Chapter 6 (sections: 3-4)

Rolling

1
 Rolling

Hot-strip rolling mill

First used in late 1500s AD to produce sheet

and plate. Prior to that, all sheet & plate was
roll forged or forged, one hammer stroke at a
time!)

Today, about 90% of all wrought products are

Schematic outline of various flat- rolled into plate, sheet and various shapes,
rolling and shape-rolling operations. e.g., wire, rod, tubing, structural shapes, etc.
Source: American Iron and Steel Institute 2
 Hot Rolling
Steel Hot Rolling Mill

Coil of Hot Rolled Steel Plate

– initial large reductions of ingots to form plate

(> 6 mm)
– lower forces required with no limits on %
reduction,
– less dimensional accuracy
– rougher surfaces due to oxidation
3
 Tmelting
Hot Rolling Tmelting > Thot−work ≥
2

Changes in the grain structure of metals during hot rolling

This is an effective method to reduce grain size and refine the

microstructure in metals, resulting in improved strength and good
ductility.

In this process cast structures of ingots or continuous castings are

converted to a wrought structure.
4
Cold Rolling

Tmelting
Tcold−work ≤
2

Steelmaking: Cold Rolling

- performed after hot rolling

- used to produce sheet (< 6mm to 0.5 mm)
- increased strength due to cold working
- excellent dimensional tolerances
- excellent surface quality

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Mechanics of Rolling

Schematic illustration of the flat-rolling process (the top roll has been removed for clarity)

6
 Mechanics of Rolling
where
vr: surface (roll) velocity of the
of the roll, equal to the velocity
of the sheet, v at the neutral
points or no-slip points where
neutral po int s → the roll and the sheet in contact

↑ 
frictional forces
The arrows represent the frictional
forces acting along the strip-roll
interfaces. Note the difference in
their direction in the left and
right regions.

Relative velocity distribution between roll and strip α: bite angle

surfaces

7
Mechanics of Rolling Since equal volumes of metal must pass
at a given point per unit time:

wh 0 v0 = w
hv = wh f vf
roll radius
at neutral
point, N

where
w = wo= wf (plane strain state)

v: metal velocity at any h between h0 and

hf (at neutral points or no-slip points where
the roll and the sheet in contact)

vf > vo (to have an undistorted vertical

element in the sheet, ho>hf)
P : rolling force(load) =?
Pr: resultant radial (normal) force to point A
(vertical component of Pr at A) along the surface contact over L

F: friction force at tangent to the point A

α: bite angle at XX (enter); θ, β: friction

angles at A, N, respectively
Mechanics of Rolling

A metal sheet (slab) with a thickness h0

enters the rolls at the entrance plane XX with
velocity v0.

It passes through the roll gap and leaves the

exit plane YY with a reduced thickness hf.

Assume no increase in width (wo = wf = w,

plane strain state) so that the vertical
compression of the metal is translated
into an elongation in the rolling direction.

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Mechanics of Rolling
P: rolling load (force) (vertical component of Pr at A with which the rolls press
against the metal, equal to the force (separating) exerted by the work-piece in trying
to force the rolls apart.
P P
p= = →
contact area wL

force pressure area

  
P P = p wL

where
p : specific roll pressure (stress) at
specificpoints in the arc of contact
L : projected length of the arc of contact
1
P : rolling load (force) at
 (h - h )
2
2 1 specificpoints in the arc of contact R
L =  R(h 0 - h f ) - 0 f  ≈ [ R(h 0 - h f ) ] 2 ≈ RΔh : roll radius
 4 
∆h = ho − h f : draft

L ≈ RΔh
Mechanics of Rolling

Force required to
overcome friction
forces between the
roll and metal

Force required to deform the

metal in plane homogeneous
compression

The shape of the pressure (stress),

Distribution of roll pressure (stress), p along p distribution is important because
the arc of contact, L (assuming w =wo=1). the location of the resultant radial
rolling load, Pr with respect to the
roll centers determines the torque
and power required to produce the
reduction.
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Mechanics of Rolling
Pr 
Cosα = Pr → P =
P Cosα  Pr = F → P Sinα = F Cosα →
F F  Cosα Sinα r
Sinα = → P =
P Sinα 
F = Sinα = tanα
→= μ tanα → F = μPr
Pr Cosα α

P
where
α: bite angle
β, θ: friction angles
Prsinα: horizontal component of Pr
Fcosα: horizontal component of F
µ: friction coefficient
∆h = ho-hf: draft
L ≈ RΔh
Pr: resultant radial (normal) force to
point A along the surface contact
over L

L RΔh Δh Δh
→ tanα = ≈ ≈ → tanα = μ ≈ Δh ≈ μ 2 R
Δh Δh R R
R- R-
2 2
 Mechanics of Rolling
F
if µ = ≈ 0 → F ≈ 0 → no rolling
Pr
µ = tan α = 0 when α ≈ 0o , 180o , 360o →
workpiece goes beyond YY with no deformation

Therefore, µ controls the maximum bite

which the rolls can take. Because of this
fact, rolls are often purposely roughened
to increase µ and consequently, F.

The rolls bite, where unaided entry of workpiece into the rolls occurs, XX, when:

F
Pr
>0 
The workpiece cannot be drawn into the rolls if:

F
Pr
<0  13
Example

a. Determine the maximum possible draft (∆h) for cold rolling a 12-in-thick
slab when µ=0.08 and the roll diameter, 2R is 24in.

Δh = µ 2 R = ( 0.08 ) (12in ) = 0.077in

2
Δh ≈ µ 2 R

b. What is the maximum draft on the same mill for hot rolling when µ=0.5?

∆h ≈ µ 2 R = (0.5)2 (12in) = 3.0in

c. Comment: as µ increases ∆h increases. Δh = h 0 - h f ≈ µ 2 R

Thinner sheet is possible at the end.

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