Quenching apparatus and method for producing metallic material

A circulation apparatus recovers cooling fluid after the cooling fluid is used for quenching and supplies the cooling fluid to a defoaming bath. A laminar flow weir of a defoaming apparatus partitions the defoaming bath into laminar and shallow flow baths. The laminar flow weir is lower than a side wall of the laminar flow bath. Cooling fluid from the circulation apparatus is supplied to the laminar flow bath and the cooling fluid is poured into the shallow bath from the laminar flow bath along the laminar flow weir. A filter covers an opening in a bottom portion of the shallow bath. The liquid level height in the shallow bath is less than the height of the laminar flow weir. A supply bath accumulates cooling fluid that passes through the filter, and supplies the cooling fluid to a cooling apparatus that sprays the cooling fluid onto a metallic material.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a quenching apparatus, and more particularly to a quenching apparatus that performs quenching by spraying a cooling fluid onto a metallic material, a method for producing a metallic material, and a quenching method.

BACKGROUND ART

One type of quenching apparatuses performs quenching by spraying a cooling fluid onto a heated metallic material. For example, three-dimensional hot bending and quench equipment (hereunder, referred to as “3DQ equipment”) disclosed in International Application Publication No. WO 2006/093006 (Patent Literature 1) includes a gripping mechanism and a quenching apparatus. The gripping mechanism includes a rotatable and movable gripping portion. The gripping mechanism rotates and moves a heated metallic material while gripping the metallic material with the gripping portion, and applies a bending moment to the metallic material. The quenching apparatus includes a heating apparatus and a cooling apparatus. The heating apparatus heats a portion of the metallic material. The heating apparatus is, for example, a high-frequency heating furnace. The cooling apparatus cools the metallic material by spraying a cooling fluid.

The heated metal portion is subjected to a bending process by the gripping mechanism. The metal portion that is bent by the bending process is quenched by a cooling fluid that is sprayed from the cooling apparatus.

However, in a quenching apparatus of a type that performs quenching by spraying a cooling fluid, even if a sufficient amount of cooling fluid is sprayed, it may be difficult to make the quenching stable. Further, when performing a bending process by means of 3DQ equipment, quenching may be unstable and it may be difficult to obtain stable processing accuracy.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a quenching apparatus with which stable quenching is obtained, and a method for producing a metallic material.

A quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment sprays a cooling fluid onto a metallic material to perform quenching. The quenching apparatus includes a defoaming apparatus, a supply bath and a cooling apparatus. The defoaming apparatus removes air bubbles from the cooling fluid. The supply bath accumulates cooling fluid that air bubbles has been removed. The cooling apparatus sprays cooling fluid that has been supplied from the supply bath toward the metallic material. The defoaming apparatus includes a defoaming bath and a circulation apparatus. The circulation apparatus recovers cooling fluid that has been used for quenching and supplies the cooling fluid to the defoaming bath. The defoaming bath includes a laminar flow weir. The laminar flow weir partitions the defoaming bath into a laminar flow bath and a shallow bath, and is lower than a side wall of the laminar flow bath. Cooling fluid is supplied to the laminar flow bath from the circulation apparatus, and cooling fluid that flows over the laminar flow weir by overflowing from the laminar flow bath is poured into the shallow bath. The shallow bath includes a bottom portion that has an opening, and a filter. The filter is formed in a plate shape or a sheet shape, and has a mesh structure. The filter covers the opening in the bottom portion. A liquid level height in the shallow bath is less than a height of the laminar flow weir. The supply bath accumulates cooling fluid that has passed through the filter.

A method for producing a metallic material according to the present embodiment utilizes the above described quenching apparatus. The method for producing a metallic material includes a step of heating a metallic material, and a step of performing quenching of the metallic material by spraying a cooling fluid onto the heated metallic material. The step of performing quenching includes a step of removing air bubbles from the cooling fluid by means of the defoaming apparatus, and a step of spraying the cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed onto the heated metallic material.

According to the quenching apparatus and method for producing a metallic material of the present embodiment, stable hardenability is achieved.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment sprays a cooling fluid at a metallic material to perform quenching. The quenching apparatus includes a defoaming apparatus, a supply bath and a cooling apparatus. The defoaming apparatus removes air bubbles from the cooling fluid. The supply bath accumulates cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed. The cooling apparatus sprays cooling fluid supplied from the supply bath toward the metallic material. The defoaming apparatus includes a defoaming bath and a circulation apparatus. The circulation apparatus recovers cooling fluid after the cooling fluid is used for quenching and supplies the cooling fluid to the defoaming bath. The defoaming bath includes a laminar flow weir. The laminar flow weir partitions the defoaming bath into a laminar flow bath and a shallow bath, and is lower than a side wall of the laminar flow bath. Cooling fluid from the circulation apparatus is supplied to the laminar flow bath, and cooling fluid that flows over the laminar flow weir by overflowing from the laminar flow bath is poured into the shallow bath. The shallow bath includes a bottom portion that has an opening, and a filter. The filter is formed in a plate shape or a sheet shape, and has a mesh structure. The filter covers an opening of the bottom portion. A liquid level height of the shallow bath is less than a height of the laminar flow weir. The supply bath accumulates cooling fluid that passes through the filter.

In a quenching apparatus of a type that quenches by spraying a cooling fluid, the cooling capacity of the cooling fluid decreases if there is a large amount of air bubbles in the cooling fluid. Specifically, the heat transfer efficiency of a gas is lower than the heat transfer efficiency of a liquid. Therefore, if cooling fluid contains a large content of air bubbles, the influence of the air bubbles on the cooling capacity increases and the cooling capacity decreases. In the quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment, air bubbles are removed from the cooling fluid before the cooling fluid is used for quenching. Consequently, the quenching apparatus of the present embodiment can raise the cooling capacity of the cooling fluid and can adequately quench a metallic material. Therefore, the hardenability is stable. When the quenching apparatus of the present embodiment is utilized in 3DQ equipment, quenching of a metallic material portion that is bent by the 3DQ equipment can be stably performed in a substantially uniform manner. Therefore, the accuracy of a processed shape of a metallic material that is processed by the 3DQ equipment is stable.

Further, according to the present embodiment, air bubbles included in cooling fluid that is recovered after the cooling fluid is used for quenching are reduced by the following method. In a quenching apparatus of a type that quenches by spraying a cooling fluid, in order to efficiently quench a metallic material, the cooling fluid is caused to collide with the metallic material so that the cooling surface area increases. In this case, the flow of the cooling fluid fluctuates due to such a collision. In addition, because the cooling fluid scatters in the atmosphere, air bubbles are included in the cooling fluid at that time. Therefore, a large amount of air bubbles are included in the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid has been used for quenching.

In the present embodiment, cooling fluid in which a large amount of air bubbles are included after the cooling fluid is used for quenching is recovered by the circulation apparatus and supplied to the laminar flow bath in the defoaming bath. The flow of the cooling fluid supplied to the laminar flow bath is in a turbulent state. Consequently, a large amount of air bubbles are included in the cooling fluid that is supplied to the laminar flow bath. The laminar flow bath temporarily accumulates the cooling fluid. Air bubbles included in the cooling fluid that is being accumulated naturally rise to the surface and disappear at the liquid surface. The cooling fluid in which air bubbles have been reduced to a certain extent flows over the laminar flow weir that is lower than the side wall of the laminar flow bath, and is poured into the shallow bath. At this time, since the flow velocity of the cooling fluid that flows over the laminar flow weir and drops downward is slow and the cooling fluid flows in one direction, the cooling fluid enters a laminar flow state. Consequently, the force of a collision between the cooling fluid that flows along the laminar flow weir and drops downward and the bottom portion of the shallow bath or the liquid surface of the cooling fluid that is accumulated in the shallow bath is lessened, and the occurrence of a situation in which an eddy is generated at the time of a collision and new air bubbles are thereby included in the cooling fluid is suppressed. As described above, in the laminar flow bath, air bubbles are removed to a certain extent from cooling fluid that is recovered after being used for quenching and, furthermore, the cooling fluid is placed in a laminar flow state to suppress new entrainment of air bubbles.

The shallow bath into which the cooling fluid is poured from the laminar flow bath further removes air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid in a short time period. The shallow bath has a filter which has a mesh structure, in a bottom portion thereof. The shallow bath supplies the cooling fluid that is poured therein to the supply bath through the filter. By disposing the filter at the bottom portion of the shallow bath, the shallow bath exerts the following two functions. First, the supply of cooling fluid that includes air bubbles to the supply bath is inhibited by the filter, and the filter thus promotes the removal of air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid. Second, the liquid level height of the shallow bath is maintained at a lower height than the height of the laminar flow weir by the filter. Therefore, the liquid level height of the shallow bath is lower than the liquid level height of the cooling fluid inside the laminar flow bath. In the bath in which the liquid level height is lower, the time taken for air bubbles in the cooling fluid to naturally rise to the liquid surface is shorter. Accordingly, the shallow bath can remove air bubbles from the cooling fluid in a short time period.

By means of the above described air bubble removal steps that are performed in two stages, in the quenching apparatus of the present embodiment the amount of air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid circulating in a large quantity is reduced in a short time period, and the cooling fluid is reused for quenching. Consequently, the cooling capacity of the cooling fluid can be enhanced.

The filter is, for example, a nonwoven fabric, a perforated plate (metallic plate or non-metallic plate) or a net made of steel wire.

Preferably, in the bottom portion of the shallow bath, a portion covered with the filter slopes progressively downward as the distance from the laminar flow bath increases.

In this case, the flow of cooling fluid in the shallow bath can be made a flow that is in a single direction by the slope. By this means, the occurrence of a situation in which fluctuations arise in the flow of cooling fluid and an eddy is generated can be suppressed, and the generation of air bubbles can thus be inhibited.

In addition, the following effect is obtained by the slope. At an upstream portion (laminar flow bath side) of the filter, cooling fluid which contains few air bubbles passes through the filter. On the other hand, cooling fluid in which there is a lot of air bubbles cannot pass through the upstream portion of the filter. Therefore, the cooling fluid in which there is a lot of air bubbles flows to a downstream portion of the filter along the slope. As a result, cooling fluid in which there is a lot of air bubbles accumulates at a lower part of the shallow bath. As described above, because the liquid level height of the shallow bath is low, at the lower part of the shallow bath the air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid rise to the surface naturally and disappear. Thus, a wide contact area (area which the cooling fluid passes through) of the laminar cooling fluid with respect to the filter can be obtained based on the flow of the cooling fluid along the slope.

For instance, if the portion covered by the filter did not slope, the cooling fluid that flows over the laminar flow weir would collide in a concentrated manner with the filter in the vicinity of the laminar flow weir. Even in a case of the cooling fluid including air bubbles, there is a high possibility that the cooling fluid including the air bubbles pass through the filter if the cooling fluid enters the filter from the vertical direction. On the other hand, in a case where the bottom portion of the shallow bath is sloped as described above, a vertical direction component of the cooling fluid velocity decreases in comparison to a case where the bottom portion is not sloped. In this case, if the flow path resistance is the same, in comparison to the case where the bottom portion of the shallow bath is not sloped, it is more difficult for the cooling fluid that includes air bubbles to pass through the filter in the case where the bottom portion is sloped. In addition, because the passage area of the cooling fluid with respect to the filter can be increased, air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid can be removed more efficiently.

Preferably, the quenching apparatus further includes a conveyance member. The conveyance member is disposed at a lower part of the filter and has a sloping flow path. The conveyance member pours the cooling fluid that passed through the filter into the supply bath.

In this case, because the flow path slopes, the cooling fluid that passed through the filter flows along the flow path in one direction. Consequently, in comparison to a case where the cooling fluid drops naturally in the vertical direction into the supply bath, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid decreases because of the flow path resistance of the conveyance member. As a result, the velocity at which the cooling fluid collides with the surface of the liquid in the supply bath can be reduced, and the generation of air bubbles in the cooling fluid before reaching the cooling apparatus that is at a stage after the defoaming apparatus can be suppressed.

Preferably, the supply bath includes a side wall and a first flow path weir. The side wall has a discharge port in a lower part thereof. In the supply bath, the first flow path weir is disposed at a position that is closer to the side wall than to a position that is directly below the filter. The first flow path weir has an opening portion at a lower part thereof. Cooling fluid that passes through the filter and is supplied into the supply bath passes through the opening portion of the first flow path weir and reaches the discharge port.

In this case, cooling fluid will not reach the discharge port unless the cooling fluid passes through the opening portion formed in the lower part of the first flow path weir. Therefore, when passing through the first flow path weir, the cooling fluid flows along the lower part in the supply bath. At such time, because air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid rise to the surface, it is easy for air bubbles to be removed from the cooling fluid that passes through the opening portion.

Preferably, the supply bath further includes a second flow path weir. The second flow path weir is disposed between the first flow path weir and the side wall that has the discharge port, and is lower than the side wall. After the cooling fluid that passes through the filter and is supplied into the supply bath passes through the opening portion in the first flow path weir, the cooling fluid flows over the second flow path weir and reaches the discharge port.

In this case, the flow path of the cooling fluid inside the supply bath can be further lengthened by the first and second flow path weirs. In addition, there is also an increase in the number of times that the cooling fluid moves in the vertical direction in the flow path of the cooling fluid. Therefore, air bubbles are even more likely to rise to the surface.

Preferably, the circulation apparatus includes a main pipe that allows cooling fluid to pass therethrough, and a plurality of branch pipes which branch from the main pipe and which each have a supply port. The cooling fluid is poured into the laminar flow bath from the branch pipes. A total of the transverse cross-sectional areas of the respective branch pipes is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of the main pipe.

In this case, the flow of the cooling fluid in the main pipe is branched. At such time, because the total of the transverse cross-sectional areas (at a cross-section perpendicular to the central axis of the branch pipe) of the respective branch pipes is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area (at a cross-section perpendicular to the central axis of the main pipe) of the main pipe, the flow velocity of cooling fluid when the cooling fluid is supplied into the laminar flow bath decreases. Consequently, the force of a collision with cooling fluid that is already accumulated in the laminar flow bath is lessened. As a result, generation of air bubbles in the cooling fluid can be suppressed.

Preferably, the circulation apparatus also includes an accumulation bath. The accumulation bath accumulates cooling fluid that is recovered after being used for quenching. The circulation apparatus supplies the cooling fluid inside the accumulation bath to the defoaming bath.

In this case, cooling fluid is accumulated in the accumulation bath before being supplied to the defoaming bath. In the accumulation bath, not only air bubbles included in the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid is used for quenching, but also scale and the like naturally rise to the surface and are removed. Consequently, air bubbles and scale contained in the cooling fluid can be removed in advance to a certain extent before the cooling fluid is supplied to the defoaming bath.

The method for producing a metallic material of the present embodiment utilizes the above described quenching apparatus. The method for producing includes a step of heating a metallic material, and a step of performing quenching of the metallic material by spraying a cooling fluid onto the heated metallic material. The step of performing quenching includes a step of removing air bubbles from the cooling fluid by means of a defoaming apparatus, and a step of spraying the cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed onto the heated metallic material.

The method for producing a metallic material according to the present embodiment removes air bubbles from cooling fluid before the cooling fluid is used for quenching. Therefore, the cooling capacity of the cooling fluid increases, and the metallic material is adequately quenched. As a result, variations in the quenching of the metallic material can be reduced. When the method for producing a metallic material of the present embodiment is performed using 3DQ equipment, quenching of a metallic material portion that was bent by the 3DQ equipment is stably performed in a substantially uniform manner. Therefore, the accuracy of a processed shape of a metallic material that is processed by the 3DQ equipment is stable.

The details of the quenching apparatus according to the present embodiment are described hereunder.

First Embodiment

The quenching apparatus of the present embodiment is utilized, for example, in 3DQ equipment.FIG. 1is a perspective view of 3DQ equipment100. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the 3DQ equipment100includes a feeding apparatus110, a supporting apparatus120, a quenching apparatus1and a gripping apparatus130.

The feeding apparatus110conveys a metallic material10at a predetermined feeding speed in an axial direction X of the metallic material10. The metallic material10is, for example, a metal pipe, for example a steel pipe. The feeding apparatus110includes a gripping member111and a conveyance apparatus112. The gripping member111is connected to the conveyance apparatus112. The gripping member111rotatably grips the metallic material10around the central axis of the metallic material10. The conveyance apparatus112moves the metallic material10in the axial direction X thereof together with the gripping member111. The conveyance apparatus112is, for example, a mechanism that uses an electric servo cylinder or a ball screw or the like.

The supporting apparatus120is disposed on the downstream side (X direction) relative to the feeding apparatus110. The supporting apparatus120supports the metallic material10that is conveyed in the axial direction (X direction). The supporting apparatus120includes, for example, a pair of roller groups121. The pair of roller groups121pinch the metallic material10, and support the metallic material10so as to be movable in the axial direction X. The supporting apparatus120may be equipped with a different configuration instead of the pair of roller groups121.

The quenching apparatus1is disposed on the downstream side of the supporting apparatus120. The quenching apparatus1includes a heating apparatus2and a cooling apparatus3. The cooling apparatus3is disposed on the downstream side of the heating apparatus2.

The quenching apparatus1heats a portion of the metallic material10that is conveyed. A bending moment is applied by the gripping apparatus130to the heated portion of the metallic material10. That is, in the 3DQ equipment, the heated portion of the metallic material10is subjected to a bending process while the metallic material10is being moved in the X direction. The heated portion that was bendingly deformed is quenched by the cooling apparatus3.

The gripping apparatus130moves and rotates while gripping the metallic material10. By this means, the gripping apparatus130applies a bending moment to the heated portion of the metallic material10. The gripping apparatus130is, for example, a pair of movable roller-dies as illustrated inFIG. 1. The gripping apparatus130may be a multi-axis robot arm instead of the movable roller-dies.

FIG. 2is a cross-sectional view of the quenching apparatus1shown inFIG. 1. As described above, the quenching apparatus1includes the heating apparatus2and the cooling apparatus3.

The heating apparatus2is an annular or cylindrical shape. The metallic material10is passed through the inside of the heating apparatus2. That is, at the time of bending, the heating apparatus2is disposed around the metallic material10. The heating apparatus2is, for example, a high-frequency heating coil.

The cooling apparatus3is an annular or cylindrical shape. The cooling apparatus3has a plurality of spray ports31in an inner peripheral surface. The plurality of spray ports31spray cooling fluid toward the center (central axis X) of the cooling apparatus3. The plurality of spray ports31may face the downstream side. In this case, the spray ports31spray the cooling fluid in the direction of the central axis X on the downstream side. The cooling apparatus3may have a plurality of spray nozzles. In this case, the aforementioned plurality of spray ports31correspond to spray nozzle ports. The cooling fluid is, for example, water or an antifreeze solution.

The quenching apparatus1further includes a defoaming apparatus4and a supply bath441that are illustrated inFIG. 3. The defoaming apparatus4removes air bubbles from the cooling fluid before the cooling fluid is supplied to the cooling apparatus3. The supply bath441accumulates cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed by the defoaming apparatus4. The cooling apparatus3sprays the cooling fluid that is supplied from the supply bath441toward the metallic material to cool the metallic material.

If a large amount of air bubbles are included in the cooling fluid, the cooling capacity of the cooling fluid at the time of spraying decreases. This is because the air bubbles have a lower cooling capacity than the cooling fluid. The greater the amount of air bubbles included in the cooling fluid is, the more the cooling capacity decreases. Therefore, when the cooling fluid is sprayed to perform quenching, it is difficult to achieve stable quenching. If stable quenching cannot be achieved in a uniform manner in the 3DQ equipment100, it is difficult to achieve stable accuracy with respect to the processed shape of the metallic material10that is bent.

In the quenching apparatus1of the present embodiment, the defoaming apparatus4removes air bubbles from the cooling fluid before the cooling fluid is utilized for quenching. Therefore, the cooling capacity at the time of quenching is enhanced and is stable. As a result, the hardenability is enhanced and the quenching effect is stably achieved. In this case, in the 3DQ equipment100, the accuracy of the processed shape of the metallic material10that was subjected to a bending process is stably obtained. The defaming apparatus4is described in detail hereunder.

Cooling fluid that is sprayed from the cooling apparatus3during quenching collides with the metallic material10, with the cooling fluid itself, or with a constituent member of the apparatus. A large amount of air bubbles are contained in the cooling fluid due to such collisions.

As described above, when performing quenching by spraying cooling fluid, it is preferable that the amount of air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid be as small as possible. Therefore, the defoaming bath431in the defoaming apparatus4removes air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid. An accumulation mechanism42in the circulation apparatus50reduces the amount of air bubbles contained in cooling fluid that is supplied to the defoaming bath431. The supply bath441further reduces the amount of air bubbles contained in cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed at the defoaming bath431. Hereunder, each component of the defoaming apparatus4is described in detail.

The circulation apparatus50recovers cooling fluid after the cooling fluid is used for quenching and supplies the cooling fluid to the defoaming bath431. The circulation apparatus50includes a recovery mechanism41and the accumulation mechanism42.

In the quenching apparatus1of the present embodiment, cooling fluid that was used for quenching is recycled. The recovery mechanism41recovers cooling fluid that was used for quenching. The recovery mechanism41also supplies the recovered cooling fluid to the accumulation mechanism42. The recovery mechanism41, for example, includes a collection bath411and a pipe412. The collection bath411is disposed, for example, under the cooling apparatus3and collects cooling fluid after the cooling fluid has been used. The collected cooling fluid is supplied to the accumulation mechanism42through the pipe412. For example, an unshown pump is utilized to supply the collected cooling fluid. The recovery mechanism41may have a configuration that is different to the configuration illustrated inFIG. 3.

The accumulation mechanism42accumulates cooling fluid that is supplied from the recovery mechanism41. The accumulation mechanism42includes an accumulation bath421, a pump422and a supply member423.

The accumulation bath421accumulates cooling fluid that was recovered by the recovery mechanism41. When the recovered cooling fluid is temporarily accumulated in the accumulation bath421, air bubbles in the cooling fluid inside the accumulation bath421naturally rise to the surface. Accordingly, the accumulation bath421can reduce the amount of air bubbles in the cooling fluid. In the accumulation bath421, not only air bubbles in the cooling fluid, but also scale and the like that are included in the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid has been used for quenching also rise to the surface naturally. Therefore, cooling fluid from which scale and the like has been removed can be supplied to the defoaming bath431.

The supply member423is a pipe that has a supply port on a downstream side. Cooling fluid that flows out from the supply port is supplied to the defoaming bath431. The pump422supplies the cooling fluid that has been temporarily accumulated in the accumulation bath421to the defoaming bath431through the supply member423.

The defoaming bath431removes air bubbles from the cooling fluid using a filter. The defoaming bath431includes a laminar flow weir433. The laminar flow weir433partitions the defoaming bath431into a laminar flow bath434and a shallow bath435. The supply port of the supply member423is disposed in the laminar flow bath434. Thus, cooling fluid that is conveyed from the accumulation bath421is supplied to the laminar flow bath434. The laminar flow bath434temporarily accumulates cooling fluid. Air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid naturally rise to the surface during the accumulation period and disappear at the liquid surface. Accordingly, the amount of air bubbles in the cooling fluid is decreased by the laminar flow bath434.

Preferably, the supply port of the supply member423is disposed inside the laminar flow bath434at a position that is lower than the upper end of the laminar flow weir433. In this case, the supply port is disposed at a position that is below the liquid surface of the laminar flow bath434. Consequently, without coming in contact with the air, the cooling fluid that comes out from the supply port pours into the cooling fluid that is accumulated in the laminar flow bath434. It is thus difficult for air bubbles to enter the cooling fluid.

The shallow bath435includes a bottom portion that has an opening, and a filter432. The filter432is disposed in the opening in the bottom portion. The filter432is a plate shape or a sheet shape, and has a mesh structure. More specifically, the filter432has a plurality of holes (through-holes). Preferably, the plurality of holes are of a size which makes it difficult for air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid to pass therethrough.

Flow path resistance arises when a fluid such as a liquid or a gas passes through the holes in the filter432. The higher the proportion of air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid is, the larger the flow path resistance becomes. Therefore, it is easy for cooling fluid which contains a small amount of air bubbles to pass through the filter432, and it is difficult for cooling fluid which contains a large amount of air bubbles to pass through the filter432. Based on this principle, air bubbles are removed when the cooling fluid from the laminar flow weir433passes through the filter432. As a result, the amount of air bubbles in cooling fluid that has passed through the filter432is small. Consequently, the cooling capacity of the cooling fluid increases. In addition, since the filter432has flow path resistance, the filter432forms a shallow amount of cooling fluid in the shallow bath435. Since the liquid level height of the shallow amount of cooling fluid is low, the distance for the amount of air bubbles in the cooling fluid to rise to the liquid surface is short. Consequently, air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid can rise to the liquid surface and be removed in a short time period. Because air bubbles are removed from cooling fluid at the bottom portion inside the shallow bath435and it is possible for the cooling fluid to pass through the filter432, the cooling fluid is supplied to the supply bath441.

The filter432is not particularly limited as long as the filter432has holes that are capable of inhibiting the passage of air bubbles therethrough. For example, the filter432is a nonwoven fabric, a net made of steel wire, or a perforated plate. The perforated plate may be a metallic plate or may be a non-metallic plate.

The height of the laminar flow weir433is lower than the height of a side wall of the laminar flow bath434. Therefore, when the height of cooling fluid accumulated in the laminar flow bath434exceeds the height of the laminar flow weir433, the cooling fluid overflows from the laminar flow bath434and flows into the shallow bath435. At such time, the cooling fluid flows along the laminar flow weir433and reaches the filter432by flowing down naturally.

In the defoaming bath431, the amount of air bubbles that remain in the cooling fluid is reduced by performing the following air bubble removal steps in two stages.

In a first air bubble removal step, in the laminar flow bath434, air bubbles are removed from the cooling fluid supplied from the circulation apparatus50, and the flow of the cooling fluid is also regulated (made into a laminar flow). Specifically, recovered cooling fluid is supplied to the laminar flow bath434by the circulation apparatus50. The cooling fluid supplied by the circulation apparatus50is in a turbulent state and includes a large amount of air bubbles. In the laminar flow bath434, time can be given for temporarily accumulating the cooling fluid. As a result, air bubbles included in the cooling fluid that is being accumulated naturally rise to the surface, and disappear at the liquid surface. Thus, a certain amount of air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid is removed by the laminar flow bath434.

As described above, the laminar flow weir433is lower than the side wall of the laminar flow bath434. Therefore, cooling fluid in which the amount of air bubbles has been reduced to a certain extent passes over the upper end of the laminar flow weir433that is lower than the side wall of the laminar flow bath434to thereby overflow from the laminar flow weir433into the shallow bath435. At such time, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid that flows down along the laminar flow weir433is decreased and the cooling fluid flows in one direction to enter a laminar flow state. Preferably, the laminar flow weir433has a wide width. In this case, the cooling fluid that flows down along the laminar flow weir433is likely to further enter a laminar flow state.

As described above, the laminar flow bath434removes air bubbles to a certain extent from cooling fluid that is recovered after being used for quenching. In addition, because cooling fluid in a turbulent state is poured into the shallow bath435in a laminar flow state, the force of a collision between the cooling fluid when the cooling fluid is poured into the shallow bath435and the cooling fluid that has accumulated inside the shallow bath435is lessened, and thus the entry of more air bubbles into the cooling fluid due to the collision is suppressed.

In a second air bubble removal step, air bubbles are further removed from cooling fluid in the shallow bath435. As described above, the shallow bath435has the (porous) filter432which has a mesh structure, in a bottom portion thereof. In the shallow bath435, the following two functions are exerted by disposing the filter432at the bottom portion thereof. First, the supply of cooling fluid that includes air bubbles to the supply bath441is inhibited by the filter432, and the filter432thus promotes the removal of air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid. Second, the liquid level height of the shallow bath435is maintained at a lower height than the height of the laminar flow weir433by the filter432. Therefore, the liquid level height in the shallow bath435is lower than the liquid level height in the laminar flow bath434. In the bath in which the liquid level height is lower, the time taken for air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid to naturally rise to the surface is shorter. Thus, the shallow bath can further remove air bubbles from the cooling fluid in a laminar flow state in a short time period.

Although the liquid level height in the shallow bath435is not particularly limited as long as the height is lower than the height of the laminar flow weir433, preferably the liquid level height in the shallow bath435is 30 cm or less, and more preferably is 20 cm or less. As long as the liquid level height in the shallow bath435is within the aforementioned preferable range, the time taken until air bubbles contained in cooling fluid that accumulates in the shallow bath435naturally rise to the liquid surface will be short. Therefore, air bubbles can be removed more effectively. Preferably the area of the filter432of the shallow bath435is wide. The wider the area of the filter432is, the lower the liquid level height in the shallow bath435will be.

Preferably, in the bottom portion of the shallow bath435, a portion that the filter432covers slopes progressively downward as the distance from the laminar flow bath434increases. Specifically, in the portion that the filter432covers among the entire bottom portion of the shallow bath435, in comparison to an edge E1on the laminar flow bath434side, an edge E2on the opposite side to the edge E1is disposed at a more downward position.

In this case, it is easy for the cooling fluid that flows down along the laminar flow weir433to flow in one direction from the edge E1toward the edge E2. If the direction in which the cooling fluid flows is not fixed, the flow of the cooling fluid may fluctuate and an eddy may be generated. In such a case, air bubbles are liable to become entrained in the cooling fluid. Because the bottom of the shallow bath435of the present embodiment slopes, the flow of the cooling fluid is less likely to fluctuate. It is thus difficult for air bubbles to become entrained in the cooling fluid

In addition, in the shallow bath435, the following effect is obtained by the slope. At an upstream portion (laminar flow bath side) of the filter432, cooling fluid in which there are few air bubbles passes through the filter432. On the other hand, cooling fluid in which there is a large amount of air bubbles cannot pass through the filter432at the upstream portion thereof. Consequently, cooling fluid that includes a large amount of air bubbles flows along the slope to the downstream portion of the filter432. As a result, cooling fluid that includes a large amount of air bubbles accumulates at the lower part of the shallow bath435. As described above, because the liquid level height of the shallow bath435is low, at the lower part of the shallow bath435the air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid naturally rise to the surface and disappear. Thus, based on the flow of the cooling fluid along the slope, the cooling fluid that flows in a laminar flow can obtain a wide area of contact (area through which cooling fluid passes) with the filter432.

For instance, if the portion covered by the filter432did not slope, the cooling fluid that crossed over the laminar flow weir433would collide in a concentrated manner with the filter at a position in the vicinity of the laminar flow weir433. There is a high possibility that cooling fluid containing air bubbles pass through the filter432even if the cooling fluid containing air bubbles enters the filter from the vertical direction. In contrast, when the bottom portion of the shallow bath435is sloped as described above, a vertical direction component of the cooling fluid velocity decreases in comparison to a case where the bottom portion is not sloped. In this case, if the flow path resistance is the same, in comparison to a case where the bottom portion of the shallow bath435does not slope, it is more difficult for cooling fluid containing air bubbles to pass through the filter432in the case where the bottom portion is sloped. In addition, because the area for the passage of cooling fluid through the filter432can be increased, air bubbles contained in cooling fluid can be removed more efficiently.

In short, in a case where the shallow bath435is sloped, a portion of the cooling fluid that contains a small amount of air bubbles can be caused to pass through the filter432at an early stage, and with respect to cooling fluid containing a large amount of air bubbles, the air bubbles are removed at the lower part of the shallow bath435by utilizing the fact that the air bubbles naturally rise to the surface. Therefore, a large amount of cooling fluid in which there are few air bubbles can be efficiently supplied to the supply bath441in a short time period.

The defoaming apparatus4further includes a conveyance member436. The conveyance member436is disposed below the filter432. The upper face of the conveyance member436has a sloped flow path. Specifically, the flow path slopes downward as the distance from the laminar flow bath434increases. The conveyance member436is, for example, a member in which a groove (flow path) is formed. The conveyance member436may also be a plate shape in which side walls are formed.

The feed angle of the flow path may differ from the feed angle of the filter432, or may be the same as the feed angle of the filter432. The cooling fluid that passes through the filter432flows down into the supply bath441along the flow path of the conveyance member436. At this time, the direction in which the cooling fluid flows is likely to be constant, and it is difficult for an eddy to be generated in the downward flow. Consequently, it is difficult for air bubbles to become entrained in the cooling fluid.

The supply bath441supplies cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed by the defoaming bath431to the cooling apparatus3. At such time, the supply bath441supplies cooling fluid to the cooling apparatus3while inhibiting entrainment of air bubbles into the cooling fluid supplied from the defoaming bath431.

The supply bath441includes a side wall SW1that has a discharge port EX at a lower part thereof. Preferably, the supply bath441further includes flow path weirs442and443. Preferably, the supply bath441is disposed at a position that is lower than the position of the defoaming bath431.

Preferably, the lower end of the flow path of the conveyance member436is disposed at a position inside the supply bath441that is a position which is below the upper end of the side wall of the supply bath441. In this case, the lower end of the flow path of the conveyance member436is disposed in the vicinity of the liquid surface inside the supply bath441or below the liquid surface. Therefore, the force of a collision between cooling fluid that flows down along the flow path and the liquid surface can be lessened, and the generation of air bubbles can be suppressed.

The supply bath441is partitioned into a bath444and a bath445by the flow path weir442. The flow path weir442is disposed closer to the side wall SW1than to a position that is directly below the filter432. Preferably, the flow path weir442is disposed between the lower end of the flow path of the conveyance member436and the discharge port EX. InFIG. 3, the flow path weir442is disposed between the flow path weir443and the side wall SW1. The flow path weir442is erectly disposed on the bottom of the supply bath441. The discharge port EX is formed at a lower part of the side wall SW1of the bath445. By forming the discharge port EX at the lower part, cooling fluid can be supplied to the cooling apparatus3without taking in air bubbles that rose to the surface.

The flow path weir442is lower than the side wall of the supply bath441. Therefore, cooling fluid that passed through the filter432, more preferably, cooling fluid that flowed to the supply bath441from the flow path of the conveyance member436, flows over the flow path weir442and arrives at the discharge port EX.

The flow path weir443is disposed closer to the side wall SW1than to a position directly below the filter432inside the supply bath441. InFIG. 3, the flow path weir443is disposed between the lower end of the flow path of the conveyance member436and the flow path weir442. That is, the flow path weir443partitions the bath444into a further two baths. The flow path weir443has an opening portion at a lower part thereof. In the flow path weir443, one portion of the lower part may be open or all of the lower part may be open. Preferably, the upper end of the flow path weir443is disposed at a position that is equal to or higher than the upper end of the side wall of the supply bath441.

The flow path weirs442and443form a flow path for cooling fluid inside the supply bath441. Specifically, cooling fluid that flowed to the supply bath441from the flow path of the conveyance member436flows downward because of the presence of the flow path weir443. The cooling fluid passes through the opening portion at the lower part of the flow path weir443. Thereafter, the cooling fluid ascends because of the presence of the flow path weir442. After the cooling fluid flows over the flow path weir442, the cooling fluid flows downward again and reaches the discharge port EX.

In short, the cooling fluid ascends and descends repeatedly inside the supply bath441to reach the discharge port EX. Consequently, the supply bath441forms a long flow path in comparison to a case in which the flow path weir442and the flow path weir443are not provided. If the flow path along which the cooling fluid passes is long, time can be given to allow air bubbles to naturally rise to the surface. Therefore, air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid are likely to rise to the surface and be thereby removed. In addition, because of the presence of the flow path weir442and the flow path weir443, the flow path includes a flow in the vertical direction. The flow in the vertical direction promotes the surfacing of air bubbles. As a result, air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid are easily removed.

Cooling fluid that comes out from the discharge port EX is supplied to the cooling apparatus3by an unshown pump or the like. The cooling fluid is sprayed from spray ports of the cooling apparatus3and quenches the metallic material.

[Method for Producing Metallic Material]

A method for producing a metallic material according to the present embodiment quenches the metallic material using the quenching apparatus1in the 3DQ equipment100.

First, the metallic material10is heated by the heating apparatus2. A bending moment is applied to the heated metallic material10using the gripping apparatus130to bend the metallic material10. Quenching of the bent metallic material10is performed by spraying cooling fluid from the cooling apparatus3(quenching process).

The quenching process includes an air bubble removal process and a cooling process. In the air bubble removal process, air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid is used for quenching are removed using the defoaming apparatus4. In the cooling process, cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed and in which the amount of air bubbles decreased is sprayed from the cooling apparatus3to cool the metallic material10. As a result, substantially uniform quenching is stably achieved. If quenching is uniformly and stably achieved in the 3DQ equipment100, the accuracy of a processed shape of the metallic material10that was bent is also stably obtained. A quenched metallic material can be produced by the above described processes.

Second Embodiment

A discharge portion of the supply member423in the circulation apparatus50may be branched into a plurality of branch pipes.FIG. 4is a plan view of the supply member423and a peripheral portion thereof in the quenching apparatus1according to a second embodiment.FIG. 5is a front view of the supply member423.

As illustrated inFIG. 4andFIG. 5, the supply member423includes a main pipe426and a plurality of branch pipes425. The plurality of branch pipes425branch from the main pipe426. An end portion of each branch pipe425is open and constitutes a supply port. The total of the transverse cross-sectional areas of the respective branch pipes425(area of a cross-section perpendicular to the central axis of the branch pipe425) is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of the main pipe426(area of a cross-section perpendicular to the central axis of the main pipe426).

In the present embodiment, cooling fluid that is conveyed through the main pipe426branches into the plurality of branch pipes425. As described above, the total of the transverse cross-sectional areas of the respective branch pipes425is greater than the transverse cross-sectional area of the main pipe426. Consequently, the flow rate of the cooling fluid at the respective branch pipes425is less than the flow rate of the cooling fluid that flows through the main pipe426. As a result, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid in the vicinity of the supply ports is slower than the flow velocity of the cooling fluid inside the main pipe426. If the flow velocity is slow, the force of a collision between cooling fluid discharged from the branch pipes425and the liquid surface inside the laminar flow bath434is lessened. Therefore, the generation of air bubbles in the cooling fluid can be suppressed.

Preferably, the total of the cross-sectional inside areas of the plurality of branch pipes425is greater than the cross-sectional inside area of the main pipe426. In this case, the flow velocity of the cooling fluid inside the branch pipes425is less than the flow velocity in the main pipe426.

Other Embodiments

In the above described embodiments, the quenching apparatus is equipped with the defoaming apparatus4including the circulation apparatus50and the defoaming bath431, and the supply bath441. However, a configuration may also be adopted in which the quenching apparatus includes at least the defoaming bath431and the supply bath441. In this case, cooling fluid that is sprayed from the cooling apparatus3is directly supplied to the defoaming bath431. Cooling fluid after air bubbles are removed at the defoaming bath431is supplied via the supply bath441to the cooling apparatus3.

A portion of the bottom of the shallow bath435need not be sloped, and the bottom portion which the filter432covers need not be slopingly disposed. In this case also, the filter432can remove air bubbles from the cooling fluid.

The conveyance member436need not be provided. In this case, cooling fluid that passes through the filter432naturally drops down into the supply bath441that is disposed below the filter432. Air bubbles in the cooling fluid have been removed by the filter432. Consequently, even if the conveyance member436is not provided, the air-bubble removal effect by the filter432is maintained to a certain extent.

The flow path weir442and/or flow path weir443of the supply bath441need not be provided. Even in this case, the supply bath441temporarily accumulates cooling fluid, similarly to the accumulation bath421. Therefore, it is easy for air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid to rise to the surface and thus the air bubbles will be removed to a certain extent. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the flow path weir443is provided in the supply bath441and the flow path weir442is not provided therein. When cooling fluid passes through the opening portion at the lower part of the flow path weir443, the cooling fluid flows through a lower part inside the supply bath441. At this time, air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid rise to the surface and thus air bubbles contained in the cooling fluid are easily removed.

In the above described embodiments, the supply member423inside the circulation apparatus50is a pipe. However, a configuration other than a configuration utilizing a pipe may be adopted for the supply member423. For example, in a case where the accumulation bath421is disposed at a higher position than the defoaming bath431, the supply member423may have the similar configuration to the conveyance member436.

In the above described embodiments, the quenching apparatus1is applied to the 3DQ equipment100. The kind of equipment in the 3DQ equipment100is not particularly limited. InFIG. 1, both the supporting apparatus120and the gripping apparatus130include a pair of rollers or a plurality of pairs of rollers. However, the supporting apparatus120and/or the gripping apparatus130may be a multi-axis robot arm.

In the above described embodiments, the quenching apparatus1is applied to the 3DQ equipment100. However, the above described quenching apparatus1may be utilized in an apparatus other than the 3DQ equipment100, or the quenching apparatus1may be utilized as a discrete apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the above described embodiments are merely examples for implementing the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments, and may be implemented with modifications appropriately made to the above described embodiments within a range which does not deviate from the gist of the present invention.