Sendzimir’s Shapemeters
Sendzimir’s Shapemeter is a piece of equipment unique to our operations. Working in conjunction with our rolling mills, shapemeters display the actual shape of the strip during production. Before the Sendzimir shapemeter it was impossible to see when rolling strip under tension, but thanks to Sendzimir, the solution was patented. Since then, T. Sendzimir, Inc. has offered our game changing shapemeter design.
The Original Shapemeter
The original shapemeter’s design remains as useful to rolling mill operations as it was in 1994, which is why Sendzimir continues to offer this field-proven equipment.
How It Works
The shapemeter utilizes a fixed shaft spanning the width of the strip and is supported in stationary support blocks. A separate bearing is mounted upon this shaft at each measuring zone, and on the outside of this bearing, a plain or urethane-covered steel ring is mounted, covering the full width of the zone.
On the inside of each bearing, a fixed transducer is mounted within the shaft to measure the radial force on the bearing. The output signal from each transducer is directly wired to a computer or other display device, then the transducers are loaded for the full 360° rotation of the roll.
This shapemeter is available in two versions:
- Version 1: Use for cases where the unit operates at a fixed wrap angle.
- Version 2: Used when the unit must replace an existing billy roll.
Sendzimir Shapemeter Design
Our newer, low-cost Sendzimir shapemeter has been in service for several years. This extremely compact invention uses a very simple design to measure the tension of the strip across its width during rolling and was originally developed for the narrower strip marketplace (30″ and less).
The Sendzimir shapemeter systems comprise extremely compact, self-contained assemblies mounted inboard of the deflector rolls. This simplicity in design has resulted in T. Sendzimir, Inc. being able to offer the Sendzimir shapemeter at a highly competitive price.
How It Works
The Sendzimir Shapemeter functions by measuring tension distribution across the width of the strip. This process is achieved by passing the strip over the Sendzimeter shapemeter sensor roll at a fixed wrap angle. The radial force generated is then measured by load cells mounted beneath the roll.
Differences between the forces on various measuring zones are converted by a computer to tension stress differences, taking into account the known width and thickness of the strip (Tension stress distribution relates directly to flatness error). Calculated differences are then displayed on a monitor to the user.
Sendzimir Shapemeter Compatibility With Sendzimir Mills
In the case of reversing mills, the Sendzimir shapemeter rolls are mounted on the left and right sides of the mill, so flatness readings are available when rolling in either direction.
To keep the cost reasonable and to avoid complications caused by factors, such as slip rings, each sensor is a stationary load cell. Each zone is supported by a pair of support rollers mounted on top of the stationary load cell. By this means, an independent measure of the tension in the strip passing over each segment is obtained along with a number of other data points, virtually eliminating crosstalk between measuring zones.
Benefits of the Sendzimir Shapemeter
All components of the Sendzimir Shapemeter are very small, enabling units to be fitted into very restricted areas and keeping the weight, the inertia, and the cost to a minimum. Additionally, Sendzimir Shapemeters use standard commercial computers and input boards to ensure that the greatest possible performance is achieved at minimum cost.
Sendzimir Shapemeter assemblies are mounted on a retractable frame that enables quick retraction in the case of emergency and minimizes exposure of the devices to damage. The units incorporate heavy guards for additional protection.
Sendzimir Shapemeter Adaptability
In the case of reversing mills, the Sendzimir Shapemeter rolls are mounted on the left and right sides of the mill, so flatness readings are available when rolling in either direction.
To keep the cost reasonable and to avoid complications caused by factors, such as slip rings, each sensor is a stationary load cell. Each zone is supported by a pair of support rollers mounted on top of the stationary load cell. By these means, an independent measure of the tension in the strip passing over each segment is obtained along with a number of other data points, virtually eliminating crosstalk between measuring zones.