Methods and Apparatus to increase the efficiency of roll-forming and leveling systems are described herein. An example strip material processing apparatus includes a first drive system to drive an exit workroll at an exit of the strip material processing apparatus, and a second drive system to drive an entry workroll at an entry of the strip material processing apparatus, where the strip material is to travel through the strip material processing apparatus from the entry to the exit. The example strip material processing apparatus also includes a controller to provide a first command reference to the first drive system to drive the exit workroll at the first command reference. The controller is to determine a first torque value of the first drive system when the first drive system operates at the first command reference, and the controller is to determine a second torque value based on a ratio of the first torque value to the second torque value such that the first torque value and the second torque value are different. The controller is to also drive the entry workroll via the second drive system to maintain the ratio.

Methods and Apparatus to increase the efficiency of roll-forming and leveling systems are described herein. An example strip material processing apparatus includes a first drive system to drive an exit workroll at an exit of the strip material processing apparatus, and a second drive system to drive an entry workroll at an entry of the strip material processing apparatus, where the strip material is to travel through the strip material processing apparatus from the entry to the exit. The example strip material processing apparatus also includes a controller to provide a first command reference to the first drive system to drive the exit workroll at the first command reference. The controller is to determine a first torque value of the first drive system when the first drive system operates at the first command reference, and the controller is to determine a second torque value based on a ratio of the first torque value to the second torque value such that the first torque value and the second torque value are different. The controller is to also drive the entry workroll via the second drive system to maintain the ratio.

A straightening system is provided to perform straightening in conformity with a shape pattern of a the material. The straightening system includes a cooling device configured to spray a cooling fluid in a predetermined pattern with respect to a plurality of regions of the material, divided in a width direction, to cool the material that is heated in a heating furnace and then passes through a rolling mill. The straightening system also includes a straightening device configured to straighten the material passed through the cooling device. The straightening system further includes a flatness measuring system configured to measure flatness of the material passed through the cooling device and a controller configured to receive data of the flatness of the material from the flatness measuring system and to control the cooling device in response to the data to enhance the flatness of the material.

A straightening system is provided to perform straightening in conformity with a shape pattern of a the material. The straightening system includes a cooling device configured to spray a cooling fluid in a predetermined pattern with respect to a plurality of regions of the material, divided in a width direction, to cool the material that is heated in a heating furnace and then passes through a rolling mill. The straightening system also includes a straightening device configured to straighten the material passed through the cooling device. The straightening system further includes a flatness measuring system configured to measure flatness of the material passed through the cooling device and a controller configured to receive data of the flatness of the material from the flatness measuring system and to control the cooling device in response to the data to enhance the flatness of the material.

A method for setting a rolling mill, the method being executed before reduction position zero point adjustment or before the start of rolling, and including: a first process of setting rolls in an open state, and with respect to each of the upper roll assembly and the lower roll assembly, adjusting positions of roll chocks in a rolling direction based on a torque acting on the work roll or a vertical roll load difference; and a second process of, after the first process, setting rolls in a kiss roll state, measuring a vertical roll load in two rotational states on a work side and a drive side, and moving roll chocks of a roll assembly on the opposite side to a reference roll simultaneously and in a same direction so that the vertical roll load difference falls within an allowable range to thereby adjust the positions of the roll chocks.

A method for setting a rolling mill, the method being executed before reduction position zero point adjustment or before the start of rolling, and including: a first process of setting rolls in an open state, and with respect to each of the upper roll assembly and the lower roll assembly, adjusting positions of roll chocks in a rolling direction based on a torque acting on the work roll or a vertical roll load difference; and a second process of, after the first process, setting rolls in a kiss roll state, measuring a vertical roll load in two rotational states on a work side and a drive side, and moving roll chocks of a roll assembly on the opposite side to a reference roll simultaneously and in a same direction so that the vertical roll load difference falls within an allowable range to thereby adjust the positions of the roll chocks.

A method for machining the wheel running surfaces of wheels for rail vehicles using a wheel machining machine is described herein. The method includes performing a rolling process on the wheels with a rolling tool that applies a rolling force to the wheels, and adjusting the rolling force by controlling the torques of drive motors of feed axles of the rolling tool.

A method for machining the wheel running surfaces of wheels for rail vehicles using a wheel machining machine is described herein. The method includes performing a rolling process on the wheels with a rolling tool that applies a rolling force to the wheels, and adjusting the rolling force by controlling the torques of drive motors of feed axles of the rolling tool.

A method for rolling a rolling material in a rolling mill comprising at least one roll stand. A gap height of a rolling gap arranged between working rolls of the roll stand is set to be smaller than an in-feed thickness of the rolling material before contact of the rolling material with the working rolls. At least one driven working roll of the roll stand is driven at a desired rotational speed once the rolling material has reached the rolling gap, and the driven working roll is operated at a feed-forward rotational speed deviating from the desired rotational speed, until the rolling material reaches the rolling gap.

A method for rolling a rolling material in a rolling mill comprising at least one roll stand. A gap height of a rolling gap arranged between working rolls of the roll stand is set to be smaller than an in-feed thickness of the rolling material before contact of the rolling material with the working rolls. At least one driven working roll of the roll stand is driven at a desired rotational speed once the rolling material has reached the rolling gap, and the driven working roll is operated at a feed-forward rotational speed deviating from the desired rotational speed, until the rolling material reaches the rolling gap.