Rolling Mills for Welded Tube (YB/T128-1997)
The rolling mill for welded tube is a common machine used in the manufacture of steel tubes. It uses a number of rollers to compress a steel tube into the desired shape and size. Rolling mills for welded tube typically feature a driven upper roll, driven lower roll, press side rolls and sliding side rolls. The rolling process is controlled by a computer system that controls the force and speed of each individual roller.
Rolling mills for welded tube are used in a variety of different industries, including automotive, marine, aircraft and construction. The vertical stand type mill is the most commonly used mill for welded tube work. It consists of an upper beam equipped with two loose upper rollers, two loose lower rollers and two lower rollers held together by an upper slide bar. The upper beam is mounted to the rig and held in place by two vertical support posts, while the lower rolls are mounted on the bottom of the upper beam. The upper beam then moves vertically, allowing the rollers to move against the tube.
The upper slide bar is adjustable, allowing the rollers to be moved from side to side, thereby affecting the finished shape of the tube. The upper and lower rollers are driven by a drive motor, while the sliding side rolls are actuated by hydraulic systems. The position of the sliding side rolls can also be adjusted to influence the shape of the tube.
The weld quality of the tube is crucial to its strength and performance, and modern rolling mills have a number of features to ensure this. Common welding techniques used in tube manufacture are electric fusion welding, a form of resistance welding, and high frequency welding. Electric fusion welding creates an electrical arc between a pair of electrodes, while high frequency welding uses an alternating current to heat the edges of the tube.
The rolling mills used for welded tube also often feature a cutting head to break the tubes apart from the rollers, allowing them to be cut to the desired length. Other features, including mandrels and oil pumps, may also be incorporated, allowing for faster and more accurate production.
Rolling mills for welded tube have a wide range of industrial applications, ranging from the production of pipes, tubes and profiles to consumer goods such as light fittings and heating elements. With modern rolling mills, manufacturers can produce higher quality goods with higher efficiency, leading to greater profit and a more reliable source of goods. Although some manufacturers will still rely on manual tube forming and welding processes, those that invest in sophisticated rolling mills for welded tube are able to get better and more consistent results.