EP1996347A1

EP1996347A1 - Method for rolling a sheet metal strip

Info

Publication number: EP1996347A1
Application number: EP07731138A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lionel Broussard
Original assignee: Converteam SAS
Current assignee: GE Energy Power Conversion France SAS
Priority date: 2006-03-14
Filing date: 2007-03-14
Publication date: 2008-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-14
Also published as: US8347681B2; US20090235706A1; FR2898523A1; CN101454091A; WO2007104865A1; FR2898523B1; CN101454091B; EP1996347B1; DE602007011224D1; ES2361456T3

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for controlling cold rolling of a sheet metal strip (B) involving continuously passing the strip in at least two successive rolling stands (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E) comprising each at least two driven rolls (18) between which the strip moves and is plated. It includes: estimating the sliding variation (Δg1) in output of one rolling stand (16A); and correcting the rotational speed (UA, UB) of the rolls (18) of at least one corrected rolling stand based on the estimated sliding variation.

Description

Method of rolling a sheet metal strip

The present invention relates to a cold rolling method of a sheet metal strip, of the type comprising the continuous passage of the strip in at least two successive cages each comprising at least two driven cylinders between which the band circulates and undergoes crushing. Cold rolling is an important step in the development of long products in the metallurgical industry. Its purpose is to reduce the thickness of the input product. The sheets produced are usually intended for the automotive and food industries.

Rolling therefore consists of reducing the thickness of a metal strip by plastic deformation. For this, the strip flows continuously between two rotary cylinders, called working cylinders, with parallel axes delimiting between them a nip space commonly called air gap, and on which a force is applied. The thickness reduction of the band is then obtained by crushing. This device constitutes a cage of a rolling mill. The use of several successive cages in which the band passes simultaneously is a tandem mill.

The working rolls are rotated at a controlled speed. As the passage in the cages of the rolling mill, the speed of the band increases in view of the decrease in its thickness, and the maintenance of its width.

For metallurgical reasons, the thickness variations at the output of the tandem must be as small as possible. For this, different control loops are implemented.

Thus, it is common to continuously measure the linear speed of the strip at the exit of the first cage, the thickness of the strip at the inlet and outlet of the first cage and the thickness at the outlet of the last cage.

For example, it is known to correct the thickness by acting on the air gap of the working rolls of the first cage as a function of the thickness measurement made at the entrance of the first cage. The air gap is the distance separating the two working cylinders. Similarly, it is known to modify the air gap of the working cylinders of the first cage as a function of the thickness measurement performed at the outlet of this first cage.

It is also known to modify the rotational speed of the rolls of the first cage as a function of the thickness of the strip at the outlet of the first cage.

Finally, it is known to act on the speed of rotation of the cylinders of the last cage from the thickness measured at the output of the latter cage. These correction methods make it possible to reduce the variations in thickness of the strip, but remain insufficient to take account of the complex phenomena that occur in a rolling mill.

Furthermore, in the particular context of hot rolling, it is known from EP-A1-0 000 454, a method of compensating for the effects of slip variation on the inter-traction traction so as to maintain this traction at a constant value to maintain the width of the rolled product. This process is based on the principle of maintaining the speed of the band at both ends of the intercage.

In the context of cold rolling, the physical phenomena involved are different. Thus, the inter-traction has no influence on the width of the rolled product. Therefore, the problem of maintaining intercalating traction at a constant value solved by the process described in EP-A1-0 000 454 is not important in the context of cold rolling. In addition, the issue of tensile control of the web in a cold rolling plant is easily solved by the implementation of traction control using tractiometers. These devices are generally not used when rolling a hot sheet, because very difficult to implement

It is also customary, in cold rolling mills, to let the intercross traction increase naturally when the rolling speed decreases. Unlike hot rolling processes (where the traction is kept constant), it is this inter-traction variation of traction which causes a variation of the exit slip of the upstream cage. Thus, the object of the invention is to propose a cold rolling method which makes it possible to further reduce the thickness variations of the strip at the exit of the rolling mill. To this end, the subject of the invention is a method for controlling the cold rolling of a sheet metal strip of the aforementioned type, characterized in that it comprises:

the estimation of the slip variation at the exit of a cage; and

the correction of the rotational speed of the rolls of at least one corrected cage as a function of the estimated sliding variation.

According to particular modes of implementation, the method comprises one or more of the following characteristics:

the estimation of the slip variation comprises a step of measuring the linear speed of the strip at the exit of the cage and a step of estimating the circumferential speed of the rolls in the cage, and a step of calculating the slip of the strip from the linear speed of the strip at the exit of the cage and the circumferential speed of the rolls of the cage;

the estimation of the slip variation is made on the first cage, considering the direction of circulation of the strip;

the correction of the speed is applied to a set of at least two successive cages, considering the direction of circulation of the strip;

the speed corrections applied to the successive cages are identical; the correction of the speed comprises a variation of the speed of the corrected cage substantially at the instant of estimation of the sliding variation;

the correction of the speed comprises a variation of the speed of the first corrected cage with a time offset equal to the transfer time of the band between the last corrected cage and the following cage, considering the direction of circulation of the band;

the temporary offset incorporates a delay due to a filtering; and the correction of the speed comprises a variation of the speed of the first corrected cage with a time offset equal to the transfer time of the band between the cage following the cage where the sliding variation is estimated and the first cage corrected by considering the direction of circulation of the band;

a clamping correction is applied for at least one cage adjacent to a corrected cage to maintain traction; and

- The control of a traction holding device located upstream of the first cage and said control takes into account the estimated slip variation.

The subject of the invention is also a device for controlling the rolling of a sheet metal strip comprising at least two successive cages each comprising at least two driven cylinders between which the band circulates and undergoes crushing, characterized in that it comprises:

means for estimating the slip variation at the exit of a cage;

means for correcting the rotational speed of the rolls of at least one corrected cage as a function of the estimated sliding variation, and

means for implementing a method as defined above.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given solely by way of example and with reference to the drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a rolling plant according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the means for compensating for the effect of sliding variations on the thickness, explaining the steps of the corrections to be carried out according to a first embodiment; and

- Figures 3 and 4 are views identical to those of Figures 1 and 2 respectively of another embodiment. In Figure 1 is schematically illustrated a cold rolling plant 10 of a strip B of metal sheet. Thus, this installation comprises, as known per se, a system 11 for maintaining traction at the input of the rolling mill. This system comprises a reel 12 in the case of a reel roll mill or an S block in the case of a continuous rolling mill, whose unwinding speed is controlled by a torque control unit 14.

The rolling plant to which this invention can be applied comprises from two to six stands. By way of example, we will describe an installation consisting of five stands 16A, 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E through which the band B circulates successively.

As known per se, each roll stand comprises two working rolls 18 with parallel axes between which the band B circulates. These rolls are rotated by drive motors whose speed is regulated according to a predetermined setpoint UA , UB, specific to each cage. Each cage comprises a hydraulic or electromechanical clamping device 22 for transmitting to the two working rolls 18 the necessary rolling force so that these ensure the reduction of predetermined thickness. This device 22 provides an adjustment of the gap separating the two cylinders 18. The rolling force is transmitted from the device 22 to the working rolls 18 through a stack of one or more bearing cylinders 20.

A gauge 24 of thickness Jo is disposed upstream of the first cage 16A. This gauge 24 is able to continuously determine the thickness of the band B before entering the first cage 16A.

Similarly, a second gauge 26 of thickness Ji is disposed at the output of the first cage 16A. It is capable of continuously determining the thickness of the strip B after its rolling in the cage 16A.

Moreover, a speed sensor V _S i is disposed at the output of the first cage 16A. It is capable of continuously determining the instantaneous linear speed of circulation of the band B at the output of the cage 16A. The sensor is formed for example of a laser velocimeter. As known per se, the gauge 26 is connected to a speed correction unit 29 as a function of the thickness measured at the output of the first cage 16A.

As known per se, the drive motors of the cylinders 18 of the first cage 16A and the second cage 16B are each controlled by a speed controller 30A, 30B capable of defining a speed reference for the motor of the associated cage. The speed controller 30A is connected to the speed correction unit 29 to receive a raw speed correction UIA used for calculating the setpoint UA applied to the first cage 16A.

The speed controller 3OA receives as input a theoretical speed

UtA-

The speed regulator 30B is adapted to receive at its input a theoretical speed u _t β and at the output to provide a raw speed signal UB applied to the drive motor of the second cage 16B.

As known per se, the thickness errors measured by the gauge 24 at the entrance of the cage 16A are compensated by an action on the air gap of the working rolls 18 of the cage 16A via the clamping device 22 This action modifies the thickness at the outlet of the cage 16A. As known per se, the thickness errors measured by the gauge

26 at the exit of the cage 16A are also corrected by an action on the air gap of the working rolls 18 of the cage 16A through the clamping device 22. This action modifies the thickness at the output of the cage 16A. As known per se, the thickness errors measured by the gauge

26 at the exit of the cage 16A are corrected at the output of the second cage 16B by an action on the speed of the first cage 16A. This speed correction is elaborated by the unit 29 and applied on the cage 16A by the regulator 30A, suitable for regulating the rotational speed of the work rolls 18 by modifying the speed reference U _tA such that:

U ₃ A = (1 + U _1A ) * UtA-

The speed correction Ui _A associated with the first cage 16A is supplied to an inertia compensation unit 32, itself connected to the unit. The unit 32 is able to determine from the speed correction UIA, and the mechanical characteristics of the strip, the torque that must be imposed on the system 12 for maintaining traction at the input of the rolling mill. According to the invention, a unit 34 for compensating the rotational speed of the working rolls of at least two stands as a function of a slip variation measured at the outlet of the first stand of the rolling mill is provided in the 'installation.

In the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the compensation unit 34 is able to modify the speed of rotation of the rolls only of the first cage 16A. The unit 34 is connected to the sensor 28 for measuring the speed V _s i. In addition, sensors 36 for measuring the rotational speed of the drive motors of the rolls are provided on the first stand. This measurement makes it possible to calculate the circumferential speed V _d of the work rolls using the relation

V = π * D * N cl ^π Û t \ in which:

- D ₁ is the diameter of the working cylinder

- N ₁ is the measurement of the rotational speed of the working rolls. The unit 34 is connected to these speed sensors. The speed of the cylinder is different from the speed of the strip upstream and downstream of the cylinder due to the variation in thickness of this strip during the passage between two cylinders and physical phenomena related to rolling. The speed of the strip is equal to the speed of the cylinder only at a point on the periphery of the cylinder designated by neutral point.

The diagram of the compensation unit 34 is illustrated in FIG. 2. This unit comprises a module 42 for calculating the slippage of the strip at the output of the cage 16A, a module 44 for calculating the temporal variation of sliding of the strip. and a unit 46 for generating a signal for correcting the speed of rotation of only the cylinders of the first cage 16A.

More precisely, the slip calculation module 42 comprises a divider 52 capable of ensuring the division of the linear velocity V _s i of the band at the output of the first cage 16A by the circumferential speed V _c i of the cylinders of the first cage delivered by the sensor 36.

A subtractor 54 subtracts the number 1 from the quotient of the velocities. So, the slip gi is obtained by the equation:

in which :

- V _s1 is the linear velocity of the band between the first and second cages; and V _d is the circumferential speed of the rolls of the first stand.

The calculation module 42 comprises at the output a filter 58 making it possible to filter the measurement of the slip gi.

The module 44 for calculating the sliding time variation Δ _g i includes a memory 62 capable of storing an initial filtered slip value _g- i produced by the module 42 when the unit 34 is turned on. trigger 64 is able to ensure the storage of the current slip value produced by the module 42 during the startup of the unit.

The module 44 further comprises a subtractor 66 capable of effecting the difference between the current filtered slip gi obtained at the output of the module 42 and the value of the initial filtered slip g-u stored in the memory

62. A sliding variation Δgi = gi-g-π in the cage 16A is thus obtained.

The unit 46 in this embodiment is able to ensure the adjustment of the relative speed correction of the unit 34. In theory this gain is -1.

An additional correction signal U ₂ A = -l * Δg is thus obtained at the output of the module 46.

As shown in Figure 1, the output of the unit 46 is connected to a multiplier 69A provided at the output of the speed controller 30A. The output of the multiplier supplies the speed reference value u _A to the drive motor of the cylinders 18. The multiplier is able to multiply the setpoint U3A by (1 ⁺ U ₂ A). Thus, the speed reference U-IA is increased or decreased in percentage by an amount equal to the opposite of the slip variation Ag ₁ at the moment of measurement considered.

It is noted that such an installation makes it possible to ensure a better regularity of the thickness of the strip at the output of the rolling installation. In fact, the additional correction U _2A provided by the unit 34 makes it possible to take into account, in the control of the installation, variations of sliding which occur in particular in the first cage by acting directly on this cage.

The additional correction made by the unit 34 is satisfactory since it is possible to demonstrate that the slip variation in a cage is equal to the relative thickness variation in the following cage, ie: ΔE ,

= Ag ₁ in which:

E ₂

ΔE ₂ is the thickness variation at the outlet of the cage 16B; E ₂ is the reference thickness at the output of the cage 16B;

Δgi is the sliding variation at the outlet of the cage. FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a rolling installation. It includes elements identical or corresponding to those of Figure 1. They are designated by the same reference numbers.

This installation further comprises a sensor 138 for measuring the rotation speed Vc ₂ of the drive motors of the cage 16B making it possible to measure the instantaneous circumferential speed of the working rolls of the second cage 16B. This sensor is connected to the supplementary compensation unit 34.

In this embodiment, the unit 34 has two outputs, one connected to the multiplier 69A and a second connected to a second multiplier 69B integrated in the speed controller 30B.

The second output of the additional compensation unit 34 is adapted to provide an additional correction U2 _B addressed to the multiplier 69B to output a speed setpoint value UB applied thereto to the motor of the second cage 16B. The setpoint u _B is equal to the raw setpoint u _t β corrected by the additional correction UΣB according to the relation UB = u _t β (1 + U ₂ B).

In addition, the compensation unit 34 further comprises an output u ₂ c control of the clamping position of the rollers of the Third cage 16C.

The diagram of the additional correction unit 34 is illustrated in FIG. 4. This diagram shows the modules 42 and 44 of the first embodiment.

In addition, the unit 34 comprises a module 70 for estimating the transfer time of the product between the second and third stands 16B, 16C. This comprises a memory 72 for storing the distance d ₂₃ separating the second and third stands 16B and 16C and an estimator 74 of the linear speed Vs ₂ of the band between the second and third stands 16B, 16C. This estimator 74 is able to determine, by calculation, the speed of the strip at the exit of the second cage 16B, in particular from the relation V _s2 = V _c2 (1 + g _S2Th ) in which:

- V _s2 is the linear speed of the band between the second and third cages; and - V _c2 is the circumferential speed of the working cylinders of the second cage obtained from the sensor 138,

- gs2 _Th is the theoretical slip output of the second cage- The module 70 has a divider 76 to calculate the time t ₂₃ transfer of a point of the band B between the second and third cages from the distance d ₂₃ separating these cages and the speed V _S2 of circulation of the band.

At the output of the divider 76 is provided an adder 78 connected to a memory 80 for storing a delay constant τ corresponding to the propagation time of the slip filter 58. The output of the module 70 is connected to a delay line 82 integrated in the correction module 46. This delay line receives as input the -Δgi signal obtained at the output of the multiplier 68. The delay line 82 is adapted to ensure the application of an additional correction signal U ₂ A, U2B to the cages 16A and 16B with the delay produced by the module 70.

The output of the delay line 82 is applied to the two multipliers 69A, 69B so that the speed commands UA, UB are each corrected relatively in percentage by an amount equal to - Ag ₁ (U + ^ - *) where t is the measurement instant, t ₂₃ is the transfer time between the stands 16A and 16B, and τ is the propagation time of the slip filter 58. The role of the module 47 is to ensure the maintenance of the traction between the stands 16B and 16C by calculating a clamping correction U ₂ c for the cage 16C from the speed correction U ₂ B- Indeed, the speed correction U _2B on the one hand and the variation in thickness at the entrance of the cage 16C generated by the sliding variation Δgi on the other hand cause these traction variations. The output of the module 82 is filtered by the module 90 to ensure an adaptation of the motor dynamics of the cage 16B with respect to the clamping of the cage 16C. A gain G ₉₁ is applied by a module 91 to the output signal of the module 90 to ensure that the position variation of the clamping U _2C of the cage 16C is just necessary to compensate for the variation in traction induced by U ₂ B-

The gain of the module 91 is given by the relation: 8F ₃ dE ^G 91 = C ^ ^E e3 in which

ΘF r- is the variation of effort of the cage 16C with respect to the variation dE of thickness at the entrance of this cage; and

- Cg ₃ is the ceding cage 16C; and - E is the thickness at the entrance of the cage 16C

In the example illustrated with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the first and second stands have their rotational speed of the rolls corrected to take account of the sliding variations Ag ₁ at the outlet of the first stand so that the variation in thickness may have take place at the outlet of the second cage with respect to an optimal theoretical thickness is compensated during the passage of the band in the third cage 16C.

More generally, the process according to the invention can be extended to more than two successive cages, the speed of the cylinders of all the cages or of only a partial number of cages, except for the last one which can be corrected. the same relative quantity and taking into account the product transfer time between the second cage and the last corrected cage, so that the last corrected cage compensates for the variation in thickness caused by the slip variations at the outlet of the first cage.

Advantageously, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the inertia compensation unit 32 additionally receives the speed correction U-IA of the regulator 30A as it is usually known and the additional speed correction U _2A obtained by holding account of the correction of the unit 34 so that the flow rate variations at the entrance of the cage 16A can be compensated by means of the traction maintenance system at the input of the rolling mill, the purpose of which is not to disturb the traction at the entrance of the cage 16A.

In the illustrated embodiment, units 30A, 30B, and 34 are distinct. However, alternatively, these units are functionally implemented by one and the same computer.

In the embodiment described above, the corrections of the speeds of the cages apply from the first cage. But in a dual way, these cage speed corrections can be applied from the last cage. For example, for a rolling mill with five stands: only a relative speed correction equal to + Ag ₁ (t + t ₂₃ + t ₃₄ + t ₄₅ -τ) is applied to the last stand 16Ε, or a relative speed correction equal to + Δg ₁ (t + t ₂₃ + t ₃₄ -τ) is applied to the last two stands 16D and 16E, or

a relative speed correction equal to + Ag ₁ (t + t ₂₃ -τ) is applied to the last three stands 16C, 16D, 16E. In the preceding formulas, the following notations are used: t is the measurement instant, t ₂₃ is the transfer time between the stands 16B and 16C, t ₃₄ is the transfer time between the stands 16C and 16D, t ₄₅ is the transfer time between the cages 16D and 16E, τ is the propagation time of the slip filter 58. In this embodiment, the inertia compensations are applied to the winder.

Claims

1.- Method for controlling the cold rolling of a sheet metal strip (B) comprising continuously passing the strip cold in at least two successive cages (16A ₁ 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E) each comprising at least two cylinders (18) driven between which the band (B) circulates and undergoes crushing, characterized in that it comprises:

the estimation of the sliding variation (Ag ₁ ) at the output of a cage (16A); and - correcting the rotation speed (UA, u _A , UB) of the rolls (18) of at least one corrected cage (16A, 16A, 16B) as a function of the estimated sliding variation (Ag ₁ ).

2. A method for controlling the thickness of a cold rolled strip of sheet metal (B) comprising continuously passing the strip cold in at least two successive cages (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E) comprising each at least two cylinders (18) driven between which the band (B) circulates and undergoes crushing, characterized in that it comprises:

the estimation of the sliding variation (Ag ₁ ) at the output of a cage (16A); and

- The correction of the speed (UA, UA, UB) of rotation of the rolls (18) of at least one corrected cage (16A, 16A, 16B) as a function of the estimated sliding variation (Ag ₁ ).

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the estimation of the slip variation comprises a step of measuring the linear velocity (V _s i) of the strip at the exit of the cage and a step for estimating the circumferential speed (Vci) of the rolls in the cage (16A), and a step of calculating the slip (gi) of the strip from the linear speed (V _S i) of the strip at the outlet of the cage (16A) and the circumferential speed (V _d ) of the rolls of the cage.

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the estimate of the slip variation is carried out on the first cage (16A) considering the direction of circulation of the band.

5. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the speed correction (UA, UB) is applied to a set of at least two successive cages (16A, 16B), considering the direction of circulation of the band.

6. A process according to claim 5, characterized in that the speed corrections (u _A , UB) applied to the successive cages are identical.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the correction of the speed (u _A ) comprises a variation of the speed of the corrected cage substantially at the instant of estimation of the slip variation.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the correction of the speed comprises a variation of the speed of the first corrected cage with a time offset (t ₂₃ ) equal to the transfer time the band between the last corrected cage (16B) and the next cage (16C) considering the direction of movement of the band.

9.- Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the temporary offset incorporates a delay (τ) due to a filtering.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the correction of the speed comprises a variation of the speed of the first corrected cage with a time offset (t ₂₃ + t ^) equal to the time of transfer of the band between the cage following the cage where the sliding variation is estimated and the first cage corrected by considering the direction of circulation of the band.

11- Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a clamping correction is applied for at least one cage adjacent to a corrected cage to maintain traction.

12. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the control of a device (12) for maintaining traction located upstream of the first cage and in that said control takes into account the estimated slip variation.

13.- control device for the cold rolling of a sheet metal strip (B) comprising at least two successive cages (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D, 16E) each having at least two cylinders (18) driven between which the strip (B) circulates cold and is crushed, characterized in that it comprises:

means (34) for estimating the slip variation (Ag ₁ ) at the output of a cage (16A);

means (30A, 34) for correcting the rotation speed (UA, UA, UB) of the rolls (18) of at least one corrected cage (16A, 16A, 16B) as a function of the estimated slip variation ( Ag ₁ ), and

means for carrying out a method according to any one of the preceding claims.