Lecture 24: Rolling

Jayadeep U. B.
Dept. of Mechanical Engg., NIT Calicut.
 Introduction
Rolling is the preferred process for reducing the thickness of a
sheet/strip of metal.
It involves sending the workpiece through a pair (or more) of
cylinders called rolls.
The sheet is propelled through the rolls predominantly by friction
between the rolls and the workpiece; but it may be aided by
applying tension at the exit (front tension).
A back tension at the inlet also is applied often.
The major objectives of the analysis of rolling process are:
Determine the roll separating force.
Determine torque and power requirements.

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 Assumptions in the Analysis
Rolls are straight and rigid cylinders.
Width of the strip is much larger than its thickness, and widening
is not significant. Hence, the problem is of plane strain type.
Coefficient of friction is low and constant over the entire roll-job
interface.
The yield strength of the material remains constant for the entire
operation. Its value is usually taken as the average of the yield
strengths at start and at end of rolling.
Anisotropy induced due to rolling is negligible.

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 Schematic Diagrams

(near the entry)

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 Determination of Rolling Pressure
Both the rolls are of equal radius R and surface velocity V.
Plane strain problem; assume unit thickness in third direction.
By incompressibility, we have: Vf > V > Vi
At the Neutral point, job velocity is equal to V.
Figures (a) & (b) show the details of rolling process, and stresses
on a typical element before neutral point. On an element after
neutral point, direction of relative velocities, and hence that of
frictional force, are reversed.
Considering both front and back tensions, equilibrium gives:
2 ( y + dy )( x + d x ) 2 y x 2 R d p cos + R d p sin = 0
Since is small, and ignoring higher order terms, we get:
5 ME6302 Metal Forming 2 y d x + 2 x dy 2 R d p + 2 R d p = 0
 Determination of Rolling Pressure contd.
Rearranging the terms, we get the differential equation:
d
( x y ) Rp ( ) = 0
d
Since friction force is small, axial stress and roll pressure can be
considered as principal stresses.
Hence, for plane strain case, we have: p + x = 2k
Substituting, and considering the change in direction of friction,
we get: d
( 2k p ) y ( ) Rp = 0
d
Due to strain hardening k increases, and y decreases from inlet to
exit. Hence it is reasonable to assume ky to be constant during
the process: 2ky d 1 p + Rp = 0
( )
6 ME6302 Metal Forming d 2k
 Determination of Rolling Pressure contd.
As is small, y can be expressed as: 2 y = tf + R 2
Hence, ( tf + R 2 ) d p + 2 ( ) R p = 0
d 2 k 2k
p
d
2k = 2 R ( ) d
Rearranging,
p

(f
t + R 2
)
2k
Integrating, we get:
p C
ln = ln ( tf + R ) 2 R
1 R
2
tan 1
+ ln
2k tf tf 2R
Or, p = C y e ; where = 2 R tan 1 R
2k R tf t
f
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 Determination of Rolling Pressure contd.
For inlet, we have: pi = 2k xi
Hence, pi = 1 xi = C ti e ; i = 2 R tan 1 R i

i

2k 2k 2R tf
tf
Therefore, constant of integration for region before neutral point:
2 R xi +
C = 1 e
ti 2k
Similarly, using the condition at the exit, we get (H.W.):
+ 2 R xf
C = 1
tf 2k
Substituting, we get the expressions for roll pressure before and
after the neutral point.

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 Rolling Pressure Variation
Maximum pressure occurs at
the neutral point as shown
called the friction hill or pressure
hill.
Pressure at the neutral point
can be calculated using either
the expression for inlet region
or for the exit region.
Equating these two pressures,
the angular location (n) of
neutral point can be found out.

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 Effect of Front and Back Tensions

The maximum pressure is reduced, and the neutral point is shifted,

by the presence of front and back tensions.
Back tension is nearly twice as effective in reducing the maximum
roll pressure as the front tension of the same magnitude.
Reducing the roll pressure helps to improve the uniformity of
10
thickness of strip and the life of rolls by reducing wear.
 Roll Separating Force
The force, which is in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rolls
and rolling direction (vertical direction) is called roll separating
force, since it tries to increase the separation between rolls.
Since the angle i is small, contribution of frictional force to the
roll separation force can be ignored.
i i
Hence, F = pR cos d pR d

0

0

Since the roll pressure has different expressions before and after

the neutral point, we have: n i

F = pafter R d + pbefore R d
0 n
This forces is evaluated numerically, and is useful in deciding the
camber to be provided for the rolls.
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 Driving Torque and Power
Driving torque is required to overcome the torque on the rolls
exerted by the frictional force (note: in ideal rigid rolls, roll
pressure will not contribute to the torque).
Friction resists the rotation of the roll before the neutral point and
aids the rotation after the

neutral point.
i n i

Hence, the torque, T = pR 2 d = pafter R 2 d + pbefore R 2 d

0
0

n

However, this computation leads to serious numerical difficulties

(large round-off error) as the result is obtained as a difference,
two large, nearly equal, numbers. Hence, the torque is usually
calculated using a different method (next slide).
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 Driving Torque and Power contd.
Consider the horizontal equilibrium
of the entire deformation zone.
Equivalent horizontal force per roll,
i
1
F = ( xiti xf tf ) + 2 pR sin d
e

2 0

i
1
( xiti xf tf ) + pR d
2 0
Equilibrium of the deformation zone
Hence, the torque, T F R e

Power per roll, PR = T ; where is the angular speed.

Power loss in the bearings is the other
major component of total power.
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 Topics for Self-study
Defects in rolling: types and reasons.
Maximum angle of bite in the absence of front tension (unaided
entry).
Roll bending and cambering (no need for a rigorous analytical
treatment; conceptual understanding is enough).
Effects of insufficient and excessive camber.
Roll flattening and its effects (no need for a rigorous analytical
treatment ; conceptual understanding is enough).
Effect of change in friction and roll diameter (no need for a
rigorous analytical treatment; conceptual understanding is
enough).
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 References
Hosford, W.F. and Caddell, R.M., Metal Forming, Cambridge
University Press.
Dieter, G.E., Mechanical Metallurgy, McGraw Hill.
Ghosh, A. and Mallick, A.K., Manufacturing Science,
East West Press.
Hoffman, O. and Sachs, G., Introduction to the Theory of
Plasticity for Engineers, McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Hill, R., The mathematical theory of plasticity, Oxford University
Press.
Johnson ,W. and Mellor, P.B., Plasticity for Mechanical Engineers,
van Nostrand Company Ltd.

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