The object of the present invention is a method as presented in the preamble of claim 1 and an apparatus as presented in the preamble of claim 8 for adjusting a position of an object. In addition, the object of the present invention is a measuring and adjusting device as defined in the preamble of claim 15.

Many machines used in industry, such as e.g. a paper machine, have a number of actuators, such as adjusting and measuring devices, disposed side-by-side and similar to each other. Such actuators are used as, inter alia, adjusting devices for the slice opening of the headbox of a paper machine, with which adjusting devices the cross-directional basis weight profile and the fiber orientation of the paper web are adjusted. These actuators are typically at intervals of approx. 100-120 mm in the transverse direction of the paper web and optimally there are approx. 100 such manual actuators on one headbox. The operating environment of machines in mills is often very challenging because high temperature, moisture, dust and vibration pose tough challenges for the mechanical durability and operating reliability of the actuators. Electrically-operated devices are replacing manually-operated actuators for dilution adjustment.

The method and apparatus according to the invention, hereinafter more briefly the solution according to the invention, for adjusting a position of an object are suited for use more particularly in machines in which are used a number of similar actuators, such as adjusting and measuring devices, disposed side by side each other.

According to what is known in the art, each of the actuators disposed side by side each other in the aforementioned plurality typically comprises a precise adjusting means, with which the adjustment of a certain part of a machine, e.g. the adjustable lip tip of a slice opening, is performed, as well a measuring device, such as a mechanical dial gauge, which shows the precise position of the adjusting means typically to an accuracy of e.g. 0.01 mm. The precise measuring device incorporated in each actuator is an expensive component that needs servicing and calibration from time to time. Furthermore, a measuring device makes an actuator a complex assembly. Also known in the art are solutions wherein the measuring device is electronic and a measurement of the position of the adjusting means of an actuator is obtained from each actuator, the measurement being readable at a central location . The measuring devices reporting the position of the adjusting means of an actuator, either conventional mechanical dial gauges or electronic reading devices in the actuator itself, make the structure of an actuator complex and expensive. Complexity also increases the susceptibility of a device to failure and the need for servicing it. Since in a certain function of a machine, such as in adjusting the slice lip of the headbox of a paper machine, there are many, up to 100 units, of the same actuators disposed side-by- side, the cumulative additional cost, susceptibility to failure and servicing requirement of an individual actuator is a very significant factor.

According to what is known in the art, e.g. the adjustment of a slice lip of a headbox of a paper machine is performed manually one actuator at a time for the whole width of the paper web. The fitter must have long experience in making the adjustment and of the effect of the adjustments on the overall process to be able to adjust the adjusting means of the individual actuators one at a time into the correct position. The adjusted position of each actuator is recorded, either on a hardcopy form or manually in an electronic device, such as a tablet or a smartphone . The above procedures are very time-consuming, because many actuators are being operated. Another problem is that in conjunction with performing and recording in memory a number of measurements, the number of erroneous measurements and recordings increases. Furthermore, the positions of the adjusting means of the actuators must from time to time be checked individually to ensure that their adjustments have not, e.g. owing to vibration, changed by themselves. If the adjustments were able to change by themselves, the quality of the product being run deteriorates and the consequences can be very expensive.

Since the mechanical dial gauges used nowadays are manual, they cannot be directly utilized if it is desired to centralize and automate the measuring and adjusting process. Automation would require modernization of the mechanical dial gauges, which in turn would be an expensive project.

The purpose of this invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks and to provide a cost-efficient, reliable and, if necessary, automatable method and apparatus for adjusting a position of an object. The method according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 1. Correspondingly, the apparatus according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 8. The measuring and adjusting device according to the invention is characterized by what is disclosed in the characterization part of claim 15. Other embodiments of the invention are characterized by what is disclosed in the other claims .

In the method according to the invention an inexpensive and operationally-reliable passive position element, such as a permanent magnet, is disposed in a number of similar actuators, such as adjusting and measuring devices, disposed side by side each other and the independent measuring devices of the actuators are replaced with a reader device common to a number of actuators. The reader device detects the individual identifier of an actuator in addition to the position of the adjusting means of the actuator. A smart display can be connected to the reader device, or the reader device can transmit data to a smart device, such as to a tablet or smartphone . The smart display and/or smart device has application software that can e.g. show the positions of the adjusting means of a number of actuators of an object needing adjustment or e.g. guide a user in adjusting the actuators .

The method according to the invention is characterized in that the position of the adjusting means of each actuator in relation to the body of the actuator is read by means of one and the same reader device that is separate from the actuator. Correspondingly, the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that an actuator has a passive position element indicating the position of an adjusting means in relation to the body of the actuator, and in that the apparatus comprises a separate reader device for determining the location of the position element of each actuator. Additionally, the measuring and adjusting device according to the invention is characterized in that on the measuring and adjusting device is a linearly movable adjusting means, in connection with which is a position element, such as a permanent magnet, indicating the precise position of the adjusting means in relation to the body of the device, and in that the measuring and adjusting device comprises a reader device for determining the precise location of the position element.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that the position of an object is adjusted with an actuator provided with a body and with adjusting means disposed in connection with the body, wherein the position of the object is adjusted with a number of actuators fixed into position disposed side by side each other, each of which actuators is separately connected mechanically to the object via an adjusting means having an adjustable position on its trajectory. For determining the position of an object, the position of the adjusting means of each actuator in relation to the body of the actuator is read through the body of the actuator by means of a reader device common to the actuators and separate from the actuator. Additionally, the measuring and adjusting device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises at least a partly hollow body, inside which is an adjusting means movable axially in relation to the body, an adjusting shaft provided with threads and an adjusting wheel fastened to the adjusting shaft, the adjusting wheel being arranged to move the adjusting means with a linear motion via the adjusting shaft. On the measuring and adjusting device is a position element indicating the position of the adjusting means in relation to the body of the device, and in that the measuring and adjusting device comprises a reader device common to a number of measuring and adjusting devices for determining the precise location of the position element through the body of the measuring and adjusting device.

One advantage of the solution according to the invention is that the structure of the actuators is simpler and their manufacture is less expensive compared to actuators according to the current state of the art. The actuator does not have any reader device at all inside itself, but instead the reader device is a separate device, which is precisely positioned on the side of the actuator. By means of a position detection sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor, on the reader device, the position, e.g. in relation to the body of the actuator, of the adjusting means of an actuator is read in a contactless manner, i.e. the position detector sensor has no mechanical contact with the position element in the measuring phase, but instead the reading is carried out by means of a magnetic field through the body of the actuator. The same reader device is used for reading the position of the adjusting means of a number, e.g. all, of the actuators. An advantage in this case is that the solution according to the invention enables the removal of expensive mechanical or electronic reading and measuring devices from the actuators themselves, in which case actuator-specific reading and measuring devices can be replaced e.g. with a single reading and measuring device in shared use. This enables significant cost savings in the costs of manufacturing and operating the devices.

Another advantage also is that, the structure of the actuators according to the invention is simple, in which case operating reliability increases and the servicing requirement decreases. Another advantage also is that actuators according to prior art can advantageously be converted into actuators according to the system of the invention, in which case the adjusting mechanics of the existing devices can be fully utilized, but the reading of the position of the adjusting means of an actuator is converted to be according to the invention.

Yet another advantage is that a reader device and the smart display and/or the smart device can be utilized for guidance in making the adjustment. The display and/or smart device has accurate information about what the position of the adjusting means of each actuator should be. When a user comes to make an adjustment to the actuator, the smart display/smart device advises in which direction the adjusting screw of an individual actuator should be turned and by how much. It can e.g. indicate on the screen or with a sound signal when the adjustment has been correctly set.

Another advantage is also that the system according to the invention enables different new and efficient ways of utilizing the recording of measurement results. For example, in an arrangement associated with the adjusting of the slice opening of the headbox of a paper machine, the following uses, among others, can be applied according to the invention: reset mode, adjusting mode, profile mode, displaying an actuator profile, and detection of a change in the position of an adjusting means. Some of these uses or characteristics cannot be viably utilized in solutions according to prior art.

Another advantage is also that the system according to the invention is also easily automatable. A small and inexpensive reader device communicating wirelessly and provided with its own small separate power source can be installed in each actuator, in which case the reader devices continuously transmit the position data of the adjusting means of the actuators in real-time to an information system and/or to a display device. This enables e.g. effective monitoring of the permanence of an adjustment and, if necessary, rapid reaction for exactly the correct actuator if the adjustment possibly changes by itself e.g. from the effect of vibration.

One advantage is also that inexpensive commercial tablets and/or smartphones, i.e. so-called smart devices, can be utilized as a smart display device in the system. In this case a reader device is its own discrete unit, which transmits the identification data of an actuator and the position of an adjusting means to a smart device, either via a cable or wirelessly, using e.g. Bluetooth technology, WLAN technology or some other suitable technology. In the following the invention will be described in more detail by the aid of some examples of its embodiment with reference to the attached simplified drawings, wherein

Fig. 1 presents a simplified front view of one embodiment of the solution according to the invention, wherein an object, e.g. the slice opening of the headbox of a paper machine, is adjusted with a number of actuators connected in a line,

Fig. 2 presents a simplified cross-section of one actuator presented in Fig. 1 and also one basic principle to be used in the solution according to the invention for reading the precise position of an adjusting means, such as an output shaft, of an actuator, presents an apparatus, an actuator and a reader device in which is an integrated smart display device, for use in the solution according to the invention, as viewed obliquely from the side and from above,

presents the apparatus according to Fig. 3, as viewed obliquely from the side and from above, on which apparatus the reader device has been placed to read the position of the adjusting means of the actuator, and a display device integrated into the reader device to show the position of the adjusting means to the user,

presents the actuator according to Figs. 3 and 4, as viewed obliquely from the side and from above, and also a separate reader device as both a cable version and a wireless version, and also a smartphone that functions as a smart display device, and

presents the actuator according to Fig. 5, as viewed obliquely from the side and from above, in an adjusting situation in which the reader device wirelessly sends the real-time adjusting situation of the actuator to the smartphone or an information system of a user, and also the smartphone guides the user in making a precise adjustment.

Fig. 1 presents one application of the solution according to the invention, in which the slice opening of the headbox 2 of a paper machine is adjusted with a number of actuators 1 disposed side-by-side and connected to each other in a straight line. By turning the adjusting wheel 5 of the actuator 1, the position of an adjusting means 12, such as an output shaft, is moved in a linear motion either upwards or downwards. The adjusting means 12 is in direct connection with an adjusting rod 3, which adjusts the height position of an object 4, such as the apron beam lip of a slice opening, and thus the slice opening of the headbox 2. Thus, in the solution according to the embodiment the adjustable object 4 is the height position, and at the same time the distance from the actuator 1, of the apron beam lip or apron tip of the slice opening of the headbox 2 of a paper machine. Typically the headbox 2 of a paper machine has many tens, possibly over 100, actuators 1 fastened in a fixed manner to the frame of the headbox 2 over the whole width of the paper web .

Fig. 2 presents a simplified cross-section of one actuator 1 presented in Fig. 1 and also one basic principle to be used in the solution according to the invention for reading the precise position of an object 4. The actuator 1 comprises, inter alia, an essentially hollow body 10 and adjusting means 5, 6a, 6b, 11 and 12 disposed in connection with it, of which the adjusting wheel 5 is preferably at the free end of the body 10, on the outside of the body 10, and the other components are partly or wholly inside the body 10. For example, inside the body 10 is preferably an adjusting means 12 movable axially in relation to the body 10 and also an adjusting shaft 11, provided with threads, moving the adjusting means 12, which adjusting shaft is rotated with the adjusting wheel 5, and the thread parts of which adjusting shaft 11 are in screw contact also with the double nuts 6a and 6b inside the body 10. The precise position of the object 4 is obtained by reading the precise position of the output shaft forming the adjusting means 12 of the actuator 1. The precise position, i.e. location, of the adjusting means 12 is read e.g. in relation to the body 10 of the actuator 1. By turning the adjusting wheel 5 of the actuator 1, an adjusting shaft 11 provided with two different ascending threads is rotated. The two double-nut 6a and 6b and screw arrangements in connection with the adjusting shaft 11 provide a clearance-free and precise linear movement of the adjusting means 12, which is per se known in the art. When turning the adjusting wheel 5 clockwise, the adjusting shaft 11 moves the adjusting means 12 linearly directly outwards, i.e. downwards, in relation to the body 10 of the actuator 1, and when turning the adjusting wheel 5 counterclockwise, the adjusting means 12 moves linearly directly upwards, i.e. inwards, in relation to the body 10 of the actuator 1. The adjusting rod 3 is fastened essentially without any clearance to the pin-like part 12b of the adjusting means 12 protruding axially from the body 10 of the actuator 1 with a cotter pin 12a in such a way that the adjusting rod 3 moves linearly along with the adjusting means 12. In this way by turning the adjusting wheel 5 the adjusting rod 3 moves linearly in relation to the body 10 either outwards or inwards, i.e. in practice in the up-down direction, at the same time very precisely adjusting the position of the object 4, such as e.g. the apron beam lip of the slice opening of the headbox 2 of a paper machine. The adjusting wheel 5 of the actuator 1 in the case of the embodiment is also provided with a manual scale 5a.

Disposed in fixed connection with the adjusting means 12 is a passive position element 8, such as a permanent magnet, that is very advantageous in terms of costs, the position of which magnet indicates accurately the height position of the adjusting means 12, and thus also of the adjusting rod 3, in relation to the body 10 of the actuator 1. Disposing a position element 8 on the adjusting means 12 enables a very simple, inexpensive, reliable, accurate and protected measuring and adjusting solution for determining the position of the adjusting rod 3. Furthermore, the measuring solution is entirely service-free.

On the body 10 of the actuator 1 is a positioning means 9, such as one or more positioning pins 9a, onto which a separate reader device 19a without display is precisely fastened for reading the position element 8. In the solution according to the embodiment there are two positioning pins 9a disposed side-by-side. The positioning means 9 ensures that the reader device 19a docks onto the body 10 of the actuator 1 always at exactly the same point and thus that the measured and read position of the adjusting means 12 of the actuator 1, and at the same time of the adjusting rod 3, is reliable. An identifier 7, such as an NFC or RFID identifier, uniquely identifying the actuator 1 is fastened into connection with the actuator 1, e.g. onto the outer surface.

The individualized identification data of the actuator 1 is first read with the reader device 19a from the identifier 7. The identification data is read with an identification reader 13, such as an NFC or RFID reader, on the reader device 19a. Next the reader device 19a is placed tightly onto the positioning means 9 of the actuator 1, in which case reader sensor 14, such as a Hall effect sensor, functioning as a location reader disposed on the reader device reads the precise position of the position element 8 on the actuator 1, and thus also the precise position of the adjusting means 12, in relation to the body 10 of the actuator 1. The reader- sensor 14 reads the position of the position element 8 in a contactless manner through the body 10, i.e. the reader- sensor 14 is not in mechanical contact with the position element 8 in the measuring phase, but instead the reading is carried out in this embodiment by means of a magnetic field. In this embodiment the identification data of the actuator 1 and the position data of the adjusting means 12 are transmitted onwards from the reader device 19a with a transmission cable 20. In this solution, as in the other solutions according to the invention, the position data, i.e. the height position, of the adjusting means 12 is directly proportional to the height position of the adjusting rod 3 and via this also to the height position of the object 4, i.e. the apron beam lip of the slice opening, at the point of the adjusting rod 3 in question. Fig. 3 presents a view obliquely from the side and from above of one actuator 1 and reader device 16, in which is an integrated smart display 17 for informing the user, for use in the solution according to the invention. In this embodiment the positioning means 9 of the actuator 1 is similar to that in the actuator 1 according to the embodiment described above and comprises e.g. two positioning pins 9a. The reader device 16 has a counterpart exactly fitting the positioning means 9, the sockets 18 of which counterpart are placed tightly onto the positioning pins 9a of the actuator 1 when the position of the adjusting means 12 of the actuator 1 is read by means of a reader sensor 14, such as a Hall effect sensor, on the reader device 16. The parts of the positioning means 9 and the counterpart can also be the other way round, in which case the counterpart has positioning pins and the sockets into which the positioning pins can be precisely placed are in the body of the actuator 1. The pins and sockets can also be replaced with other types of positioning means .

Fig. 4 presents a view obliquely from the side and from above of an actuator 1 in a situation in which a reader device 16 has been fitted onto the positioning means 9 of the actuator 1 to read the position of the position element 8 of the actuator 1. The location of the position element 8 and/or adjusting instructions for the user are visible on the display 17 of the reader device 16. The reader device 16 is used with the function buttons 19. Depending on the application software of the reader device 16, the display 17 informs the user of the historical data associated with the actuator 1 in question, the current position data of the adjusting means 12, the position data from a number of actuators 1 connected to the machine or e.g. guidance for a new adjustment of the actuator 1.

Fig. 5 presents a view obliquely from the side and from above of an actuator 1, to the positioning means 9 of which is connected a separate reader device 19a without display. The identification data of the actuator 1 and the position data of the adjusting means 12 are transmitted from the reader device 19a with a transmission cable 20 to a smart device 21, such as to a smartphone. The smart device 21 can have various applications, such as applications 22a indicating the position of the adjusting means 12 of the actuators 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 5 presents also a wireless version 19b of a reader device without a display, the device comprising inter alia a radio transmitter, such as a Bluetooth or WLAN transmitter, for transmitting the data read .

Fig. 6 presents a view obliquely from the side and from above of an actuator 1 in an adjusting situation in which a user 23 turns the adjusting wheel 5 clockwise 24, and in which a reader device 19b without a display wirelessly 25 sends the real-time adjusting situation data of the actuator 1 to an information system by means of a base station 26 and also to a smart device 21 of the user 23, and the smart device 21 guides the user 23 by means of an application 22b in the exact performance of the adjustment.

The information system, reader device 16 or smart device 21 can retain inside it predefined adjusting solutions and profiles, and can instruct the user 23 in the adjustments of the actuators 1 to be made for implementing a profile. As an example, in an arrangement associated with the adjustment of the slice opening of the headbox 2 of a paper machine, the following profiles and uses, among others, can be applied:

— Reset mode: The first procedure, which is carried out before taking the headbox 2 into use. In conjunction with this, the straightening, zero adjustment and setup of the object 4, such as the apron beam lip of the slice opening, are performed. The zero values remain in the system memory for each specific actuator. In this case they are either in the memory of an information system, a reader device 16 or a smart device 21 or e.g. in the memories of all of these. Thereafter this data functions as the baseline of a profile .

— Adjusting mode: Any actuator 1 whatsoever can be adjusted and the last position of he adjusting means 12 of the actuator 1 remains in the memory of the reader device 16, 19a, 19b. The reader device 16, 19a, 19b forms an actuator profile from these values. The profile can be recorded in the system memory for later use.

— Profile mode: In this mode the desired bending profile of an object 4, such as the apron beam lip of the slice opening, can be entered in advance into the reader device 16, 19a, 19b. The profile can be adjusted without the bending limits being accidentally exceeded. A bending limit monitor takes care of this. The display 17 of a reader device 16 and/or the display of a smart device 21 guides a user 23 during the adjustment e.g. as to which actuator 1 to operate next, the direction of the adjustment and the magnitude of the movement.

— Display of actuator profile: An actuator profile can be transferred e.g. to the display of a computer and, vice versa, a profile can be transferred from a computer to the display of a reader device 16 and/or of a smart device 21.

— Detection of deviation from position: If the position of the adjusting means 12 of an actuator 1 has shifted by itself, the information system, reader device 16 or smart device 21 alerts the user 23 to this fact.

As stated earlier, in adjusting solutions, such as in the adjustment of the slice opening of the headbox 2 of a paper machine, in which there are many actuators 1 that are similar to each other and disposed side-by-side, it is advantageous to remove the expensive measuring technology solutions from the individual actuators 1 and convert them into a single shared reader solution 16, 19a, 19b and display solution 17, 21 according to the invention. In this case a very inexpensive and operationally-reliable passive position element 8, such as a permanent magnet, according to the idea of the invention is installed in the actuators 1, the position element being in fixed attachment with the adjusting means 12, such as an output shaft, of the actuator 1, and thus reliably and accurately indicates the position of the adjusting means 12 to the separate reader device 16, 19a, 19b, which one and the same reader device 16, 19a, 19b can read the positions of the adjusting means 12 of all the actuators 1 and at the same time the position, i.e. the distance from the actuator 1 at the point of each actuator 1, of the object 4 connected to the actuators 1.

The actuator 1 according to the invention can also be adapted to function as an individual measuring and adjusting device. In this case the pin-like part 12b of the adjusting means 12 protruding axially from the body 10 of the actuator 1, said part being visible in Fig. 2, functions either as the mounting base for the adjusting rod 3 or corresponding means of an individual adjusting device, as presented above, or the aforementioned pin-like part 12b functions when suitably modified as a measuring spindle or measuring means corresponding to a micrometer spindle in an individual measuring device. The measurement result is then obtained either on the display and in the memory of a separate reader device 16, or via a reader device 19a, 19b without a display on the display or in the memory of a smart device 21, such as smartphone, tablet or computer. A reader device 16, 19, 19a can be detachable but preferably it is arranged either in a fixed manner or is adapted to remain independently attached to the body 10 of a measuring and adjusting device. Otherwise the structure of the measuring and adjusting device corresponds to the structure, and the parts therein, of the actuator 1 described above.

It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited solely to the examples described above, but that it may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. Thus, for example, some phases of the method can be in a different sequence than what is presented above and, in addition, some phases of the method can be absent and some phases of the method not presented can be included. Furthermore, some phases of the method can include more or fewer functions than what is presented above.

It is further obvious to the skilled person that the solution according to the invention can be applied in many other applications than what is presented above. The solution according to the invention can be applied effectively and advantageously in, inter alia, adjusting cases having a number of similar adjusting devices disposed side-by-side. A noteworthy example is adjusting devices operating with a rotational movement, such as adjusting devices intended for adjusting the profile dilution of the pulp in the headbox of a paper machine.

It is also obvious to the person skilled in the art that new software solutions that utilize the historical data of the actuators and the real-time position data of the adjustments can be developed for the solution according to the invention.

It is also further obvious to the person skilled in the art that the structure of an actuator can differ to what is presented above. For example, the type of separate adjusting means inside an actuator presented above is not necessarily needed if the permanent magnet functioning as a position means is fastened e.g. directly to the top end of the adjusting rod adjusting the position of the apron beam lip of the slice opening. In this case an adjusting shaft provided with threads and fastened to an adjusting wheel functions as an adjusting means.