Abstract
Draft-schedule in hot strip mill is made by the computer automatically with theoretical model. But in some cases, especially in case of material with high deforming resistance or thin gage material, supplemental operater's manual operation is needed to cope with the higher level problem, such as the transversal movement in the direction of strip width or the strip shape fluctuation between the stands.
So we introduced the expert system in the finishing mill set-up system at No.2 hot strip mill in NKK Fukuyama Works to ensure the fully automatic computing at the last stage. In this system, we summarized the operator's know-how to avoid the above mentioned higher level problem in two major control items. One is the planning to vary the load distribution over the stands in one cycle, and the other is the restriction of main motor current distribution over the stands and roll gap difference between the neighboring stands.
In a feasibility test, the prototype system was 90% applicable to the real process, and we have developed the real-time guidance system.
