Our client operates in the steel industry and is a world-leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art systems to MONITOR and optimize the steel production process.
An extract from Wikipedia about the steel industry:
Steelmaking is a specific branch of metallurgy that concerns the process of treating iron-rich minerals to extract iron or other alloys containing iron, such as cast iron and alloy steels.
The transformation process of iron ores begins immediately after their extraction in the mine. Iron is a particularly reactive chemical element, so it is usually found in nature in the form of oxides (hematite and magnetite), hydroxides (limonite), carbonates (siderite), silicates and sulfides.
In addition to the above compounds, iron ores contain impurities of various kinds called gangue which can be separated from the ores through the processes of “density separation” and “magnetization” before they are sent to the actual steelmaking process.
The company is part of a Group that is ALSO a world-leading manufacturer of plants for the CONTINUOUS CASTING of steel.
From Wikipedia:
Continuous casting is a method used to solidify molten metal for the production of parts much larger than the mold.
It consists of filling a cooled mold (called ingot mold) with liquid metal and simultaneously extracting the solidified product from the other end.
TEMPERATURES UP TO 1,500° IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY
In Italian steel mills, it is not easy to make accurate measurements with temperatures up to 1,500°.
Specific instruments, such as anthropomorphic, high-temperature resistant arms, are needed to ensure accurate measurement of steel temperature during the continuous casting production process using thermocouples.
Before working with us, the company used an instrument with a “shoulder-elbow-wrist-measuring system” kinematic chain, which did not guarantee the repetition and accuracy of PLACEMENT DURING THE measurement.
In fact, the commercially-available gearboxes they previously installed did not guarantee accuracy standards suitable for the application.
A custom project design was needed for the unique environment because measurement was often missed due to problems with probe placement.
Considering that temperature is a crucial step in the correct and continuous functioning of the steel industry, where an alt in production can cost tens of thousands of Euros per hour, the situation was indeed severely problematic.
Custom Gearbox Design for Italian Steel Mills
Having understood that a standard gearbox could not solve the problem, the company turned to us because we are a well-established manufacturer of planetary and cycloidal technology, specializing in custom designs and customizations, thanks to considerable in-house flexibility.
Custom cycloidal gearboxes were designed for elbow and wrist joints to ensure the required standard of accuracy.
How we implemented custom-made gearboxes (for professionals)
Using a 1:87 cycloidal gearbox in the wrist joint and a 1:236 cycloidal gearbox + epicyclic pre-stage allowed for repetitive positioning measurement with an error margin of 1 mm in a length of 6 meters.
This allowed us to reduce the machine weights since the gearboxes act as the robot’s joints.
Lighter weights equal lower costs as well as increased measurement speed during the production process while still ensuring positioning stiffness and repetitiveness.
Only insiders can truly appreciate the tailor-made solutions we have devised to brilliantly solve a problem that seemed unsolvable using the standard solutions on the market.
A major competitive advantage for Italian steel industry
Sometimes a small advantage is enough to make a big difference in terms of organizational and financial results.
In fact, the company solved once and for all a problem that was costing them a lot, especially in terms of productivity, and business continuity is essential in the steel industry.
The main benefits of a custom-made solution are:
1) Measurement repeatability, ensuring a smoother production process without hiccups or delays. An invaluable advantage for this type of industry.
2) Lighter weights, reduced space requirements, reduced inertia, and higher process speed, ensuring a leaner and faster process.
Another significant advantage, not only for Italian businesses, is that we do not surcharge for custom designs, which cost as much as production pieces, while the market price is sometimes prohibitive for this type of customization.
This enables companies to benefit from custom-designed parts without spending an arm and a leg.
Find out how custom designs can help your company (whether your business is in Italy or not) gain unique competitive advantages (like the steel industry) by requesting a free consultation.