Abstract: Method for monitoring wear to cylinders of the cages of a rolling mill, in particular for bars or rods, including the following steps: reading by a neural network of a plurality of data relating to the initial conditions of one or more rolling cylinders, in particular one or more pairs of cylinders each belonging to a rolling cage, to the settings, and to the running of the process; and generation by the neural network of signals relating to the state of wear of the cylinders.

Abstract: A contactless braking system and a related method for decelerating long products (bi) exiting from a rolling mill (100). At least one braking module (6) includes a multiplicity of electromagnets (60) in a series along a braking line (1b). Each magnet has an open magnetic core (61) and a coil (62) around the magnetic core (61). The open magnetic core (61) has a gap formed by two opposed poles. The electromagnets (60) are configured so that the gap of each open magnetic core (61) lets contactlessly slide therethrough each long product (bi) exiting from the rolling mill (100). A braking magnetic force (Fd) is exerted on the long product (bi) contactlessly sliding through the gap. The braking magnetic force (Fd) is opposite to the direction of movement of the long product (bi) exiting the rolling mill (100).

Abstract: A method for producing long metal products includes the steps of receiving long intermediate products traveling on respective continuous casting lines, to an exit area, and subsequently introducing products from the exit area into a production plant having known layout parameters; the production plant has a rolling mill for rolling the products; interconnected production lines between the exit area of the casting machine and the rolling mill, the production lines define production paths or routes; and a first and a second heating devices.

Abstract: A method thermally treats hot rails to obtain a desired microstructure having enhanced mechanical properties. The method includes an active cooling phase where the rail is fast cooled from an austenite temperature and subsequently soft cooled, to maintain a target transformation temperature between defined values. The cooling treatment is performed by a plurality of cooling modules. Each of the cooling modules has a plurality of devices spraying a cooling medium onto the rail. The method is characterized in that during the active cooling phase, each cooling device is driven to control the cooling rate of the rail such that the amount of transformed austenite within the rail is not lower than 50% on the rail surface and not lower than 20% at a rail head core.

Abstract: A system thermally treats rails. The system has a cooling device for spraying a cooling medium onto a rail to be treated. The cooling device defines a cooling path for receiving the rail to be treated. A conveyor moves the rail to be thermally treated through the cooling path. A vertically displacing device for displacing at least one of the cooling devices for adjusting a position of the one cooling device relative to the rail to be treated.

Abstract: An apparatus changes rollers of a straightening machine. The straightening machine contains a plurality of cantilever roller shafts for receiving the rollers. The apparatus contains at least a trolley having a device for supporting an entire set of upper and/or lower rollers to be installed in or taken off from the straightening machine. The apparatus further has at least two vertical plates spaced apart horizontally, a device for releasably securing the plates to the trolley, and an actuator connected to the plates and intended to be received in first passages defined in the straightening machine. The actuator is able to reversibly displace the plates and the trolley between a first position wherein the plates and the trolley are close to the straightening machine and a second position wherein the plates and the trolley are spaced apart from the straightening machine.

Abstract: A straightening machine includes a frame supporting housings in which each housing receives a roll shaft rotatable about its axis. At least one first assembly includes a first guide defining a first convex surface and a first corresponding guided element defining a first concave surface. The first surfaces contact each other at a first contact surface. At least one second assembly includes a second guide defining a second convex surface and a second corresponding guided element defining a second concave surface. The second surfaces contact each other at a second contact surface. A device for rotating at least one roll shaft housing carries out a rotation being guided by the assemblies about a virtual axis transverse to a roll shaft axis, to compensate bending due to straightening of a product.

Abstract: A weld splatter containment device for use in rolling mills includes a lower cover and an upper cover, both controllable in approaching and moving away from a welding zone so as to substantially surround the welding zone when the lower and upper covers are situated in a position close to the welding zone. The lower cover is controlled in approaching and moving away from the welding zone along a first circular trajectory portion and the upper cover is controlled in approaching and moving away from the welding zone along a second circular trajectory portion.