Process for operating a thermal treatment line for the flexible thermal treatment of metal pre-products

A process for operating a thermal treatment line for a flexible thermal treatment of a metal pre-product, the thermal treatment line comprising

• a loading bed (3) for introducing the metal pre-product into the thermal treatment line;
• an unloading bed (12) for discharging the metal pre-product from the thermal treatment line;
• at least one first heating device (7) for thermally treating the metal pre-product;
• at least one second heating device (9) for thermally treating the metal pre-product, in particular for heating to a forming temperature of the metal pre-product;
• and
• at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) for transporting and/or temporarily storing the metal pre-product and at least two transfer points (18, 19) for transferring the metal pre-product between the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10),
• wherein a first transport device (6) of the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) connects the loading bed (3) at least to the first heating device (7) and a first transfer point (18) of the at least two transfer points (18, 19),
• wherein a second transport device (8) of the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) connects the first heating device (7) and the first transfer point (18) to the second heating device (9) and a second transfer point (19) of the at least two transfer points (18, 19), and
• wherein a third transport device (10) of the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) connects the second heating device (9) and the second transfer point (19) to the unloading bed (12),
• the process comprising:
• introducing the metal pre-product into the thermal treatment line;
• temporarily storing and/or transporting the metal pre-product by the first transport device (6) from the loading bed (3) to the first transfer point (18) or the first heating device (7);
• thermally treating the metal pre-product in the first heating device (7) and thereafter transferring the metal pre-product to the second transport device (8) or transferring the metal pre-product from the first transport device (6) to the second transport device (8);
• temporarily storing and/or transporting the metal pre-product by the second transport device (8) to the second transfer point (19) or the second heating device (9);
• thermally treating the metal pre-product in the second heating device (9) and thereafter transferring the metal pre-product to the third transport device (10) or transferring the metal pre-product from the second transport device (8) to the third transport device (10);
• temporarily storing and/or transporting the metal pre-product by the third transport device (10) to the unloading bed (12);
• and
• discharging the metal pre-products from the thermal treatment line;
• wherein,
• in a first operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported without thermal treatment from the loading bed (3) to the unloading bed (12) by the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10);
• or
• in a second operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported to the second heating device by the first transport device (6) and the second transport device (8), the metal pre-product undergoes thermal treatment in the second heating device, and the metal pre-product is transported from the second heating device to the unloading bed by the third transport device;
• or
• in a third operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported to the first heating device (7) by the first transport device (6), the metal pre-product undergoes thermal treatment in the first heating device (7);
• the metal pre-product is transported to the second heating device (9) by the second transport device (8), the metal pre-product undergoes further thermal treatment in the second heating device (9), and the metal pre-product is transported from the second heating device (9) to the unloading bed (12) by the third transport device (10);
• or
• in a fourth operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported to the first heating device (7) by the first transport device (6), the metal pre-product undergoes thermal treatment in the first heating device (7), and the metal pre-product is transported from the first heating device (7) to the unloading bed (12) by the second transport device (8) and the third transport devices (10);
• and
• wherein a control system selects the first operating mode, the second operating mode, the third operating mode, or the fourth operating mode as a function of process parameters selected from the group consisting of a material, a material flow, a temperature of the metal pre-product on the loading bed (3), a target temperature of the metal pre-product on the unloading bed (12), an energy availability, and an energy costs;
• and
• wherein the control system optimizes at least a total energy consumption of the process by selecting the first operating mode, the second operating mode, the third operating mode, or the fourth operating mode.

A thermal treatment line for flexible thermal treatment of a metal pre-product, comprising:

• a loading bed (3) for introducing the metal pre-product into the thermal treatment line;
• an unloading bed (12) for discharging the metal pre-product from the thermal treatment line;
• at least one first heating device (7) for thermally treating the metal pre-product;
• at least one second heating device (9) for thermally treating the metal pre-product, in particular for heating to a forming temperature of the metal pre-product;
• and
• at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) for transporting and/or temporarily storing the metal pre-product and at least two transfer points (18, 19) for transferring the metal pre-product between the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10),
• wherein a first transport device (6) of the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) connects the loading bed (3) at least to the first heating device (7) and a first transfer point (18) of the at least two transfer points (18, 19),
• wherein a second transport device (8) of the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) connects the first heating device (7) and the first transfer point (18) to the second heating device (9) and a second transfer point (19) of the at least two transfer points (18, 19), and
• wherein a third transport device (10) of the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10) connects the second heating device (9) and the second transfer point (19) to the unloading bed (12),
• wherein the thermal treatment line is configured for
• introducing the metal pre-product into the thermal treatment line;
• temporarily storing and/or transporting the metal pre-product by the first transport device (6) from the loading bed (3) to the first transfer point (18) or the first heating device (7);
• thermally treating the metal pre-product in the first heating device (7) and thereafter transferring the metal pre-product to the second transport device (8) or transferring the metal pre-product from the first transport device (6) to the second transport device (8);
• temporarily storing and/or transporting the metal pre-product by the second transport device (8) to the second transfer point (19) or the second heating device (9);
• thermally treating the metal pre-product in the second heating device (9) and thereafter transferring the metal pre-product to the third transport device (10) or transferring the metal pre-product from the second transport device (8) to the third transport device (10);
• temporarily storing and/or transporting the metal pre-product by the third transport device (10) to the unloading bed (12);
• and
• discharging the metal pre-products from the thermal treatment line;
• wherein,
• in a first operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported without thermal treatment from the loading bed (3) to the unloading bed (12) by the at least three transport devices (6, 8, 10);
• or
• in a second operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported to the second heating device by the first transport device (6) and the second transport device (8), the metal pre-product undergoes thermal treatment in the second heating device, and the metal pre-product is transported from the second heating device to the unloading bed by the third transport device;
• or
• in a third operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported to the first heating device (7) by the first transport device (6), the metal pre-product undergoes thermal treatment in the first heating device (7);
• the metal pre-product is transported to the second heating device (9) by the second transport device (8), the metal pre-product undergoes further thermal treatment in the second heating device (9), and the metal pre-product is transported from the second heating device (9) to the unloading bed (12) by the third transport device (10);
• or
• in a fourth operating mode, the metal pre-product is transported to the first heating device (7) by the first transport device (6), the metal pre-product undergoes thermal treatment in the first heating device (7), and the metal pre-product is transported from the first heating device (7) to the unloading bed (12) by the second transport device (8) and the third transport devices (10);
• and
• wherein a control system selects the first operating mode, the second operating mode, the third operating mode, or the fourth operating mode as a function of process parameters selected from the group consisting of a material, a material flow, a temperature of the metal pre-product on the loading bed (3), a target temperature of the metal pre-product on the unloading bed (12), an energy availability, and an energy costs;
• and
• wherein the control system optimizes at least a total energy consumption by selecting the first operating mode, the second operating mode, the third operating mode, or the fourth operating mode.