Prediction of roll force in skin pass rolling using numerical and artificial neural network methods

Abstract

A combination of finite element method and neural network methods was used for rapid prediction of the roll force during skin pass rolling of 980DP and 1180CP high strength steels. The FE based commercial package DEFOEM-2D was used to develop a mathematical model of the skin pass rolling operation. Numerical experiments were designed with different process parameters to produce training data for a neural network algorithm. The friction coefficient was considered as an input parameter in the neural network but it was optimised using an iterative method employing an equation that relates the friction coefficient to the rolling force. The load prediction method described in this paper is sufficiently rapid that it can be used in real-time as an adjustment tool for skin pass rolling mills with error within 10% (based on plant data from POSCO).

Keywords:

• Skins pass rolling
• Finite element method
• Neural network
• DEFORM-2D
• Taguchi method