Optimization of Slab Edge in Roughing of Stainless Steel

Abstract

To reach high demands of a stainless steel surface quality the location of a slab edge is optimized utilizing multiphysical finite element (FE) analysis. The slab edge forms in roughing process when the longitudinal edge of the stainless steel slab moves parallelly towards the center of a transfer strip surface due to several rough and edge rolling passes. Strip spreading and location of the slab edge are managed by edge rolling process which is accomplished concurrently with roughing. Deformation resistance has a significant role characterizing the strip spreading and material flow in the roll bite, thus experimental material compression testing was carried out and the results fitted to the Hensel-Spittel equation. Multiple edger roll profiles were designed, and the most feasible details of the roll profile were iteratively utilized for the new profiles. In this way the location of the slab edge was optimized closer to the edge of the transfer strip by developing a new edger roll profile and resetting edge rolling passes according to results of FE-simulations. To mimic an industrial-scale roughing process an automated pass schedule control was developed in the FE-model. Therefore, multipass simulations require only a pass schedule data to run simulation.