Numerical simulation of slab deformation process with different reduction values in vertical rolls of mill 2000 roughing stands

Perfection of rolled stock production processes at continuous wide-strip hot rolling mill (CWHRM) aimed at minimization of metal consumption, is an effective mean to decrease its cost. In the process of slabs rolling at CWHRM, the metal consumption is stipulated first of all by complicated workpiece forming in roughing stands during consecutive reduction by vertical and horizontal rolls. Results of the numerical study of slab deformation with different values of reduction in vertical rolls of roughing stands of mill 2000 are presented. The implementation of rolling process model based on application of DEFORM-3D program of finiteelement analysis described for evaluation of metal shifting from the edges of slab in the direction of the middle of the width. The convergence of the simulation results with the measurements data of workpiece forming during roughing rolling at Severstal mill 2000 was experimentally confirmed. It was found that an increase of reduction in vertical rolls has no significant effect on the metal shifting from a narrow edge to a wide one. Increase the total reduction in vertical rolls leads to an unfavorable stress-strain state of the edge region and the Cockcroft–Latham criterion rises by 20–30%. It was proposed to reduce the total reduction in the vertical rolls of the roughing stands of mill 2000 down to 40–50 mm. It was shown that increase of time of slab moving from the heating furnace to the scale breaker causes growth the Cockcroft-Latham criterion and does not affect the amount of metal shifting from a narrow face to a wide one. The proposed method of simulation the process of slab deformation in the roughing group of the mill 2000 proved by results of industrial rolling can to be used for further study of the effect of rolls profiling and forming of surface defects with the provision of minimal metal shifting onto a wide face.