Weld box auto roll sensing and positioning system

Abstract

A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation generally includes a weld box, a roll, a first sensor, and a controller. The roll is disposed within the weld box for simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material. The first sensor detects either an actual load applied to the roll by the stock material or a position of the roll. The controller is in data communication with the first sensor and is operable to displace the roll along a first axis relative to the weld box in accordance with a difference between either the actual load and a load parameter or the roll position and a position parameter.

1 . A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a weld box;    a roll disposed in said weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material;    a first sensor for detecting one of an actual load applied to said roll by said stock material and a position of said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box; and    a controller in data communication with said first sensor and operable to displace said roll along said first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between one of said actual load and a load parameter and said position of said roll and a first position parameter.    
     
     
         2 . A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a weld box;    a roll disposed in said weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material;    a first sensor for detecting one of an actual load applied to said roll by said stock material and a position of said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box;    a controller in data communication with said first sensor and operable to displace said roll along said first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between one of said actual load and a load parameter and said position of said roll and a first position parameter; and    a second sensor in data communication with said controller for detecting a position of said roll along a second axis relative to said weld box that is substantially perpendicular to said first axis.    
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising said controller being operable to displace said roll along said second axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said position of said roll along said second axis and a second position parameter.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising an electronic storage unit in data communication with said controller for storing said load parameter and said first and second position parameters.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a processor in data communication with said controller for determining said differences between said position of said roll and said first and second position parameters and said actual load and said load parameter.  
     
     
         6 . A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a weld box;    a roll disposed in said weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material;    a first sensor for detecting an actual load applied to said roll by said stock material; and    a controller in data communication with said first sensor and operable to displace said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said actual load and a load parameter.    
     
     
         7 . A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a weld box;    a roll disposed in said weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material;    a first sensor for detecting an actual load applied to said roll by said stock material;    a controller in data communication with said first sensor and operable to displace said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said actual load and a load parameter; and    a second sensor in data communication with said controller for detecting a position of said roll along said first axis.    
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising said controller being operable to displace said roll along said first axis in accordance with a difference between said position of said roll along said first axis and a first position parameter.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a third sensor in data communication with said controller for measuring a position of said roll along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to said first axis.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising said controller being operable to displace said roll along said second axis in accordance with a difference between said position of said roll along said second axis and a second position parameter.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising said first sensor including a load cell operably engaged by said roll.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising said second and third sensors including optical measurement devices.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising an electronic storage unit in data communication with said controller for storing said load parameter and said first and second position parameters.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a processor in data communication with said controller for determining said differences between said position of said roll and said first and second position parameters and said actual load and said load parameter.  
     
     
         15 . A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a weld box;    a roll disposed in said weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material;    a first sensor for detecting a position of said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box; and    a controller in data communication with said first sensor and operable to displace said roll along said first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said position of said roll along said first axis relative to said weld box and a first position parameter.    
     
     
         16 . A system for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a weld box;    a roll disposed in said weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material;    a first sensor for detecting a position of said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box;    a controller in data communication with said first sensor and operable to displace said roll along said first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said position of said roll along said first axis relative to said weld box and a first position parameter; and    a second sensor in data communication with said controller for detecting an actual load applied to said roll by said stock material.    
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising said controller being operable to displace said roll along said first axis in accordance with a difference between said actual load and a load parameter.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a third sensor in data communication with said controller for detecting a position of said roll along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to said first axis.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising said controller being operable to displace said roll along said second axis in accordance with a difference between said position of said roll along said second axis and a second position parameter.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising said second sensor including a load cell operably engaged by said roll.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 18 , further comprising said first and third sensors each including an optical measurement device.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising an electronic storage unit in data communication with said controller for storing said load parameter and said first and second position parameters.  
     
     
         23 . A method for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation using a weld box and a roll disposed in the weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material, the method comprising: 
 detecting at least one of an actual load applied to the roll by the stock material and a position of the roll along a first axis relative to the weld box; and    displacing the roll along said first axis relative to the weld box in accordance with a difference between at least one of said actual load and a predetermined load parameter and said position of the roll along said first axis and a first predetermined position parameter.    
     
     
         24 . A method for monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation using a weld box and a roll disposed in the weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material, the method comprising: 
 detecting at least one of an actual load applied to the roll by the stock material and a position of the roll along a first axis relative to the weld box;    displacing the roll along said first axis relative to the weld box in accordance with a difference between at least one of said actual load and a predetermined load parameter and said position of the roll along said first axis and a first predetermined position parameter; and    retrieving said predetermined load parameter and said first predetermined position parameter from an electronic storage unit prior to displacing the roll.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising detecting at least one of said actual load applied to the roll and said position of the roll along said first axis including at least one sensor transmitting a signal to a controller.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 detecting a position of the roll along a second axis relative to the weld box that is substantially perpendicular to said first axis; and    displacing the roll along said second axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said position of the roll along said second axis and a second predetermined position parameter.    
     
     
         27 . A method of automatically monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 receiving a load signal from a first sensor, said load signal corresponding to a load applied to a roll in a weld box by a stock material;    comparing said load signal to a load parameter; and    displacing said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said load signal and said load parameter.    
     
     
         28 . A method of automatically monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 receiving a load signal from a first sensor, said load signal corresponding to a load applied to a roll in a weld box by a stock material;    comparing said load signal to a load parameter;    displacing said roll along a first axis relative to said weld box in accordance with a difference between said load signal and said load parameter;    receiving a first position signal from a second sensor, said first position signal corresponding to a position of said roll along said first axis;    comparing said first position signal to a first position parameter; and    displacing said roll along said first axis in accordance with a difference between said first position signal and said first position parameter.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 receiving a second position signal from a third sensor, said second position signal corresponding to a position of said roll along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to said first axis;    comparing said second position signal to a second position parameter; and    displacing said roll along said second axis in accordance with a difference between said second position signal and said second position parameter.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising retrieving said load value from an electronic storage unit prior to comparing said load signal to said load value.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising retrieving said first position parameter from an electronic storage unit prior to comparing said first position signal to said first position parameter.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising retrieving said second position parameter from an electronic storage unit prior to comparing said second position signal to said second position parameter.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising displacing said roll along said first and second axes including automatically actuating a motor operably attached to said roll.  
     
     
         34 . A method of automatically monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 retrieving a first position parameter from an electronic storage unit;    receiving a first position signal from a first sensor, said position signal corresponding to a position of a roll along a first axis in a weld box;    comparing said first position signal to said first position parameter; and    displacing said roll along said first axis in accordance with a difference between said first position signal and said first position parameter.    
     
     
         35 . A method of automatically monitoring and controlling a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 retrieving a first position parameter from an electronic storage unit;    receiving a first position signal from a first sensor, said position signal corresponding to a position of a roll along a first axis in a weld box;    comparing said first position signal to said first position parameter;    displacing said roll along said first axis in accordance with a difference between said first position signal and said first position parameter;    receiving a load signal from a second sensor, said load signal corresponding to a load applied to the roll by a stock material;    comparing said load signal to a load parameter; and    displacing said roll along said first axis in accordance with a difference between said load signal and said load parameter.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 receiving a second position signal from a third sensor, said second position signal corresponding to a position of said roll along a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to said first axis;    comparing said second position signal to a second position parameter; and    displacing said roll along said second axis in accordance with a difference between said second position signal and said second position parameter.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising retrieving said first position parameter from an electronic storage unit prior to comparing said first position signal with said first position parameter.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising retrieving said load parameter from said electronic storage unit prior to comparing said load signal to said load parameter.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising retrieving said second position parameter from said electronic storage unit prior to comparing said second position signal to said second position parameter.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising displacing said roll along said first and second axes including automatically actuating a motor operably attached to said roll.  
     
     
         41 . A weld box for use during a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a sidewall; and    a roll rotatably supported in the weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material, at least one of said sidewall and said roll being adapted to contain a coolant flow for removing heat from inside the weld box.    
     
     
         42 . A weld box for use during a tube milling operation, comprising: 
 a sidewall; and    a roll rotatably supported in the weld box for substantially simultaneously compressing and guiding a stock material, at least one of said sidewall and said roll being adapted to contain a coolant flow for removing heat from inside the weld box and said sidewall including a dual walled side wall defining a flow path for said coolant flow.    
     
     
         43 . The weld box of  claim 42 , further comprising a hollow shaft rotatably supporting said roll and adapted to contain a coolant flow for removing heat from said roll.