Chapter thirteen

Rolling of Metals
Introduction: Rolling is the process of reducing the thickness or changing the cross-
section of a long work piece by compressive forces applied through a set of rolls. Rolling,
which accounts for about 90% of all metals produced by metalworking processes.
Modern steel making practices and the production of various ferrous and nonferrous
metals and alloys now generally involve combining continuous casting with rolling
processes.
This part describe the fundamentals of falt-rolling and shape-rolling operation,
The production of seamless tubing and pipe.

Objective: To understand the concept of the bulk deformation processes in metal

working using Roll process. This chapter describes the flat roll process and its analysis,
defects in rolled plates and sheets and the rolling processes types.
13.1 Flat Rolling process
-Rolling is a process to reduce thickness or changing the cross sectional area by
compressive force applied to a set of rolls as shown in figure 13.1
- The plate has thickness > 6 mm, while the sheet has thickness < 6 mm

- Let ho, hf : metal thickness before and after rolling respectively

vo, vf: metal velocity before and after rolling respectively
vr: Surface speed of the rolls
L: Roll gap (the horizontal distance located between the entry and exit zone)
- Neutral point or (no-slip point): the point on the contact between the metal and the rolls
so that the metal velocity is equal to the roll velocity.
- Before no slip point vRoll > vstrip
- After no slip point vstrip > vRoll
- In flat rolling, the work is squeezed between two rolls so that its thickness is reduced by
an amount called the draft (d) where
d = ho – hf
- There is a limit to the maximum possible draft that can be accomplished in flat rolling
with given coefficient of friction
dmax = μ2R
- As R, μ increases, d increases (i.e Tractors have large tiers (R) and rough threads (μ) in
order to prevent it from skidding when it travel over rough terrain).
- In addition to thickness reduction, rolling usually increases work width, this is called
spreading. Therefore, that the volume entering the rolls is equal to the volume exiting the
rolls.
howoLo = hf wf Lf
Where wo, wf are the work width before and after rolling. And Lo, Lf are the before and
after work length. Similarly, before and after volume rates of material flow must be the
same; so the before and after velocities can be related
howovo = hf wf vf
Where vo, vf are the entering and exiting velocities of the work.
13.2 Roll force, Torque and Power requirement
1- Roll force (F)
F= LwYavg
Where (L) is the roll gap or the strip contact length (see figure 13.1), (w): strip width
(Yavg): average flow stress calculated from the true stress true strain curve for the
material. Or using the following equation
Yavg = (K εn)/(1+n) where K, n are constant
2- Power (P)
P = T ω = F (L/2) ω (since the torque T = (Force) (distance))
If the roll rotates N r.p.m. then ω = 2π N/60
P = ( 2π N/60) (F) (L/2) = (π NF L/60) (the power for one roll)
P = ( 2π N/60) (2F) (L/2) = (2π NF L/60) (the power for two rolls)
P = (2π NF L/60) (unit is Watt) if the dimensions in SI units
P = (2π NF L/(60) (550)) (Unit in hp) if L in feet and the force in Ib.

Example 1:
Annealing copper strip 9 in wide and I in thick is rolled to reduce thickness to 0.8 in. The
roll radius is 12 in and rotates 100 r.p.m. Calculate the roll force and the power required
in this operation. Assume no friction losses.
Solution:
εtrue = ln (ho/hf) = ln (1/0.8) = 0.223
From the figure
- unstrained ε = 0 Y = 12000 psi
- at ε = 0.223 Y = 40000 psi
Yavg = (12000 +40000)/ 2 = 26000 psi
To determine L (Roll gap)
R2 = L2 + (R – (ho-hf)/2)2
122 = L2 + (12- (1-0.8)/2)2
L = 1.55 in
Force:
F = L w Yavg = (1.55)(9)(26000) = 363000 Ib
Power:
P = (2π NF L/(60) (550)) = ((2)(π)(100)(363000)(1.55/12))/33000 = 898 hp
** The number (1.55/12) is converting from inch to ft
** the number 33000 = (60)(550)
** If there is a friction then the actual force F = F + 20% F
Example 2:
A 300 mm wide strip 25mm thick is fed through a rolling mill with two powered rolls
each of radius 250 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. Determine if the friction is sufficient to permit the rolling operation to be
accomplished. If so, calculate the roll force, torque and horsepower.
Solution:
The draft in the rolling d = 25-22 = 3 mm
The maximum possible draft for the given coefficient of friction
dmax = μ2R = (0.12)2(250) = 3.6 mm
Since the maximum allowable draft exceeds the attempted reduction, the rolling
operation is feasible. To compute rolling force, the contact length L is required to
compute first.
R2 = L2 +(R-(ho-hf/2)2
 2502 = L2+(250-(25-22/2)2
L = 27.4 mm
True strain ε = ln(25/22) = 0.128
Yavg = (K εn)/(1+n)
Yavg = (275 (0.128)0.15)/(1+0.15) = 175.7 MPa
F = 175.7 (300)(27.4) = 1444kN
Torque T = F * (L/2) = 1444*(27.4/2) = 19786 N.m
Power P = T*ω = 19786 (2π)(50)/60 = 207kW
= 207 (103)/745.7 = 278 hp (hint one horsepower = 745.7 Watt)
13.3 Reducing Roll force
Roll force causes deflection and flattering of the rolls as rubber tire, which effect on the
rolls operations and their stand (bearing, chocks and housing) as shown in figure 13.2

The force can be reduced by

1- Reducing the roll diameter at the roll-work piece interface
2- Reducing the roll diameter to reduce the contact area
3- Taking smaller reduction per pass to reduce the contact area as in figure (13.3 a)
4- Rolling at elevated temperature to lower the strength of the material
5- Apply tension force to the strip as (front tension, back tension, or both front and back
tension) as in figure (13.3 b). Also if the front tension rolling the roll without the need to
the power, in this case it is called stickle rolling.
*Defects in rolled plates and sheets
1- Wavy edges: results of roll bending
2- Cracks: such as center cracks or edge cracks results of poor material ductility
3- Alligatoring: results as the presence of defects in original cast material. As shown in
figure 13.4

13.4 Rolling process types

1- Shape rolling: The work is deformed into a contoured cross section. Products made by
shape rolling include construction shapes as I-beams, L-beam and U-channels; rails for
railroad tracks; and round and square bars and rods as shown in figure (13.5a)
2- Roll forging (cross rolling): Rolls have profiled groove to make penetration in the strip
as shown in figure (13.5 b)
3- Skew rolling: used for making balls bearing as shown in figure (13.6)
4- Ring rolling: used for large rings used for rockets and turbine, jet engine cases, gear
wheel rim, ball bearing races, flanges and reinforcing rings for pipes. As in figure (13.6)
5- Thread rolling: used to form threads. Produce good strength because of the cold work,
no losses in the material (scrap) as in machining. Good surface finishing and very smooth
surface as in figure (13.7).
6- Tube rolling: to produce pipes, tubes with hollow section as in figure (13.8)