Patents Assigned to SMS GROUP GMBH
  • Publication number: 20230279516
    Abstract: A burner comprises a primary nozzle for injecting an oxygen-rich gas. The primary nozzle is designed as a supersonic nozzle. A coaxial nozzle having an annular outlet opening is provided for injecting a fuel gas. The coaxial nozzle is designed as a subsonic nozzle and is coaxial to the primary nozzle. The primary nozzle has a convergent portion and a divergent portion, which adjoin each other at a radius of the narrowest cross-section. The annular outlet opening is located at an end face of the burner. The fuel gas, in the form of hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon-containing gas, is injected at a fixed inlet pressure and a fixed inlet volumetric flow rate, with respect to a planned thermal power of the burner. In contrast, the inlet pressure and the inlet volumetric flow rate of the oxygen-rich gas are varied according to the application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Jürgen ODENTHAL, Andreas KEMMINGER, Peter STARKE, Ralf NÖRTHEMANN
  • Publication number: 20230279527
    Abstract: A method for producing steel strip, in particular hot strip in the form of coiled coils or in the form of folded individual sheets, in which a steel melt is first produced, this is then formed into a strand in a continuous casting system, the strand is then fed into a heating unit and the heated strand is then rolled into hot strip in a subsequent rolling mill. The casting of the strand, the passage through the heating unit, and the rolling take place in a continuous process. To be able to produce hot-rolled steel strips in the most energy-efficient way possible and to make these strips available for further processing into high-quality cold-rolled and, if necessary, coated strips, the invention provides that, first of all, a steel melt is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Ingo SCHUSTER, Thomas HENKEL, Volker WIEGMANN, Markus REIFFERSCHEID, Hans FERKEL
  • Patent number: 11745235
    Abstract: A stretch reducing rolling mill for rolling pipes has a plurality of roll stands arranged in series in a conveying direction of a pipe. A wall thickness measuring device determines a wall thickness progression of the pipe prior to rolling. A control unit controls respective rotational speeds of the roll stands. A pipe position measuring device is arranged in front of the roll stands and continuously measures a current longitudinal coordinate of the pipe. The measured values of the longitudinal coordinate of the pipe are transmitted to the control unit. The control unit controls the rotational speeds of the roll stands based on both the determined wall thickness progression and the transmitted measured values of the current longitudinal coordinate of the pipe, in order to compensate for wall thickness variations of the pipe. A stretch reducing rolling mill is designed to carry out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Gohr, Peter Thieven
  • Patent number: 11745234
    Abstract: A rolling device has an upper and a lower work roll and at least one upper and one lower backup roll. The work rolls and the backup rolls are supported on a common rolling mill stand. The work rolls can be adjusted relative to each other in order to adjust a specified rolling gap. Each of the work rolls is operatively connected to at least one bending device. At least one first bending device is paired with die upper work roll, and at least one second bending device is paired with the lower work roll. The second bending device comprises bending cylinders which are arranged in a vertically fixed manner. The upper work roll can be readjusted or carried by the first bending device, thereby vertically adjusting die height of the rolling gap. The first bending device comprises bending arms that interact with bending cylinders arranged in a stationary manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Diehl, Jörn Sohler, Achim Klein
  • Patent number: 11745237
    Abstract: A cooling group for a laminar cooling device, including at least one cooling unit arranged above and below a strip to be cooled in order to supply the strip with a cooling liquid, including a central inlet via which cooling liquid is supplied, a distributing tube supplied with cooling liquid by the central inlet, and a number of supplying units supplied with cooling liquid from the distributing tube. Each supplying unit has a number of cooling nozzles via which cooling liquid is discharged onto the strip. In order to minimize the influence of the number of supplying units which are switched on or switched off, and thus have as little expenditure as possible, a volumetric flow rate regulating valve is arranged in or in front of the central inlet. The regulating valve is used to conduct a defined volume of cooling liquid through the central inlet per unit of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Johannes Alken, Henning Berg, Jens Kiessling-Romanus, August Sprock
  • Publication number: 20230272507
    Abstract: A method for obtaining non-ferrous metals, in particular black and/or raw copper, from scrap containing organic matter, comprises the following steps: i) providing a melting reactor, wherein the melting reactor includes a melting region, a combustion region and a pyrolysis region; ii) supplying the melting reactor with a mixture comprising the scrap such that it first passes through the pyrolysis region and the combustion region before it reaches the melting region, and is at least partially pre-pyrolyzed and/or combusted, such that an energy-containing gas stream is formed; iii) transferring the energy-containing gas stream into a thermal post-combustion chamber, in which the energy-containing gas stream is completely combusted and thermal energy released during combustion is carried off via an energy recovery unit; and iv) melting the scrap containing organic matter at least part of which has been pre-pyrolized and/or combusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf DEGEL, Timm LUX, Frank Marlin KAUSSEN, Nikolaus Peter Kurt BOROWSKI
  • Publication number: 20230272847
    Abstract: A gear mechanism (6) for a rolling mill drive includes at least one involute cylindrical gear tooth system between at least two intermeshing gear wheels (3) with asymmetrical gearing. The normal pressure angle of the load-bearing tooth flanks (5) of the gear wheels (3) is greater than 20° and less than or equal to 30°, and the normal pressure angle of the trailing flanks (4) of the gear wheels is greater than or equal to 14° and less than 22°. A rolling mill drive has a gear mechanism (6) of this type, and the gear mechanism (6) is used as a rolling mill gear mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Markus CRAMER, Jan STEINSEIFER, Klaus LAZZARO
  • Publication number: 20230251639
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system (1) for controlling a production plant (3) consisting of a plurality of plant parts (2), in particular a metallurgical production plant for producing industrial goods such as metal semi-finished products and/or metal end products, wherein each plant part (2) has an input quality window (4), an output quality window (5) and a process window (6), wherein the input quality window (4) of a plant part (2) defines the quality characteristics of the input product that are required by the plant part (2) and the output quality window (5) of a plant part (2) defines the quality characteristics of the output product that are allowed by the plant part (2) after processing the input product, wherein, in a production plant (3) consisting of the plurality of plant parts (2), the output quality window (5) of an upstream plant part (2) corresponds to the input quality window (4) of the downstream plant part (2), wherein the process window (6) defines the setting values (7) that can be impl
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas DAUBE, Holger BEHRENS, Lutz KÜMMEL, Ulrich SOMMERS
  • Publication number: 20230249240
    Abstract: A device for stretching a metal semi-finished product in the form of individual plates along a stretching section with a stretching frame (2) includes pressure columns (7, 8) extending in the axial direction of the stretching section. A first clamping head (3) in which a first short side of the semi-finished product to be stretched can be clamped can be axially moved by means of stretching cylinders (5, 6). A second clamping head (4) in which the second short side of the semi-finished product to be stretched can be clamped is provided. At least one axial inlet and one axial outlet of the stretching frame (2) are provided. The clamping heads (3, 4) are designed such that the semi-finished product to be stretched can be guided axially through at least one, preferably through both clamping heads (3, 4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan LAUTH
  • Publication number: 20230250509
    Abstract: A method for obtaining metals of the 8th to 14th groups, in particular raw copper, comprises the following steps: i) providing and melting down a mixed feed comprising electronic waste in a smelting reactor, so that a first melt with a first metallic phase and a first slag phase is formed; ii) separating out the first slag phase from the smelting reactor; iii) refining the remaining first metallic phase by means of an oxygen-containing gas, possibly with the addition of copper-containing residual materials, so that a second, copper-enriched slag phase is formed; iv) possibly separating off the second slag phase and repeating the step; v) separating off the refined first metallic phase from the smelting reactor; and vi) adding a further mixed feed comprising electronic waste to the remaining second, copper-enriched slag phase and repeating process steps i) to vi).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Marlin KAUSSEN, Rolf DEGEL, Timm LUX
  • Publication number: 20230249234
    Abstract: A method and a corresponding computer program product calculate a pass schedule for a stable rolling process when rolling metal strip in a rolling mill. The offset here is varied until the calculated target horizontal force satisfies a predefined limit criterion. The satisfaction of the limit criterion means that the set of rolls and the rolling process are stable. For cases in which a sole iteration of the offset of the working roll does not result in the limit criterion being satisfied, the present invention provides that the draws on the material to be rolled are then changed on the feed side and/or on the outlet side of the rolling stand with constant offset until the calculated target horizontal force satisfies the limit criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas RITTER, Rainer MERZ
  • Patent number: 11717869
    Abstract: A seal (100) for sealing a lubricant space prevents lubricant (320) escaping. A rolling stand has a seal of this kind. The seal (100) is made at least partially from elastic material. To enable a pressing force FR, with which the bottom face (112) of the seal is pressed against an opposite contact surface (218), for example of a roll journal (212), to be variably set, the seal (100) has at least two cavities, which are separated from each other in the circumferential direction and which are open towards the lubricant space of the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Alken, Daniel Knie, Andrej Tucak, Ralf Seidel, Matthias Kipping
  • Patent number: 11712731
    Abstract: In order to widen the field of application of a stretcher-leveler having a minimum nominal width, at least one gripping head of the stretcher-leveler is connected to an adapter having clamping elements for clamping a plate to be stretched, the adapter having a nominal width that is smaller than the minimum nominal width of the stretcher-leveler, and a plate being stretched is connected to the gripping head via the adapter clamping elements and the adapter, before starting the stretching process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Nikolaus Hoppenkamps, Gerd Jung, Guenter Panzer, Karsten Busch, Guenter Halleck
  • Publication number: 20230228295
    Abstract: A roll stand (1) includes a roll (3), in particular a backup roll, mounted via oil film bearings (2). Each oil film bearing (2) has a sealing system for sealing the oil film bearing (2) to prevent oil leakage and a coolant ingress. The oil film bearing (2) is integrated into an oil-circulating lubrication system (4), which is fluidically connected to the oil film bearing (2) via oil feed lines (5) and an oil discharge line (6). A first sensor (11) is arranged in the oil feed line (5) and a second sensor (12) is arranged in the oil discharge line (6). The two sensors (11, 12) are designed to determine the coolant content in the relevant oil volume flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Publication date: July 20, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Roland WILL, Andrej TUCAK
  • Patent number: 11701696
    Abstract: A method for open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a heating of a cast or rolled metal product, includes the steps of determining the total enthalpy of the metal product from a sum of the free molar enthalpies (Gibbs energy) of all phases and/or phase fractions currently present in the metal product; determining a temperature distribution within the metal product by means of a dynamic temperature calculation model using the total enthalpy determined; and open-loop and/or closed-loop controlling of the heating of the metal product as a function of at least one output variable of the temperature calculation model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Heimann, Heinz-Juergen Oudehinken, Christoph Hassel
  • Patent number: 11701695
    Abstract: A method for operating a roll stand for the stepped rolling of metal strip is described. The metal strip is initially fed into a roll stand on the infeed side, where it is step-rolled. This creates a leading and a trailing section of the metal strip, each with different thicknesses. After the roll stand, the step-rolled metal strip initially passes through an outfeed-side strip accumulator before it is wound into a coil by an upcoiler. The outfeed-side reel is controlled to a constant strip tension. To keep the outfeed-side strip tension sufficiently constant even in the case of rapid changes in the size of the roll gap and the resulting rapid changes in thickness in the rolled metal strip the control of the strip tension with the aid of the upcoiler is supplemented by a position control for a roller unit in the outfeed-side strip accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventor: Jürgen Klöckner
  • Publication number: 20230214787
    Abstract: A maintenance planning system for a production plant comprises: a production planning system for determining a production sequence for the production plant; an automation system for controlling production in the production plant; a state monitoring system for acquiring states of the production plant and its components; and a business planning system for the economic management of production and maintenance in the production plant. The maintenance planning system is designed for determining maintenance measures for the production plant. When determining the maintenance measures, the maintenance planning system takes into account the information of the production planning system, the automation system, the state monitoring system and the business planning system and performs optimization with regard to an economic utilization of the production plant. The disclosure further relates to a method for determining maintenance measures for a production plant and corresponding computer programs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph HÄUSLER, Sebastian SCHULZ, Claus WILK, Christian MOHR
  • Publication number: 20230212708
    Abstract: A method for the recrystallisation annealing of a non-grain-oriented electric strip (2) in a continuous annealing and coating line (1) is presented. Therein, the electric strip (2) is heated in an induction furnace (5) to a temperature of at least 680° C. at a heating rate of at least 80 K/s and then, in an optional second continuous furnace (8), to a temperature of at least 820° C. at a heating rate of at most 20 K/s. The electric strip (2) is initially heated before the induction furnace (5) via a first continuous furnace (3) to a temperature of at least 300° C. at a heating rate of at most 60 K/s.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Publication date: July 6, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Frank MASCHLER, Andreas BÖTTCHER, Pierre-Yves HALLEUX
  • Publication number: 20230205185
    Abstract: A system for controlling a production plant includes a plant automation unit for monitoring and control of the production process within the production plant. A production planning system has information concerning the products to be produced. A model generator generates at least one prediction model for products produced in the production plant. The model generator takes into account the results of the monitoring of the production plant when generating the at least one prediction model. A production optimizer determines an optimized production process within the production plant on the basis of data from the plant automation unit, the production planning system, and the prediction model generated by the model generator. The production optimizer takes into account the production-related specifications of the individual plant parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventor: Carsten Andreas KLEIN
  • Publication number: 20230203612
    Abstract: A method for controlling or regulating the temperature of a steel strip in hot forming in a hot strip mill. A superordinate open-loop or closed-loop controller has a process model that predetermines the temperature development of the hot strip. The target values of the individual units are adjusted based on this predetermined temperature development.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Christoph HASSEL, August SPROCK, Kai GRYBEL, Guido BUSCHHOFF