A set-up model for tandem cold rolling mills

It is well known that experience is playing a vital role in the selection o f operating parameters in tandem cold rolling mills. In the present work, a n attempt is made to develop a set-up model for tandem cold rolling mill to maximize the throughput. In the present work, power consumed is calculated and compared for various reduction schedules obtained by distributing the strip thicknesses in arithmetic, geometric, harmonic and quadratic series. Simulations are carried out for 6-stand and 5-stand tandem cold rolling mil ls with different sets of operational data reported by Roberts [Flat Proces sing of Steels, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1995]. It is found that power cons umed is minimum for the reduction schedule obtained by distributing strip t hicknesses in harmonic series and is reasonably in good agreement with the values obtained using the operational data reported by Roberts. A one-dimen sional model presented by Suryanarayana [A set-up model for tandem cold rol ling mill, M.Tech. Thesis, IIT, Bombay, 1998] is used to calculate the powe r in the present work and its predictions are compared with available exper imental and numerical results and are presented in Appendix A. (C) 2001 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.