Novelis, Inc.

Machine Concepts Inc.

Rodger Brown

Andrew James Hobbis

Antoine Jean Willy Pralong

David Anthony Gaensbauer

Peter Knelsen

William Beck

Natasha Iyer

Jeffrey Edward Geho

Hansjuerg Alder

Mark Finn

Roberto Quintal

Terry Lee

Stephen Lee Mick

Robert Bruce Wagstaff

Duane E Bendzinski

Rajeev G Kamat

David Michael Custers

Michael R Kosmicki

David Skingley Wright

ChangOok Son

Alp Manavbasi

Christophe Besson

Donald Lynn Miller

Donald L Miller

Matthew Seibert

Guil Bergman

Anthony Enneking

Rahul Vilas Kulkarni

Timothy Francis Stanistreet

Matthew J Fairlie

Theresa Elizabeth MacFarlane

Julio Malpica

David Edward Gantzer

Cedric Wu

Joseph K Perdue

David Gantzer

Theresa Elizabeth Macfarlane

Michael Kosmicki

Changook Son

David Gaensbauer

Matthew Fairlie

A rotating magnet heater for metal products, such as aluminum strip, can include permanent magnet rotors arranged above and below a moving metal strip to induce moving or time varying magnetic fields through the metal strip. The changing magnetic fields can create currents (e.g., eddy currents) within the metal strip, thus heating the metal strip. A magnetic rotor set can include a pair of matched magnetic rotors on opposite sides of a metal strip that rotate at the same speed. Each magnetic rotor of a set can be positioned equidistance from the metal strip to avoid pulling the metal strip away from the passline. A downstream magnetic rotor set can be used in close proximity to an upstream magnetic rotor set to offset tension induced by the upstream magnetic rotor set.

Rotating magnet heat induction

Systems and methods directed to rolling mill coilers are disclosed. Systems and methods are disclosed for a control scheme to maintain a constant force between a roll and a coil's surface. Example systems and methods may include forming a portion of a coil, capturing a first coil data corresponding to force of the coil while the strip of metal is being rolled into the coil, capturing second coil data corresponding to position of the coil while the strip of metal is being rolled into the coil, determining a signal that corresponds to a roll force of the roll and a position of the protrusion, and transmitting the signal to a hydraulic cylinder coupled to the roll, the hydraulic cylinder causing the roll to exert the roll force counter to the radial force of the coil.

Sensing and offsetting the force of events in a coil forming operation

Systems and methods of non-contact tensioning of a metal strip during metal processing include passing the metal strip adjacent a magnetic rotor. The magnetic rotor is spaced apart from the metal strip by a first distance. The systems and methods also include tensioning the metal strip through the magnetic rotor by rotating the magnetic rotor. Rotating the magnetic rotor induces a magnetic field into the metal strip such that the metal strip is tensioned in an upstream direction or a downstream direction. In other aspects, rotating the magnetic rotor induces a magnetic field into the metal strip such that a force normal to a surface of the metal strip is applied to the metal strip.

Systems and methods for non-contact tensioning of a metal strip

Systems and methods of threading a metal substrate on a rolling mill include receiving a coil of the metal substrate. The method also includes uncoiling the metal substrate from the coil while the coil and guiding the metal substrate to a work stand of the rolling mill with a threading system.

Systems and methods for threading a hot coil on a mill

A non-contact heating apparatus uses a series of rotating magnets to heat, levitate, and/or move metal articles therethrough. A first series of rotating magnets heats the metal article to a desired temperature. A second series of rotating magnets levitates the metal article within the heating apparatus and maintains desired tension in the metal article, including urging the metal article through the heating apparatus. The heating apparatus can extend sufficiently far to soak the metal article at the desired temperature for a desired duration. The rotating magnets can be positioned outside of an electrically non-conductive, heat resistant chamber filled with an inert or mildly reactive gas, through which the metal article passes in the heating apparatus.

Magnetic levitation heating of metal with controlled surface quality

Systems and methods of hot forming a metal blank include receiving the metal blank at a heater and positioning the blank adjacent a magnetic rotor of the heater. The systems and methods also include heating the metal blank through the magnetic rotor by rotating the magnetic rotor. Rotating the magnetic rotor induces a magnetic field into the metal blank such that the metal blank is heated.

Rapid heating of sheet metal blanks for stamping

Control of self-excited third octave vibration in a metal rolling mill can be achieved by adjusting the tension of the metal strip as it enters a stand. Self-excited third octave vibration can be detected and/or measured by one or more sensors. A high-speed tension adjustor can rapidly adjust the entry tension of the metal strip (e.g., as the metal strip enters a mill stand) to compensate for the detected self-excited third octave vibration. High-speed tension adjustors can include any combination of hydraulic or piezoelectric actuators coupled to the center roll of a bridle roll to rapidly raise or lower the roll and thus induce rapid tension adjustments in the strip. Other high-speed tension adjustors can be used.

Process damping of self-excited third octave mill vibration

Control of third octave vibrations in a mill stand can be achieved using a high-speed piezoelectric assist coupled to a hydraulic gap cylinder to increase the damping of the roll stack. Vertical movements of the roll stack (e.g., the top work roll) can be determined through observation (e.g., measurement) of hydraulic fluid pressure of the hydraulic cylinder or entry tension of the metal strip. After determining vertical movements of the roll stack, a desired change in hydraulic pressure can be determined to overcome, reduce, or prevent third octave vibration. This desired change in hydraulic pressure can be effectuated at high speeds (e.g., at or above approximately 90 hertz) using the piezoelectric assist.

Rolling mill third octave chatter control by process damping

An automatically controlled multi-roll precision leveler for flattening a strip of material, such as a metal strip. A metal strip product may be fed into the leveler, typically from a coil. The leveler uses multiple work rolls to flatten the strip as it passes through a leveling section of the leveler. Upon exiting the leveling section of the leveler, the metal strip product passes over a shape sensor. The shape sensor may be divided into a plurality of individual measurement zones, each having one or more measurement segments. The shape sensor measures the shape error in the metal strip, which shape error is the result of stresses present in the strip. The shape error measurements are used by the shape control system of the leveler to automatically and continuously adjust the leveling parameters of the leveler. The control system attempts to operate the leveler, such that a shape error measurement of zero will be detected by the shape sensor&mdash;at which point the metal strip product will be flat.

Multiroll precision leveler with automatic shape control

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Rodger Brown