Width and speed control for sheet metal descaler and methods of using same

An apparatus for removing scale from a length of sheet metal comprising:

• a supply of scale removing medium;
• a first wheel and second wheel being positionable adjacent to a first surface of the length of sheet metal introduced into the apparatus, the first and second wheels being configured to receive the scale removing medium from the supply via nozzles disposed between the supply and each wheel, each nozzle having an actuator configured to rotate the nozzle relative to the wheel, the first wheel being configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation in a manner such that scale removing medium supplied to the first wheel is propelled by the rotating first wheel against a first area extending across substantially an entire width of the first surface of the length of sheet metal, the second wheel being configured to rotate about a second axis of rotation in a manner such that scale removing medium supplied to the second wheel is propelled by the rotating second wheel against a second area extending across substantially an entire width of the first surface of the length of sheet metal, the second axis of rotation being different from the first axis of rotation, the second wheel being positioned away from the first wheel in a direction of advancement of the sheet metal through the apparatus such that the first area is spaced from the second area along the length of sheet metal, the first wheel and the second wheel being positioned along adjacent opposite side edges defining a width of the sheet metal with the sheet metal centered between the first wheel and the second wheel;
• and
• a control system in communication with the actuators of the first and second nozzles, and in communication with a center sensor configured to detect the surface condition of the at least one surface of the sheet metal in a center of the width of the sheet, a first width edge sensor being configured to detect the surface condition of the at least one surface of the sheet metal adjacent to a respective side edge defining the width of the sheet metal associated with the first area, and a second edge sensor being configured to detect the surface condition of the at least one surface of the sheet metal adjacent to a respective side edge defining the width of the sheet metal associated with the second area, each of the sensors configured to detect a surface condition of the at least one surface of the sheet metal as the sheet metal is advanced through the apparatus after the first and second areas, the control being configured to:
• (a) receive signals indicative of a surface condition of the at least one surface of the sheet metal as detected by the respective sensors, (b) compare the signals received from the center sensor with each of the signals received from the first and second edge sensors, and (c) transmit positional control signals to each of the nozzle actuators to rotate the respective nozzle relative to the wheel based upon the comparison of the signal of center signal with the signal of at least one of the first and second edge sensors;
• and
• wherein the control is further configured such that when the comparison of the first edge sensor signal to the center sensor signal is indicative that a surface condition of the respective edge of the at least one surface of the sheet metal is more favorable than a surface condition of the center of the at least one surface of the sheet metal, the control is configured to transmit the positional control signal to the nozzle actuator associated with the first wheel to rotate the nozzle relative to the first wheel in a manner such that the first area moves toward the center of the sheet metal with the scale removing medium being propelled by the first wheel against the sheet metal across substantially an entire width of the sheet metal;
• wherein the control is further configured such that when the comparison of the second edge sensor signal to the center sensor signal is indicative that a surface condition of the respective edge of the at least one surface of the sheet metal is more favorable than a surface condition of the center of the at least one surface of the sheet metal, the control is configured to transmit the positional control signal to the nozzle actuator associated with the second wheel to rotate the nozzle relative to the second wheel in a manner such that the second area moves toward the center of the sheet metal with the scale removing medium being propelled by the second wheel against the sheet metal across substantially an entire width of the sheet metal;
• wherein the control is further configured such that when the comparison of the first edge sensor signal to the center sensor signal is indicative that a surface condition of the center of the at least one surface of the sheet metal is more favorable than a surface condition of the respective edge of the at least one surface of the sheet metal, the control is configured to transmit the positional control signal to the nozzle actuator associated with the first wheel to rotate the nozzle relative to the first wheel in a manner such that the first area moves away from the center of the sheet metal with the scale removing medium propelled by the first wheel against the sheet metal across substantially an entire width of the sheet metal;
• and
• wherein the control is further configured such that when the comparison of the second edge sensor signal to the center sensor signal is indicative that a surface condition of the center of the at least one surface of the sheet metal is more favorable than a surface condition of the respective edge of the at least one surface of the sheet metal, the control is configured to transmit the positional control signal to the nozzle actuator associated with the second wheel to rotate the nozzle relative to the second wheel in a manner such that the second area moves away from the center of the sheet metal with the scale removing medium propelled by the second wheel against the sheet metal across substantially an entire width of the sheet metal.