Upgrading Metal Rolling Automation With New Technology

Metal rolling is a process in which metal passes through one or more sets of rolls to either reduce the thickness of the metal, make the thickness uniform, or to incorporate a desired property. The rollers create a compressive force that changes the shape, thickness, and internal structure of the material. Ninety percent of all metal products go through some sort of rolling.

Pairs of rollers, held by roll stands grouped to create rolling mills, shape metal into strips, sheets, and plates. Various rolling mill configurations include tandem, which uses multiple stands set up in a straight line, and reversing, where the metal passes through the rolls and back again multiple times. And ring mills which use a series of rolls to shape metal into rings.

Metal rolling technology continuously changes due to new innovations. Improvements in software, automation, and safety features, provide ongoing advancements that produce flatter, thinner, higher-quality metal rolls.

Advancements In Software
Improvements in simulation and modeling software help manufacturers better predict the effect of rolling forces, temperature changes, and product properties. Plant modeling allows for visualization of interactions that may occur when variables change. Advancements in simulation help engineers design the best process to increase efficiency and create a metal product with the desired results.

Improved Control Systems
Rolling mills are being upgraded to become highly automated systems able to be monitored and controlled by smart sensors and industrial computers. Sophisticated shape scanners feed into the control system that can initiate adjustments in rolling forces in real time. Instrumentation upgrades can identify and correct deviations faster than human operators.

Safer and Cleaner Mills
Workplace safety is always a focus in upgrading automation systems. Providing cleaner air, lessening noise hazards, and minimizing operator injury are all key points. Automation improvements and monitoring assist in minimizing exposure to risks.

Mill Design Optimization
Rolling mill designs continue to be adjusted for specific products. Inline mills with coordinated shears, slitters, and rollers allow for single-pass production. Roll cluster mills for producing tubes, sometimes in geometries not previously practical. Adjustments are made to the design for more efficiency, more capability, and to increase throughput. Additionally, upgrades are made to material transport systems to synchronize material flow, with the goal of continuous rolling with no downtime between mill stands and less human interaction.

M.R. Snyder specializes in automated control systems, including upgrades and retrofits. Contact our engineers to discuss the changes you would like to see in your facility. We can help create an automated system that includes the latest in technology.