A method for dynamic roll gap control for flexible rolling of metallic strip material can include: defining a nominal thickness profile with defined nominal corner points and with profile sections lying in between, wherein two profile sections adjoining a nominal corner point each have different average gradients; flexible rolling of the strip material according to the nominal thickness profile; measuring an actual thickness profile of the flexibly rolled strip material; determining actual corner points corresponding to the nominal corner points and actual intermediate points corresponding to the nominal intermediate points; determining corner point comparison values from the nominal corner points and the corresponding actual corner points, as well as intermediate point comparison values from the nominal intermediate points with the corresponding actual intermediate points; controlling a roll gap depending on the corner point comparison values and the intermediate point comparison values.

Described herein is a method for rolling metal sheets of variable thickness. The method makes it possible to impress, during rolling, any distribution of areas of increased thickness within a figure corresponding to the plane development of a motor-vehicle component prior to the pressing operation. Impression of the desired distribution of areas of increased thickness envisages simultaneous impression, during rolling, of a further distribution of areas of increased thickness, or compensation areas.

Separating flexibly rolled strip material can include a buffer device for temporarily storing the flexibly rolled strip material; a first feed device behind the buffer device; at least one length measuring device for continuously measuring a length of the strip material; a thickness measuring device for continuously measuring a thickness of the strip material along the length; a second feed device behind the first feed device; a separating device behind the second feed device; the first and second feed devices being configured to move the strip material from the buffer device to the separating device depending on the thickness measurement and the length measurement; the thickness measuring device being arranged between the buffer device and the first feed device; and the length measuring device being arranged behind the first feed device.

A method for dynamic roll gap control for flexible rolling of metallic strip material can include: defining a nominal thickness profile with defined nominal corner points and with profile sections lying in between, wherein two profile sections adjoining a nominal corner point each have different average gradients; flexible rolling of the strip material according to the nominal thickness profile; measuring an actual thickness profile of the flexibly rolled strip material; determining actual corner points corresponding to the nominal corner points and actual intermediate points corresponding to the nominal intermediate points; determining corner point comparison values from the nominal corner points and the corresponding actual corner points, as well as intermediate point comparison values from the nominal intermediate points with the corresponding actual intermediate points; controlling a roll gap depending on the corner point comparison values and the intermediate point comparison values.

Described herein is a method for rolling metal sheets of variable thickness. The method makes it possible to impress, during rolling, any distribution of areas of increased thickness within a figure corresponding to the plane development of a motor-vehicle component prior to the pressing operation. Impression of the desired distribution of areas of increased thickness envisages simultaneous impression, during rolling, of a further distribution of areas of increased thickness, or compensation areas.

A method for producing a semifinished product with locally different material thicknesses may involve preparing a multilayer, metal material composite, which has a plurality of layers with different ductilities, and rolling the material composite in a method for flexible rolling through a rolling gap formed between two rollers. The rolling gap may be configured such that regions with different material thicknesses are formed. In some cases, the multilayer, metal material composite is rolled at room temperature. Further, the plurality of layers of the multilayer, metal material composite may include a first outer layer disposed on a first side of a middle layer and a second outer layer disposed on a second side of the middle layer, with the second side of the middle layer being opposite the first side.

A method for manufacturing a strip having a variable thickness along its length, comprising the steps: an initial strip of constant thickness is provided; homogeneous cold rolling of the initial strip along its length in order to obtain an intermediate strip of constant thickness along the rolling direction; flexible cold rolling of the intermediate strip along its length in order to obtain a variable thickness strip, having, along its length, first areas with a first thickness (e+s) and second areas with a second thickness (e), less than the first thickness (e+s), continuous annealing of the strip. The plastic deformation ratio generated, after an optional intermediate recrystallization annealing, by the homogeneous cold rolling and the flexible cold rolling steps in the first areas is greater than or equal to 30%.

A method for producing a semifinished product with locally different material thicknesses may involve preparing a multilayer, metal material composite, which has a plurality of layers with different ductilities, and rolling the material composite in a method for flexible rolling through a rolling gap formed between two rollers. The rolling gap may be configured such that regions with different material thicknesses are formed. In some cases, the multilayer, metal material composite is rolled at room temperature. Further, the plurality of layers of the multilayer, metal material composite may include a first outer layer disposed on a first side of a middle layer and a second outer layer disposed on a second side of the middle layer, with the second side of the middle layer being opposite the first side.

Disclosed are an automatic shearing apparatus for a cold-rolled plate of variable thickness, and a shearing method using the apparatus. The method comprises that: a thickness gauge (4) and a length-measuring device (3) are successively arranged in front of shears (5); and a control device identifies the profile of a strip material passing through the thickness gauge (4) according to length tracing data and measured thickness values, and determines the position of the strip material at the shears (5), simultaneously compares the profile with the set profile of a plate of continuously variable thickness, and decides the action time of the shears. The apparatus and the method can efficiently and accurately shear rolls of supplied materials of continuously variable thickness into plates of continuously variable thickness which can be directly used by a user.

A method for manufacturing a strip having a variable thickness along its length, comprising the steps: an initial strip of constant thickness is provided; homogeneous cold rolling of the initial strip along its length in order to obtain an intermediate strip of constant thickness along the rolling direction; flexible cold rolling of the intermediate strip along its length in order to obtain a variable thickness strip, having, along its length, first areas with a first thickness (e+s) and second areas with a second thickness (e), less than the first thickness (e+s), continuous annealing of the strip.

The plastic deformation ratio generated, after an optional intermediate recrystallization annealing, by the homogeneous cold rolling and the flexible cold rolling steps in the first areas is greater than or equal to 30%.