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The concept of an automatic ERW tube mill factory centers on creating a production environment with minimal manual intervention, maximizing efficiency, consistency, and safety. Shijiazhuang Faith Machinery Co., Ltd designs production lines that integrate various automated subsystems to achieve a continuous flow from raw coil to finished, packaged pipe.
Automation begins at the material handling stage. Heavy-duty motorized decoilers are used to hold the steel coils. These are often paired with automatic loading systems, such as coil cars or cranes, to reduce the physical labor required to position new coils. A key component for non-stop operation is the strip accumulation loop. This loop holds a reserve of strip material, allowing the main production line to continue running while the trailing end of one coil is welded to the leading end of the next coil in a separate, stationary butt-welding station. This process is crucial for achieving high overall equipment effectiveness.
The forming and welding section is the heart of the automated mill. Here, edge guidance systems, typically using optical or laser sensors, continuously monitor the position of the strip edges as they converge. They provide feedback to the control system to make micro-adjustments to the forming stands, ensuring perfect alignment before the strip enters the welding unit. This is vital for creating a consistent, high-quality weld. The high-frequency welder itself is automatically controlled, with parameters for power and frequency tuned to the specific pipe size and material grade being produced.
After welding, the pipe enters the sizing section, where a series of calibrated stands precisely control the final outer diameter. In fully automated lines, the sizing rolls may be adjusted remotely or even automatically via servo motors based on the production recipe loaded into the PLC. The cooling process that follows is also controlled to ensure the pipe reaches the correct temperature for cutting.
The cutting-off process is a prime example of automation. A flying cut-off saw, which can be a cold saw or an abrasive saw, synchronizes its speed with the moving pipe. It makes a precise cut, then rapidly returns to its starting position to await the next cut. The cut-length is accurately controlled by the PLC. Finally, automated handling systems, such as roller conveyors, belt conveyors, or robotic arms, take the finished pipes from the exit table, stack them into bundles, and may even apply identification tags or prepare them for packaging. This level of automation allows a single operator to monitor the entire process from a control room, with the system providing alerts in case of any deviations from set parameters.
