Step-feeding system

Platform for installing the stepped feeding device, brush material return device, chain conveyor, and cylinder feeding device.

Feeding rack
A platform used for installing the stepped feeding device, brush-material return device, chain conveyor, and cylinder-fed feeding device. The feeding rack is constructed as an integral frame structure welded from steel plates, featuring high strength and a rational design. The furnace body has been fully welded and assembled. The surface of the feeding plate is covered with a high-strength, wear-resistant plate, making the rubbing plate highly impact-resistant and wear-resistant, thereby extending its service life.
Step-feed device
The stepped feeding device primarily transports bar stock from the material bin to the chain conveyor in layers via a series of feeding steps.
From the stationary state to the initial state, the steps beneath the material bin lift the bar stock located above it and push it into the first fixed plate. The rubbing plate then moves back and forth repeatedly until the bar stock is transferred onto the chain conveyor. The entire feeding process is smooth and reliable, ensuring a consistent feeding rhythm. When the bar stock becomes excessively long, manual intervention is required for proper placement.
Since the medium-frequency induction heating equipment is designed for round steel bars of varying diameters and lengths, there may be inconsistencies in heating cycles. To address this, the stepped feeding device is equipped with a Siemens PLC system that allows users to adjust cycle times or feeding speeds via a touch screen. This system works in coordination with the entire production line to ensure precise, cycle-based feeding and heating of bars, accommodating materials of different sizes and cycle requirements.
Material removal and return device
When bar stock is fed from the stepped feeder onto the conveyor belt of the chain conveyor, some bars may become skewed. If these skewed bars enter the chain conveyor’s track and get jammed, it can lead to material blockages, making continuous feeding or discharging difficult and disrupting the smooth, automated operation of the production line. Therefore, it is essential to kick out the skewed bars before they reach the limit cylinders and send them back into the hopper of the feeder, where they can be rearranged. Otherwise, the quality of the feeding process will be compromised.
Chain conveyor
The chain conveyor is designed to meet the demand for continuous, single-row conveying of bar stock. The primary purpose of using a chain conveyor is its smooth and precise performance during transport, as well as its high load-carrying capacity. The chain conveyor uses a standard chain as its carrying surface and is driven by a variable-frequency reducer. Once the chain conveyor is fully loaded with bar stock, the bar-stock detection device triggers a signal, causing the feeding mechanism to stop operating and the chain conveyor to slow down. Meanwhile, the subsequent cylinder-based feeding mechanism remains unaffected.
Cylinder feeding device
The system mainly consists of a positioning cylinder, a releasing cylinder, a pushing cylinder, and a feeding cylinder. When the chain conveyor transports continuous bar stock to the cylinder-based feeding and conveying device, the positioning cylinder first acts to precisely locate the bar stock, temporarily halting its forward movement. Next, the releasing cylinder activates, separating the adjacent bars from each other. Then, the pushing cylinder pushes the bar stock into the V-shaped groove, and finally, the feeding cylinder moves forward to push the bar stock into the induction coil. This process repeats continuously, initiating the next cycle.