System and method for adjusting continuous casting components

Abstract

A method includes: sensing a defect on a cast strip surface, the cast strip being cast from molten metal or alloy by a casting system, determining an adjustment amount and/or direction of a casting system component based on the identified surface defect, and providing the adjustment amount and/or direction to an operator for adjustment of the casting system component and/or commanding that the casting system component be adjusted by the adjustment amount and/or direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 sensing, by a sensor, a defect on a cast strip surface, the cast strip being cast from molten metal or alloy by a casting system;   determining, by a microprocessor executable control system, an adjustment amount and/or direction of a casting system component based on the identified surface defect; and   the microprocessor executable control system at least one of providing the adjustment amount and/or direction to an operator for adjustment of the casting system component and commanding that the casting system component be adjusted by the adjustment amount and/or direction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the casting system is a block caster, wherein the casting system component is an adjustment point on a chilling block, and the surface defect is an impression of a block joint. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a plurality of sensors comprising first and second sensor sets, each sensor in the first sensor set scanning a portion of an upper surface of the cast strip and each sensor in the second sensor set scanning a portion of a lower surface of the cast strip, and each sensor in the first sensor set opposing a corresponding sensor in the second sensor set and wherein each opposing pair of sensors in the first and second sensor sets are in line with a respective adjustment point. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor is positioned such that the sensed defect is caused by the casting system component to be adjusted and wherein the sensors are one or more of a laser radar detector, a mechanical displacement device, an imaging device, an optical 3d measuring systems, and an ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the microprocessor executable control system senses a defect by measuring a thickness of the cast strip and compares the measured thickness to a predetermined thickness for the cast strip and determines the adjustment amount and/or direction based on a difference between the measured and predetermined thicknesses. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molten metal or alloy is one or more of manganese, a manganese alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, iron, and an iron alloy. 
     
     
         7 . A tangible and non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising microprocessor executable instructions operable to perform functions comprising:
 one or more instructions to receive sensor information indicating existence of a defect on a cast strip surface, the cast strip being cast from molten metal or alloy by a casting system;   one or more instructions to determine an adjustment amount and/or direction of a casting system component based on the identified surface defect; and   one or more instructions to at least one of:
 provide the adjustment amount and/or direction to an operator for adjustment of the casting system component, and 
 command that the casting system component be adjusted by the adjustment amount and/or direction. 
   
     
     
         8 . The computer readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the casting system is a block caster, wherein the casting system component is an adjustment point on a chilling block, and the surface defect is an impression of a block joint. 
     
     
         9 . The computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a plurality of sensors comprising first and second sensor sets, each sensor in the first sensor set scanning a portion of an upper surface of the cast strip and each sensor in the second sensor set scanning a portion of a lower surface of the cast strip, and each sensor in the first sensor set opposing a corresponding sensor in the second sensor set and wherein each opposing pair of sensors in the first and second sensor sets are in line with a respective adjustment point. 
     
     
         10 . The computer readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is positioned such that the sensed defect is caused by the casting system component to be adjusted and wherein the sensors are one or more of a laser radar detector, a mechanical displacement device, an imaging device, an optical 3d measuring systems, and an ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more instructions senses a defect by measuring a thickness of the cast strip, compares the measured thickness to a predetermined thickness for the cast strip, and determines the adjustment amount and/or direction based on a difference between the measured and predetermined thicknesses. 
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 7 , wherein the molten metal or alloy is one or more of manganese, a manganese alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, iron, and an iron alloy. 
     
     
         13 . A casting system, comprising:
 a nozzle to provide a molten metal or metal alloy;   a casting assembly to cool and mold the molten metal or metal alloy to form a cast strip;   a sensor to sense a defect on a surface of the cast strip surface; and   a microprocessor executable control system operable to determine an adjustment amount and/or direction of a casting assembly component based on the identified surface defect and at least one of: (a) provide the adjustment amount and/or direction to an operator for adjustment of the casting assembly component and (b) command that the casting assembly component be adjusted by the adjustment amount and/or direction.   
     
     
         14 . The casting system of  claim 13 , wherein the casting assembly comprises a block caster, wherein the casting assembly component is an adjustment point on a chilling block, and the surface defect is an impression of a block joint. 
     
     
         15 . The casting system of  claim 14 , wherein the sensor is a plurality of sensors comprising first and second sensor sets, each sensor in the first sensor set scanning a portion of an upper surface of the cast strip and each sensor in the second sensor set scanning a portion of a lower surface of the cast strip, and each sensor in the first sensor set opposing a corresponding sensor in the second sensor set and wherein each opposing pair of sensors in the first and second sensor sets are in line with a respective adjustment point. 
     
     
         16 . The casting system of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor is positioned such that the sensed defect is caused by the casting assembly component to be adjusted and wherein the sensors are one or more of a laser radar detector, a mechanical displacement device, an imaging device, an optical 3d measuring systems, and an ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         17 . The casting system of  claim 14 , wherein the microprocessor executable control system senses a defect by measuring a thickness of the cast strip and compares the measured thickness to a predetermined thickness for the cast strip and determines the adjustment amount and/or direction based on a difference between the measured and predetermined thicknesses. 
     
     
         18 . The casting system of  claim 13 , wherein the molten metal or alloy is one or more of manganese, a manganese alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, copper, a copper alloy, iron, and an iron alloy. 
     
     
         19 . The casting system of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a launder to receive the molten metal or metal alloy from a furnace; and   a tundish and/or headbox to receive the molten metal or metal alloy from the furnace and provide the melt to the nozzle.   
     
     
         20 . The casting system of  claim 13 , wherein the casting assembly comprises one or more of a single-belt caster, twin-belt caster, single-roll caster, twin-roll caster, and rotary casters, wherein the casting assembly component is one or more of a roller, belt, back-up roll, and block belt, and wherein the microprocessor executable control system adjusts one or more of the position, orientation, application force applied to the cast strip, and pressure applied to the cast strip of or by the casting assembly component.