TPT May 2021

T E CHNOLOG Y

Efficient and safe tube production performance with the OTO MAGNETO from Fives

INTERNAL beading technology has moved over the years from cable-driven tooling supports to magnets, while still relying on hydraulic technology. Fives made a big leap when it developing a 3D permanent magnet system to hold and rotate the tool inside the tube, creating an efficient and safe system. In addition, Fives applied the servomotor technology to the upper bead roller and to both carriages in order to gain a better beading control to produce a higher quality product. The combination of these two revolutionary concepts applied to this system simultaneously granted a considerable performance improve- ment, securing a 22m/m linear speed along with the strictest quality internal standard compliance. The internal beading technology is one of the key production parameters determining the finished product quality and its compliance, whereby the absence of the internal welding seam and the low surface roughness are crucial requirements in the stainless steel industry and its reference sectors, being the food and chemical and heat exchangers. One of the essential requirements is that the internal tube surface is as flat as possible to reduce bacterial deposition and fluid stagnation. The growing attention towards the safety in production environments and the cost reduction relevance, together with the environmental issues, have been the starting point for the innovation challenges that Fives took up. Despite the existing offerings on the market, Fives successfully undertook the research and development of the OTO MAGNETO magnetic internal beading system, delivering an efficient technology, which guarantees a sig- nificant productivity boost, with high

In addition, the permanent magnets are able to reach the same retention effect as the electromagnets with lower and less extended magnetic fields, as they are kept within the carriage frame; thereby, avoiding any annoying malfunctions due to potential interferencewith nearby electromagnetic devices, such as computers. On the cost-effectiveness side, the 3D permanent magnet technology helps reduce the operating and maintenance’ costs, removing the costs associated with the electromagnets heavy power supply and power cable maintenance and replacement. In addition, the advanced recipe management gives the opportunity to store the recipes, so they can be quickly recalled and changed on- the-fly for best efficiency, reducing the scrap at startup. Two main market trends push the research for speed and accuracy. From the technology point of view, the market is witnessing a relentless evolution of the laser welding systems, in terms of reached speeds. As for the tube quality, it is increasingly important to reduce the material stress due to the beading process, this recalling for a smooth impact on the tube and the higher number of strokes requested to reduce the applied force. To address these needs, Fives opted to rely on the servomotors use. The movement of the beading upper roller is also carefully controlled by a servo brushless motor installed on the top of the roller trolley in a unique design, allowing fine tuning and the speed trajectories to be set with utmost accuracy. The overshoot due to the impact with the tube is strongly reduced, delivering a homogeneous beading along the tube. The material stress is also minimised, which is a key factor given the subsequent annealing and bending processes. In order to achieve the best final tolerance, just after the beading device, a couple of vertical rolls are strategically located on the sides within the main frame, to provide the reshaping feature when needed.

quality standards: beading homogeneity and minimum material stress in total safeness and cost-effectiveness. Fives’ innovative technology relies on patented applications consisting of permanent magnets, supplemented by servomotors, to bring performances and finished products to their utmost possible quality. Alongside the conventional cable, over the years companies also sold the electromagnet and permanent magnetic retention systems, cable- free applications allowing the user to significantly increase the precision, reaching higher speeds, improving the mandrel rotation and strongly reducing the vibrations; giving optimal performance on small diameters, thanks to a better rotation capacity and finally eliminating downtimes caused by cable rupturing. Fives developed a proprietary patented technology – 3D permanent magnet technology – offering the best possible rod retention and control, guaranteeing a spatially uniform magnetism on the internal tool. The magnets are placed on a moving carriage, to create a magnetic field capable of holding the laminating rod avoiding to power an electrical circuit. The 3D permanent magnet application offers a vast number of unquestionable advantages. From a safety point of view, all of the high field voltage-related risks normally needed to supply the electromagnets, are removed as well as the involved strong magnetic fields.

Fives www.fivesgroup.com

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MAY 2021