Before the rolling of a metal strip on a finishing train, the actual width and actual temperature of portions of the metal strip are respectively detected. The portions of the metal strip are tracked while they run through the finishing train. The rolling stands are respectively assigned width controlling devices which determine the setpoint width and the actual width after the rolling in the assigned rolling stand, and a downstream additional setpoint value, by which the desired tension downstream of the assigned rolling stand is corrected in order to bring the actual width closer to the setpoint width. The downstream additional setpoint value is both taken into account in the determination of the actual width and fed to a tension controller, which sets an actual tension, in the metal strip downstream of the assigned rolling stand, in accordance with the corrected setpoint tension. Determining the downstream additional setpoint value by the difference between the setpoint width and the actual width of a portion of the metal strip.

A method for determining a present thickness of a work item while being processed in a rolling mill, the method including: acquiring a data signal reflecting a time dependence of an eddy current decay in the work item caused by an applied pulsed magnetic field, determining a thickness parameter value based on the acquired signal, the thickness parameter value being determined from samples in the data signal, the thickness parameter value being dependent on a ratio between a thickness of the work item and a resistivity of the work item, computing a ratio between a reference thickness value of the work item and the thickness parameter value to thereby provide an instantaneous resistivity value, determining a mean resistivity value based on the instantaneous resistivity value, and providing an output signal based on the mean resistivity of the work item and the thickness parameter value, the output signal being indicative of the determined present thickness of the work item.

A method for determining a present thickness of a work item while being processed in a rolling mill, the method including: acquiring a data signal reflecting a time dependence of an eddy current decay in the work item caused by an applied pulsed magnetic field, determining a thickness parameter value based on the acquired signal, the thickness parameter value being determined from samples in the data signal, the thickness parameter value being dependent on a ratio between a thickness of the work item and a resistivity of the work item, computing a ratio between a reference thickness value of the work item and the thickness parameter value to thereby provide an instantaneous resistivity value, determining a mean resistivity value based on the instantaneous resistivity value, and providing an output signal based on the mean resistivity of the work item and the thickness parameter value, the output signal being indicative of the determined present thickness of the work item.

A meandering amount arithmetically operating device of a meandering amount measurement device calculates the meandering amount of a steel sheet using a drive side edge site z.sub.ds(N) and a work side edge sites z.sub.ws(N) at a current time when a measurement reliability determination unit determines that both the drive side edge site z.sub.ds(N) and the work side edge sites z.sub.ws(N) at the current time have high reliability. When only one of the drive side edge site z.sub.ds(N) and the work side edge site z.sub.ws(N) at the current time is determined to have high reliability, the other edge site is calculated by interpolation using the number of pixels W from a sheet width updating unit with the drive side edge sites z.sub.ds(N) or the work side edge site z.sub.ws(N) at the current time having high reliability as a reference.

A meandering amount arithmetically operating device of a meandering amount measurement device calculates the meandering amount of a steel sheet using a drive side edge site z.sub.ds(N) and a work side edge sites z.sub.ws(N) at a current time when a measurement reliability determination unit determines that both the drive side edge site z.sub.ds(N) and the work side edge sites z.sub.ws(N) at the current time have high reliability. When only one of the drive side edge site z.sub.ds(N) and the work side edge site z.sub.ws(N) at the current time is determined to have high reliability, the other edge site is calculated by interpolation using the number of pixels W from a sheet width updating unit with the drive side edge sites z.sub.ds(N) or the work side edge site z.sub.ws(N) at the current time having high reliability as a reference.

A plurality of flat metal items to be rolled (3) are fed to a plurality of rolling stands (1, 2) of a rolling installation, one after the other over a feed path (4). The items (3) are rolled by the rolling stands (1, 2) past which they are fed. In the rolling stands (1, 2), the flat item to be rolled (3) is first rough-rolled in at least one roughing pass with a wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds) and then finish-rolled in finishing passes. After the finish-rolling of the flat item, a thickness taper (dd) that is present in the respective finish-rolled flat item is recorded by measuring instruments. The thickness taper (dd) is compared with a target taper (dZ). On the basis of a deviation of the thickness taper (dd) from the target taper (dZ) and the wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds), a new wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds) is determined for the at least one roughing pass. The wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds) for the at least one roughing pass for the next flat item to be rolled (3) is set to correspond to the newly determined value of the wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds), so that the next flat item to be rolled (3) is rough-rolled in the at least one roughing pass with the newly determined value of the wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds).

A plurality of flat metal items to be rolled (3) are fed to a plurality of rolling stands (1, 2) of a rolling installation, one after the other over a feed path (4). The items (3) are rolled by the rolling stands (1, 2) past which they are fed. In the rolling stands (1, 2), the flat item to be rolled (3) is first rough-rolled in at least one roughing pass with a wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds) and then finish-rolled in finishing passes. After the finish-rolling of the flat item, a thickness taper (dd) that is present in the respective finish-rolled flat item is recorded by measuring instruments. The thickness taper (dd) is compared with a target taper (dZ). On the basis of a deviation of the thickness taper (dd) from the target taper (dZ) and the wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds), a new wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds) is determined for the at least one roughing pass. The wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds) for the at least one roughing pass for the next flat item to be rolled (3) is set to correspond to the newly determined value of the wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds), so that the next flat item to be rolled (3) is rough-rolled in the at least one roughing pass with the newly determined value of the wedge-type roll gap adjustment (ds).

A process includes flexible rolling of a strip made of a metallic material, wherein a thickness profile with different sheet thicknesses along the length of the strip is produced such that successive regions of the flexibly rolled strip each correspond to a target thickness profile of a sheet metal blank to be cut out of same; determining a measured thickness profile of a plurality of successive regions of the strip; calculating a target position in the strip for a sheet metal blank to be cut out of the strip depending on the generated measured thickness profile of at least two successive regions of the strip; cutting the flexibly rolled strip by at least one cutting device along the target position for producing the sheet meal blank. A plant is further provided for producing a sheet metal blank.

A process includes flexible rolling of a strip made of a metallic material, wherein a thickness profile with different sheet thicknesses along the length of the strip is produced such that successive regions of the flexibly rolled strip each correspond to a target thickness profile of a sheet metal blank to be cut out of same; determining a measured thickness profile of a plurality of successive regions of the strip; calculating a target position in the strip for a sheet metal blank to be cut out of the strip depending on the generated measured thickness profile of at least two successive regions of the strip; cutting the flexibly rolled strip by at least one cutting device along the target position for producing the sheet meal blank. A plant is further provided for producing a sheet metal blank.

A rolling device includes a roller, a heat exchange assembly, and an adjustment assembly. The roller is provided with a rolling surface configured to roll a target member. The heat exchange assembly is arranged opposite to the rolling surface. The heat exchange assembly is configured to adjust the temperature of the rolling surface. The adjustment assembly is connected to the heat exchange assembly and is configured to adjust the position of the heat exchange assembly in an axial direction of the roller, so as to adjust temperatures of different regions of the rolling surface of the roller in the axial direction. A rolling system includes the rolling device, a measurement device and a controller, the measurement device is configured to measure the thickness of the target member after rolling; and the controller is connected in communication with the measurement device and the adjustment assembly.