( 7 ), in a tempered metal bath ( 14 ).  
     
     
         21 . Method according to  claim 20 , wherein for cooling of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) after it has passed through the heating station ( 5 ), the semi-finished material ( 17 ) remains in the tempered metal bath ( 14 ) for a period of time that can be pre-determined, in particular, it passes through the tempered metal bath ( 14 ) during a period of time that can be pre-determined.  
     
     
         22 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating ( 5 ) of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) takes place by means of inductive heating and/or conductive heating ( 16 ) and/or by means of liquid metal baths.  
     
     
         23 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating ( 5 ) of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) is carried out under the influence of inert gas ( 6 ).  
     
     
         24 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein a uniformization device ( 12 ) for temperature equalization within the heated semi-finished material ( 17 ) is run through between heating station ( 5 ) and cooling station ( 14 ).  
     
     
         25 . Method according to  claim 24 , wherein the uniformization of the temperature within the heated semi-finished material ( 17 ) is carried out after it has passed through the heating station ( 5 ), under the influence of inert gas ( 12 ).  
     
     
         26 . Device ( 1 ) for carrying out a method according to  claim 1 , wherein the device ( 1 ) has, in the pass-through direction of the semi-finished material ( 17 ), a winding/take-off device ( 2 ,  3 ) for unwinding the semi-finished material ( 17 ), which can be wound up, or a feed device for the semi-finished material in rod form, a heating station ( 5 ), a cooling zone or cooling station ( 14 ) for setting a rolling temperature, a rolling station ( 7 ), a cooling segment ( 9 ,  10 ), and a winding/take-off device ( 11 ) for winding up the flat profile ( 18 ) that can be wound up, or a removal device for the flat profile in rod form.  
     
     
         27 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein the rolling station ( 7 ) has at least one rolling device, preferably several rolling devices switched one behind the other.  
     
     
         28 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein a temperature monitoring device ( 8 ) for detecting the temperature of the semi-finished material ( 17 ) before and/or after rolling is disposed in the region of the at least one rolling device ( 7 ).  
     
     
         29 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein contact rollers ( 16 ) through which current flows are disposed in the intake region of the device ( 1 ) for the semi-finished material ( 17 ), for heating the semi-finished material ( 17 ) by means of conductive heating.  
     
     
         30 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 26 , wherein the cooling station ( 14 ) has a tempered metal bath for setting a rolling temperature.  
     
     
         31 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 30 , wherein the tempered metal bath ( 14 ) is a metal bath of a lead/bismuth alloy.  
     
     
         32 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 30 , wherein the tempered metal bath ( 14 ) is disposed ahead of and/or behind the rolling station ( 7 ).  
     
     
         33 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 30 , wherein the tempered metal bath ( 14 ) has a winding device and/or deflection device ( 15 ), over which the semi-finished material ( 17 ) can be guided during the dwell time in the tempered metal bath ( 14 ).  
     
     
         34 - 41 . (canceled)  
     
     
         42 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 27 , wherein a tempered metal bath ( 20 ) is disposed behind the rolling station ( 7 ).  
     
     
         43 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 27 , wherein water cooling ( 10 ) cools the flat profile ( 18 ) in the cooling segment ( 9 ,  10 ), at high temperature gradients.  
     
     
         44 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 27 , wherein another conductive heating station ( 5 ′) can be provided, for heating the flat profile ( 18 ), for tempering that takes place after rolling ( 7 ).  
     
     
         45 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 44 , wherein the heating ( 5 ′) of the flat profile ( 18 ) takes place for tempering under the influence of inert gas ( 6 ).  
     
     
         46 . Device ( 1 ) according to one of  claim 27 , wherein another cooling segment ( 10 ) can be provided, for cooling the flat profile ( 18 ) within the framework of tempering that takes place after rolling ( 7 ).