Rolling mill installation comprising a robotic system configured for extracting rolls from a rolling mill and a tool change magazine

Abstract

A metal strip rolling mill installation including a rolling mill (L), having a roll stand and a set of rolls, inside the stand. The installation includes a robotic system ( 1 ) suitable for performing the rolling mill roll changing operations. A gripping tool change magazine (MAG) includes a first grasping tool configured for inserting and extracting a work roll, a second grasping tool configured for inserting and extracting first intermediate rolls, a third grasping tool is configured for inserting and extracting second intermediate rolls, and a fourth grasping tool is configured for inserting and extracting sets of rollers.

1 . A metal strip rolling mill installation comprising a rolling mill (L), having a roll stand and a set of rolls, inside the stand, having:
 an upper group (G S ) comprising:
 one work roll ( 12 ), upper 
 two first intermediate rolls ( 13 ), upper 
 three second intermediate rolls ( 14 ,  15 ), upper 
 four sets of backup rollers (A, B, C, D), upper 
   a lower group (G I ) comprising:
 one work roll ( 12 ), lower: 
 two first intermediate rolls, ( 13 ), lower, 
 three second intermediate rolls ( 14 , 15 ),lower, 
 four sets of backup rollers (H, G, F, E), lower, 
   
       said installation comprising a robotic system ( 1 ) suitable for carrying out the operations of changing the rolls of the rolling mill, by extracting the worn rolls from the roll stand and/or inserting new or rectified rolls into the roll stand, comprising a robot provided with a grasping system ( 6 ) configured to control the locking of plurality of gripping tools, wherein said installation comprises a gripping tool change magazine (MAG) comprising, in a storage area:
 a first grasping tool (OT 1 ) configured for inserting and extracting a work roll, 
 a second grasping tool (OT 2 ), configured for inserting and extracting first intermediate rolls, 
 a third grasping tool (OT 3 ), configured for inserting and extracting second intermediate rolls and 
 a fourth grasping tool (OT 4 ), configured for inserting and extracting sets of backup rollers, and wherein the grasping system ( 6 ) comprises a quick-coupling system ( 7 ), comprising a first mechanical coupling part ( 71 ), motorised (M 7 ), configured to move from a coupled position configured to mechanically lock a second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ), to an uncoupled position allowing the release of the second mechanical coupling part, 
 
       and wherein each of the gripping tools out of the first grasping tool (OT 1 ), the second grasping tool (OT 2 ), the third grasping tool (OT 3 ) and the fourth grasping tool (OT 4 ) are provided with said second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ), the gripping tools configured to be selectively coupled to said first mechanical part ( 71 ) of the grasping system ( 6 ) when the gripping tools are stored in said storage area of said tool change magazine (MAG). 
     
     
         2 . The installation according to  claim 1 , wherein the robotic system ( 1 ) mounts at least one controllable pneumatic power source, the quick-coupling system, comprising, in addition to the first mechanical coupling part ( 72 ), a first pneumatic coupling part ( 71 ′), configured to move from a coupled position for locking a second pneumatic coupling part ( 72 ′), and wherein all or some of the gripping tools out of the first grasping tool (OT 1 ), the second grasping tool (OT 2 ), the third grasping tool (OT 3 ) and the fourth grasping tool (OT 4 ) are provided with said second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ) and at least one pneumatic actuator configured to be activated by said at least one pneumatic power source. 
     
     
         3 . The rolling mill installation according to  claim 1 , wherein the roll stand has an access opening, possibly closed by a door system, the metal strip (Bm) extending longitudinally in a horizontal direction X, and transversely in a horizontal direction Y, the Y direction being parallel to the roll axes of the rolling mill,
 and wherein the robot (Ro) comprises a carriage comprising a first frame ( 2 ) provided with wheels ( 20 ) cooperating with rails (Ra 1 ) arranged on the ground, extending in direction Y, at the access opening of the roll stand, said first frame ( 2 ) being configured to move in direction Y along rails (Ra 1 ), from the action of first motor means (M 1 ) driving the wheels ( 20 ), and wherein the tool change magazine (MAG) is arranged laterally to the rails (Ra 1 ), in a fixed position in said installation.   
     
     
         4 . The installation according to  claim 3 , comprising a loading/unloading rack (Rac), positioned removably on a support frame (Cha) anchored to the ground in an anchoring position at a distance from the rolling mill in transverse direction Y and laterally to the rails (Ra 1 ), the rack (Ra) resting on the support frame (Cha) having housings, oriented in direction X, and wherein the robotic system is configured to place the roll on the loading/unloading rack (Ra) resting on the support frame (Cha),
 and wherein the tool change magazine (MAG) is arranged, in direction Y between the roll stand and the support frame, close to the support frame (Cha) relative to the roll stand and wherein the support frame and the tool change magazine are arranged relative to the roll stand, configured to clear a maintenance aisle (AL) in direction X, along the access opening of the rolling mill.   
     
     
         5 . The installation according to any of  claims 3 , wherein the robot comprises, in addition to the first frame ( 2 ) displaceable along rails (Ra 1 ):
 a second frame ( 3 ) and a first slide system (G 1 ) connecting the second frame ( 3 ) and the first frame ( 2 ) configured to displace the second frame ( 3 ) relative to the first frame ( 2 ) in direction X, from the action of second motor means (M 2 ),   a third frame ( 4 ) and a second slide system (G 2 ) connecting the third frame ( 4 ) and the second frame ( 3 ), configured to displace the third frame ( 4 ) relative to the second frame ( 3 ) in vertical direction Z, from the action of third motor means (M 3 ),   a fourth frame ( 5 ), and rotary guide means connecting the fourth frame and the third frame about a vertical axis of rotation (Av), configured to drive the rotation of the fourth frame ( 5 ) relative to the third frame ( 4 ), from the action of fourth motor means (M 4 ) and wherein said grasping system ( 6 ) comprising the first mechanical coupling part is mounted in the fourth frame ( 5 ) and   
       wherein the robotic system ( 1 ) is configured to ensure the extraction of a roll, by grasping the end piece integral with the roll, or by grasping the roll/or said set of backup rollers with the gripping tool locked by the grasping system, with placement of the roll, laterally to the rails, after pivoting the roll by rotation of the fourth frame ( 5 ) relative to the third frame ( 4 ) about the vertical axis of rotation (Av). 
     
     
         6 . The installation according to  claim 5 , wherein the gripping tools comprising the first grasping tool (OT 1 ), the second grasping tool (OT 2 ), the third grasping tool (OT 3 ) and the fourth grasping tool (OT 4 ) are stored in the storage area of the magazine, said gripping tools being oriented in a direction parallel to direction X and perpendicular to the rails (Ra 1 ), the gripping tools exposing their second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ), or their second pneumatic coupling part ( 72 ′) to the rails (Ra 1 ) and wherein the robotic system is configured to ensure the coupling of one of the tools stored in the magazine, by:
 pivoting the fourth frame ( 5 ) about said vertical axis of rotation (Av) in order to align the first mechanical coupling part ( 71 ), mounted on the fourth frame with the second coupling part of one of the tools stored in the magazine laterally to the rail, or simultaneously when the installation is dependent on  claim 2 , in order to align the first pneumatic coupling part ( 71 ′), mounted on the fourth frame and the second pneumatic coupling part ( 72 ′) of the grasping tool, 
 moving said second frame ( 3 ) relative to the first frame ( 1 ) so as to physically engage the first mechanical coupling part ( 71 ) of the grasping system and the second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ′) aligned with one another, or simultaneously engage the first pneumatic coupling part ( 71 ′) and the second pneumatic coupling part ( 72 ′), 
 moving from the uncoupled position of the first mechanical part ( 71 ) to said locked position configured to mechanically lock the second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ), or also preferably simultaneously moving from the uncoupled position of the first pneumatic coupling part ( 71 ′) to said locked position configured to pneumatically lock the second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ′). 
 
     
     
         7 . The rolling mill installation according to  claim 1 , wherein the grasping system ( 6 ) comprises a motor (M 6 ) configured to pivot the first coupling part ( 71 ) about an axis of rotation (A 6 ), or coincident with the axis of rotation of a roll/or a set of backup rollers grasped by the grasping tool (OT 1 , OT 2 , OT 3 , OT 4 ). 
     
     
         8 . The rolling mill installation according to  claim 7 , wherein the first coupling part ( 71 ) comprising a plurality of locking/unlocking activatable coupling parts, said activatable coupling parts being distributed angularly about the axis of rotation (A 6 ). 
     
     
         9 . The rolling mill installation according to  claim 2 , wherein the first pneumatic coupling part ( 71 ′) is centred on the axis of rotation (A 6 ) about which the first coupling part ( 71 ) is configured to pivot. 
     
     
         10 . The rolling mill installation according to  claim 1 , wherein the tool change magazine (MAG) comprises a structure, substantially vertical, comprising a plurality of superimposed storage compartments configured to receive respectively, in a superimposed manner, the first grasping tool (OT 1 ), the second grasping tool (OT 2 ), the third grasping tool (OT 3 ), and the fourth grasping tool (OT 4 ) in said storage compartments. 
     
     
         11 . A method for changing rolls/sets of backup rollers used in a rolling mill installation according to  claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
 /A/ selecting a gripping tool from the first grasping tool (OT 1 ), the second grasping tool (OT 2 ), the third grasping tool (OT 3 ) and the fourth grasping tool (OT 4 ), the gripping tools being stored in the tool change magazine,   /B/ engaging via the robotic system the first mechanical coupling part ( 71 ) with the second mechanical coupling part ( 72 ) of the selected gripping tool, and moving the first coupling part up to the coupled position, or also engaging via the robotic system the first pneumatic coupling part ( 71 ′) with the second pneumatic coupling part ( 72 ′) and moving the first pneumatic coupling part up to the coupled position,   /C/ matching via the robotic system the gripping tool coupled to the grasping system and grasping of a component of the rolling mill corresponding to the selected gripping tool, said component comprising, or consisting of, a work roll ( 12 ) for the first grasping tool (OT 1 ), a first intermediate roll ( 13 ) for the second grasping tool (OT 2 ), a second intermediate roll ( 14 , 15 ) for the third grasping tool (OT 3 ) and a set of backup rollers for the fourth grasping tool (OT 4 ),   /D/ extracting said component via the robotic system coupled to the selected gripping tool.   
     
     
         12 . The method for changing rolls/set backup rollers according to  claim 11 , wherein in step /C/ the grasping of the component by the selected gripping tool is performed without the prior installation of an adapter on the component.