Patents Assigned to Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques A.S.B.L.
  • Patent number: 7164955
    Abstract: The process for the on-line characterization of a surface in motion, preferably a galvannealed sheet, essentially comprises an industrial microscope associated with a stroboscopic laser illumination device, a positioning assembly, an assembly for acquiring and processing images. The obtained view fields vary between 125 ?m and 2000 ?m in width, the spatial resolution is at least 0.5 ?m, and the focussing of the system is precise to a micrometer. The images are taken on a product moving at a speed of between 1 m/s and 20 m/s and are frozen by the use of a stroboscopic illumination device with a duration of illumination of at least 10 ns. The obtained images are processed in several steps. A background average level is first of all regularly evaluated in order to be eliminated from each current image. The processed image is then divided into several zones. The sharpness of each zone is evaluated and stored in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques, A.S.B.L.
    Inventors: Geneviève Moreas, Yves Hardy, Marc Schyns
  • Patent number: 7006213
    Abstract: In a process for the inspection of the surface of a cylindrical body and more especially that of a mill roll, at least one zone of the surface is observed by means of an inspection device having an optical axis oriented towards this zone of the surface with a view to determining the state of the surface. To this end, at least one image of the zone supplied by the inspection device is captured, at least one of the images captured is analysed, the analysis of the image or images captured is compared with the analysis of a reference image, the differences between the analysis of the image or images captured and the analysis of the reference image are detected, and at least the orientation of the optical axis is adjusted so as at least to reduce and preferably to eliminate the differences found. The device can include mechanical and/or optical means of adjusting the orientation of the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques, A.S.B.L.
    Inventors: Roger Franssen, Marc Schyns, Hugo Uijtdebroeks
  • Patent number: 6943874
    Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for inspecting a surface, in particular the surface of a mill roll, comprising a housing wherein are arranged means for transmitting and receiving a light beam, and an optical coupling device arranged on the outer surface of a front wall of the housing. The optical coupling device comprises: (a) a component (5), called fluid dispenser, (b) a hollow cylindrical nozzle (11), and (c) a mobile tubular component (16), successively traversed by the light beam. The mobile tubular component (18) is arranged partly inside the cylindrical nozzle (11), so as to be able to slide inside said cylindrical nozzle, and partly exits therefrom in the extension thereof, towards the surface to be inspected (2). Different cross-sections (shoulders 14, 19) are provided in the cylindrical nozzle (11) and in the mobile tubular component (16), in particular for limiting said sliding movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques, A.S.B.L.
    Inventors: Roger Franssen, Hogo Uijtdebroeks
  • Patent number: 6913170
    Abstract: The invention concerns a nozzle mainly consisting, when viewed in vertical position and in a forward movement of the liquid steel from the top downwards, of a vertical conduit (5) comprising in its upper part a distributing member, arranged substantially at the intake of said conduit and including a dome (6) for deflecting the metal penetrating into the nozzle, which is also provided with means for injecting a gaseous, liquid or solid finely divided material beneath said dome (6) into an inner zone (11). The dome (6) of said distributing member is provided with means for separating liquid steel into two jets (B, C), one jet (B) flowing into the inner zone (11) and penetrating into the ingot mould (1) through a first orifice (9) at the lower base of said conduit (5) and the other jet (C) flowing into an outer zone (12) and penetrating into the ingot mould (1) through lateral orifices (8) located in the vertical wall of said conduit (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques A.S.B.L.
    Inventor: Paul Naveau
  • Patent number: 6821364
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for making a multiphase hot-rolled steel strip comprising an ultra-fast cooling operations, which consists in carrying out said ultra-fast cooling operation after controlled slow cooling of the strip on a conventional slow cooling table of the rolling mill. The controlled cooling constitutes a first slow cooling, at the output of the finishing mill, from an end-of-roll temperature to an intermediate temperature of about 750° C. to 500° C.; said first cooling determines the fraction of the first phase (ferrite) in the steel. The ultra-fast cooling (>150° C./s), which solidifies the resulting structure, lowers the temperature of the strip down to a coiling temperature, ranging between about 600° C. and room temperature, at which a second slow cooling is performed which results if the formation of the second phase (bainite or martensite).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques A.S.B.L.
    Inventors: Xavier Cornet, Jean-Claude Herman