TPT March 2008

T echnology U pdate

of the cutters with pneumatically operated cutters has provided a greater degree of consistency of the pressure applied. This allows control of the system to be activated from the mill operator’s control position. The edge preparation unit is located at the entry end of the tube mill, prior to the strip edge guide rolls. The unit is a fabricated rigid steel assembly platform, and is firmly mounted on to the tube mill base. The strip running through the assembly is supported by two undriven rollers, one at the front and one at the rear. On the unit are mounted four sets of cutters on four arms, two sets at the front of the fabrication and two sets at the back. The nitrided tungsten carbide cutters are positioned on either side of the ingoing strip, in sets of two cutters to each arm. This means that the leading set removes the impurities from the bottom and edges of the strip and the trailing sets of cutters removes the impurities from the top and edges of the strip. The cutter arms are mounted on fulcrum pivots, which enable the cutters to move horizontally and vertically and so follow

the strip convolutions. Pressure is applied pneumatically through a series of eight air cylinders which can be individually adjusted. These cylinders are mounted on a single control panel, and pressure gauges are used to record the pressure on each cylinder. Once the pressures are set, the mill operator can operate the cutters from the mill control console by means of an electro-mechanical switch.

› A close-up of the new strip edge preparation unit

The rate of throughput of a tube mill can be 5 tons per shift hour, so any improvement in yield as a result of the benefits of the use of the edge preparation unit can be substantial. It is claimed that the improvement in yield on the mill could be as high as 20 per cent. There would also be a significant cost saving on the subsequent processing of the tube into its finished product. The companies involved in this profect are AG Shepherd (Machinery) Ltd

(www.agshepherd.com), Universal Tube & Rollform (www.utube.com) and D & E Precision Engineering (Fax: +44 1922 416900).

Article supplied by Mr Peter Thompson, Warehouse Castle Mill Works, UK

Warehouse Castle Mill Works – UK Fax : +44 121 434 3501 Email : peterthompsonmac@btconnect.com

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M arch 2008