Patents Assigned to SMS GROUP GMBH
  • Publication number: 20220212238
    Abstract: A drawing system and a method for automatically operating a drawing system. At least one quality-relevant feature of a drawn product, selected from a group of features including the straightness of the drawn product, the length of the drawn product, the diameter and/or at least a thickness of the drawn product, the roundness of the drawn product, and the surface quality of the drawn product, is measured by at least one quality sensor, and the obtained measurement value is processed in at least one control circuit which acts on at least one quality-relevant manipulated variable of the drawing system or parts of the drawing system via at least one controller., At least one reference variable for at least one quality-relevant feature of a specific drawn product is processed in a process controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas CMIEL, Dirk Heßberger
  • Publication number: 20220213582
    Abstract: A method for rinsing an overflow chamber at the bath-side end of a snout of a device for hot-dip coating a metal strip is presented. The snout guides the metal strip in a protective gas atmosphere before the metal strip is coated with a metal melt. A rinsing cycle is carried out in the overflow chamber of the snout by feeding metal melt from the molten bath into the overflow chamber and at the same time, sucking and pumping said melt out of the overflow chamber back into the molten bath. This rinsing cycle can be performed even when the snout has been retracted from the melt by supplying the melt from the molten bath to the overflow chamber with a delivery pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicants: SMS group GmbH, Fa. Severstal
    Inventors: Lutz KÜMMEL, Jegor BERGEN, Jean-Pierre CRUTZEN, Otto SCHANDERL
  • Publication number: 20220213570
    Abstract: Cooling device (1) for cooling a seamless, rolled pipe (R) made of a metal, preferably steel, which has a nozzle assembly (10) comprising one or more nozzles (14), which are configured to apply a cooling medium (K), preferably water or a water mixture, to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe (R) while the pipe (R) is transported along a conveying direction (F) through a cooling section of the cooling device (1), wherein the nozzle assembly (10) has an access (Z), via which the pipe (R) can be removed from the cooling section in the radial direction of the pipe (R), preferably upward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten MÜLLER, Peter THIEVEN, Waldemar VOGEL, Stefan ERNST
  • Publication number: 20220215318
    Abstract: A method and a computer program for discovering possible errors in a production process for manufacturing metal products. The method involves removing at least one process parameter value from the cluster or adding at least one process parameter to the cluster. Second Z-score values, which are compared with the first Z-score values, are then determined for the thus-altered cluster. The changes in the Z-score values provide suggestions for troubleshooting and process optimization which are direct and can be implemented immediately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Katja WINDT, Marc HÜTT
  • Patent number: 11371779
    Abstract: Melting furnace (1), in particular for the production of metal alloys by melting alloying constituents, with a melting crucible (10), a cylindrical electrode rod (40) with a consumable electrode (41) attached thereto and a power supply (50) that is configured to supply the electrode (41) with power via the electrode rod (40), wherein the electrode rod (40) can be rotated about its own axis and moved along its own axis during the melting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Cihangir Demirci, Ros El-Rabati, David Robinson
  • Patent number: 11371107
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cooling a metallic item (1) by discharging a cooling medium from a cooling bar (2) onto the item (1), wherein the cooling medium is discharged through a slot (3) in the cooling bar (2). According to the invention, in order to achieve improved cooling, during the cooling process the width (B) of the slot (3) in the conveying direction (F) of the item (1) or of the cooling bar (2) is altered in order to bring the cooling power of the cooling medium to a desired or predefined level by open-loop or closed-loop control. In addition, the invention relates to a cooling bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventor: Frederik Grosse Lordemann
  • Patent number: 11364538
    Abstract: A clamping system for fastening a cooling unit on a circulating supporting element of a caterpillar-type casting machine includes at least one connecting element, which is pre-tensioned in its longitudinal direction by a spring, and a clamping arrangement, by which the cooling unit is fastenable on the supporting element. The connecting element is accommodated in a displaceably mounted manner in the direction of its longitudinal axis inside the supporting element. The clamping arrangement is formed by a head on an upper end face of the connecting element and a recess, which is provided on/in the cooling unit and is brought into interaction therewith. The connecting element is pre-tensioned by the spring toward the supporting element and is transferred into a clamping position, in which the cooling unit, when the head of the connecting element engages with the recess provided on/in the cooling unit, is automatically clamped with the supporting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Boecking, Guido Fick
  • Patent number: 11358359
    Abstract: A hydraulic machine unit that can be operated with various working forces, in which working medium is selectively delivered, via a pump-piston accumulator system, to a main cylinder and at least one driving cylinder, wherein at least for one working stroke a pump system of the pump-piston accumulator system is used to provide working medium to a piston accumulator of the pump-piston accumulator system, and then at least for the working stroke at least the main cylinder is charged with a working pressure from the piston accumulator, and wherein at least for a return stroke the at least one driving cylinder is charged with a return stroke pressure from the pump-piston accumulator system, can be of structurally simple configuration if, at reduced working forces, the working pressure is reduced with respect to the piston accumulator pressure prevailing in the piston accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Zensen
  • Patent number: 11346655
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a thread includes a holder for detachably holding a tube having a thread formed at an end of the tube. A first optical measuring section having an optical sensor is attached to a manipulator in order to move the measuring section relative to the tube. The optical measuring section is adjustably tiltable about a first adjusting axis relative to a thread axis of the thread. A second optical measuring section having a second optical sensor is arranged at the manipulator, wherein the optical measuring sections collectively form a measuring channel to provide simultaneous measurement of opposite sides of the thread of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Sauerland, Frank d'Hone
  • Publication number: 20220143660
    Abstract: A rolling mill for rolling metal products, comprising two roller stands with a stand cross-member. A roller is rotatably mounted in the roller stands. The roller is operatively connected to a balancing cross-member, and at least one hydraulic piston-cylinder system is arranged in the stand cross-member, with which a tensile force can be generated between the stand cross-member and the balancing cross-member by the hydraulic piston-cylinder system. In order to prevent leakages in particular in the event of tall mill ascending paths, the piston-cylinder system has a cylinder housing with an upper axial end and a lower axial end. A piston is movably arranged in the cylinder housing, and the piston protrudes beyond the cylinder housing both at the upper axial end as well as at the lower axial end in each operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Michael BOHLAND, Dominic KLINKER
  • Publication number: 20220143663
    Abstract: A method for adjusting an inlet guide of a peeling machine controls a peeling material using the inlet guide in relation to a peeling head carrying peeling tools in such a way that the volume per unit length of the peeling material, which volume is to be machined by the peeling machine, is minimized while producing a bright steel having excellent surface quality. Furthermore, a peeling machine provides appropriate measuring equipment in order to be able to carry out the method described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Alfred BARTZ, Joerg LINDBUECHL
  • Patent number: 11319611
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for rolling a metal product (1), wherein the metal product is subjected to a rolling operation at a first station (2), which rolling operation is controlled by a control device (3), wherein the product (1) is subject to a measurement at a second station (4), wherein the product (1) is subjected to a further processing operation at a third station (6), and wherein the product (1) is in a specified quality at a fourth station (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Mostafa Biglari, Holger Behrens, Carsten Andreas Klein, Christian Klinkenberg, Lutz Kuemmel, Ulrich Sommers
  • Patent number: 11318512
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal insulation device (1) for thermal insulation of a metal product in a rolling mill, comprising a support element (2), on which a number of thermal insulation elements (3) is arranged. To extend the service life of such a device, the invention makes provision that at least one thermal insulation device (3) is formed by multiple side parts (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), which enclose within them an accommodating space for a thermal insulation material, wherein at least two of the side parts (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) are connected with each other at their adjoining side areas by a hinge-like connection (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Juergen Seidel, Denis Anders
  • Publication number: 20220126343
    Abstract: A method for setting different cooling rates of metal strips or metal plates (rolling material) over the strip width of a cooling stretch in a hot-strip mill or heavy-plate mill is presented. According to the method, for the calculation of the cooling rate, the initial enthalpy distribution over the material width of the rolling material before the cooling is determined. Proceeding therefrom, a target enthalpy distribution is determined in the width direction and length direction of the rolling material while taking into account a calculation of the flatness and the mechanical properties by means of a microstructure model. Subsequently, the coolant amount and the coolant curve of the cooling stretch are set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: August SPROCK, Christoph HASSEL, Carsten Andreas KLEIN
  • Publication number: 20220107134
    Abstract: A shell (10) acts as a transporting shoe for steel ingots, which are pushed through a preferably tubular induction furnace for inductive heating for the purpose of producing seamless tubes by the extrusion process. The shell (10) is formed in such a way that it partially reaches around the contour of the steel ingot to be heated. The shell is provided at one end leading in the pushing-through direction or transporting direction, with a shoulder (12), which extends at an angle to the transporting direction, against which the steel ingot rests in such a way that the pushed-through steel ingot takes the shell (10) along with it. A method for inductively heating steel ingots uses a shell (10) as described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus FUSSBROICH
  • Publication number: 20220088655
    Abstract: A rolling apparatus, including a stand, at least two rolls, which are attached to the stand by chocks and are displaceable in relation to one another in the axial direction, and at least one axial displacing device, which is assigned to a chock of at least one of the rolls and can act on this chock. The axial displacing device has a fixed block, at least one displaceable bending block and at least one displacing cylinder, which is assigned to the bending block and by which the bending block can be displaced in relation to the fixed block. The fixed block is of a multipart form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Peter REBESCHIES, Sebastian BÖCKING, Hendrik LANGER, Christian HEHMANN, Guido FICK
  • Publication number: 20220088659
    Abstract: In the case of a caterpillar track drawing machine having a drawing die and a caterpillar track disposed behind the drawing die, which track comprises two drawing chains having drawing tools disposed on chain links of the drawing chains, it should be possible to align the drawing tools of at least one of the two drawing chains jointly with the respective chain link, perpendicular to the drawing line, so that the caliber range can be changed, in simple and operationally reliable manner, between two drawing recesses having different caliber ranges. The latter is also possible if two different drawing recesses of the second one of the two drawing chains are intended for a first caliber range for which the first drawing recesses for at least one of the two drawing chains are intended, or if the drawing recesses of a first one of the two drawing chains deviate from the drawing recesses of a second one of the two drawing chains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas CMIEL, Joerg LINDBUECHL
  • Publication number: 20220082115
    Abstract: A hydraulic control loop controls a hydraulic adjusting cylinder. The cylinder has a cylindrical housing and a displaceable piston therein. The piston divides the housing interior into a first and a second hydraulic chamber. A first hydraulic valve supplies the first hydraulic chamber with hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic pressure of the first hydraulic chamber is adjustable by controlling the first hydraulic valve. A second hydraulic valve supplies the second hydraulic chamber with hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic pressure of the second hydraulic chamber is adjustable by controlling the second hydraulic valve. A control device controls the two hydraulic valves. In a position control state, the second hydraulic valve is controlled by a position control signal dependent on the working position of the piston and the first hydraulic valve is controlled by an adjusted position control signal, that is generated on the basis of the position control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Michael ZIELENBACH, Jörn SOHLER, Peter HORN, Martin SCHMIDT
  • Publication number: 20220080485
    Abstract: A reversing reel includes a rotor, on which a reel mandrel with a rotary drive for winding strip into a coil is eccentrically arranged. A driven mandrel support device includes a mandrel support that has a bearing head for supporting a free end of the reel mandrel. The bearing head is movable with the reel mandrel when the reel mandrel is transferred from an initial-winding position into a final-winding position. The mandrel support is a first piston-cylinder arrangement, and the mandrel support is supported in a pivotable manner via a mandrel-support bearing on a slide that is movable tangentially to a circular path of the reel mandrel. The inclination of the mandrel support and the position of the bearing head are adjustable such that the mandrel support is oriented in accordance with a resultant force from the weight force of the coil and the tensile force on the strip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: SMS group GmbH
    Inventor: Dirk TÄUBER
  • Patent number: 11273477
    Abstract: A roll stand for the rolling of rolling stock, especially metal products. The roll stand includes at least two chocks for mounting at least one roll, the roll being rotatably mounted in the chocks by its two cylindrical roll necks. A cylindrical neck bushing is arranged on the roll neck with radial play. A rotationally fixed annual axial bearing is axially offset from the neck bushing. The bearing arrangement for the roll necks in the chocks is formed as a plain bearing, preferably a hydrodynamic oil film bearing. When subjected to a load in a rolling process, the neck bushing moves and deforms not only in the radial direction, but also in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SMS group GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Alken, Daniel Knie, Dennis Braach