Development of a robot system for removing top dross on a zinc pot

용융아연욕 부유물 제거용 로봇시스템 개발

Throughout CGL(Continuous Galvanizing Line) in steel works, zinc-coated steel sheets are produced which are used where long-running corrosion resistivity is required. During the galvanizing process, top dross is created and floated on the zinc pot. Because the dross leaves ill patterns on the coated sheets, it is removed manually with shovel-like tools in about twenty minutes. Because, however, the working environment is very noisy, hot and harmful to human workers, a robot system is developed and implemented on a real plant to automatically remove the top dross. It consists of a robot and its carriage system, a pot level sensor, a system controller, and special tools to collect, pick up, and put the top dross into a dross waste basket. A system software is developed to monitor the system status. A series of tests were performed to verify the robot motion and adaptation to working conditions, and proved successful work.