A Hybrid MPC for Start-up Phase Tension and Looper Control in Hot Strip Finishing Mills Using an Optimal Condition for Mode Transition Time

Abstract

This paper gives a design method for a model predictive control (MPC) approach by using a unified performance index throughout the start-up phase tension and looper control which consists of the non-contact and contact modes in order to suppress the deviation of the strip tension while the looper contacts with the strip as quickly as possible. In this paper, the control problem is formulated as a bi-modal hybrid MPC design using an optimal condition for mode transition. In addition, the paper gives a method using a continuation method to achieve on-line implementation. The efficiency of the proposed method is shown through numerical simulations.