Tribology of strip cold rolling

Strip rolling processes depend critically on friction and lubrication for p rocess control as well as for strip quality. Pechiney and Usinor companies have therefore joined with CNRS (National Scientific Research Centre of Fra nce) to build an ambitious project gathering seven French public laboratori es and their own research centres, Irsid and Centre de Recherches de Vorepp e. The two major fields of lubrication were addressed : the formation of fl uid lubricant films between rough deformable surfaces, and the formation of boundary films (tribochemistry). The final purpose was to derive a model o f rolling processes including a predictive, local friction model. This issu e and a future issue of Science et Genie des Materiaux present the efforts and the results of this Research Programme Contract Materials forming : met al - tools - lubricant contact.