Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Modeling by mathematical expression
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-10
2001-11-06
Teska, Kevin J. (Department: 2123)
Data processing: structural design, modeling, simulation, and em
Modeling by mathematical expression
C703S001000, C703S007000, C407S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06314388
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer design tool for rotary slitting of metal and a method of use of such a design tool, and especially to a design tool for improving edge conditions in the continuous rotary slitting of coiled metal.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Slitting is the dividing of a single, wide strip of metal into narrower strips or slits (also called mults or strands). Some products made from slit metal stock include cans, razor blades, Venetian blinds, office furniture, automobile parts, electrical equipment, appliances, aerospace parts, medical equipment, building materials, jewelry and blanks for minting coins. Slitting is also applied to nonmetallic materials including paper, plastic, film and fiber.
Although metal slitting machines may vary in size from so-called “tabletop” slitters with small motors (used for foil to light gauge material) to those using motors of several hundred horsepower and requiring a building hundreds of feet in length, all slitting machines require essentially the same type of tooling, and vary only in the size, quantity and customization of the end use. A comprehensive review of metal slitting machinery and a discussion of many of the system parameters relevant to such machinery may be found in Rogers, J. W. and Millan, W. H.,
Coil Slitting,
Pergamon Press (1972), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
In general, all slitting machines have three major components: (1) a means to get the metal to the slitter—for coil slitters it is an uncoiler (also referred to as an unwinder or payoff reel); (2) a slitter head—for holding the rotary knives and associated tooling (such as spacers, stripper rings etc.) and (3) a recoiler (also referred to as a rewinder or take-up reel)—for rewinding the mults (strands).
In view of the increasingly precise mult width specifications required of metal providers, a design tool for assisting operators of slitting machinery to more accurately adjust mult width to account for slit width variation became very desirable. Accordingly, a design tool was developed by Asko, Inc. of West Homestead, Pennsylvania, that assists an operator to arrive at an estimate of slit width variation and thereby an estimate of the adjustment required of slitter knife position to achieve a desired mult width. This design tool is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,890, herein incorporated by reference. Generally, this design tool provided an apparatus for providing an estimation of slit widths for providing an estimation of slit width variation with substantially greater accuracy as was then achievable in metal slitting.
Over the years, it also has been recognized that the edges of slit metal can exhibit a wide variety of configurations, some less favorable than others. Furthermore, it has often been recognized, at a qualitative level, that certain types of slitting parameters, as defined, e.g., by the material being slit, the number and configuration of knives being used, and other factors, can lend a reasonable prediction of the edge defects or conditions that might be encountered. However, because of the subjectivity of such a determination, and because the boundary parameters for delineating the subjective types of edge conditions from one another are difficult to determine qualitatively by an operator, the result has still been a great deal of lost slitting runs. Particularly, a significant quantity of waste material must usually be processed in order to assess the possibly defective edge conditions that might justify the types of adjustments needed to eradicate the defective edge conditions and correct the parameters that bring them about. The same holds true, in fact, in the context of assessing quantitative strip edge conditions (e.g. burr height, shear angle, slit-to-shear ratio, etc.). Accordingly, a need has been recognized in conjunction with providing a predictive analysis of the likelihood that a given slitting run will result in defective edge conditions, and if so, what the edge conditions might actually be.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, an arrangement is contemplated in which, upon a computer design tool or the like being provided with sufficient input related to the parameters of a slitting run, an accurate predictive indication can be afforded, qualitatively or quantitatively, of the edge conditions that are likely to be encountered.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a visual assessment of the predicted edge conditions will be provided by producing, from a suitable storage arrangement such as a CD-ROM, a photographic representation of the predicted edge conditions, suitable for duplication on a computer monitor. Although a very wide range of such images are conceivable, the present invention, in accordance with at least one presently preferred embodiment, presently contemplates at least four conditions that can be imaged in this manner.
Conceivably, it might also be possible to provide, as an output of the predictive edge condition analysis, one or more quantitative variables relating to edge conditions. Included among these quantitative variables are, for example, the shear angle, burr height and “slit-to-shear” ratio of a cut edge.
Similarly to the arrangements described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,890, a “learning” arrangement is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention, in which actual results from various slitting runs can be tabulated, either manually or automatically, in such a way as to promote a more accurate predictive analysis of edge conditions for future slitting runs. This “learning” concept is conceivable both in regard to quantitative data and qualitative data.
Generally, at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention broadly contemplates a design tool for predictively indicating, in metal slitting, expected edge conditions of slit metal.
Additionally, at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention broadly contemplates a method for predictively indicating, in metal slitting, expected edge conditions of slit metal.
Further, at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention broadly contemplates a method of providing, in metal slitting, a predictive assessment of at least one condition relating to at least one of: knife edge and slit metal edge.
Finally, but not necessarily exclusively, at least one presently preferred embodiment of the present invention broadly contemplates a methods of providing, in metal slitting, a predictive assessment of at least one condition relating to at least one of: knife edge and slit metal edge.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5574890 (1996-11-01), Zelt
patent: WO 96/03245 (1996-02-01), None
patent: WO 97/27968 (1997-08-01), None
Asko, Inc.
Broda Samuel
Reed Smith LLP
Teska Kevin J.
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