An Experimental Investigation Into Roughness Transfer in Skin-Pass Rolling of Steel Strips
An Experimental Investigation Into Roughness Transfer in Skin-Pass Rolling of Steel Strips
An Experimental Investigation Into Roughness Transfer in Skin-Pass Rolling of Steel Strips
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-018-1691-9
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Received: 26 August 2017 / Accepted: 1 February 2018 / Published online: 4 March 2018
# Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract
The surface of sheet metals should have a certain level of roughness in terms of forming and dyeing quality. Surface roughness is
mainly introduced to the material by rolling with rough rolls, which is called temper rolling. The roughness of a roll is transferred
to the material, depending on the rolling parameters. A 2-high rolling setup equipped with a load-cell measuring the rolling force,
which can roll at different speeds and reduction ratios, was used to observe the change in the amount of roughness transfer.
Surface roughness values of specimens were measured after tests, their average and standard deviation values were calculated,
and 3-D field scanning images were investigated. The results obtained were evaluated in terms of rolling parameters and
roughness transfer. It was concluded that each parameter that increased the rolling force also increased the roughness transfer.
It was seen that rolling force, and thus roughness transfer, was higher in the tests conducted at high speeds and high reduction
ratios with thinner materials. Lubricated roughening tests indicated that the introduction of roughness on material surface
decreased due to lubrication. Moreover, a more homogeneous roughness distribution was obtained in lubricated rolling compared
to dry rolling. It was observed that the roughness at small reduction ratios was obtained within a narrower range.
Keywords Roll roughness . Roughness (transfer) . Temper (skin-pass) rolling . Rolling force . Rolling speed . Lubrication
subjected to temper rolling where rough rolls are used and a speed and lower reduction ratios while it increased at higher
1% elongation is introduced. Therefore, roughness, which is speed and higher reduction ratios. That this increase was more
desired on the material surface, is obtained by temper rolling. apparent in lubricated rolling conditions was supported by
There are many variables affecting the roughness transfer AFM (atomic force microscope) images [11]. The results ob-
that occurs from the roll surface to the contact region during tained by Wu et al. were similar to the studies mentioned
rolling. Kimura et al. revealed that roughness transfer in- above. They found that the rolling force and roughness trans-
creased with increasing elongation, and the roll diameter must fer increased with increasing reduction ratio. They indicated
be increased to increase the roughness transfer at the same that it was not possible to obtain complete (100%) roughness
elongation values [6]. The SMS group concluded that rough- transfer, and there was almost no roughness transfer at very
ness transfer on both surfaces of the material increased with small reduction ratios because of elastic deformation [12]. Xia
increasing strain, and this increase was more apparent in thin- indicated that the most important factor influencing the rough-
ner materials [7]. Kijima carried out dry and lubricated exper- ness of temper-rolled strips is the product of reduction and
iments using 50 and 250 mm radius rolls and obtained similar tension ratios according to the prediction model for surface
results with SMS group [8]. Furthermore, SMS group empha- roughness of temper-rolled strips [13]. Kijima, in his study
sized that roughness and roll diameter are directly proportion- carried out in 2008, modeled the surface-roughened roll with
al with each other. Kijima, in another study [9], obtained a circular segments at different ripple heights and pitch.
contrary result with the SMS group and indicated that there According to the results of finite element tests, it was empha-
was an apparent increase in the peak pressure with decreasing sized that the increasing effect of smaller tool roughness and
roll diameter, and thus, this increase also increased the rough- larger pitch on the roughness transfer was significant at inter-
ness transfer. Moreover, he presented the relationship between mediate pressure values (500 to 750 MPa) [14]. Rui et al., as a
rolling force and roughness transfer. He conducted experi- result of FEM simulations done using a two-stand temper mill,
ments by using 50 and 250 mm radius rolls having 3.1 μm indicated that when the first stand roll roughness was high,
(rough) and 8 μm (very rough) roughness and found out that and the second one was low, a narrower roughness range was
transfer roughness increased with increasing rolling force for obtained on the material surface [15].
both surface roughness values. It was stated that although a
small increase was observed in the magnitude of the peak
pressure when the rolling force was increased, the roughness 2 Experimental procedure
transfer still increased, and this increase was more apparent in
smaller radius (50 mm) rolls [9]. Kijima showed in his study 2.1 Test equipment and material
conducted in 2015 that he achieved the same results [8]. The
results obtained by Wentink are parallel with these results. He Rolling tests were performed by using a 2-high rolling setup,
obtained high strip roughness under high rolling forces and with a power of 1.5 kW and two working rolls, which could be
supported this result with microscopic images [10]. On the adjusted from 5 to 60 rpm. A 100-t-capacity load cell was
other hand, Ma carried out lubricated and dry experiments equipped to the setup to correctly measure rolling forces.
using bright rolls at different speeds and different reduction Tests were carried out with two double rolls having different
ratios. According to experimental results, it was indicated that roughness, whose characteristics are shown in Table 1, to
surface roughness decreased in the materials rolled at lower observe how the material surface roughness changes with
Standard Grade Erdemir Yield strength Tensile strength Elongation Thickness Surface roughness
grade (N/mm2) (N/mm2) (%) (mm) (μm)a
the roll roughness. Test specimens were prepared by cutting to Roughness transfer ratio (RTR) passing from the roll to the
be 30 mm wide and 300 mm long, and their material proper- material was calculated by using Eq. (1) [8]:
ties are shown in Table 2.
Ra1 −Ra0
RTR½% ¼ 100 ð1Þ
Rar −Ra0
2.2 Rolling experiments
where Ra1 is the surface roughness of the material after
Rolling experiments were performed as dry and lubricated at rolling, Ra0 is the surface roughness of the material before
different reduction ratios and speeds by using rolls with dif- rolling, and Rar is the surface roughness of the roll.
ferent roughness and materials with different thickness. The In automobile and white goods production, where surface
indication of these variables is shown in Table 3. appearance is important, material surface roughness should be
According to the presentation in Table 3, the 3.4/0.9/10/ at a certain level, and the roughness distribution should be
700/L test indicates 3.4 μm roll surface roughness, 0.9 mm narrow. Thanks to numerous roughness measurements taken
material thickness, 10 rpm speed, 700 μm reduction ratio, and from the material surface, standard deviation indicating rough-
lubricated condition. Surface roughness measurements of rolls ness distribution homogeneity was calculated in addition to
and test specimens were done by using Mitutoyo SJ-410 sur- the roughness transfer ratio, and the results were supported by
face roughness measurement equipment in Karabuk 3-D field scanning images taken with Nanovea optical profile
University Iron-Steel Institute Metrology Laboratory that has measurement device. Scans were done on a 2 × 2 mm field
been accredited by TÜRKAK (Turkish Accreditation with 2 μm sensitivity. Values indicated on scanning images by
Institution). Measurements were taken three times from the micrometers are not the average surface roughness (Ra), but
middle and both ends of the specimen to be parallel and per- they show the height of the point with respect to the bottom
pendicular with the rolling direction. Total 36 measurements point determined by the device in its scanning field.
were taken from both surfaces of each specimen, and the stan-
dard deviation of ultimate surface roughness and roughness
distribution was calculated by averaging the arithmetic mean
of these measurements.
3 Results
3.2 The effect of the lubrication 2.0 μm and indicated that the highest roughness on the mate-
rial surface was obtained in the dry rolling.
In the roughening experiments carried out by keeping the
variables in Table 3 constant, it was observed that the rough- 3.3 The effect of the rolling force
ness transfer was higher in dry rolling than in lubricated
rolling (Fig. 2). This phenomenon can be explained by that According to the results of 32 roughening experiments per-
the rolling force was higher in dry rolling. Hence, the rough- formed by using different variations of the variables in
ness transfer increases with the rolling force. This is because Table 3, it was seen that roughness transfer increased with
coefficient of friction is higher in unlubricated rolling, which increasing rolling force (Fig. 3). High rolling forces indicate
causes the rolling force to increase [16]. Indeed, the test results that sharp peaks on the roughened roll surface are pressed on
agree with this explanation. Surface roughness of the material the material surface with higher forces. At contact points of
increases with increasing rolling force (Fig. 3). sharp peaks with the material surface, more plastic deforma-
This result shows parallelism with the findings of Kijima tion occurs under higher forces, and this causes the formation
[8]. Kijima subjected two different quality materials to rolling of deeper craters on the material surface.
tests by using two rolls with different roughness and two dif- It was shown in Fig. 4 that the rolling force at the same
ferent lubricants (skin-pass lubricant and cold-rolling lubri- reduction ratio was higher in thinner materials. Thus, higher
cant) and found out that roughness transfer ratio was higher roughness transfer is expected in thinner materials under the
in the dry rolling for the same rolling force. Moreover, Dick same conditions (Fig. 3).
et al. [17], who investigated the effect of roll roughness and The material passing through two rolls rotating in opposite
viscosity on the rolling force, obtained the same results. They directions is plastically deformed above its yield point with the
performed cold rolling experiments by using rolls and three force applied by the rolls. That the rolling is done at high
10 wt.% lubricant emulsions for roughness values up to speed means that the material volume formed in unit time
increases, which also increases the rolling force. According to The increase in the rolling force is more apparent in dry rolling
the experimental results, the relationship between the rolling due to the increase in the roll roughness.
speed and rolling force is shown in Fig. 5.
In this study, in the experiments done with very rough rolls, 3.4 Experimental standard deviation
a higher rolling force was measured compared to the experi-
ments performed using rough rolls (Fig. 6). 3.4.1 Lubrication effect
The coefficient of friction is directly proportional to chang-
es in the rolling force [16]. Because the coefficient of friction For surface roughness of test specimens, the arithmetic
is higher in dry rolling, the rolling force is higher as well. It mean of roughness values (Ra) measured from various
can be seen in Fig. 6 that the results for dry rolling (0.9/10/ points of the material surface was taken. For the dyed
350/K, 0.9/10/700/K, 0.9/50/350/K) change in the same way. surface appearance quality, mostly, it is not sufficient to
achieve only this value. Furthermore, roughness changes texturing) method is much broader, while roughness reten-
should occur over a narrow range for the overall surface. tion is more limited.
The most effective component to impart these characteris- The more homogeneous the roughness distribution of the
tics to a flat product is the roll surface roughness. By using roll is, the more homogeneous the material surface roughness
the EDT (electro discharge texturing) method, which is will be. However, this is not sufficient. Comparing the test
commonly used in roll surface roughening, a surface results of speeds at 10 rpm (Fig. 7) and at 50 rpm (Fig. 8), it
roughness with a ± 4% variation can be obtained in the is seen that roughness distribution was obtained over a
rolls having a roughness less than 3.5 μm, while a surface narrower range when a lubricant was used. This effect was
roughness with a ± 5% variation can be achieved in rolls visualized with 3D surface scans. Figures 9 and 10 show 3D
having a roughness higher than 3.5 μm [1]. The surface surface topography images and roughness distribution graphs
roughness of rolls roughened by the SBT (shot blast for the tests carried out under 3.4/0.9/10/700 conditions.
Comparing Fig. 9a for lubricated rolling with Fig. 10a for dry narrower range at the smaller reduction ratios. This effect was
rolling, it is seen that the surface rolled with a lubricant has a visualized by 3D surface scans. Figures 13 and 14 show 3D
more homogeneous surface distribution. Figures 9b and 10b surface topography images and roughness distribution graphs
show roughness distribution graphs obtained from a 3D opti- for the tests carried out under 3.4/1.8/10/Y conditions.
cal profile measurement device. The more the red curve is Comparing Figs. 13a and 14a, it is observed that the surface
perpendicular (to the axis of roughness), the narrower the has a more homogeneous roughness distribution at smaller
roughness distribution is. It is seen that this curve is more reduction ratios. Figures 13b and 14b show roughness distri-
perpendicular in Fig. 9b. This result reveals that surface bution graphs obtained from a 3D optical profile measurement
roughness has a more homogeneous distribution in lubricated device. The more the red curve is perpendicular, the narrower
rolling. The results manually measured from the material sur- the roughness distribution is. It is seen that this curve is more
face by the roughness measurement device are also the same. perpendicular in Fig. 13b, which indicates that surface rough-
The standard deviation was measured as 0.18 in lubricated ness has a more homogeneous distribution at smaller reduc-
rolling while it was 0.28 in dry rolling. It is considered that tion ratios. The results manually measured from the material
this difference was caused by the hydrodynamic effect formed surface by the roughness measurement device are also the
during the lubricated rolling at the roll/material interface. same. The standard deviation was 0.16 at 350 μm reduction
ratio, while it was measured as 0.29 at 700 μm reduction ratio.
When the reduction ratio is low, smaller peaks on the roll
3.4.2 Reduction ratio effect surface do not contribute to roughening because they cannot
contact the material surface. Smaller peaks are significant at
Comparing the test results obtained at 350 μm reduction ratio large reduction ratios (increasing the reduction ratio also in-
with those obtained at 700 μm reduction ratio (Figs. 11 and creases the rolling force), forming craters on the surface that
12), it is seen that roughness distribution was obtained in a negatively affect the roughness distribution.
In this study, in the experiments done with very rough rolls, rolling force and roll consumption will increase and the pro-
a higher rolling force was measured compared to the experi- duction can be interrupted due to failures in the rolling system.
ments performed using rough rolls (Fig. 6). Dick et al. found The reason for subjecting steel sheets to temper rolling
that the rolling force was directly proportional to roll rough- where a smaller amount of reduction ratio (0.5 to 5%) is in-
ness and indicated that this increase was more pronounced at troduced, compared to hot and cold rolling, is to obtain a
lower speeds [17]. However, any finding that this effect was homogeneous surface roughness on the material surface. It
more pronounced at lower speeds could not be found in this was found that as a result of experimental studies, temper
study. rolling—using a thinner material at smaller reduction ra-
tios—increased the homogeneity. Roughness transfer de-
creases by a certain amount because rolling force decreases
at smaller reduction ratios. On the other hand, using a thinner
5 Conclusion material at the same reduction ratio increases the rolling force
and the desired level of surface roughness can be obtained.
This study experimentally investigated the effects of rolling
parameters on roughness transfer. It was found that it was not Acknowledgements This work was supported by Research Fund of the
Karabuk University, project numbers: KBÜ-BAP-15/1-DR-005, KBÜ-
necessary to use only roughened rolls to obtain a material with
BAP-16/2-DS-014, and KBÜ-BAP-17-DS-397.
the desired surface characteristics demanded by the end user.
This is because the same material obtains surface roughness at
different levels using the same roll under different rolling
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