Patent Publication Number: US-2022219215-A1

Title: Automated rod coil cutting station

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of wire rod mills. More specifically, the present invention is related to an automated rod coil cutting station for ferrous and non-ferrous wire rod mills. 
     Discussion of Related Art 
       FIG. 1  depicts a typical production operation  100  in non-ferrous mills. In non-ferrous mills, such as ones used for copper and aluminum rod production, the production operation is usually carried out as a continuous process, starting with a casting mechanism  102  (e.g., a casting wheel or similar method) that continuously casts raw material into a shape. Next, one or more hot rolling units  104  are used to hot roll the product in a series of steps down to the desired rod diameter and cooled via cooling unit  106 . Many mills then use a vertical coiler  108  to form the rod into a continuous helix that is deposited onto a pallet so that a coil is formed as the pallet is lowered below the vertical coiler  108 . 
       FIG. 2A  depicts the coil being formed in a tub, with the leading end of the rod temporarily attached to a support, ready for manual handling after coil formation is complete. 
     When the desired coil mass is obtained, a set of retractable supports or fingers, also known as iris fingers, close to catch subsequent rings for the formation of a new coil. Between the first coil and the second coil, a section of rod, referred to as the umbilical cord, connects the two coils. This section of the rod (i.e., the umbilical cord) is then manually cut (a sample often taken from the end trailing from the first coil), where the loose end of the rod is wrapped by hand into a tidy bundle and placed next to the coil. This manual operation can be dangerous and monotonous for the operators. 
       FIGS. 2B-E  further depict the manual separation of the umbilical cord and wrapping of loose ends. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a typical production operation  300  in non-ferrous mills. Ferrous mills can operate either continuously, with direct casting (via casting mechanism  302 ) to rolling (via one or more hot rolling units  304 ), or semi-continuously, with billets. After rolling (via one or more hot rolling units  304 ), the rod is also formed into a helix (via a helix formation unit  306 ) and placed onto a cooling conveyor or cooling unit  308 , after which the rings go into a reform station  310  for collection in the form of a coil. When the desired mass is collected on a first coil, a set of retractable supports or fingers, also known as reform tub iris  312 , close to start collecting a second coil, which a coil plate lowers with the first coil. Similar to the case above, an umbilical cord of rod remains between the two coils. 
     On ferrous mills, the cord must be simple cut—this is done now with a reform tub shear, which is mechanically complex and expensive.  FIG. 4  depicts an example of a ferrous mill reform station and  FIG. 5  depicts an example of a ferrous mill reform station with a tub shear. 
       FIG. 6  depicts an example of a typical process for forming steel rod in a wire rod mill involves reheating cast steel billets in a furnace  602  and carrying out a continuous hot rolling process in roughing section  604 , intermediate section  606  and finishing section  608  to form continuous wire rod. The wire rod is partially cooled in cooling section  610  and formed into loops  614  by a laying head  612  and laid on a cooling conveyor  616 , such as a Stelmor-type conveyor, which carries the loops  614  to a reform chamber  618 . At the reform chamber  618 , the loops are dropped vertically onto a central guide in a reform tub and formed into an annular coil in the reform tub with the assistance of a rotating guide surface, for example of the type as described in EP0583099. 
     The reform chamber  618  of  FIG. 6  in which such a divider can be used is illustrated in more detail in  FIGS. 7A through 7C . As shown in  FIG. 7A , a ring distributor  702  is provided at the entry to the reform tub  704 . Reform tub  704  is generally cylindrical about an axis  706  and a nose cone  708  is provided above a stem  710 , co-axial with the reform tub  704 . A first iris  712  and a second iris  714  are mounted to the reform tub  704  as well as a shear  716 . At the bottom of the reform tub  704  is a coil plate  718 . A first control and drive system  720  is provided for the first iris  712  and the second iris  714 , and a second control and drive system  722  is provided for the shear  716 . Sensors  724  at the top of the reform tub are connected to the first control system  720 .  FIG. 7B  shows the iris in its operating position, whereby the tabs  726 , or fingers, of the iris protrude through the wall of the reform tub  704 , the tips of the fingers close to, or in contact with the nose cone  708  to provide support to a coil being formed. In  FIG. 7C , the iris is in its open position with the tabs retracted through the walls, so that the coil can fall down to the next support level. 
       FIGS. 7D-7H  illustrate an example of operation of the reform device of  FIGS. 7A-7C . As shown in  FIG. 7D , loops  730  are brought by the conveyor  732  to the entry to the reform tub  704 . At the entry to the reform tub  704 , the rotating guide surface, or ring distributor  702 , assists in producing a uniform distribution of coils in a controlled manner. The loops drop vertically passing through the ring distributor  702  onto the first iris  712  in the reform tub  704 . A coil  728  forms inside the cylindrical reform tub  704 , supported on the fingers  726  of the first iris  712  which are set at a position part-way down the reform tub  704 . Typically, the tabs  726  are retractably mounted to project through the wall of the reform tub, their tips close to, in contact with, or passing through slots into the nose cone  708  in the center of and co-axial with the reform tub  704  when providing support, then retracted through the tub wall and out of the reform tub  704  when the first iris  712  is in its open position. The nose cone  708  assists in guiding the coils as they are formed. Sensors  724  determine when the coil  728  has reached a predetermined upper limit of coil height and send a signal to the controller  720  to cause the tabs  726  of the first iris  712  to be retracted, allowing the formed coil to drop by a fixed distance to the second iris  714 , as illustrated in  FIG. 7E . This second iris  714  will be in the position as previously depicted in  FIG. 7B , with tabs of the second iris  714  extended into the reform tub  704 . 
     The coiling process continues increasing the size of coil  730  until the top of the coil is determined to have reached the upper limit of coil height and a signal from the sensor  724  to the controller  720  causes the tabs of the second iris  714  to retract and drop this coil  730  a predetermined distance onto the coil plate  718 . Between the coil plate  718  and the second iris  714 , the shear  716  is mounted in an open position and does not interfere with the coil  730  dropping to the coil plate  718 . Formation of the coil  732  continues as shown in  FIG. 7F  until the coils are again above the position of the first iris  712 . The controller  720  then causes actuators to move the tabs  726  of the first iris  712  back into place, as illustrated in  FIG. 7G  and the coil plate  718  is dropped by a required amount in order for the coil  734  to be separated from coil  740  now held above the first shear  716 . The separation distance opens out a helix, so that there is rod between the two coils  734 ,  740  set at a suitable angle for cutting and the shear  716  then operates to cut the rod. Where the tabs pass through into the nose cone  708 , this allows the nose cone  708  and ring distributor  702  to be lifted by the first iris  712 , so that the controller  720  can move the stem  710  down and away from the nose cone  708 . Alternatively, the stem  710  may be lowered, whilst the first iris  712  provides support. The completed coil  734  on the coil plate  718  is moved down and extracted as shown in  FIG. 7H . The coil plate  718  is then returned to its initial position. 
     As noted above, on non-ferrous mills, the coil separation process has historically been done manually, with no automation. Also, as noted above, on ferrous mills, reform tub shears are used, but they are expensive, require space in the reform station and are difficult to retrofit into existing reform stations. 
     Embodiments of the present invention are an improvement over prior art systems and methods. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one embodiment, the present invention provides a system comprising: (a) a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; (b) a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; (c) at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; (d) a retractable shear mounted to the reform tub and located underneath the retractable iris; (e) a coil plate located underneath the retractable shear; and (f) a robotic arm positioned underneath the retractable shear; the controller: (1) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (2) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose where a remainder of the coil is held within the reform tub; (3) setting the retractable shear to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord, (4) setting the retractable shear to sever the umbilical cord, and (5) sending one or more instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method as implemented in a reform station unit of a wire rod mill system, the reform station unit comprising: a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; a retractable shear mounted to the reform tub and located underneath the retractable iris; a coil plate located underneath the retractable shear; and a robotic arm positioned underneath the retractable shear, the method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (b) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose where a remainder of the coil is held within the reform tub; (c) setting the retractable shear to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (d) setting the retractable shear to sever the umbilical cord, and (e) sending one or more instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a system comprising: (a) a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; (b) a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; (c) at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; (d) a robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon and a set of pincers, the robotic arm and the pincers located beneath the retractable iris; and (e) a coil plate located underneath the robotic arm; the controller: (1) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (2) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (3) setting the robotic arm and the set of pincers to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (4) sending instructions to the set of pincers to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (5) sending instructions to the robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon, and (6) sending instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a method as implemented in a reform station unit of a wire rod mill system, the reform station unit comprising: a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem, a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem, at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub, a robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon and a set of pincers, the robotic arm and the pincers located beneath the retractable iris, and a coil plate located underneath the robotic arm, the method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (b) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (c) setting the robotic arm and the set of pincers to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (d) sending instructions to the set of pincers to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (e) sending instructions to the robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon; and (f) sending instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention provides a system comprising: (a) a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; (b) a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; (c) at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; (d) a first robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon, the robotic arm located beneath the retractable iris; (e) a second robotic arm and a third robotic arm for positioning coils; and (f) a coil plate located underneath the first, second, and third robotic arms; the controller: (1) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (2) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (3) setting the first, second and third robotic arms to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (4) sending instructions to the second and third robotic arms to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (5) sending instructions to the first robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon, and (6) sending instructions to the first robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a method as implemented in a reform station unit of a wire rod mill system, the reform station unit comprising: a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem, a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem, at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub, a first robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon, the robotic arm located beneath the retractable iris, a second robotic arm and a third robotic arm for positioning coils, and a coil plate located underneath the first, second, and third robotic arms, the method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (b) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (c) setting the first, second and third robotic arms to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (d) sending instructions to the second and third robotic arms to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (e) sending instructions to the first robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon, and (f) sending instructions to the first robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present disclosure, in accordance with one or more various examples, is described in detail with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict examples of the disclosure. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader&#39;s understanding of the disclosure and should not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are not necessarily made to scale. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a typical production operation in non-ferrous mills. 
         FIG. 2A  depicts the coil being formed in a tub, with the leading end of the rod temporarily attached to a support, ready of for manual handling after coil formation is complete. 
         FIGS. 2B-2E  further depict the manual separation of the umbilical cord and wrapping of loose ends. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a typical production operation in non-ferrous mills. 
         FIG. 4  depicts an example of a ferrous mill reform station. 
         FIG. 5  depicts an example of a ferrous mill reform station with a tub shear. 
         FIG. 6  depicts an example of a typical process for forming steel rod in a wire rod mill. 
         FIGS. 7A-7C  depict in more detail the reform chamber of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIGS. 7A-7H  illustrate an example of operation of the reform device of  FIGS. 7A-7C . 
         FIGS. 8A-8H  depict one embodiment of the present invention for grabbing a coil beneath a tub shear at the reform end of a wire rod mill, wherein a robot arm is used to convey a cut end of a coil to a feed mechanism or carrier. 
         FIGS. 9A-9F  depict another embodiment of the present invention that uses a robot arm for conveying the cut while using a set of pincers to position the coil for cutting with a shear mounted on the robot arm. 
         FIGS. 10A-10G  depict yet another embodiment of the present invention that uses three (3) robot arms, two for separating the coil and one for shearing/conveying or, optionally, using four robot arms, two for separating the coil, one for shearing, and one for conveying. 
         FIGS. 11A-11B  depict sample arrangements showing a setup with 3 robot arms and a setup with 4 robot arms, respectively. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     While this invention is illustrated and described in a preferred embodiment, the invention may be produced in many different configurations. There is depicted in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and the associated functional specifications for its construction and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. Those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations within the scope of the present invention. 
     Note that in this description, references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” mean that the feature being referred to is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Further, separate references to “one embodiment” in this description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment; however, neither are such embodiments mutually exclusive, unless so stated and except as will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the present invention can include any variety of combinations and/or integrations of the embodiments described herein. 
       FIGS. 8A through 8H  depict one embodiment of the present invention for grabbing a coil beneath a tub shear at the reform end of a wire rod mill, wherein a robot arm  801  is used to convey a cut end of a coil to a feed mechanism or carrier. This arrangement uses a robot with gripper attachment to hold the coil while a horizontal shear cuts the coil. The robot arm may also contain a shear for the purpose of trimming a sample from the end of the rod. 
       FIG. 8A  depicts rings falling into the reforming tub and landing on the uppermost iris  802 . The rest of the system is waiting for enough coil to accumulate in order to begin action. This action is determined by coil height which is measured electronically using photo eye height sensors, system timing, or similar. 
       FIG. 8B  depicts rings continuing to accumulate in the tub. The iris(es)  802 ,  804 , and  806  open sequentially (i.e., iris  802  opens first, iris  804  opens second, and iris  806  opens last) as necessary to ensure the coil forms uniformly and does not overflow the tub. 
       FIG. 8C  depicts, when the coil  808  is tall enough, iris  806  opening and dropping the unfinished coil portion  808  onto coilplate  810 . 
       FIG. 8D  depicts, when enough coil mass is on coilplate  810  (typically defined by half the coil weight), iris  806  inside the tub closes to create separation between the two halves of the coil  808 - 1  and  808 - 2 , leaving two separate coil halves connected by a single strand of wire (or umbilicus)  812 . 
       FIG. 8E  depicts the robotic arm  801  gripping the wire  812  in preparation for the shear cut. It locates the wire by means of a vision system camera or similar device. 
       FIG. 8F  depicts the horizontal shear  814  mounted below the reform tub severing coil  812 . There are now two separate coils one inside the tub  808 - 1  and one below the tub  808 - 2 . 
       FIG. 8G  depicts the robot arm  801  that is left holding the cut coil end. A sample of rod for analysis can be trimmed from the end of the coil at this time if necessary. 
       FIG. 8H  depicts the robot arm  801  delivering the newly severed coil end to a holder or feed mechanism  816 . Where the coil end is placed depends on the mill&#39;s specific coil handling procedure. The mill may have several different types of holders/feed mechanisms available and the robot may be asked to choose one from the lot depending on input from the mill&#39;s central controls on properties such as rod diameter, steel grade, finish temperature, etc. At this time, a sample may be trimmed from the rod either by the robot or the holder mechanism after the rod is placed inside of it by the robot. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention provides a system comprising: (a) a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; (b) a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; (c) at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; (d) a retractable shear mounted to the reform tub and located underneath the retractable iris; (e) a coil plate located underneath the retractable shear; and (f) a robotic arm positioned underneath the retractable shear. In this embodiment: (1) the controller sets the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracts, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period (e.g., until ½ of the coil height falls to the coil plate), a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (2) after expiration of the pre-determined time period (e.g., until ½ of the coil height falls to the coil plate), the controller sets the retractable iris to engage the nose where a remainder of the coil is held within the reform tub; (3) the controller sets the retractable shear to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord, (4) the controller sets the retractable shear to sever the umbilical cord, and (5) the controller sends one or more instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     In this embodiment, the present invention provides a method as implemented in a reform station unit of a wire rod mill system, the reform station unit comprising: a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; a retractable shear mounted to the reform tub and located underneath the retractable iris; a coil plate located underneath the retractable shear; and a robotic arm positioned underneath the retractable shear, the method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (b) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose where a remainder of the coil is held within the reform tub; (c) setting the retractable shear to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (d) setting the retractable shear to sever the umbilical cord, and (e) sending one or more instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
       FIGS. 9A through 9F  depict another embodiment of the present invention that uses robot arm  901  for conveying the cut while using a set of pincers to position the coil for cutting with a shear mounted on the robot arm. This arrangement uses the robot to both grip/manipulate the coil and shear the coil. The robot is mounted with a combination tool that allows it to hold the rod and cut the rod. 
       FIG. 9A  depicts rings falling into the reforming tub and landing on the uppermost iris  902 . The rest of the system is waiting for enough coil to accumulate in order to begin action. This action is determined by coil height which is measured electronically using photo eye height sensors, system timing, or similar. 
       FIG. 9B  depicts rings continuing to accumulate in the tub. Iris(es)  902 ,  904 , and  906  open sequentially (i.e., iris  902  opens first, iris  904  opens second, and iris  906  opens last) as necessary to ensure the coil forms uniformly and does not overflow the tub. 
       FIG. 9C  depicts, when the coil  908  is tall enough, iris  906  opening and dropping the unfinished coil portion  908  onto the coilplate  910 . 
       FIG. 9D  depicts, when enough coil mass is on the coilplate  910  (typically defined by half the coil weight), iris  906  inside the tub closes to create separation between the two halves of the coil  908 - 1  and  908 - 2 , leaving two separate coil halves connected by a single strand of wire (or umbilicus)  912 . 
       FIG. 9E  depicts the robotic arm  901  gripping the wire  912  in preparation for the shear cut. The shear mounted on the end of the robot arm  901  cuts the coil at the indicated location. The two halves of the coil are now separate, and the robot arm  901  is left gripping the end of the newly formed coil on the mandrel stem. 
       FIG. 9F  depicts the robot arm  901  delivering the newly severed coil end to a holder or feed mechanism  916 . Where the coil end is placed depends on the mill&#39;s specific coil handling procedure. The mill may have several different types of holders/feed mechanisms available and the robot may be asked to choose one from the lot depending on input from the mill&#39;s central controls on properties such as rod diameter, steel grade, finish temperature, etc. 
     In this embodiment, the present invention provides a system comprising: (a) a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; (b) a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; (c) at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; (d) a robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon and a set of pincers, the robotic arm and the pincers located beneath the retractable iris; and (e) a coil plate located underneath the robotic arm. In this embodiment: (1) the controller sets the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracts, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period (e.g., until ½ of the coil height falls to the coil plate), a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (2) after expiration of the pre-determined time period (e.g., until ½ of the coil height falls to the coil plate), the controller sets the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (3) the controller sets the robotic arm and the set of pincers to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (4) the controller sends instructions to the set of pincers to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (5) the controller sends instructions to the robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon, and (6) the controller sends instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     In this embodiment, the present invention provides a method as implemented in a reform station unit of a wire rod mill system, the reform station unit comprising: a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem, a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem, at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub, a robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon and a set of pincers, the robotic arm and the pincers located beneath the retractable iris, and a coil plate located underneath the robotic arm, the method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (b) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (c) setting the robotic arm and the set of pincers to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (d) sending instructions to the set of pincers to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (e) sending instructions to the robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon; and (f) sending instructions to the robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
       FIGS. 10A through 10G  depict yet another embodiment of the present invention that uses three (3) robot arms  1001 - 1 ,  1001 - 2  and  1001 - 3 , two for separating the coil and one for shearing/conveying or, optionally, using four robot arms (not shown), two for separating the coil, one for shearing, and one for conveying. This arrangement can have variable numbers of robot arms depending on how the mill wants to process the coil. The robot arms can individually be mounted with any arrangement of gripper tools, shearing tools, or combination tools that both grip and shear the bar at once, or any other type of specialty tool useful for completing the coil cutting and handling process. The robots can be arranged symmetrically or radially around the tub, or in any other suitable arrangement, depending on the mill&#39;s unique needs, as long as the robots do not interfere with each other or with the movement of the coils. 
       FIG. 10A  depicts rings falling into the reforming tub and land on the uppermost iris  1002 . The rest of the system is waiting for enough coil to accumulate in order to begin action. This action is determined by coil height which is measured electronically using photo eye height sensors, system timing, or similar. 
       FIG. 10B  depicts rings continuing to accumulate in the tub. The iris(es)  1002 ,  1004  and  1006  open sequentially (i.e., iris  1002  opens first, iris  1004  opens second, and iris  1006  opens last) as necessary to ensure the coil forms uniformly and does not overflow the tub. 
       FIG. 10C  depicts, when the coil  1008  is tall enough, iris  1006  opening and dropping the unfinished coil portion onto the coilplate  1010 . 
       FIG. 10D  depicts, when enough coil mass is on the coilplate  1010  (typically defined by half the coil weight), iris  1006  inside the tub closing to create separation between the two halves of the coil  1008 - 1  and  1008 - 2 , leaving two separate coil halves connected by a single strand of wire (or umbilicus)  1012 . 
       FIG. 10E  depicts two of the robot arms  1001 - 1  and  1001 - 3  (the gripper robots) gripping the umbilical wire  1012  at strategic locations chosen according to the wire&#39;s current position (relative to the mandrel stem and shearing robot) and positioning the wire  1012  at an optimal location for the upcoming shear cut. 
       FIG. 10F  depicts the shearing robot  1001 - 2  moving in and cutting the wire  1012 . The position can be determined from feedback from a vision camera system, relative positions of the other robots, or similar arrangements. 
       FIG. 10G  depicts the coil that is now separated into two halves  1008 - 1  and  1008 - 2 . A gripper robot  1001 - 1  and  1001 - 3  maintains hold on each half. At this time, a sample may be trimmed from the coil end by one or more of the robot arms before the robot holding the coil tail end conveys it to a holder or feed mechanism  1016 . Where exactly the coil end is placed depends on the mill&#39;s specific coil handling procedure. The mill may have several different types of holders/feed mechanisms available and the robot may be asked to choose one from the lot depending on input from the mill&#39;s central controls on properties such as rod diameter, steel grade, finish temperature, etc. 
     In this embodiment, the present invention provides a system comprising: (a) a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem; (b) a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem; (c) at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub; (d) a first robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon, the robotic arm located beneath the retractable iris; (e) a second robotic arm and a third robotic arm for positioning coils; and (f) a coil plate located underneath the first, second, and third robotic arms. 
     In this embodiment: (1) the controller sets the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracts, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (2) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, the controller sets the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (3) the controller sets the first, second and third robotic arms to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (4) the controller sends instructions to the second and third robotic arms to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (5) the controller sends instructions to the first robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon, and (6) the controller sends instructions to the first robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
     According to this embodiment, the present invention provides a method as implemented in a reform station unit of a wire rod mill system, the reform station unit comprising: a stem and a nose cone coaxially located above the stem, a reform tub coaxially located with the nose and stem, the reform tub enclosing the nose and at least a portion of the stem, at least one retractable iris mounted to the reform tub, a first robotic arm with a shear mounted thereon, the robotic arm located beneath the retractable iris, a second robotic arm and a third robotic arm for positioning coils, and a coil plate located underneath the first, second, and third robotic arms, the method comprising the steps of: (a) setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a coil within the reform tub, and upon the coil attaining a pre-determined height, the controller retracting, for a pre-determined time period, the retractable iris to no longer engage the nose wherein, upon such retraction for the pre-determined time period, a portion of the coil falls to the coil plate; (b) after expiration of the pre-determined time period, setting the retractable iris to engage the nose while holding a remainder of the coil within the reform tub; (c) setting the first, second and third robotic arms to not impede with the portion of the coil or the remainder of the coil, wherein the portion of the coil and the remainder of the coil are separated by an umbilical cord; (d) sending instructions to the second and third robotic arms to position the umbilical cord for shearing; (e) sending instructions to the first robotic arm to sever the umbilical cord using the shear mounted thereon, and (f) sending instructions to the first robotic arm to convey a severed end of the umbilical cord to a feed mechanism or a carrier. 
       FIG. 11A  depicts sample arrangements showing a setup with 3 robot arms. 
       FIG. 11B  depicts sample arrangement showing a setup with 4 robot arms. 
     On non-ferrous mills, the present invention&#39;s system and method would completely eliminate the problem of manual cutting of the umbilical cord, sample taking and wrapping of the loose ends. It would provide a consistent process and eliminate potential safety hazards. On ferrous mills, the system would provide a cost-effective alternative to reform tub shears and be retrofittable to many existing coil reforming stations. 
     The present invention&#39;s system and method also incorporates within the coil forming process, strategic use of sensors, vision systems, robotics, etc. 
     The present invention&#39;s system and method has the capability to handle a wide range of sizes and grades. The present invention&#39;s system and method is also able to perform shearing, conveying, etc. within a window of time that does not affect the cycle time of the coil forming operation. 
     The present invention&#39;s system provides an automatic function for severing the umbilical cord rather than a risky, manual operation. This provides a more efficient and consistent operation in the case of non-ferrous products. In the case of ferrous coil-separation, the present invention provides a less mechanically involved system. 
     The logical operations of robotic arms in the various embodiments are implemented as: (1) a sequence of computer implemented steps, operations, or procedures running on a programmable circuit within a general use computer, (2) a sequence of computer implemented steps, operations, or procedures running on a specific-use programmable circuit; and/or (3) interconnected machine modules or program engines within the programmable circuits. 
     The above-described features associated with the logical operations of the robotic arms in the various embodiments may be implemented as software processes that are specified as a set of instructions recorded on a computer readable storage medium (also referred to as computer readable medium). When these instructions are executed by one or more processing unit(s) (e.g., one or more processors, cores of processors, or other processing units), they cause the processing unit(s) to perform the actions indicated in the instructions. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may also include tangible and/or non-transitory computer-readable storage media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such non-transitory computer-readable storage media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer, including the functional design of any special purpose processor. By way of example, and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable media can include flash memory, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions, data structures, or processor chip design. The computer readable media does not include carrier waves and electronic signals passing wirelessly or over wired connections. 
     Computer-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. Computer-executable instructions also include program modules that are executed by computers in stand-alone or network environments. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, objects, and the functions inherent in the design of special-purpose processors, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps. 
     Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for performing or executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. 
     In this specification, the term “software” is meant to include firmware residing in read-only memory or applications stored in magnetic storage or flash storage, for example, a solid-state drive, which can be read into memory for processing by a processor. Also, in some implementations, multiple software technologies can be implemented as sub-parts of a larger program while remaining distinct software technologies. In some implementations, multiple software technologies can also be implemented as separate programs. Finally, any combination of separate programs that together implement a software technology described here is within the scope of the subject technology. In some implementations, the software programs, when installed to operate on one or more electronic systems, define one or more specific machine implementations that execute and perform the operations of the software programs. 
     A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, object, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. 
     These functions described above can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, in computer software, firmware or hardware. The techniques can be implemented using one or more computer program products. Programmable processors and computers can be included in or packaged as mobile devices. The processes and logic flows can be performed by one or more programmable processors and by one or more programmable logic circuitry. General and special purpose computing devices and storage devices can be interconnected through communication networks. 
     Some implementations include electronic components, for example microprocessors, storage and memory that store computer program instructions in a machine-readable or computer-readable medium (alternatively referred to as computer-readable storage media, machine-readable media, or machine-readable storage media). Some examples of such computer-readable media include RAM, ROM, read-only compact discs (CD-ROM), recordable compact discs (CD-R), rewritable compact discs (CD-RW), read-only digital versatile discs (e.g., DVD-ROM, dual-layer DVD-ROM), a variety of recordable/rewritable DVDs (e.g., DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, etc.), flash memory (e.g., SD cards, mini-SD cards, micro-SD cards, etc.), magnetic or solid state hard drives, read-only and recordable BluRay® discs, ultra density optical discs, any other optical or magnetic media, and floppy disks. The computer-readable media can store a computer program that is executable by at least one processing unit and includes sets of instructions for performing various operations. Examples of computer programs or computer code include machine code, for example is produced by a compiler, and files including higher-level code that are executed by a computer, an electronic component, or a microprocessor using an interpreter. 
     While the above discussion primarily refers to microprocessor or multi-core processors that execute software, some implementations are performed by one or more integrated circuits, for example application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). In some implementations, such integrated circuits execute instructions that are stored on the circuit itself. 
     It is understood that any specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes disclosed is an illustration of example approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged, or that all illustrated steps be performed. Some of the steps may be performed simultaneously. For example, in certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components illustrated above should not be understood as requiring such separation, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. 
     Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, where reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically stated otherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine and neuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and do not limit the subject technology. 
     A phrase, for example, an “aspect” does not imply that the aspect is essential to the subject technology or that the aspect applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an aspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A phrase, for example, an aspect may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. A phrase, for example, a “configuration” does not imply that such configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A phrase, for example, a configuration may refer to one or more configurations and vice versa. 
     The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the principles described herein without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 
     While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these to should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features that may be specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination. 
     Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. 
     As noted above, particular embodiments of the subject matter have been described, but other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. As one example, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In certain implementations, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. 
     CONCLUSION 
     A system and method have been shown in the above embodiments for the effective implementation of an automated rod coil cutting station. While various preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, it is intended to cover all modifications falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.