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US 5,963,918 AGranted
System and method of optimizing rolling mill roll inventory
AssigneeMorgan Construction Company
InventorsDaniel L. Reagan, S. Mark Shore
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMorgan Construction Company
InventorsDaniel L. Reagan, S. Mark Shore
Estimating the term…
A system and method for optimizing an inventory of rolls used in a rolling mill, the rolling mill having a plurality of rolling equipment each utilizing a predetermined combination of roll stands and roll guides. Each of the roll stands and roll guides utilizes at least one pair of rolls for respectively working and guiding an entry product of a predetermined size into an output product of a selected size. The method and system operates to compile and store data corresponding to individual rolls in the inventory. Operational parameters are defined for the rolling mill to produce the output product. The data corresponding to the individual rolls is iteratively correlated with the operational parameters to create an array of possible roll combinations for each roll stand or roll guide. Optimal family sets of rolls are determined from the array of possible roll combinations for the rolling mill in accordance with the operational parameters.
A system for optimizing an inventory of rolls used in a rolling mill, said rolling mill having a plurality of rolling equipment each utilizing a predetermined combination of roll stands and roll guides, each of said roll stands and roll guides utilizes at least one pair of rolls for respectively working and guiding an entry product of a predetermined size into an output product of a selected size, said system comprising:
A method of optimizing an inventory of rolls used in a rolling mill, said rolling mill having a plurality of rolling equipment each utilizing a predetermined combination of roll stands and roll guides, each of said roll stands and roll guides utilizes at least one pair of rolls for respectively working and guiding an entry product of a predetermined size into a output product of a selected size, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management: inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling,…
Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling: operations research,…
Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders: using inventory planning
Point-of-sale [POS] network systems: inventory monitoring
Term ended 29 Oct 2016 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
The invention relates to a system and method of optimizing a rolling mill roll inventory.
The use of computer based automated inventory and retrieval systems has become a necessity for many large-volume processes in which a large number of items must be stored for a period of time. Such processes include assembly line operations wherein a large number of identical items are temporarily stored prior to subsequent non-identical processing as well as retrieval systems where a large number of unique items must be stored in a manner such that quick retrieval is allowed.
The monitoring and verification of inventory is a necessity in a wide variety of industries. For example, in the steel rolling mill industry it is critical that accurate inventories are kept with regard to the rolls used in equipment in the mills. The rolls are configured to be used and reused for various rolling jobs. The rolls develop a history of use and age, and are ground to have desired surface characteristics such as grooves, etc. When a groove is worn to the point of being unusable with respect to one rolling job, it may still have a viable life for other jobs. This efficient use of rolls is essential in light of the ever rising costs of the rolls themselves.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention involving a software program which operates in conjunction with a computer system within a rolling mill;
FIG. 2 shows a groove interface menu in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows a configuration interface menu in accordance with the present invention;
The system and method of optimizing rolling mill roll inventories in accordance with the present invention operates to simplify the tracking, grinding and utilization of rolling mill rolls through the roll shop. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention involves a software program which operates in conjunction with a system 10 within a rolling mill utilizing a main conventional computer 12 and associated database 14 as shown in FIG. 1. The main computer has a CPU 16, an I/O device 17 and a display CRT 18. The system may also include a mill computer 20 which is situated within the rolling mill in the vicinity of the rolling equipment, and a roll shop computer 30 which is situated within the shop that serves as the area for storing and grinding of the rolls. The mill and roll shop computers have respective CPUs 22,32, I/O devices 24,34, and CRT displays 26,36. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the CPUs can be any one of a number of conventionally available computers. For example, a 486- or Pentium based IBM personal computer utilizing a Windows based operating system.
The system and method of the present invention as used in a software program as illustrated provides for a display of information and allows of manipulation of data through formatted interface menus, providing a structured organized system for roll management. The interface menus allow the user to change data on an interactive display for selecting options.
As rules are ordered and received within the rolling mill, all pertinent information is entered into the system at the main computer 12 and assigned to storage locations such as the roll shop to become available in the data base 14 for use in specific roll families.