Calculation tool and closed loop control for the JCO ® pipe forming process

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, a new solution for the process planning and closed loop control of the JCO ® pipe forming process is presented. JCO ® pipe forming enables the production of open seam pipes out of steel plates by progressive bending (usually between 15 and 23 subsequent circumferential bending steps). Typical JCO ® pipes can be found in a diameter range from 457 to 1422 mm (18 to 56 inch) with wall thicknesses of up to 45 mm. These longitudinal-submerged arc-welded (LSAW) pipes are usually 12.2 or 18.3 m long. One crucial process parameter is the stroke for each single bending step depending on the required open seam pipe shape: With regard to subsequent process steps a perfect round shape is not always beneficial. Thus, the calculation software ShapeBase has been implemented into practice recently, taking into account the most important steps in the pipe production process chain. This fast software tool allows the process planning and optimisation of JCO ® plate forming to pipe. But due to variations in raw material (e.g. chemistry, yield point, wall thickness) even reliable theoretical calculations of process parameters can only be taken as initial machine values. To decrease further optimisation effort and increase the quality not only of the whole pipe lot but also of each single pipe, the above mentioned tool has been extended by an in-line measuring unit ShapeView and a real-time process control module ShapeControl.