As plate rolling becomes more entrenched in high-end industries like aerospace and defense, the technology has advanced to keep pace with the exotic materials used in those sectors along with the ever-tighter tolerance demands. To maximize process accuracy, plate rolling machine OEMs are now integrating AI and hyper-precise laser technology. In addition to taking plate rolling machines to the limits of performance, these technologies make operating at the extremes less demanding for inexperienced operators.
In aerospace, for example, fabricators are moving toward wider plates to roll longer fuselage sections, which reduces the number of secondary assemblies required in the production process. Because these and other complex aerospace components are produced in low-volume lot sizes, fabricators must roll parts correctly the first time or run the risk of scrapping them and losing money in terms of raw material, downtime and reruns.
On top of maintaining tight production tolerances for component integrity and shop productivity, fabricators must contend with the ongoing lack of skilled plate rolling machine operators. Plate rolling has long been a subtle combination of manufacturing process and art, with operator experience and intuition factoring significantly into a successful roll.
But as experienced operators retire, they take with them decades of knowledge and experience. To overcome these challenges, machine controls that incorporate AI make the plate rolling process significantly easier and provide better results.
Adding AI
Italian plate rolling machine manufacturer Davi, with its Texas-based branch, Davi Inc., for example, has developed the AI-augmented iVision laser radius measuring system for its all-electric e-Power plate rolling machines. The e-Power machines feature extremely precise technology that achieves a positioning accuracy of 0.05 in., compared to the typical 0.1 in. precision found on conventional plate rolling machines.
To capitalize on this precision, iVision uses a “laser blade” as opposed to a single laser beam point for in-process measuring. Employing a laser beam in the non-visible spectrum, the blade scans a wider rounded area, recording thousands of points along the curved surface of a radius at one time.
By ignoring atypical readings and “averaging” all data points captured by the laser blade, the system obtains an accurate picture of the plate and eliminates the risk that material hard spots and irregularities, surface mill scale and shop environmental conditions such as incidental light reflections could negatively affect the measurements.
With the combination of AI and a specific algorithm, iVision transmits the readings and measurements directly to the plate rolling machine’s CNC where process adjustment data is calculated to automatically adjust the machine’s side rolls in real time. This streamlines the rolling process and ensures the most accurate results in the shortest amount of time possible.
In a typical rolling process, operators load a plate and start rolling. As the plate is rolled, they estimate the final radius mathematically or manually check its radius with a template, then return to the control, make any necessary adjustments and advance the plate further. The procedure of calculating, checking and adjusting is repeated until the desired radius size is achieved. This back-and-forth procedure can happen several times during a single plate rolling sequence. Because iVision eliminates the need for templates, the system not only speeds up the process, it also significantly reduces the need for highly experienced operators to make those calculations and manual adjustments.
AI-enhanced plate rolling also has the capability to learn and discern the inconsistencies between various types and grades of material. Hot-rolled, cold-rolled and pickled-and-oiled steels all have different characteristics and surface conditions that will affect not only the rolling process but the measuring and analytic process for radius determination. AI systems can account for those inconstancies and correct rolling processes accordingly without operator intervention.
Another advantage of the system is that the iVision’s laser head moves up and down in the vertical axis as well as tilts. That capability ensures that the laser blade is always in the ideal position for measuring the radius regardless of the plate size.
These smart and fully autonomous systems also become a fabricators’ force multiplier. In addition to allowing less experienced operators to run advanced rolling processes, AI-enabled automated plate rolling allows operators to focus on other tasks rather than standing by to attend a single machine through an entire shift.
Data difference
Davi also offers the iVision system in another version called iRadius that provides the measurement data in the form of a digital readout. With that data available, operators can manually make the adjustment necessary for the proper roll during the process. This is particularly helpful when rolling with machines that do not have CNC controls.
Both iVision and iRadius eliminate the need for operators to walk to the front of the plate rolling machine and manually measure a radius using templates or “sweepers.” The iRadius unit is retrofittable to existing machines and is especially useful for those shops rolling extremely large parts that would otherwise require the operator to crawl inside the parts to take measurements.
With innovations like iVision, iRadius and AI-driven controls, fabricators can productively and profitably meet the demands of high-tolerance sectors like aerospace and defense even without highly experienced operators. As AI-enabled plate rolling machine controls continue to advance, today’s fabricators will gain the capability to handle components with even more complex radii, allowing those shops to efficiently and profitably keep pace with the industries they serve.
