Rolling

Metal Forming 4/21/23

 • Rolling
– Definition
– Features of rolling
– Sequences & layout
– Equipment
• Types of rolling mills
– Issues and parameters
• Rolling load
• Variables
– Friction in rolling
– Front and/or back tension in rolling
– Defects
• Schematic views

Metal Forming 4/21/23

 Rolling

• Process of plastically deforming a metal by

squeezing it between rolls
– Widely used metalworking process
• Continuous process
– Squeezing action of the rolls - compressive stresses
• Large reduction in CS
– Width remains mostly unchanged
» Plane strain condition

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 Features of Rolling
• One of the cheapest metalworking operations
– Dimensional control easily achieved (esp. cold rolling)
– Classified in terms of the product
• Blooms, billets, slabs, plates, strips, sheets, rods, bars,
pipes, rails, structurals etc.
• Typical rolling equipment called rolling mill and
named based on type of product (e.g., billet mill
produces billets, slab mill produces slabs & so on)
– Comprises of a “Stand” (rolls + bearing + housing) and
a “Drive” (motors with speed control)
– Several such units in tandem form a train
• High productivity
• Speeds have to be synchronised
– Entry speed at a stand = exit speed at previous stand
» Computer control needed
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 SEQUENCES IN ROLLING
CAST INGOT FROM SOAKING PIT (after homogenization)

BLOOM -done by Cogging Mill or Breaking down mill, Ch: width = thickness area = 230 cm 2

BILLET SLAB
By two, three, four high mill or by cluster mill also in By two, three, four high mill or by cluster mill also
hot work condition. in hot work condition.
Cross section usually is 40 by 40 mm Width is greater than two times thickness,
Cross section usually is greater
100 cm2

SEMIFINISHED
PART

PLATE
Done by two, three, four high mill or by cluster mill at
BARS, STRUCTURAL SHAPES
cold work condition through several passes.
Done in merchant mill, Universal mill
Thickness is greater than 6 mm

STRIP AND SHEET

Other Mills used in Cold Rolling are: Cluster mill, Done by cluster mill. Strip: width is less than 600 mm
Planetary Mill, Sendzimir Mill and sheet w is 600 mm

SEMIFINISHED or FINISHED
PART

Metal Forming 4/21/23

 Source: Courtesy:
E. Paul DeGarmo, P.E,
Macmillan
Publ.co.,Inc.N.Y,
Collier Macmillan Publ.
London, Davic
Associates,Inc 1974

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 Rolling mill - layout

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 Types of rolling mills

Two-high Two-high reversing

(Bi-directional Four-high
motor needed) Three-high
(Now obsolete)

Cluster

• Up to 20-high RMs possible

– Sendzimir mill
• Excellent flatness control

Metal Forming 4/21/23

 Issues in Rolling

Angle of bite, a

• Friction important
– Grips the metal and draws it into the rolls
amax = b = tan-1µ, where µ is the coefficient of friction
b is sometimes called angle of friction
• More friction needed for heavier reductions
– Hot rolling - sticking friction & low stresses
• Suitable for bulk rolling

Metal Forming 4/21/23

 Rolling load computation (plane strain)

where
so is the mean flow stress
Q = mLp/hm;
m is the coefficient of friction
Lp is the contact length
hm is the mean thickness
b is width of the rolled strip
Dh is the reduction in the height
R is roll radius

Metal Forming 4/21/23

 Variables in rolling
• Roll diameter, D
– As D increases rolling load increases
• As thickness h decreases rolling load also increases
– Thinner sheets require smaller diameter rolls
» Backup rolls necessary (structural strengthening)
» Hence, multiple high rolling mills are used
• Deformation resistance
– Flow stress - depends on strain rate in HW (not CW)
• Friction
– Needed for drawing metal into rolls
• Thinner sheets require lower friction
• Front and/or back tension
– Reduces rolling load (roll pressure decreases)
– Improves flatness and uniformity of thickness

Metal Forming 4/21/23

 Friction in rolling
• Pulls the metal into the rolls
• Affects magnitude and distribution of roll pressure

v1 = Entry velocity
vr vr = Roll velocity
g
a v2 = Exit velocity
v1 vm = Metal velocity
v2
The term velocity is
vm
used here, when in
the strictest sense it
pmax
should be speed!
Instantaneous Friction hill (similar to
Roll pressure that in forging)
1.154so
Location
All angles are measure from the exit point!
a is the angle of bite
g is the neutral angle, the point at which metal velocity equals roll velocity
Metal is not sliding with respect to the roll
Friction is the highest at this point (Max pressure) → pmax
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 Friction in rolling …ctd
• Draws metal into the rolls
• Affects magnitude and distribution of roll pressure
• Increased friction implies
– Rolling load increases
– Lateral spread increases (no longer plane strain condition)
– Edge cracking tendency increases (bulging out at centre)
• Determining coefficient of friction, m (assumed constant) – 3 ways
– m = MT/(P.R); MT = torque, P = Rolling load, R = Roll radius
– Forward slip, sf = (v2-v)/v; v = roll velocity, v2 = exit velocity and

(radians)

– m = tan amax
– Typically, m = 0.2 – 0.7 (Hot) and m = 0.03 – 0.12 (Cold)
• As m decreases thinner and thinner sheets can be rolled
• There is also a quantity called backward slip, sb = (v-v1)/v
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 Front tension and/or back tension in rolling
• Results in decreased roll pressure
́́ ́ ́ ́
– Yield criteria gives p = so– s; só is the YS, s is f/b tension
• As s increases p will decrease and roll life increases
– Also improves flatness and uniformity of thickness

• Pt is load with front/back tension, P is load in absence of tension

• In practice, back tension is more effective than front tension
– When only back tension present, g decreases and neutral point
goes towards exit
• At high enough back tension, neutral point goes to exit (g=0)
– Rolls moving faster than metal – slides over it – no rolling
– When only front tension present, g increases and neutral point
goes towards entrance
Metal Forming
• When neutral point reaches entrance (g=a) – no rolling possible
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 Defects in rolling
Either from ingot stage or implicit to the process
• Internal defects
– Incomplete welding of ingot defects
• Longitudinal stringers
– Resultant of solidification practice
• Surface defects
– Improper preparation of surface
• Laps
– Excessive cooling during multipass rolling
• Longitudinal scratches
– Defective or scored roll
• Edge cracking
– Inhomogeneous deformation & poor friction control
• Alligatoring
– Non-alignment of rolls & inhomogeneous deformation
• Non-uniform thickness or flatness
– Bending of rolls due to roll separating force
• Crowning/cambering of rolls (central dia slightly more)

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 Defects - schematic

Roll bending resulting in long edges

Defects due to lateral spread Edge distribution due to light & heavy reduction

Alligatoring
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 That’s all folks!!

Metal Forming