EXPERIMENTAL DETERMINATION OF THE ROLLING FORCE ON THE ROLLS

WITH GROOVES

Prof.Dr.-Ing. Željko Domazet*, Dipl.-Ing. Francisko Lukša**

*Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture,
Ruđera Boškovića bb, 21000 SPLIT, Croatia
**Željezara Split d.d., Industry for production  processing steel,
Dr.F.Tuđmana b.b., 21212 KAŠTEL SUĆURAC, Croatia

Mathematical analysis of hot rolling process especially, hot rolling in the grooves is a complex
problem. There are several methods now used to calculate rolling force (S.Ekelund, A.I.Celikov, A.Geleji,
R.B.Sims and E.Siebel), and results from all are different. Because of numerous parametars (rolls – material,
diameter; rolling material – temperature, thickness, width, carbon, manganese and chromium content; form
of the grooves; friction between rolls and rolling material, speed of the rolling…) experimental methods are
more suitable for determing rolling force in the grooves.
In “Željezara Split” failures of the rools with grooves on the 3-high-roughing mill stand occurred
four times. Experimental determination of the rolling force is a part of a complete failure analysis of the rolls.
The 3-high-roughing mill stand is suitable for rolling 100 mm square x 3 m lenght in 8 passes.
Roll speed is 120 rpm. Material used for rolls is spheroidal graphite iron. Rolling material is BSt 400 S
according to DIN 488. Rolling temperature of the rolling material in the first pass is 1200C. Figure 1 shows
the roll desing and groove distribution.

Figure 2 Position of measuring

Figure 1 Roll desing and groove distribution
device

There are four measuring devices mounted on both sides of the stand, instead of safety parts against the
breakage of rolls. (Figure 2) Measuring device is open cylinder with three strain gauges on the wall. (Figure
4) Angles between left strain gauge and middle strain gauge and middle strain gauge and right strain gauge
are 90°. All strain gauges are HBM type 6/120LY11.

1
 strain 7 9 10 12 strain
gauge 8 11 gauge
upper roll

measuring measuring
device 3 device 4
middle roll
measuring measuring
device 1 device 2
lower roll
strain 1 3 4 6 strain
gauge 2 5 gauge

Figure 3 Measurement system

Figure 4 Measuring device

Reaction forces on the rolling force are determined in accordance with the relations:

F My M i  j k
i   xi  x yi  E i (1)
A Iy Ix xi xj xk
F My M yi yj yk
j   x j  x y j  E j (2) F *A (4)
A Iy Ix 1 2 3
F My M xi xj xk
k   x k  x y k  E k (3)
A Iy Ix yi yj yk

Figure 5 shows good correspondence between experimental and analitical results.

Celikov Ekelund Geleji Experimental Sims Sibel

550
524,2 544
494,6
500
445,1
Rolling force [kN]

450

400
346,2
350 356,1 356,1

300

286,8
250
1 2 3 4 Pass 5 6 7 8

Figure 5 Comparison of analitical and experimental results

The obtained experimental results are used for failure analysis and investigation of four rolls with grooves on
the 3-high-roughing mill stand.