Method for detecting an at least partly arched roller

Abstract

A method for detecting an at least partly arched roller in a continuous casting machine in which the machine includes a plurality of rollers forming upper and lower tracks and arranged substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the tracks, with the rollers being rotatably mounted in supporting members to transport elongated material produced in the machine. The method includes measuring the reaction forces resulting in the supporting members by counteracting the weight of the roller and the load from the material and any dynamic forces exerted by the material on the roller, with the measuring being made at least two times during a rotation of the roller and at at least one of the supporting members of the roller. The presence of an at least partly arched roller is established based on a considerable fluctuation of the reaction force value during a rotation of the roller.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Method for detecting an at least partly arched roller in a continuous casting machine, wherein the continuous casting machine comprises a plurality of rollers forming upper and lower tracks and arranged substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of the upper and lower tracks, with the rollers in the tracks being rotatably mounted in supporting members to transport elongated cast material produced in the machine, the method comprising: 
 measuring reaction forces in at least one of the supporting members of a roller which result from counteracting a weight of the roller and a load from the cast material and any dynamic forces exerted by the cast material on the roller, the measuring of the reaction forces being made at least two times during a rotation of the roller; and    establishing that the roller is an at least partly arched roller based upon fluctuation of the reaction force during a rotation of the roller.    
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is a rolling bearing.  
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting member is a sliding bearing.  
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one supporting member comprises a measuring device.  
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the roller is split into two roller portions.  
     
     
         6 . Method for detecting an at least partly arched roller in a continuous casting machine, comprising: 
 transporting elongated cast material between an upper track of rollers and a lower track of rollers in which the rollers of the upper track and the rollers of the lower track are arranged substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal extent of the upper and lower tracks, and with the rollers in the upper track and the rollers in the lower track being rotatably mounted in supporting members, the supporting members being subjected to reaction forces resulting from counteracting a weight of the roller and a load from the cast material and any dynamic forces exerted by the cast material on the roller;    measuring at least two times during a single rotation of at least one of the rollers the reaction forces in at least one of the supporting members of the at least one roller;    determining a fluctuation in the measured reaction forces; and    determining that the at least one roller is at least partly arched based upon the determined fluctuation in the measured reaction forces.    
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the supporting member is a rolling bearing.  
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the supporting member is a sliding bearing.  
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one supporting member comprises a measuring device.  
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one roller is divided into two roller portions arranged axially adjacent one another.  
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 6 , wherein the roller is split into two roller portions.