Robotic System for a Rolling Mill

Abstract

A robotic system for a plant for rolling a metal strip, the plant including a rolling mill having a roll stand and a set of rolls, internal to the stand, the roll stand having an access opening, possibly closed by a door system, the metal strip extending longitudinally according to a horizontal direction X, and transversely according to a horizontal direction Y, the direction Y being parallel to the axes of the rolls of the rolling mill. The robotic system is suited to ensure the operations of replacing rolls of the rolling mill, by extraction of the worn rolls from the stand of the rolling mill and the deposition thereof on a rack disposed laterally, and/or insertion of new or rectified rolls into the roll stand from rolls disposed in a rack.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A robotic system for a plant for rolling a metal strip, said plant comprising a rolling mill having a roll stand and a set of rolls, internal to the stand, including two work rolls, backup rolls or backup rollers, and possibly intermediate rolls in particular first intermediate rolls and second intermediate rolls, the roll stand having an access opening, possibly closed by a door system, the metal strip extending longitudinally according to a horizontal direction X, and transversely according to a horizontal direction Y, the direction Y being parallel to the axes of the rolls of the rolling mill,
 and wherein said robotic system is suited to ensure the operations of replacing rolls of the rolling mill, by extraction of the worn rolls from the stand of the rolling mill and/or insertion of new or rectified rolls into the stand of the rolling mill, said robotic system comprising: a robot comprising:   a carriage comprising a first frame fitted with wheels cooperating with rails disposed on the ground, extending according to the direction Y, in line with the access opening of the stand of the rolling mill, said first frame being configured to move according to the direction Y along the rails, by the action of first motor means driving the wheels,   a second frame and a first slide system connecting the second frame and the first frame configured to move the second frame relative to the first frame according to the direction X, by the action of second motor means,   a third frame and a second slide system connecting the third frame and the second frame, configured to move the third frame relative to the second frame according to a vertical direction Z, by the action of third motor means,   a fourth frame, and rotational guide means connecting the fourth frame and the third frame about a vertical axis of rotation, configured to drive the rotation of the fourth frame relative to the third frame, by the action of fourth motor means,   a grasping system, embedded on the fourth frame comprising an actuator configured to control locking and unlocking of grasping of a fitting secured to a roll, or else grasping of a fitting of a gripping system of a roll of the rolling mill,   and wherein the robotic system is configured to ensure the extraction of a roll, by grasping the fitting secured to the roll, or else by grasping the roll by the gripping system locked by the grasping system, with the deposition of the roll, laterally to the rails, after pivoting of the roll by rotation of the fourth frame relative to the third frame about the vertical axis of rotation.   
     
     
         12 . The robotic system according to  claim 11 , wherein the grasping system is hinged to the fourth frame according to a second horizontal hinge axis perpendicular to the vertical axis of rotation between the fourth frame and the third frame, called first axis of rotation, and perpendicular to the axis of the roll grasped by the grasping system, the robotic system including motor means, in particular fifth motor means, configured to set the inclination of the grasping system, and thus the inclination of the grasped roll, by rotation of the grasping system about said second axis of rotation. 
     
     
         13 . The robotic system according to  claim 11 , wherein the grasping system comprises a tubular frame inside which a locking/unlocking device is provided, pivotally mounted through bearings, about an axis of rotation, intended to be parallel, and possibly coincident with the axis of the grasped roll, through motor means, in particular sixth motor means, and wherein the locking/unlocking device comprises the actuator, including motor means configured to switch the locking device from a state of locking the fitting to a state of unlocking the fitting. 
     
     
         14 . A rolling plant comprising a robotic system according to  claim 11 , wherein one said rolling mill comprising said stand and said set of rolls, internal to the stand, including the two work rolls, the backup rolls or the backup rollers, and possibly the intermediate rolls in particular the first intermediate rolls and the second intermediate rolls, the roll stand having said access opening, possibly closed by the door system, the metal strip Bm extending longitudinally according to a horizontal direction, and transversely according to a horizontal direction Y, parallel to the axes of the rolls of the rolling mill and
 wherein said plant comprises a loading/unloading rack, removably positioned on a support frame anchored to the ground at an anchorage position at a distance from the rolling mill according to the transverse direction Y and laterally to the rails, clearing a maintenance walkway according to the direction X, along the access opening of the rolling mill, the rack resting on the support frame having housings, directed according to the direction X, and wherein the robotic system is configured to deposit the roll, on the loading/unloading rack) resting on the support frame, after pivoting of the roll by rotation of the fourth frame relative to the third frame about the vertical axis of rotation, the roll then being directed according to the direction X. 
 
     
     
         15 . The rolling plant according to  claim 14 , wherein the support frame has a length, according to the direction Y, larger than the dimension of said at least one rack, the direction Y then being perpendicular to the axes of housings of said at least one rack, said support frame configured to support several racks, distributed over the length of the support frame at different positions along the direction Y. 
     
     
         16 . The rolling plant according to  claim 14 , wherein the support frame comprises a first support, and a second support, respectively anchored to the ground parallelly according to the direction Y and wherein said at least one rack is configured to rest by bearing, the support frame Cha, by resting simultaneously on the first support and the second support, at two opposite edges of the rack and wherein the first support Cha 1  and the second support Cha 2  of the support frame leave therebetween a free intermediate clearance configured to be crossed by a rack handling vehicle, in particular a self-guided vehicle, when this vehicle deposits a rack on the support frame, for example a rack free of rolls intended to receive the worn rolls removed by the robotic system, and/or else a rack including in its housings new rolls intended to be grasped by the robotic system to be inserted into the stand of the rolling mill. 
     
     
         17 . The rolling plant according to  claim 14 , wherein said rolling mill is a 20-High rolling mill, having with respect to the plane of the metal strip to be rolled:
 two work rolls, including an upper work roll and a lower work roll,   four first intermediate rolls, including two upper first intermediate rolls, in contact with the upper work roll, and two lower first intermediate rolls, in contact with the lower work roll, six second intermediate rolls, including three upper second intermediate rolls, in contact with the two upper first intermediate rolls, and three lower second intermediate rolls, in contact with the two lower first rolls,   eight sets of backup rollers, each provided with a bracket secured to the stand, including four sets of upper rollers, bearing with the three upper second intermediate rolls, and four sets of lower rollers, bearing with the three second intermediate rolls,   and wherein said robotic system is configured to replace the sets of rolls of the rolling mill, namely the two work rolls, the four first intermediate rolls, the six second intermediate rolls, and the eight sets of backup rollers, by depositing them on one or several rack positioned at the anchorage position of the support frame anchored to the ground.   
     
     
         18 . The rolling plant according to  claim 17 , wherein the rolling mill having suction ramps, including two upper suction ramps, and two lower suction ramps,
 and wherein said robotic system is configured to replace the suction ramps.   
     
     
         19 . A roll extraction method implemented in a rolling plant according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein it is proceeded with the extraction of a roll, by grasping a fitting secured to a roll by the grasping system, or else by grasping a roll by the gripping system locked by the grasping system, including:   align the gripping system and/or the grasping system with the axis of the roll to be grasped by moving the grasping system according to the direction X by the action of the second motor means and according to the direction Z by the action of the third motor means,   grasp the roll by the grasping system or said gripping system secured to the grasping system after the advance of the carriage along the rails according to the direction Y by the action of the first motor means,   extract the roll out of the stand of the rolling mill by the recoil of the carriage along the rails according to the direction Y, by the action of the first motor means,   pivot by a quarter turn the extracted roll about said vertical axis of rotation by the action of the fourth motor means, and lower the roll pivoted by a quarter turn by the action of the third motor means to ensure deposition, on the loading/unloading rack, disposed laterally to the rails and to the area of displacement of the carriage,   release the roll by the recoil of the grasping system according to the direction X, by the action of the second motors.   
     
     
         20 . A roll insertion method implemented in a rolling plant according to  claim 14 , wherein it is proceeded with the insertion of a roll, by grasping a fitting secured to a roll by the grasping system, or else by grasping a roll by the gripping system locked by the grasping system, including:
 align the gripping system and/or the grasping system with the axis of the roll to be grasped on the unloading/loading rack by moving the grasping system according to the direction Y by the action of the first motor means and according to the direction Z by the action of the third motor means,   grasp the roll by the grasping system or said gripping system secured to the grasping system after the advance of the carriage along the rails according to the direction X by the action of the second motor means,   raise the roll off the rack according to the direction Z by the action of the third motor means, and pivot the extracted roll about said vertical axis of rotation by the action of the fourth motor means by a quarter turn,   align the axis of the roll in an alignment position in the stand of the rolling mill, by moving the grasping system according to the direction X by the action of the second motor means and according to the direction Z by the action of the third motor means Insert the roll into the stand of the rolling mill in the alignment position, by the advance of the carriage according to the direction Y by the action of the first motor means, and release the roll by the recoil of the robot according to the direction Y, by the action of the first motors.