Rolling – Some important points

 Most extensively used metal forming process and its

share is roughly 90%. Because of…
 economy
 rapid rate of continuous production
 maintaining close control of the final product
 Roll materials are cast iron, cast steel, forged steel
and even tungsten carbide (cluster mill) because of
high strength and wear resistance requirements.
 There are three different methods of rolling.
 Longitudinal rolling
 Cross rolling and (AQ)
 Helical rolling (AQ)
Rolling – Some important points
 Longitudinal rolling with plane surface (Flat rolling) is
most commonly used method.
 Grooved or textured rolls are also used to provide shape or
emboss the pattern.
Locate: seamless pipe
and welded pipe.
Difference?
Rolled steel products from
Bloom, Slab and Billet
• t >= 150 x 150 mm
• Nearly, square
cross section
• OR W < 2t

• >= 250 x 40
• Rectangular
cross section
• W > 2t

• t >= 40 x 40 mm
• t < 150 x 150 mm
• Generally, square
cross section

Difference between plate and sheet? Plate, t >= 6 mm, Sheet, t < 6 mm
AQ: Difference between sheet and strip?
Rolling
 Two Basic Types of longitudinal rolling:
 flat rolling and
 shape rolling
 In flat rolling, the end products of rolling have
rectangular cross-section such as slabs,
plates, sheets, bars, etc.
 In shape rolling, … various cross-sectional
shapes such as H-section, I-beam, channels,
angles, rail, etc.
Stages in shape rolling of an H-
section part
Roll-Pass design:
Designing sequence
of intermediate
shapes and
corresponding rolls is
called roll-pass design.

The aim of the roll-

pass design is to
achieve uniform
deformation
throughout the cross
section in each
reduction.
Roll pass sequence (Stages) in
shape rolling of an channel section
Typical roll-pass sequences used in
producing structural shapes.
Typical roll-pass sequences used in producing structural
shapes.
Shape rolling – contoured cross-section

 Work is deformed to contoured cross section

 Contoured section is obtained by providing reverse
desired shape to the roller set.
 Shape rolling is more complicated than flat rolling.
 Usually starting material is square and gradually it is
transformed to desired shape through several rolls.
 Roll-pass design: Designing sequence of
intermediate shapes and corresponding rolls is called
roll-pass design. The aim of the roll-pass design is to
achieve uniform deformation throughout the cross
section in each reduction.
Flat rolling characteristics

 Solid cylindrical rolls

 Rolls rotation?
 Rolls axes?
 Workpiece moves …
 Work velocity ….
Flat Rolling – Terminology
to, tf , vo, vf, vr, θ, L to = starting or initial
tf = after or final
vo = entering work velocity
vf = exiting (final) work velocity
vr = roll velocity
θ = angle of contact or
angle of bite
L = contact length or arc of
contact
Flat Rolling – Some important points

1. no-slip point
2. Net frictional force

Neutral point or no-slip point?

 Vwp = Vr
 The direction of friction forces reverses.
Net frictional force direction (Before F1 > After F2)
 is to the right and pulling the w/p into the roll gap.
Flat Rolling – Some important points

 Roll torque, power, etc., increase with an increase in

roll work contact length or roll radius.
Quantities Characterizing Deformation
 h1 = to; h2 = tf; L = ?
 Entry plane?
 Exit plane?
For plane strain
condition (w1 = w2 = w)
 Draft, d = h1 – h2
 Relative draft or
reduction, r = d/h1
 Law of constancy of
volume: V1 = V2
Lateral spread, ∆𝑤𝑤 = 𝑤𝑤1 − 𝑤𝑤2 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 ℎ1 𝑤𝑤1 𝑙𝑙1 = ℎ2 𝑤𝑤2 𝑙𝑙2
Quantities Characterizing
Deformation (Review)
Draft, d = to – tf
Draft, d = D(1 - cosθ) - Derivation
Reduction, r = d/to
Max. draft, d = µ2R
µ ≥ tanθ (pulling without slipping)

t0w0v0 = tfwfvf (vol. rate constant)

𝑣𝑣𝑓𝑓 − 𝑣𝑣𝑣𝑣
𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠, 𝑠𝑠 =
𝑣𝑣𝑟𝑟
𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜
𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑛𝑛, 𝜀𝜀 = ln
𝑡𝑡𝑓𝑓
𝐿𝐿(𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎. ) = 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 (Derivation
– using two triangles) 𝐾𝐾𝜀𝜀 𝑛𝑛
Avg. flow stress, 𝑌𝑌� = 𝜎𝜎� =
1+𝑛𝑛
Roll force, Torque and Power requirement

F = Estimated Roll force under ideal condition

• F = 𝒀𝒀𝒇𝒇 ∗ 𝒘𝒘 ∗ 𝑳𝑳
• Torque/roll, T = F *(L/2)
• Power/roll, P =T*Angular velocity of roll (2*pi*N)
• Total power, Pt = 2*(Power/roll)
Pressure during Rolling (Roll pressure)
and Roll force
Typical pressure variation
along the contact length in
flat rolling per unit width.
The peak pressure is
located at the neutral point.

The area beneath the curve

represents roll force per unit
width.
Friction in rolling
 f(work material, temperature, lubrication)

 µ=

 In hot rolling, sticking friction condition is also seen

and then friction coefficient is observed up to 0.7.
 In sticking, the hot work surface adheres to roll and
thus the strip undergoes with severe deformation.
Example – Estimation of roll
force, torque and power
A 300 mm wide strip 25 mm thick is fed through a rolling mill with
two powered rolls each of radius = 300 mm. The work thickness is
to be reduced to 22 mm in one pass at a roll speed of 50 rev/min.
The work material has a flow curve defined by K = 275 MPa and n =
0.15, and the coefficient of friction between the rolls and the work is
assumed to be 0.12.
Calculate (a) true strain (3 decimal places), (b) average flow stress
(1 decimal place), (c) contact length (1 decimal place) and (d)
Determine if the friction is sufficient to permit the rolling operation to
be accomplished. If so, calculate the roll force, torque, and
horsepower. Given: Given:
wo = 300 mm K = 275 MPa
to = 25 mm n = 0.15
R = 300 mm or D = 600 mm µ = 0.12
tf = 22 mm
Nr = 50 rpm
Derivation of Lc (Chord length)

 First triangle (projected length) Lp2 = Rd

– d2/4
 Second triangle. Lc2 = Lp2 + d2/4
 Lc = sqrt(R*d)
How to reduce rolling force/power?
 F = 𝑌𝑌𝑓𝑓 ∗ 𝑤𝑤 ∗ 𝐿𝐿
 L = 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅
 T = F* (0.5*L/1000) N.m
 Total Power = 2*T*(2*pi*N)/60 Nm/s
Example 1
A 42.0 mm thick plate made of low carbon steel is to be reduced to
34.0 mm in one pass in a rolling operation. As the thickness is
reduced, the plate widens by 4%. The yield strength of the steel
plate is 174 MPa and the tensile strength is 290 MPa. The
entrance speed of the plate is 15.0 m/min. The roll radius is 325 mm
and the rotational speed is 8 rev/min. Determine (a) the minimum
required coefficient of friction that would make this rolling operation
possible, and (b) exit velocity of the plate and (c) forward slip.
Given:
t0 = 42 mm Find: mu, Vf, s
tf = 34 mm
Wf = 1.04 * wo
Y = 290 MPa
V0 = 15 m/min
R = 325 mm and D = 650 mm
Nr = 8 rpm; so, Vr =
Example 2
A series of cold rolling operations are to be used to
reduce the thickness of a plate from 50 mm down to 25
mm in a reversing two-high mill. Roll diameter = 700
mm and coefficient of friction between rolls and work =
0.15. The specification is that the draft is to be equal on
each pass. Determine (a) minimum number of passes
required, and (b) draft for each pass?
Given:
Example 3 (Assignment)
A continuous hot rolling mill has two stands. Thickness of
the starting plate = 25 mm and width = 300 mm. Final
thickness is to be 13 mm. Roll radius at each stand =
250 mm. Rotational speed at the first stand = 20
rev/min. Equal drafts of 6 mm are to be taken at each
stand. The plate is wide enough relative to its thickness
that no increase in width occurs. The entering speed at
the first stand = 26 m/min. Under the assumption that
the forward slip is equal at each stand, determine (a)
speed vr at each stand, and (b) forward slip s. (c) Also,
determine the exiting speeds at each rolling stand.
Given:
 Two stand (a) 𝑣𝑣𝑟𝑟𝑟 = 31.42 𝑚𝑚/𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
 ti = 25 mm 𝑣𝑣𝑟𝑟𝑟 = 47.1 m/min
 wi = 300 mm
𝑣𝑣𝑓𝑓𝑓 −𝑣𝑣𝑟𝑟𝑟
 tf = 13 mm (b) 𝑠𝑠 = = 0.089
𝑣𝑣𝑟𝑟𝑟
 R = 250 mm 𝑣𝑣𝑖𝑖 𝑤𝑤𝑖𝑖 𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑖 = 𝑣𝑣𝑓𝑓𝑓 𝑤𝑤1 𝑡𝑡𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 26 25 = 𝑣𝑣𝑓𝑓𝑓 19
 Nr1 = 20 rpm 𝑣𝑣𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 34.21 𝑚𝑚/𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
 Equal draft = 6 mm
 v1 = 26 m/min (c) 𝑣𝑣𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 34.21 𝑚𝑚/𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
 s is equal at each stand
𝑣𝑣𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 50 𝑚𝑚/𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
Rolling mill configurations

 To deal with variety of applications and

technical problem.
 Configuration is based on:
 number of rolls and arrangement of rolls
in a stand. Each set of rolls is called a
stand.
 Three principal types of rolling mills are:
 two-high, three-high and four-high mills.
Two-high mill (2-high mill) – Two types
 Basic rolling mill
 Used for primary
roughing aka cogging
mills
 Roll diameter range 0.6
to 1.4 m
(1) Non-reversing two-high rolling mills and
(2) Reversing two-high rolling mills (back-and-
forth)
Rolls rotate? and w/p passes?
3-high rolling mill

 Alternative arrangement for 2-high reversing problem

 Series of reduction is possible by passing the work from
either side.
 The only problem is lowering and raising the strip –
elevator mechanism
For a given draft, effect of roll
diameter on the length of contact
4-high rolling mill

 Advantages of using small rolls …

 Lower force, torque and power because of …
 Replacement of small-diameter roll is less
costly.
Four-high rolling mill
Six-high cluster mill

 Variation to 4-high mill, allowing smaller

working rolls against the work.
Sendzimir cold-rolling mill (aka Z-mill)

 20-high Sendzimir cold-

rolling mill (1–2–3–4
arrangement)
 It is modification of the
cluster mill.
Sendzimir cold-rolling mill (aka Z-mill)

 Very costlier compare to 4-high rolling mill and cluster mill

 Suitable for cold rolling of thin sheets of high-strength metal
 Common rolled width in this mill are 660 mm – 1500 mm.
Two-high tandem rolling mill
 For non-reversing two-high mill
 The stands are in tandem, i.e., arranged in a straight
line, the axes of the rolls in one stand being parallel to
those in the other.
 Commonly used for rolling strip, billets, bars, rods, etc.
 For higher productivity of standard parts.
4-high tandem (or continuous) rolling
mill
(windup
reel/coiler) (uncoiler)

• Strip is rolled continuously through a

number of stands.
• To achieve higher productivity in
standard products.
• The control of the strip thickness and
the speed at which the strip travels
through each roll gap is critical
(synchronization).
• Extensive electronic and computer
controls are used in these operations,
particularly in precision rolling.
• Product exiting the final stand at
speeds can be higher than 110 km/hr
Self-study

 Sendzimir Planetary Hot-Rolling Mill or

Planetary mill
 Universal rolling mill
Thread Rolling
 Thread rolling is mostly a cold-forming process.
 Used to form threads on cylindrical w/p by rolling them
between dies. Two types of die: reciprocating flat
rolling die and cylindrical or rotary dies.
 Most important commercial process for mass
production of external thread component (screw, bolt
and similar threaded parts).
Advantages of rolled thread over
machined thread

 Higher production rate than machining

 Better material utilization (no wastage)
 Stronger thread due to work handening
 Better fatigue resistance as compressive stresses are
introduces by rolling.
Thread rolling using reciprocating
flat die

(1) Start of the cycle and (2) end of the cycle

Two die cylindrical machine (in-feed
(plunge) and through feed) - video
Ring rolling

(1) start and (2) completion of process.

 The ring is placed between two rolls, one of which is
driven while the other is idle.
 A thick-walled ring of smaller diameter is rolled into a
thin-walled ring of larger diameter.
 As the rolls squeeze and rotate, the wall thickness is
reduced and the diameter of the ring increases.
 For large ring – hot working and for small rings – cold
working
Ring rolling

 Applications of ring rolling include:

 ball and roller bearing races,
 steel tires for railroad wheels, and

 rings for pipes, pressure vessels, and

rotating machinery.