EP2346630A1

EP2346630A1 - System for tracking system properties

Info

Publication number: EP2346630A1
Application number: EP09795900A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jochen SCHLÜTER; Markus Reifferscheid; Ina HÜLLEN
Original assignee: SMS Siemag AG
Current assignee: SMS Group GmbH
Priority date: 2008-11-20
Filing date: 2009-11-20
Publication date: 2011-07-27
Also published as: US20110251712A1; DE102009053893A1; CN102223968A; CN102223968B; RU2011124892A; RU2516209C2; WO2010057656A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for actively tracking specific data on systems or the components of a metallurgical system, characterized in that at least one readable and writable memory medium for the specific data is fixedly connected to each component, and the specific data are modifiable periodically and/or on the basis of input. In addition, the invention relates to a metallurgical system, in particular an integrated foundry or a mini-mill, comprising at least one device according to the invention. Finally, the invention relates to the use of at least one device according to the invention in an electric steel mill or a converter steel mill and/or in systems of secondary metallurgy and/or in casting plants, in particular continuous casting machines, and/or in molten steel transport units and/or in furnace systems and/or in hot and cold rolling mills and/or in rolled stock treatment systems, in particular strip treatment systems.

Description

System for tracking system properties

I. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a device for active tracking of specific data on installations or their components in a metallurgical plant, in particular the use of such a device in an electric or converter steelworks, secondary metallurgy or a casting plant, in liquid steel transport units or furnaces, in Warm and cold rolling mills or strip processing plants.

II. State of the art

Metallurgical plants, such as integrated smelting works or minimills, consist of a large number of plants which, in conjunction with one another, have the goal of producing a high-quality product with the greatest possible utilization of the plant. In the respective system types of the overall system, there are subassemblies consisting of subassemblies and individual components. By way of example only, a continuous casting plant is mentioned which consists of a storage container for the liquid steel, a tundish, various stopper rods and immersion nozzles, at least one mold and the strand guide with a corresponding cooling group arranged below the respective mold.

For reasons of materials management, quality assurance and maintenance, it is necessary that all components of each subassembly or subassembly or an entire system with all their specific data, such as their geometry, their physical, mechanical and but also with regard to historical and current operating information such as the duration of use, the temporal localization, their load spectra and wear conditions are recorded regularly and permanently.

However, such data collection and tracking as well as maintenance of the data has proven to be extremely time-consuming, costly and error-prone. Therefore, there has long been a desire to be able to carry out extensive automation of the functions described above.

III. Object of the invention

It was therefore an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for active tracking of specific data on installations or their components of a metallurgical plant which, compared to the prior art, requires a lower susceptibility to error and a low man-hour effort.

This object is achieved in the sense of the invention with a device comprising the features of claim 1, a metallurgical plant comprising the features of claim 12 and by the inventive use of such a device as defined in claim 13. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

IV. Summary of the invention

In the sense of the invention, each component of the metallurgical plant has at least one storage medium which can be written and read out for the specific purposes of the invention. Data permanently connected, these specific data are periodically and / or input-dependent changeable.

Preferably, the active tracking of properties of complete, individual plants or individual plant components in the steelmaking industry takes place using wireless information transmission (RFID - Radio Frequency Identification), for example by transmitting signals in the microwave range. This creates the possibility of reading out the specific data, preferably fully automatically, and / or to revise it and, moreover, making it accessible to central data memories and / or process control units.

In the context of the invention, the overall system of the metallurgical plant and the system for tracking properties in a tree structure consists of subassemblies, these subassemblies in turn consist of subassemblies and these subgroups of construction in turn consist of individual components. In the context of the invention, both the individual components and assemblies with write-and-readable storage media, in particular RFID chips, are connected in a stationary manner. The information present on the storage media is, for example, a component identifier as well as the historical properties of the individual component or module, whereby this information can preferably be generated or queried at physically different locations. In this case, the compilation and / or affiliation of several components to a higher-level unit is preferably modular in order to advantageously support material planning and plant management as well as their maintenance.

Both the overall system as well as the individual subassemblies, construction subgroups and plant components are subject to environmental influences and work processes in metallurgical plants, which usually cause the properties of the individual elements of the overall system or of the overall system itself to change both over time and depending on use. By way of example, this is customary plant wear or material consumption. In material planning and process control, however, these property changes are key parameters that are paramount to ensuring a safe overall system workflow without unnecessary downtime and consistent product quality.

In the context of the invention, the status of a system, thus of the overall system, of the assemblies, of the subassemblies and of the individual components, is consistently stored locally on the storage medium with regard to their composition and properties, and can be read out as desired. For this purpose, writing or reading units can be stationary in the case of mobile system components or else be mobile in the case of stationary system components.

Due to the communication capability of the storage medium with the writing or reading unit, the specific data or further information can be stored both locally on the storage medium and at least partially on a central data storage. In particular, in the case of using central data storage, the storage capacity of the storage medium can be limited to the necessary minimum.

Both the central data store and the central process control unit are preferably connected to control units for material procurement and / or spare parts procurement and / or production planning and / or maintenance management in order to advantageously increase the degree of automation of the home entertainment system or at least parts thereof.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the storage medium is an RFID unit which can be at least once written and read. Such writability and readability should preferably be preferred in at least two different locations, and particularly can be done wirelessly. The read-in data can be read both coded and uncoded to the data storage unit of the RFID chip, coded data also due to the fact that the coding can reduce the amount of data and thereby the memory size can be limited to a necessary minimum preferred becomes.

The writability can be done either varying by overwriting previously read data, or by attaching new records to already read and existing records.

The fixed connection of the storage medium of the respective component is realized in the sense according to the invention that an unintentional release of the storage medium of the system component is substantially avoided. However, an embodiment is conceivable in which the storage medium can be separated from the component, for example by releasing a lock as required, and can be reconnected to it. As a result, an exchange in case of failure of the storage medium or when changing the use of the component and corresponding changes in the identifier is supported particularly advantageous.

It is particularly preferred if the storage medium, which is firmly connected to the component, encapsulated with respect to the environment, particularly preferably heat and moisture-insulated, is. As a result, the use is supported in metallurgical plants particularly advantageous and largely avoided a failure of the storage medium due to contact with the often present in metallurgical plants defective environmental conditions.

Particularly preferred is a wireless writability and readability of the storage medium, in particular by means of wireless transmissions in the microwave range. This will make the creation both global and local Communication paths between the RFID / microprocessor units and the individual components, the assemblies, facilities or with cross-plant database systems and the connected internal and external maintenance or maintenance operations and / or the plants for material and spare parts procurement and production planning significantly improved. Local can then be communicated wirelessly between the built-in system components RFID tags or microprocessor units and integrated, fixed or mobile reading and writing units.

As specific application examples for readable and readable storage media for the specific data, which are firmly connected to each component, it is particularly preferred:

1. Ironworks and steelwork pans, torpedo car tracking, in particular the delivery of ladles, ladle stations in steelworks and cranes.

The fields of application here are the component recognition of delivery liners, the slides and AMEPA unit, which in the sense of the invention are each connected to at least one RFID chip containing specific data on the individual components. The specific data may include the local and temporal localization of the individual components in the steelworks, in particular waiting times, heating times, operating times and operational parameters and thus allow the monitoring of the state in the wear cycle, the thermal state, the residual amounts and any possible exacerbations.

2. Continuous casting mold, in particular the mold workshop and the casting plant itself. In the sense of the invention, RFID chips can be used for component identification (construction structure) of water boxes, mold plate and thermocouple assembly. A local and temporal localization in the casting plant, in particular the operating times, the deployment patents The parameters, quantities used and the thermal and mechanical load spectra can be recorded, which enables monitoring of the condition in the wear cycle, in particular the number and reasons for reworking and the status of the thermocouples. Analogous applications in the field of continuous casting can also be present in the distributor and distributor car, the plug and slide mechanisms, the segments of the strand guide and in the flame cutting machine.

3. Work rolls, in particular the roll workshop and the rolling mill itself. In this case, the component recognition and assignment of properties, in particular the diameter, the cut and the surface roughness, can be stored in the RFID chips. A local and temporal localization in the rolling mill, in particular the operating times, the application parameters, the amount used and the thermal and mechanical load spectrums can be tracked by this and the condition in the wear cycle, in particular the number and reasons for reworking the work rolls, can be monitored.

4. strip welding plant, in particular the belt system and their maintenance operation. The component recognition and the assignment properties, in particular the shear blades and the welding electrodes, can be stored in the RFID chips. This ensures a local and temporal localization of the components in the rolling mill, in particular their operating times, the application parameters, application rates and the electrical and mechanical load spectra, and the condition of the individual component in the wear cycle is also monitored with regard to preventive maintenance. 5. Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be explained below with reference to Figures 1 to 3, which summarize representations of individual uses of the device according to the invention. In the figures

FIG. 1 shows a power point slide for component recognition in the continuous casting plant,

Figure 2 shows a power point slide for component detection in the continuous casting by the example of the mold, and

3 shows a power point slide for pan detection.

6. Ways to carry out the invention

FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, the component recognition according to the invention by means of an RFID tag in a continuous casting plant and the automatic identification and the exchange of information in operation and workshop thereby made possible. The RFID tags associated with the individual components for the pan, the dispenser, the distributor and the plug linkage are in communication with a receiver above the casting platform, whereas the RFID tags for the mold, in particular their frames, the various water boxes, the narrow side support plates , the copper plate broadsides and the copper plate narrow sides are in communication with a receiver / encoder in the mold shop. The latter, associated with the mold RFID tags are, together with RFID tags at least on the first support segment below the mold also in communication with a receiver / encoder on the casting platform. RFID tags on the support segments in the Bow sections of the strand guide below the mold are in communication with a receiver on the ground segments and RFID tags on the support segments downstream of the arc segments in the horizontal strand guide region are in communication with a receiver at the height of the horizontal segments. Preferably, an automatic input of the identifiers from the equipment catalog, from the IRP-PPS system and without manual input, whereby a reliable database for asset management, resource planning, plant-related process analysis and Level II models is obtained.

Figure 2 shows the example of the mold itself, the closed information chain between the workplace "casting", the workplace "mold workshop", the workplace "Automation" and the workplace "technology" with the individual jobs assigned individual specific data for the components of the mold. At the workshop "mold shop" these are the identifications of the mold, the frame, the water box and the copper plates, possible causes of maintenance measures already performed, specific events and additional information for the casting company In the "technology" workspace, the specific data includes a corellation between the production data and the plant condition, and in the "foundry" workstation, the specific data includes, in particular, the number of previous revisions, the number of cycles the mold already cast, the already poured quantity of steel in tons, the number of width adjustments in the mold and the status of the thermocouples used.

Finally, FIG. 3 shows in the area at the bottom left a schematic representation of a so-called SAW transponder, which uses and reflects surface acoustic waves SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave). In the area of the pan recognition shown here pans are coded with SAW tags and The pans can automatically log on to the respective production stage, for example, the VD plant, the RH plant, the ladle furnace or the continuous casting plant by using the storage media. This avoids manual entry of specific data, thereby reducing missed or erroneous inputs. A stable level II interface is created which increases process stability and ensures product quality. In the figure below right are also various already available designs heat-resistant SAW tag shown with a maximum operating temperature of 400 degrees Celsius, which with suitable placement on the pan and optionally using a suitable encapsulation as resistant to the usual in metallurgical plants ambient temperatures and moisture levels.

Claims

claims

1. Device for the active tracking of specific data on plants or their components of a metallurgical plant,

characterized in that

at least one write-on and readable storage medium for the specific data is permanently connected to each component and that the specific data can be changed periodically and / or depending on the input.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the specific data comprise an identifier of the component or component groups.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the specific data include historical characteristics such as operating times and wear conditions.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the specific data describe physical and / or mechanical and / or chemical properties of the respective components or of their contents.

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one storage medium is connected to a preferably central data memory.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one storage medium is connected to a preferably central process control unit.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the process control unit is connected to control units of material procurement and / or spare parts procurement and / or production planning and / or the maintenance industry.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, character- ized in that the at least one storage medium is an RFID chip.

9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that the RFID chip is connected to a microprocessor unit.

10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one storage medium encapsulated with respect to the environment, in particular heat and moisture-insulated, is.

11. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the communication with the storage medium, in particular the writing and / or the reading of the storage medium, by means of microwave transmission is effected.

13. Metallurgical plant, in particular integrated metallurgical plant or mini-mill, comprising at least one device according to one of the preceding claims.

14. Use of at least one device according to one of claims 1 to 11 in an electric or converter steelworks and / or in plants secondary metallurgy and / or in casting plants, in particular continuous casting machines, and / or in liquid steel transport units and / or furnace installations and / or in hot and cold rolling plants and / or in rolling stock treatment plants, in particular strip processing plants.