DE20104695U1 - Bearing element, in particular plate-shaped plain bearing or guide element for roll stands, and measuring device - Google Patents

Description

Bearing element, in particular plate-shaped plain bearing or guide element for rolling stands, and measuring device

The present invention relates to a bearing element, in particular a plate-shaped flat plain bearing or guide element for rolling stands, which has at least one plain bearing surface that can be brought into contact with a component and is subject to wear during operation. The invention also relates to a measuring device for determining the wear and load state of bearing elements.

Bearing elements of the type mentioned above are known as so-called wear plates or flat guide elements for rolling mill stands. They are particularly suitable for use in heavy machinery or rolling mill construction and are designed to accommodate particularly high loads. A rolling stand comprises a stand and chocks that hold the rolls. Wear plates are used on both the stand and the chocks, and are exposed to considerable loads and wear during the rolling process.

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The quality of the rolled product depends largely on the tolerances between the wear plates attached to the stand and the chocks. During the rolling process, the mechanical forces exerted by the rolled product on the rolls are transferred to the roll bearings and are transferred by the chocks that hold these roll bearings to the opposite wear plates of the roll stand via the wear plates.

The distance between the opposing wear plates, which are in contact with their plain bearing surfaces, should be as small as possible and is closely tolerated so that precise guidance is guaranteed and the surface pressures between the wear plates of the roll stand and the chocks can be kept as low as possible. The precision and stability of the wear plates have a decisive influence on the mechanical behavior of the entire roll stand. If the wear plates show a high level of wear and the thicknesses have possibly decreased locally compared to the original values, then the bearing gap between the wear plates increases significantly and precise mechanical control of the rolling mill is no longer guaranteed.

Regular measurements are therefore carried out to determine wear. To do this, the roller sets consisting of the rollers and chocks are removed from the roll stand. The thickness of the wear plates of the roll stand and the chocks can then be measured. To do this, the distance between the plain bearing surfaces of opposing wear plates attached to the roll stand and the chocks is determined using complex measuring equipment, which is very time-consuming.

The object of the present invention is to provide a bearing element which can be easily measured with regard to its thickness by means of a measuring device.

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A further object of the invention is to provide a bearing element which is easily identifiable and is capable of transmitting the recorded measurement values to a suitable recording device in the vicinity of the measuring point.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a measuring device for determining the wear condition of bearing elements, in particular plate-shaped plain bearing or guide elements for rolling mills.

The invention solves the problem according to a first aspect in a bearing element of the type mentioned at the outset by means of at least one measuring bore extending from the plain bearing surface into the interior of the bearing element as far as a reference surface. By providing such a measuring bore, the thickness of the bearing element can be measured easily and with high accuracy using a suitable measuring device such as a depth gauge.

According to a further aspect, the invention is achieved with a bearing element of the type mentioned at the outset by a machine-readable data carrier attached to the bearing element.

With such a machine-readable data carrier, each bearing element can be marked and easily identified by reading the data content of the data carrier. This makes it possible for the first time to identify bearing elements in the form of plate-shaped plain bearing or guide elements, which are also referred to below as wear plates. By taking thickness measurements of all wear plates of a rolling stand and clearly identifying the individual wear plates by machine, a status report of the rolling stand can be generated with the help of data processing systems, particularly with regard to distances and tolerances between the chocks and the roll stand, so that it can be determined whether the rolls can be stored in the desired positions or whether the wear plates need to be replaced due to excessive wear.

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The machine-readable data carrier is preferably designed as a transponder with a microchip and antenna. Such transponders store data on the respective storage element in a simple and efficient manner, which can be transmitted contactlessly using magnetic fields with the help of an antenna and a reader.

The bearing element is further developed in that the measuring bore has an internal thread and can be closed with a threaded pin. The threaded pin prevents particles, liquids and other contaminants, such as scale or cooling water, from entering the measuring bore.

According to a further development, it is proposed that the threaded pin has a recess that can be brought into positive engagement with a turning tool and is essentially flush with the contact surface of the bearing element during operation, so that the threaded pin can be easily inserted and removed. The measuring bore is expediently designed as a through-bore and the reference surface is formed by a surface of the bearing element opposite the plain bearing surface or on a component that accommodates the bearing element.

The bearing elements designed as wear plates for rolling stands are attached to the rolling stand or a chock of a roll set, which represent the component having the reference surface.

Preferably, several measuring holes are arranged distributed over the surface and are formed in particular in the edge area of a wear plate, since particularly high wear occurs there.

The invention solves the problem according to a further aspect with a measuring device having the features of claim 10.

With the aid of a measuring device according to the invention, the condition of several wear plates of rolling stands can be determined by taking thickness measurements on

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Wear plates can be measured, whereby the detector first scans the machine-readable data carrier, preferably a transponder, in order to identify a specific wear plate, then the thickness measurement is carried out at several locations on a bearing element, then the recorded measurement values are fed to the electronic computer system, where the recorded measurement values are processed taking into account the data of the respective wear plate recorded on the data carrier. With the help of the measuring device according to the invention, the tolerance between the components can be determined, so that a decision can then be made as to whether the wear plates need to be replaced due to excessive wear. Rolling parameters can also be readjusted depending on the recorded tolerance values, for example the rolling pressure on the chocks.

The measuring device is expediently designed as a depth measuring device and the data carrier as a transponder.

A further development provides that the measuring device emits a signal in the form of light, ultrasound or electromagnetic waves in the direction of the reference surface, from which the signal is reflected and recorded by the measuring device in order to determine the strength. Further advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

A further object of the invention is to provide a plain bearing element which is capable of measuring the distance to the respective counter surface.

As a solution, it is proposed to dynamically measure the distance to the respective counter surface using one or more inductive, ultrasonic or similar measuring sensors that are built into the plain bearing element designed as a plain bearing plate.

The measuring sensors are preferably installed in the bearing elements of the chocks and send their signals from the sliding bearing plates of the chocks in the direction of the opposite sliding surfaces of the

Plain bearing plates that are installed in the roller stand.

The invention further solves the problem of measuring the pressure exerted on a bearing element designed as a bearing plate by means of suitable, in particular piezoelectric pressure sensors or via strain gauges or other suitable methods.

In addition, according to the invention, it should be possible to measure the acceleration of a plain bearing plate or other bearing elements using one or more measuring sensors that are built into the plain bearing plate. This is achieved by a measuring sensor attached to the bearing element for recording the acceleration of the bearing element.

Further advantageous developments arise from the subclaims.

The invention is illustrated below using embodiments with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a bearing element 2 according to the invention in the form of a wear plate as a plan view;

Figure 2 shows a bearing element according to the invention in a cross section;

Figure 3 shows a bearing element according to the invention, attached to another

Component, in a cross-sectional view;

Figure 4 shows a rolling stand with inventive plates designed as

Bearing elements in a schematic representation and

Figure 5 shows a measuring device according to the invention together with

Bearing element in a schematic representation;

Figure 6 shows a bearing element according to the invention with built-in distance and pressure sensor as well as an acceleration sensor in section.

Figure 1 shows a bearing element 2 according to the invention in the form of a wear plate for a rolling mill stand 4 shown schematically in Figure 4. The bearing element 2 can be used in various plain bearings or guides and is designed in particular for high loads.

A number of bearing elements 2 according to the invention are used on the rolling stand 4, namely as stand plates 6, 8, which are fastened to the roll stand 10, and as chock plates 12, 14, 16, 18, which are fastened to the chocks 20 of the upper and lower roll sets 22, 24. Each roll set 22, 24 has a roll 27, 28 that comes into contact with the rolling stock 26. In a manner not shown, each roll set has a total of four chock plates 12, 14, 16, 18, and the roll stand 10 has a total of four stand plates 6, 8; the plates 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 are also referred to below as bearing elements 2 according to the invention.

As can be seen from Figures 1 to 3, a flat bearing element 2 according to the invention has a cuboid or rectangular plain bearing surface 30 which is in contact with an opposite component during operation and is subject to wear. In Figure 4 it can be seen that, for example, the chock plate 12 with its plain bearing surface 30 is in contact with an opposite plain bearing surface 30 of the stator plate 6. The bearing elements 2 according to the invention can also be used on other plain bearings or guides in heavy machine construction.

As Figures 1 to 3 illustrate, the bearing elements 2 according to the invention have at least one, in the exemplary embodiment a total of nine, measuring bores 32, which are designed as cylindrical through-bores and extend from the sliding bearing surface 30 into the interior of the bearing element 2 to a reference surface 34. Each measuring bore 32 has a continuous internal thread 36. A threaded pin 38 shown in Figure 2 can be screwed into the measuring bore 32 with the aid of a turning tool (not shown), which can be brought into positive engagement with a recess 40 designed as a hexagon socket. The component 3 can also be referred to as a support plate.

become.

As Figure 3 shows, the bearing element 2 is attached to a further component 3, which has the reference surface 34. The further component 3 can, for example, be a mounting piece 20 shown in Figure 4, which the plate according to the invention

1 2 or a stand 10 which receives a stand plate 6 according to the invention. In these cases, the measuring bores 32 extend from the sliding bearing surfaces 30 to the stand 10 having the reference surface 34 or the mounting piece 20. Alternatively, in a manner not shown, the measuring bore can be designed as a blind hole and the reference surface 34 can be formed on the bottom of such a blind hole and thus on the bearing element 2. As Fig. 1 shows, the measuring bores 32 are formed in the edge region of the bearing element 2 formed as a plate, with the exception of a central measuring bore 32.

As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, a machine-readable data carrier 42 in the form of a transponder with a microchip and antenna is attached to the bearing element 2 and arranged in a milled recess 44, which can also be referred to as a pocket, and glued there. The data carrier 42 stores data relating to the specific bearing element in the chip so that it can be identified, as well as any other data relating to the service life of the bearing element 2, its thickness, dimensions or the like. Each bearing element shown in Figure 4

2 in the form of the plates 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 has a data carrier 42. The stored data also relate to the position of the plates 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 within the rolling stand 4, i.e. the exact position on the stand 10 or the roller sets 22, 24. The data can be stored, changed, supplemented or deleted. The data exchange between the transponder and a detector or reader takes place contactlessly via magnetic fields in different frequency ranges. The detector is explained in more detail below with reference to Figure 5. For example, a transponder can be used, such as that offered by Schreiner Datenträger- und Codedruck GmbH & Co. KG, 80995 Munich.

Figure 5 schematically illustrates a measuring device 46 according to the invention

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for determining the wear condition of bearing elements 2, in particular plates 6, 8, 1 2, 14, 1 6, 1 8 for rolling stands 4. The measuring device 46 has an electronic computer system 50 housed in a housing 48, which contains an input device 52 in the form of a keyboard, a display device 54 for displaying data and/or diagrams, an electronic data memory 56 and a microprocessor 58. Data can be transferred to or from the computer system 50 by means of an interface 60.

The measuring device 46 further comprises a measuring device 64, which is coupled to the computer system 50 by means of the interface 60 and a line 62, for measuring the strength or thickness of a bearing element 2, as well as a detector 68, which is also coupled to the computer system 50 by means of the interface 60 and a line 66, for machine-reading the machine-readable data carrier 42 in the form of the transponder assigned to the bearing element 2.

The measuring device 64 is designed as a depth measuring device which either works mechanically or emits a signal in the form of light, ultrasound or electromagnetic waves, as shown schematically in Figure 5 using the arrow 68, and is positioned relative to the measuring bore 32 of the bearing element 2 in such a way that the signal passes axially through the measuring bore 32, is then reflected onto the reference surface 34 formed on the component 3 and passes through the measuring bore 32 back in the direction of the measuring device 64. The measuring device 64 is equipped with a signal sensor. By measuring the time the signal passes through the measuring bore 32, the thickness S of the bearing element 2 in the area of the measuring bore 32 can be determined. The thickness measurement value provided by the measuring device 64 is fed to the computer system 50 via line 62.

The detector 65 reads the data stored in the data carrier 42 (transponder) and also transmits it to the computer system 50 via line 66.

The function and mode of operation for determining the wear of at least one bearing element 2, in particular wear plates 6, 8, 12 according to the invention,

- &Igr;&Ogr; &Igr; 4, 16, 18 is explained in more detail using the figures.

A bearing element 2 according to the invention is attached to a component 3. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the plates 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 are attached to the stand 10 or the chocks 20 and brought into their operating position. Threaded pins 38 (Figure 2) are screwed into the measuring holes 32 so that their upper side is either flush with the plain bearing surface 30 or they are located slightly below the plain bearing surface 30 within the measuring hole 32. During operation, as Figure 4 illustrates, the bearing elements 2 move so that the plain bearing surfaces 30 wear. The bearing elements are designed to accommodate high and extreme loads, particularly in heavy machinery or rolling mill construction.

To determine the wear of the bearing elements 2 or to determine the wear state of several bearing elements 2 that are used in rolling stands 4, the operation is interrupted. To do this, the roller sets 22, 24 are removed from the stand 10. Then the threaded pins 38 are unscrewed from the measuring holes 32 by inserting a turning tool into the recess 40. Then, as Figure 5 shows, the detector 65 of the measuring device 46 according to the invention is brought close to the data carrier 42 designed as a transponder and arranged above the recess 44 so that the data stored in the chip of the transponder is read and transmitted to the computer system in the manner described above.

The measuring device 64 (depth gauge) is placed above a measuring bore 32 of the bearing element 2 and a measured value is generated for the strength or thickness of the bearing element 2 in the area of this measuring bore. This measured value is also transmitted to the computer system 50 of the measuring device 46. The threaded pin 38 is then screwed back into the measuring bore 32.

Then, with the help of the measuring device 64, further measurements of the thickness of the bearing element 2 are taken at the further measuring holes 32 of the bearing element 2 and the measured values are transferred. In this way, due to the

several measured values of a bearing element 2 determine a topography or, in other words, a strength profile of a bearing element 2 and the data are stored in the memory 56.

All other bearing elements 2, in the case of a rolling stand 4 all plates 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 are then measured in the manner described above, in which a plate is first identified using the detector 65 and then the thicknesses in the area of all measuring holes 32 are recorded using the measuring device 64 and transmitted to the computer system 50. In this way, profiles of the thickness of all bearing elements 2 or all plates 6, 8, 12, 14, 16, 18 of a rolling stand 4 can be determined.

With the help of position data of the bearing elements 2 pre-stored in the memory 56 and also position data of the measuring holes 32 on a bearing element 2, a topography of all bearing elements 2 of a rolling stand 4 is generated. In particular, the distance of the plain bearing surfaces 30 and the distance and tolerance between the bearing elements 2 of a rolling stand can be determined mathematically. This also makes it possible to determine the so-called opening of a window of a rolling stand 4, i.e. an opening gap between opposing bearing elements 2.

The overall condition of a rolling stand, in particular the topographies of the bearing elements 2 and also the openings of a roll stand window and gaps, can be graphically displayed and monitored on the display 54. Based on the measured values determined, a decision can be made as to whether individual bearing elements 2 need to be replaced or surface treated.

By measuring the chocks, the topography of the plates 12, 14, 16, 18 mounted on them can be determined in the same way.

By superimposing the topographies of the roll stand and the chocks, conclusions can be drawn about the gap between these machine elements, which in turn provide information about the behavior of the rolled material during operation and

Claims (14)

1. Bearing element, in particular a plate-shaped plain bearing or guide element for rolling stands, which has at least one plain bearing surface ( 30 ) which can be brought into contact with a component and is subject to wear during operation, characterized by at least one measuring bore ( 32 ) extending from the plain bearing surface ( 30 ) into the interior of the bearing element ( 2 ) as far as a reference surface ( 34 ). 2. Bearing element, in particular according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized by a machine-readable data carrier ( 42 ) fastened to the bearing element ( 2 ). 3. Bearing element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the measuring bore ( 32 ) has an internal thread ( 36 ) and can be closed with a threaded pin ( 38 ). 4. Bearing element according to claim 3, characterized in that the threaded pin ( 38 ) has a recess which can be brought into positive engagement with a turning tool and is substantially flush with the sliding bearing surface ( 30 ) of the bearing element ( 2 ) during operation. 5. Bearing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring bore ( 32 ) is designed as a through-bore and the reference surface ( 34 ) is formed by a surface of the bearing element ( 2 ) opposite the sliding bearing surface ( 30 ) or on a component ( 3 ) receiving the bearing element ( 2 ). 6. Bearing element according to claim 5, characterized in that it is designed as a plain bearing plate ( 2 , 6 , 8 , 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) and several measuring bores ( 32 ) are distributed over the surface of the plate, preferably formed in the edge region of the plate. 7. Bearing element according to claim 6, characterized in that the plate ( 2 ) is fastened to a support plate ( 3 ) and the reference surface ( 34 ) is formed on the support plate ( 3 ). 8. Bearing element according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data carrier ( 42 ) is a transponder with a micro-chip and data can be read in or out and stored by means of the chip. 9. Bearing element according to one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the data carrier ( 42 ) is arranged in a recess ( 44 ) of the bearing element ( 2 ). 10. Bearing element, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one measuring sensor ( 70 ) fastened to the bearing element ( 2 ) for measuring the distance of the bearing element ( 12 , 14 , 16 , 18 ) from an opposite component ( 6 , 8 ). 11. Bearing element, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a measuring sensor ( 72 ) fastened to the bearing element ( 2 ) for measuring the pressure load on the bearing element ( 2 ). 12. Bearing element, in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a measuring sensor ( 74 ) fastened to the bearing element ( 2 ) for recording the acceleration of the bearing element ( 2 ). 13. Measuring device for determining the wear state of bearing elements, in particular plate-shaped plain bearing or guide elements for rolling stands according to one of the preceding claims, with an electronic computer system ( 50 ) for electronic data processing, a measuring device ( 64 ) for measuring the thickness of a bearing element ( 2 ), which is coupled to the computer system ( 50 ) in such a way that recorded measurement data can be transmitted to the computer system ( 50 ), and a detector ( 65 ) for machine reading of a machine-readable data carrier ( 42 ) assigned to a bearing element ( 2 ), wherein the detector ( 65 ) is coupled to the computer system ( 50 ) in such a way that data relating to the respective bearing element ( 2 ) recorded from the data carrier ( 2 ) by means of the detector ( 65 ) can be fed to the computer system ( 50 ). 14. Measuring device according to claim 13, characterized in that the measuring device ( 64 ) is designed as a depth measuring device and the data carrier ( 42 ) is designed as a transponder.