TPT March 2011

T echnology U pdate

Production technology that optimises tube production

processes the data from this online measurement and permanently regulates the material intake with the highest precision. “Our prototype at Silmet has reduced the eccentricity of the copper tubes by several percentage points,” commented Dr Rainer Hergemöller from SMS Meer. “That reduces the material input for the production and saves material costs.” Pieralberto Ghidini, managing director at Silmet, added, “Apart from the material savings, the improved quality control is also particularly important for us. ProConTube processing times and efficient plate handling starting from start to finish. All four plate edges are milled using only two milling units. One of the milling units is rotated ±90° to cross-mill the leading and trailing plate edges. Both longitudinal sides are processed simultaneously at a maximum milling speed of 10m/min. This increased capacity significantly reduces the overall running cost. The plates are positioned automatically according to higher level data input, then clamped hydraulically with tongs and fixed by additional vacuum plates (This special plate clamping system allows free overhead crane access to the

SMS Meer has developed a new production technology and employed it for the first time in the works of the Italian tube maker Silmet SpA. ProConTube measures and then corrects the eccentricity of copper tubes during the drawing process, allowing manufacturers to produce tubes with thinner walls and of higher quality. The core element of ProConTube is a special sensor unit integrated into the drawing die. It constantly monitors the wall-thickness distribution over the circumference of the passing tube. The electronic controller immediately THE offshore wind energy sector is growing fast: In 2010 nearly 308 offshore wind energy parks were commissioned in Europe alone, an increase of 51% over the previous year. Offshore wind parks require heavier duty materials and technologies than their land based counterparts. Steel plates and structures must be heavier and more robust to withstand the marine environment. The major steel mills Dillinger Huette and Ilsenburger Grobblech, subsidiary of Salzgitter AG, are important suppliers of edge milled plates for the leading wind energy park producers. Both steel mills rely on Linsinger plate edge milling technology for plates used in wind towers and their foundations. The Linsinger plate edge milling machine at Dillinger Huette is the largest plate edge milling machine of its type in the world. This machine mills plates up to a thickness of 120mm, length from 4m up to 25m and width from 1.35m up to 5m, with weight up to 45 tons. In addition to rectangular plates, Linsinger plate edge milling machines can also mill the edge profiles on trapezoidal and tapered plates. These are required for the tapered geometry of wind tower structures. Plate edges for plate thickness reductions (taper edges) can also be milled. The plates are pulled through the two cutting stations on each side of the machine. The cutter heads are equipped with special carbide tips that harmlessly dissipate any thermal impact. The machine is designed for short

measures and corrects with no loss of time.” ProConTube is an independent, fully automatic machine unit. SMS Meer employs it predominantly in pre-drawing lines, where it is installed immediately upline of the drawing section. Due to its compact design it can also be retrofitted in existing drawing lines. ProConTube is suitable for tube diameters from 85 to 10mm. SMS Meer GmbH – Germany Fax: +49 2161 350 667 Website: www.sms-meer.com plate). Highly accurate drives on over 40 axes and the CNC control system are further elements guaranteeing plates with highest precision and most exact tolerances. The sandwich design of the cutter head rings allow plate producers to mill highly flexible plate edge profiles with minimal tooling costs, even for low quantity batches as low as one plate. As recently emphasised by Linsinger CEO Hans Knoll: “Not many other machines can do all these things at this speed and precision.” Linsinger Maschinenbau – Austria Website: www.linsinger.com

Plate edge milling technology

Combined machine axial forming and rolling: REB 632-5-SRM 622

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M arch 2011

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