TPT September 2008

When the next product is loaded the adjustment units disengage and the carriage moves to the requested position. After engaging to the stands again, the stands are adjusted to the requested value loaded from the Tumicon database. For the stand change, the carriage automatically disengages and moves up with the upper drives or moves to the entry or exit side, depending on the specific block design. 6. Conclusion The Tumicon system consists of software tools for setups, roll management and visualization and hardware components for speed control of the main drives and adjustment of the stands. All systems are connected to an Oracle database and interact with each other. Technological functions such as heavy end control (HEC) and automatic wall thickness

 Figure 7 : Visualization of Tumicon remote control

the Tumicon database and loads down the parameters for the different functions in the TecBox. The main screen (figure 5) shows the different values of the individual stands such as nominal speed, speed factors from the technological functions, neutral place and the tracked position of the tube. The values of the speed measurement instruments are also displayed. The system is able to handle two tubes at the same time in the stretch reducing block. With this graphical interface the user can easily recognize which function is applied to the mill and the corresponding corrections. 5. Tumicon remote control The new Kocks SRB uses adjustable stands on the last two or three stand positions. These adjustable stands can be adjusted by the Tumicon remote control system. The system (figure 6) consists of three adjustment units, which are connected to the stand couplings, two drives controlling the individual distances between the adjustment units and another drive, which moves the remote control carriage to different stand positions. All drives are mounted onto the remote control carriage. The speed measurement instrument is also installed on the remote control carriage in order to measure as closely as possible to the last rolling stand. All movements of the different drives are controlled by a PLC. The visualization is normally installed in the pulpit. 5.1 Tumicon remote control visualization The user sees all necessary data (figure 7) such as current position of the carriage, the adjustment position of the adjustment units, and sensor signals etc. The data of the next rolling product can also be displayed.

control (AWC) are especially developed for the new Kocks SRB with individual roll and stand drives. These features significantly increase the output and the quality of the rolled tubes. The Tumicon remote control, supplied with the new Kocks SRB, gives easy access to the adjustable stands that can be adjusted when they are inserted in the block. Different outer diameters (and wall thicknesses) can be rolled without changing stands or roll sets by adjustment only, if the new FSR pass design is used. [1] Ammerling, W-J, Kulessa, G, von der Heiden, J, “Innovation in production of seamless tubes: the Kocks seamless tube process [STP]”, published in MPT Metallurgical Plant and Technology International, No 2, June 2002, pages 34-39 [2] Willems, S “Free-size rolling technology for tubes” presented at ITA International Conference Tubos Bilbao 2001 in Bilbao/Spain, 24.10 to 26.10.2001, session 1 [3] Pfeiffer, D, Möltner, H, “Advantages of heavy end and wall thickness control systems in stretch reducing mills with 3-motor group drive” presented at TUBE America, 14–17.06.1993; published in Tube & Pipe Technology , issue November/December 1993, pages 47 ff [4] Möltner, H, Rampazzi, P, and Crapanzano, V, “3-motor group drive system for stretch reducing mills”, American Iron & Steel Society, proceedings of 30 th mechanical working and steel processing conference in October 1988, pages 3-9 References

Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co KG – Germany Fax : +49 2103 54 028 Email : v.d.heiden@kocks.de Website : www.kocks.de

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