A cold rolling mill rolling condition setting method using a prediction model being generated with an explanatory variable being first multi-dimensional data obtained by transforming past rolling performance data including pre-cold rolling data of a roll material on an entry side of the cold rolling mill into multi-dimensional data, and an objective variable being post-cold rolling data of the roll material on a delivery side of the cold rolling mill, the method includes: estimating a post-rolling shape of a roll target material by inputting, to the prediction model, second multi-dimensional data generated from information including the pre-cold rolling data of the roll target material on the entry side of the cold rolling mill and a target rolling condition of the cold rolling mill; and changing the target rolling condition of the cold rolling mill such that the estimated post-rolling shape of the roll target material satisfies a predetermined condition.

A plate crown control device controls tandem rolling equipment based on delivery-side plate crown setting calculation values of stands calculated by setting calculation, mechanical plate crown setting calculation values of the stands, and setting values of bending forces and shift positions of the stands. A processor calculates first learning current values based on differences between mechanical plate crown observation values and mechanical plate crown actual calculation values. The processor prorates first learning values with first learning current values and smoothing gains and updates the first learning values. The processor calculates, in the setting calculation for the next and subsequent materials, setting values of bending forces and shift positions of the stands using mechanical plate crown setting calculation values after correction obtained by adding the first learning values to the mechanical plate crown setting calculation values.

A closed loop roller leveler assembly for measuring flatness of a strip, having a roller leveler, a flatness sensor, and at least one arm operatively connected to the flatness sensor to raise and lower the flatness sensor. The flatness sensor has a plurality of sensor rolls, at least one load cell, and at least one laser sensor which is mounted on a positioner which oscillates the laser sensors across a width of the strip.

A rolling mill is provided with: a roll for rolling a metal plate, the roll being capable of shifting in an axial direction and having a tapered portion at an end portion in the axial direction; and a heating unit configured to form an expansion portion protruding in a radial direction in the tapered portion by heating the tapered portion.

Control system for cold rolling mills to improve sheet metal thickness uniformity. Sensors monitor the state of the cold rolling mill by measuring (i) roll eccentricity, (ii) roll slips during mill operation, (iii) mill disturbances from roll speed or roll force manifestations, and (iv) unknown disturbances referred to as process noise. The controller analyzes data from sensors to compensate. Data collected during the mill operation by the sensors are delayed in reaching the controller. This communication delay is accounted for by using a filter. Since an objective of the controller software is dynamic identification of eccentricity of the back up rolls, which is non-linear by nature, an Extended Kalman Filter may be used.

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 cut-to-length steel coil processing line has an un-coiling reel, a temper mill, a stretcher leveler, a shearer, and a stacking apparatus arranged to sequentially process a continuous length of sheet metal. The line may be configured such that the continuous length of the sheet metal is directed from the uncoiling reel through the temper mill to the stacking apparatus without processing through the stretcher leveler when a determined thickness of the continuous length of sheet metal is at or below a selected measurement criteria. In the alternative, the line may be configured such that the continuous length of the sheet metal is directed from the uncoiling reel through the stretcher leveler to the stacking apparatus without processing through the temper mill when the determined thickness of the continuous length of sheet metal is greater than the selected measurement criteria.

A rolled sheet metal mill controller for controlling thickness of sheet metal produced by rolls of the mill, the controller comprising one or more processors and code stored on media readable by the one or more processors to control the thickness of the produced sheet metal, the controller including an input coupled to receive multiple measured mill parameters including produced sheet metal thickness that is time delayed from the production of the sheet metal, multiple models of the sheet metal mill, wherein the sheet metal thickness is modeled as an input varying delay, and at least one internal disturbance model based on one or more of the multiple measured parameters coupled to the input, a Kalman filter based on the multiple models, and an output coupled to control a gap between the rolls that produce the rolled sheet metal.

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 metal foil for a spring member includes a first region on which the spring member is formed. The first region has a square shape with one side being 300 mm. In the first region, an absolute value of a difference value obtained by subtracting a standard deviation of a thickness in a width direction orthogonal to a rolling direction from a standard deviation of a thickness in the rolling direction is less than or equal to 0.15 m.