FURNACE CHARGING

AREA ELECTRICAL
AND AUTOMATION

By Md. AJMAL

Description of Charging
Conveyor

The charging conveyor will receive billets

from the billet skids and advance them one
at a time to the walking beam furnace.
A loading/discard mechanism is located
opposite the skids.
There is a disappearing stopper positioned at
the furnace end of the charging conveyor
and end of the Roller table group-1.
A weigh station is included so that billets can
be weighed prior to entering the furnace.

Conveyor
The conveyor consists of 24 cylindrical rollers,
divided into four groups as follows:
Group #1(RTDB-2) - 5 rollers covering the billet
skids.
Group #2(RTDB-3) - 6 rollers after
disappearing stopper.
Group #3(RTDB-4) - 6 rollers.
Group #4(RTDB-5) - 7 rollers.

Introduction of Billet Skid

A set of billet separating skids is used to separate
and align groups of cold billets deposited on the
skids by an overhead crane with magnets.
Billets are placed on the single-level flat skids by
a crane.
Skids have capacity for 34 x 165mm square
billets.
Billets are delivered singly by the skids to the
furnace charging conveyor.

 Skids are arranged perpendicular to the furnace

charging tables so that billets are advanced across
the level of the skids to the tables
A Disappearing stopper (when raised) holds the
billets until it is clear to deposit onto the furnace
charging table.
The separating skids consist of a series of five
parallel fixed skids, with five interposed
The movable
skids are driven from an eccentric
reciprocating
skids.
shaft, causing
a walking-beam action as the
movable skids raise above the surface of the fixed
skids, advance the billets and then move down to a
position below the fixed skids.

Roller Drives
The conveyor rollers are each individually driven by
variable speed gear motors rated 5.5 kW, 102 Roll
rpm, 3 phase, shaft mounted. The motors are squirrel
cage induction type. There are 4 VVVF variable
frequency inverters, one for each roller group.
Control is VVVF reversing. The conveyor normally
operates in the forward direction only. The reverse
capability is provided for operator convenience.
Reversing can be used to return billets from the
All motors
in a discard
group operate
furnace
to the
table. in unison, therefore group
control is used. However, each motor will have
individual overload protection. Each group will have
speed ramps to control acceleration and deceleration to
stop.

Drive
The eccentric shaft is driven through a 50:1 speed
reducer by an industrial-type, 160 kW, 739rpm.

Control
Control for drive motor is full VVVF, with over
current and under voltage protection and with
adjustable time limit acceleration.

Billet Loader / Discard

The loader / discard table is located beside the
charging conveyor on the opposite side of the
conveyor from the billet skid. The mechanism has two
purposes, one is to load the billet onto the furnace
charging roller table. The other is to discard the billet.
The loader / discard arrangement consists of 4
traversing buggies which operate in unison. There
is a pivoting nose(Arm) piece on each buggy. When
the buggy is fully retracted (towards the billet
skids),When
the nose
piece is retract,
hydraulically
lifted
behind
billet.
the buggies
they can
retract
theone of two positions. The first position pulls
to

 billet to the furnace charging conveyor. the other

position pulls the billet off of the conveyor rollers
and onto the discard table. There is storage space
on the table for several billets. Billets are
removed from the discard table by an overhead
magnet crane.

INDEX OF ELECTRICAL
DEVICES.

NUMBERS OF ROLLER TABLE MOTOR

Roller Drive Motors - FC/M1-24

PEDS
1. Product
2. Product
3. Product
FC/PED3
4. Product

Detectors at Roller Table group #1 - FC/PED1

Detectors at Roller Table group #3 - FC/PED2
Detectors at No. 2 Stopper Photoelectric Detector Detectors at Furnace Entry - FC/PED4

PROXYMITY LIMIT SWITCH

Billet
Billet
Billet
Billet
Billet

Loader
Loader
Loader
Loader
Loader

/
/
/
/
/

Discard
Discard
Discard
Discard
Discard

Traverse Load Indication - FC/PLS5

Traverse pickup Indication - FC/PLS6
Traverse discard Indication - FC/PLS7
Raise Position Indication - FC/PLS8
Lower Position Indication - FC/PLS9

PROXIMITY LIMIT SWITCH

Disappearing Stop No. 1 Position Raised Indication - FC/PLS1
Disappearing Stop No. 1 Position Lowered Indication - FC/PLS2
Disappearing Stop No. 2 Position Raised Indication - FC/PLS3
Disappearing Stop No. 2 Position Lowered Indication - FC/PLS4
Billet skid stopper up indication-PLS
Billet skid stopper down indication-PLS
Product Detector at Skids Disappearing Stop - FC/LS1, 2
Weigh Lift Raised Position Indication - FC/PLS13
Weigh Lift Lowered Position Indication - FC/PLS14
Billet skid motor homing-PLS
LOAD CELL
Weigher Load cells - FC/LC1-4

LENGTH MEASUREMENT UNIT

Billet Length Measurement - FCRT/BLS1

SOLENOID VALVES
Billet Loader / Discard Traverse Solenoid Valve FC/EV1
Billet Loader / Discard Raise Solenoid valve - FC/EV2
Disappearing Stop No. 1 Solenoid Valve - FC/EV3
Disappearing Stop No. 2 Solenoid Valve - FC/EV4
Weigh Lift Solenoid Valve - FC/EV11

Disappearing Stopper

There are 2 disappearing stoppers in the charging

conveyor. The stopper is intended to take the
impact of billet moving in the forward direction
toward the furnace only.
Stopper No.1 - This is located at the end of
the first Roller table group. It is used to hold billet
at the skid section until the roller table is ready to
receive the billet.
Stopper No.2 - This is at the furnace entry. It is
used to hold billets if the entry table inside the
furnace is occupied. Billet front ends against this
stopper are properly positioned for weighing and
measuring.

Billet Sensors(LIMIT SWITCH)

Two Product Detectors (FC/LS1-2)

limit switches are provided. These detect
a billet at the billet skids disappearing
stopper position and will initiate the
lowering of the disappearing stopper and a
roller table loading cycle. Two
Disappearing Stopper Position proximity
switches are indicates the UP position and
indicates the DOWN position.

Billet Sensors

There are four billet photoelectric

sensors (FC/PED1-4) located on the

furnace charging conveyor, these are
used to detect whether the tables
are clear to receive a new billet.

Billet Sensor at roller table group #1

Product Detectors at Roller group #1

detects whether a billet is on the roller
group #1, If roller group #1 is occupied
then the billet skids will not be allowed to
place a billet on the roller table.
Billet Sensor at roller table group #3
PED-2 sense the head of the billet and
speed of ROLLER TABLE GROUP gets
down., it will also detect if a billet has
been reversed back to roller group #1 for
discarding.PED-3 is located after the 2nd
motor of Roller table Group-3.

LOAD CELL
There are 4 tension type Weigher Load Cells built
into the lifting mechanism. When the beam is lifted, a
signal sent from the 4 load cells to the electronic scale
unit where the weight in Kg is indicated on a digital
display and printed. The indicator is in the furnace
charging pulpit. The printer can be located in an office
or clean control room environment. Printed data
consists of date, time, grade, heat, charge, billet
number and accumulated total. This information is
also passed to the Level 2 system.
Accuracy in % of load weight with tare weight less
than 1000 kg:
+/- 0.1 % for 1500 to 3000 kg
+/- 0.2% for 750 to 1500 kg
Maximum capacity - 3000 kg - Readout in 1 kg
increments

BILLET LENGTH MEASUREMENT

Measurement of billet length is important to allow
correct billet placement in the furnace.
A billet is measured as part of the weighing cycle.
As the billet is raised the billet is at the same height as
the laser measurement system, the laser signal is
monitored, this signal is converted into a distance
measurement (X).
The distance between the laser measurement system
and the disappearing stop #1 is known (Y)
The system can then calculate the Billet length: Y - X
=Z
A small delay should be added to the system to allow
the billet to settle before the laser signal is monitored.
This should initially be set to 1 second but be site
adjustable.

BILLET MEASURING ARRANGEMENT

Z
X
FURNACE
DISAPPEARING
CENTRE OF LASER
STOPPER
MEASUREMENT DEVICE

FURNACE CHARGING OPERATOR CONTROL

SWITCHES

DISCARD TRAVERSE
BILLET SKID
FUR.CHARGING CONVEYER
MAN
AUTO MAN AUTO
MAN
MP1 CASTER SIDE
READY
NOT READY BILLET REQUEST

MP2
DISCARD TRAVERSE
READY
NOT READY FORWARD
LOAD
DISCARD
STOP
MP3
READY
NOT READY
E-STOP

READY

MP4
NOT READY

SIREN

AUTO

FUR. DISAPP STOP

DISCARD ARM
RAISE
RAISE
LOWER
LOWER
WEIGH SCALE STACKING AREA
RAISE
BILLET
LOWER
AUTO SKID
DISAPP STOP (BEFORE R.T GROUP-1) BILLET SKID JOG
RAISE
REV
FWD
LOWER
F.REV
F.FWD
FURNACE CHARGING CONVEYOR
DRV-GR1 DRV-GR2 DRV-GR3 DRV-GR4
REV FWD
REV FWD
REV FWD
FWD
REV FWD

MASTER
REV

BILLET SKID MOTOR SPECIFICATION

Position drive
Supply voltage
Supply frequency
Rated KW
Rated current
Revolution per minute
Power factor

400 Vac
, 690 Vac
50HZ
160KW
295 Ampere
739
0.82 cos

BILLET SKID TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Maximum drive torque

Nominal drive torque
Maximum drive current
Speed down time
Speed up time
Synchronization set R.P.M

2067.51 Nm
2067.51 Nm
295 Ampere
2 sec
2 sec
200 RPM

BILLET SKID TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Fast speed at Auto Mode

450
Manual Jog Forward
450
Manual Jog reverse
-450
Slow Manual Jog Forward
250
Slow Manual Jog Reverse
-250
Nominal Drive Rated RPM
700
Maximum Drive Rated RPM 750

ROLLER TABLE MOTOR TECHNICAL

SPECIFICATION
Nominal rated of drive
1500 RPM
Upper speed limit
1500 RPM
Lower speed limit
-1500 RPM
Jog forward RPM
800 RPM
Jog Reverse RPM
-800 RPM
Gear ratio
14.0
Stopping time from rated speed to zero
sec
Quick stop time from rated speed to zero
sec

5.0
3.0

ROLLER TABLE MOTOR TECHNICAL

SPECIFICATION
Maximum drive current
15.0 Ampere
Nominal drive current
12.0 Ampere
Nominal drive torque
1000.0 Nm
Maximum drive torque
1200.0 Nm

The sequence of the loader will be as follows:

Discard arm lower (down).

Traverse at pick up position (fully towards
billet skids)
Billet at disappearing stopper.
Disappearing Stopper lower (Down).
Discard arm up.
Traverse to charging conveyor.
Discard arm lower (down).

FURNACE CHARGING AREA AUTO CONDITION

HMI CONTROL

HMI CONTROL

HMI CONTROL

HMI CONTROL

Automatic Billet Loading

Sequence from Skids to
Roller Conveyor

Billets are advanced up against the stopper (Cycling the

Billet Skids).

2. When billet reaches to the last position of the

billet skid, two trans-receiver type PED located at
the edge of skid detects the last position.
PED for sensing last position of the billet on the
billet skid

3. The stopper of the billet skid gets lower (down)

and simultaneously a loading cycle starts.

Billet skid stopper

down

4.Discard arm gets up and by holding the billet it

come back to the LOAD position and place the billet
in the centre of Roller table Group-1.

Discard arm
lower

5. PED-1 sense the billet and roller table gets start.

PED-1

6. PED-2 sense the head of the billet and speed of ROLLER TABLE GROUP
gets down.

7. Billet reaches to the ROLLER TABLE GROUP-4 and before the

stopper-2 PED-3 is located, when PED-3 sense the billet
ROLLER TABLE GROUP-4 gets off.

PED 3

8.Stopper -2 will get down.

Stopper-2 up
PLS
Stopper-2 down
position

Stopper-2 down
PLS

9. Weighing scale will get raise and it will measure the actual
weight of the billet before entering to the furnace.
10. When weighing scale will be in raise position that time
Billet Length Measurement unit measured the length of the
billet.

Billet Length Measurement

unit

11. Weighing scale will get down , CP-1 operator accept the
length and weight of the billet then Furnace entry door will open.
12. Roller Table Group-4 will get start and it reaches the PED-4,
and when billet tail edge leave the PED-4 that time stopper-2
will get raise.
FURNACE ENTRY
DOOR
PED-4
RECEIVER

PED-4
TRANSMITTER

Thank you !