Analysis of the Effect of Tension at the Entry of Cold Rolling Mill on the Stability of Strip Tracking

Abstract

Strip track-off, particularly at high speed, is a serious operational problem that could lead to mill crashes and damaged rolls. It predominately occurs at the entry of the tandem cold mill, where the entry tension is relatively low. This paper presents an analysis of the effect of entry tension on the stability of strip tracking in the first stand of a cold rolling mill using a recently developed mathematical model of strip lateral dynamics in cold rolling. The analysis reveals that the entry tension is a crucial parameter in stabilizing the strip tracking if buckling of the strip is present. A procedure of selecting the entry tension that ensures stable strip tracking for a given mill schedule is discussed.