Method of machining an elongate workpiece, machining system and intermediate product assembly
AssigneeVoortman Steel Machinery Holding B.V.
InventorJordy Van Den Berg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of machining an elongate workpiece extending along a longitudinal axis and shaped to be supported rotationally instably about the longitudinal axis includes sensing a rotation of the workpiece about the longitudinal axis, thereby yielding a sensing result; and machining the workpiece at the machining station at least partly in dependence of the sensing result.
Claims13
A method of machining an elongate workpiece extending along a longitudinal axis and shaped to be supported rotationally instably about the longitudinal axis, the elongate workpiece being a metal cylindrical pipe and the longitudinal axis being a cylinder axis of the elongate workpiece, the method comprising:
- transporting the workpiece along a transport path with respect to a machining station while supporting the workpiece rotationally instably about the longitudinal axis, thereby allowing the workpiece to rotate about the longitudinal axis at least partly randomly;
- during or after the transporting, sensing a rotation of the workpiece about the longitudinal axis, thereby yielding a sensing result;
- and
- machining the workpiece at the machining station at least partly in dependence of the sensing result,
- wherein the sensing comprises obtaining a reading from a sensor fixed to and rotatable along with the elongate workpiece.
A machining system for machining an elongate workpiece extending along a longitudinal axis and shaped to be supported rotationally instably about the longitudinal axis, the elongate workpiece being a metal cylindrical pipe and the longitudinal axis being a cylinder axis of the elongate workpiece, the machining system comprising:
- a machining station configured to machine the workpiece;
- a transport assembly configured to transport the workpiece along a transport path with respect to the machining station while supporting the workpiece rotationally instably about the longitudinal axis such that the workpiece is allowed to rotate about the longitudinal axis at least partly randomly;
- and
- a sensing system configured to sense a rotation of the workpiece about the longitudinal axis during or after transporting to yield a sensing result based on the sensing,
- wherein the sensing system comprises a sensor configured to be fixed to the workpiece and to be rotated about the longitudinal axis along with the workpiece, and
- wherein the machining station is configured to receive the sensing result yielded by the sensing system and to machine the workpiece at least partly in dependence of the received sensing result.
An intermediate product assembly comprising as an intermediate product an elongate workpiece extending along a longitudinal axis and shaped to be supported rotationally instably about the longitudinal axis, wherein, for machining the workpiece, the workpiece is provided with a sensor fixed to and rotatable along with the workpiece and configured to be responsive to a direction of gravity with respect to the sensor and/or to a rotation of the sensor or a part thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.