Methods and machines for producing tubes by means of flow forming
OwnerAlejandra LÓPEZ, Aitor NAVARROinventors
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Abstract
A method for producing a tube (101-104), the method comprising: providing a preform (1a-c, 70) in a mandrel (2), the preform (1a-1c, 70) having two ends; flow forming the preform (1a-c, 70) with a plurality of rollers (4-5,31-38) such that in one flow forming pass neither one of the two ends of the preform (1a-1c, 70) is flow formed, thereby producing the tube (101-104); and mechanically forming mechanical connection ends on the two ends of the tube (101-104). Also, a seamless tube (101-104), a pipeline comprising a plurality of seamless tubes (101-04), and a machine for flow forming a preform (1a-1c, 70) into a tube (101-104).
Claims20
A method for producing a tube, the method comprising:
- providing a preform in a mandrel, the preform having two ends;
- flow forming the preform with a plurality of rollers thereby producing the tube;
- mechanically forming mechanical connection ends on the two ends of the tube;
- wherein in one flow forming pass neither one of the two ends of the preform is flow formed.
A pipeline comprising:
- at least one seamless tube, each of the at least one seamless tube having:
- an outer diameter greater than or equal to 200 mm and lower than or equal to 630 mm;
- a wall thickness greater than or equal to 15.0 mm and lower than or equal to 40.0 mm;
- and
- a length greater than or equal to 5.0 m and lower than or equal to 20.0 m;
- wherein the seamless tube is of one of the following:
- an Austenitic Stainless Steel, a Martensitic Stainless Steel, an Austeno-ferritic Stainless Steel, an Austenitic Nickel base Alloy, and a Super-Austenitic Stainless Steel;
- and
- wherein both ends of the seamless tube have mechanical connection ends integrally formed thereon.
A machine for flow forming a preform into a tube, the machine comprising:
- a mandrel;
- and
- four rollers adapted to flow form the preform when it is provided in the mandrel;
- wherein a first roller of the four rollers has a first leading angle A, a second roller of the four rollers has a second leading angle B, a third roller of the four rollers has a third leading angle C, and a fourth roller of the four rollers has a fourth leading angle D;
- wherein A<B<C<D;
- wherein each roller of the four rollers is adapted to be spaced apart from remaining rollers in an axial direction of the mandrel, and wherein the four rollers are adapted to contact the preform in the mandrel with increasing leading angles;
- and
- wherein the first roller is diametrically opposed to the second roller in a radial direction of the mandrel, and the third roller is diametrically opposed to the fourth roller in the radial direction of the mandrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.