Advanced Coil Processing Systems

In Booth A4287, Burghardt + Schmidt Group (Wheaton, IL) will feature high-end precision levelers from Schnutz GmbH (Siegen, Germany) for plants that require perfect sheet metal flatness and optimal reduction of residual stresses. The sheet metal coming out of these precision levelers is dead-flat. They are ideal for particularly demanding applications, including the leveling of perforated sheet metal. Their design involves a complete leveling machine frame that is particularly stiff to keep machine deformation under working load to a minimum. This is the only way to guarantee that the adjusted machine parameters become deformation-effective on the leveled material. Each precision leveler is equipped with an exchangeable cassette. The complete set of rolls, consisting of work rolls, intermediate rolls (if applicable) and back-up rolls can be easily pulled out of the leveler as a single unit. Compared to a conventional construction, this system has decisive advantages:

• Easy access to the roll cassette and the complete set of rolls for maintenance and cleaning.
• Different roll cassettes can be used for high flexibility by the user, who is able to adapt the work roll diameter for optimal production of his product. The cassettes with leveling roll diameters can be specifically adapted to his product mix.
• Together with a cassette change carriage in front of the leveler, the cassettes can be changed in less than eight minutes.

These precision levelers use special simulation software that allows an optimal determination of leveling roll diameter and number of rolls. This means a maximum reduction of residual stresses can be achieved and the sheet metal stays flat during subsequent processing steps. The work rolls are backed-up over their whole width by flights of back-up rolls to guarantee exact compliance of the desired leveling geometry. The lower back-up roll flights can be adjusted vertically independent of each other to allow a deliberate bending of the lower work rolls. With a controlled lower work roll bend, it is possible to eliminate edge or center waves. Such an adjustment is the only method capable of eliminating partial waves inside the sheet.

Also on display will be the EP300 – Inline burr height measuring system that can measure strips of a coil during the running of the line. A camera is integrated into the system to measure the quality of the strips according the requirements of the user in the current production process. The camera automatically approaches the edges to set individual measurement time and speed. Measurement is possible from the top, bottom or from both sides of the strips. The light source of the unit generates spectra on the surface of the strip during measurement and determines the fine structure of the reflected light. It has a measuring accuracy of 1 µm and checks all strips of a coil – even from the middle – to ensure consistently perfect cutting quality thanks to early detection of wear on the blades.

The EP300 – Inline system can be adapted as necessary for other dimensions that might also be needed. Individual quality standards and permissible limits can be entered to ensure a constant check. The user can determine the cutting edge of his products and easily measure all strips at any time. The system also provides measurement logs, quality reports and statistics.

Burghardt + Schmidt Group, 1728 Maple Lane, Wheaton, IL 60187-3317, 630-868-3016, www.b-s-germany.de.