Flatness measurement system for metal strip

• US 6,286,349 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Original Assignee: Betriebsforschungsinstitut Vdeh-Institute Fr Angewandte Forschung, Gesellschaft Fur Optische Messtechnik GmbH, Krupp-Hoesch-Stahl AG
• Inventors: Müller, Ulrich, Degner, Michael, Sonnenschein, Detlef, Winter, Detlef, Peuker, Gustav, Thiemann, Gerd
• Primary Examiner(s): TOLAN, EDWARD THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US09/441,007
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 72/91, 72/111, 72/116, 72/117, 722/01, 72/37, 356/601, 356/610, 250/559.05, 250/559.07, 250/559.08
• US Class Current: 72/11.7
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/42 using a combination of roll bending and axial shifting of the rolls
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/44 using heating, lubricating or water-spray cooling of the product
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/54 including coiler drive control, e.g. reversing mills
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/76 Cooling control on the run-out table
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 38/006 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 38/02 for measuring flatness or profile of strips
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 38/04 for measuring thickness, width, diameter or other transverse dimensions of the product
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 45/0218 for strips, sheets, or plates B21B45/023, B21B45/0233 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/306 for measuring evenness

Abstract

The invention relates to a flatness measurement and control system for metal strip, which makes it possible to obtain improved strip or coil quality by a simple and effective measurement of departures from flatness and to control the finishing parameters through the evaluation of a line pattern on the strip surface or on the end face of a coil as it is coiled.

Claims

1. A rolling mill train comprising:

a finishing stand;

a strip cooling line;

a coiler;

first measuring means comprising a first CCD camera and a first projector, the first measuring means located before the strip cooling line; and

second measuring means comprising a second CCD camera and a second projector, the second measuring means located after the strip cooling line, the first and second measuring means being configured to measure strip flatness;

wherein the first and second measuring means are coupled with means for controlling the finishing stand, the strip cooling line and the coiler.

2. The rolling mill train of claim 1, wherein the strip flatness is detected in the run-out from the finishing line and is evaluated for control of the last stands of the finishing rolls, and measured values of the strip flatness are used to modify the flatness after the strip cooling stage and before the coiler.