Towards a better width control in cold rolling of flat steel strips

Abstract

Strip width necking may be quite significant on cold rolling mills. To compensate for this unpredicted phenomenon, hot strips are often ordered with an over-width with resulting substantial over costs, for trimming in particular. Based upon numerical simulation supported by rolling trials, the main factors that effect strip width variation have been quantified: edge drop, transverse stress relaxation, thermal contraction. Potential width actuators to be implemented on industrial cold rolling lines have been identified.