A computational method to predict strip profile in rolling mills

Presented is a new computational method for predicting the static cross-sectional thickness profile of rolled metal strip. Methods to model the strip profile and related flatness with improved efficiency and accuracy remain central for achieving high quality flat-rolled products. The new method involves a novel combination of Timoshenko beam finite elements with multiple coupled Winkler elastic foundations. It applies to simple mill configurations, such as the common 4-high rolling mill, in addition to complex mill types, such as the 20-high Sendzimir mill. The inherent benefits over traditional strip profile models include non-discrete elastic foundations, cubic displacement fields, rapid solution, and mixed boundary conditions. The flexible nature of the model allows it to readily accommodate typical mechanisms used in industry to control strip profile, such as roll crowning, roll bending, roll shifting, and roll crossing. Comparison of the predicted displacement for a 4-high mill with that obtained using a large-scale finite element simulation provides validation of the presented strip profile calculation method for real-time industrial applications.