Cold rolling mill with dynamic target shape control

Abstract

A cold rolling mill (100) for a metal substrate (102) such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy may include a control system (108) for controlling the flatness of the metal substrate (102). The control system (108) may dynamically change a target flatness to which an actual flatness is compared during the rolling of the metal substrate (102), and control one or more flatness control actuators (118) based on the difference between the actual flatness and the target flatness. A method of rolling a metal substrate (102) with a cold rolling mill includes providing a target flatness and dynamically changing the target flatness during the rolling of the metal substrate (102).

Description

[0001] Citation of relevant applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 580,584, filed on September 5, 2023, entitled “COLD ROLLING MILL WITH DYNAMICTARGET SHAPE CONTROL,” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the processing of metal substrates (such as, but not limited to, aluminum or aluminum alloy sheet), and more specifically to systems and methods for controlling the flatness of metal substrates. Background Technology

[0003] Metal rolling is used to form metal strips (e.g., plates, sheets, foils, plates, etc.) from billets such as ingots or thicker metal strips (hereinafter referred to as "metal substrates"). Depending on the desired properties of the final metal product, metal substrates can be hot-rolled, cold-rolled, and / or warm-rolled. Hot rolling generally refers to a rolling process where the metal temperature is above the metal's recrystallization temperature. Cold rolling generally refers to a rolling process where the metal temperature is below the metal's recrystallization temperature. Warm rolling generally refers to a rolling process where the metal temperature is below the recrystallization temperature but above the temperature during cold rolling.

[0004] The flatness of a metal substrate refers to its ability to remain flat when placed on a horizontal surface and not subjected to external forces. Deviations from flatness (also known as unevenness) can manifest in various forms on a metal substrate, such as edge waviness, center waviness, and / or wrinkles, and can lead to problems in production efficiency, material handling, downstream processing, and / or customer processing. As a non-limiting example, an uneven metal substrate may be difficult to process at high speeds, and poor substrate shape may lead to strip breakage or other problems, thereby reducing mill productivity and / or the entire process flow. An uneven metal substrate can also cause various problems in metal substrate handling, such as, but not limited to, difficulty in coil forming, guiding problems, positioning misalignment in the mill, difficulty in trimming and / or slitting, and / or difficulty in threading the metal substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The embodiments covered by this patent are defined by the following claims, not by the content of this invention. The content of this invention is a high-level generalization of various embodiments and introduces some concepts that will be further described in the following detailed description section. The content of this invention is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used alone to define the scope of the claimed subject matter. This subject matter should be understood by referring to the appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all of the drawings, and each claim.

[0006] According to some embodiments, a cold rolling mill includes a flatness control actuator at a work stand for controlling the flatness of a metal substrate and a controller communicatively coupled to the flatness control actuator. The controller can provide a dynamically changing target flatness during the rolling of the metal substrate and based on the rolling stage, and controls the flatness control actuator based on the dynamically changing target flatness to control the flatness of the metal substrate.

[0007] According to some embodiments, a rolling mill for a metal substrate includes a control system having a sensor for measuring the flatness of the metal substrate and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller can receive the measured flatness from the sensor and compare the measured flatness with a target flatness, wherein the controller dynamically changes the target flatness during the rolling of the metal substrate and based on the rolling stage. The controller can generate a control response for a flatness control actuator for the rolling mill based on the difference between the measured flatness and the target flatness.

[0008] According to some embodiments, a method for rolling a metal substrate with a cold rolling mill includes: providing a target flatness and dynamically changing the target flatness during the rolling of the metal substrate and based on the rolling stage; receiving a measured flatness of the metal substrate; comparing the measured flatness with the target flatness; and controlling a flatness control actuator based on the difference between the measured flatness and the target flatness.

[0009] The various embodiments described herein may include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages that are not necessarily explicitly disclosed herein, but will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages are included within this disclosure and protected by the appended claims. Attached Figure Description

[0010] This specification refers to the following figures, in which the same reference numerals are used in different figures to indicate the same or similar components.

[0011] Figure 1 A rolling system with a flatness control system according to an embodiment is shown.

[0012] Figure 2 The use according to the implementation scheme is shown. Figure 1 The flatness control system performs dynamic target flatness control and compares the acceleration stage of rolling with the stable stage of rolling.

[0013] Figure 3 The use according to the implementation scheme is shown. Figure 1The flatness control system performs dynamic target flatness control and compares the deceleration stage of rolling with the stable stage of rolling.

[0014] Figure 4 The use according to the implementation scheme is shown. Figure 1 The rolling system controls the flatness of the metal substrate. Detailed Implementation

[0015] This document describes a flatness control system and method for controlling the flatness of a metal substrate during rolling. The rolling system may include, but is not limited to, hot rolling mills, cold rolling mills, and warm rolling mills. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may be particularly useful for cold rolling mills. Therefore, although the following description relates to cold rolling mills, the embodiments described herein can be used with hot rolling mills and warm rolling mills and are not limited to rolling systems and can be used with various other types of metalworking systems as needed. Compared to conventional methods of flatness control that employ a static or fixed target flatness during rolling, the flatness control system described herein dynamically changes and / or controls the target flatness of the metal substrate during rolling. Dynamically changing the target flatness during the rolling process adapts to the various physical phenomena caused by differences between the various stages of rolling (such as, but not limited to, acceleration, stabilization (or steady-state), and deceleration stages), thereby providing rolled metal substrates with improved flatness control and processes with increased material recovery (or conversely, reduced scrap) and increased productivity. Various other benefits and advantages can be achieved using the systems and methods described herein, and these benefits and advantages should not be considered limiting.

[0016] Figure 1 An example of a rolling system 100 for a metal substrate 102 according to an embodiment is shown. In various embodiments, the metal substrate 102 can be a variety of metals as needed, including but not limited to aluminum, aluminum alloys, steel, or other metals. In some examples, the metal substrate 102 can be aluminum or aluminum alloys of the 1xxx, 2xxx, 3xxx, 4xxx, 5xxx, 6xxx, 7xxx, and 8xxx series, and / or any other aluminum or aluminum alloy. The rolling system 100 may include a rolling mill 104 having at least one work stand 106 and a flatness control system 108.

[0017] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, mill 104 is a cold rolling mill, but in other examples, mill 104 may be a warm rolling mill and / or a hot rolling mill as needed. Mill 104 may have any number of work stands 106 as needed. Therefore, although Figure 1Two work stands 106A-B are shown, but in other examples, the mill 104 may include a single work stand 106 or multiple work stands 106, such as two work stands 106, three work stands 106, four work stands 106 or any other desired number of work stands 106.

[0018] Each work frame 106 includes a pair of vertically aligned work rollers 112A-B. Figure 1 In one example, each work stand 106A-B also includes support rolls 114A-B supporting work rolls 112A-B. In other examples, work stands 106A-B may also include intermediate rolls. A roll gap 116 of each work stand 106 is defined between work rolls 112A-B, and a metal substrate 102, such as aluminum or aluminum alloy sheet, passes through the roll gap 116 along the rolling line in the processing direction (indicated by arrow 110).

[0019] In some embodiments, one or more of the work frames 106 include one or more flatness control actuators 118. The one or more flatness control actuators 118 can be various means, mechanisms, and / or systems for controlling the flatness of the metal substrate 102 by controlling one or more characteristics of the work rolls 112A-B. Non-limiting examples of flatness control actuators 118 include work roll bending actuators, work roll tilting actuators, and coolant or temperature actuators. In some embodiments, the work roll bending actuator controls the roll bending force and can be used to control the symmetrical shape of the metal substrate 102. The work roll tilting actuator controls the tilt of the work roll (e.g., tilt across the width of the metal substrate 102) and can be used to control the asymmetrical shape of the metal substrate 102. In some embodiments, the one or more flatness control actuators 118 can be one or more mechanical actuators, but in other embodiments they are not necessarily mechanical actuators. Other flatness control actuators 118 or mechanisms affecting the geometry of the roll gap 116 may be used as needed.

[0020] The flatness control system 108 may include one or more flatness sensors 120 and a controller 122.

[0021] One or more flatness sensors 120 may be various devices for measuring the flatness of the metal substrate 102. The location, type, and number of flatness sensors 120 should not be considered limiting. In the example shown, the flatness sensor 120 is a shape measuring roller or a multi-zone flatness measuring roller; however, in other embodiments, the flatness sensor 120 may be other types of flatness measuring rollers, other sensors that measure flatness via contact, and / or other sensors that measure flatness without contact with the metal substrate 102. As a non-limiting example, in other embodiments, the flatness control system 108 may additionally or alternatively include optical sensors and / or cameras for measuring the flatness of the metal substrate 102.

[0022] Controller 122 may include a computer system and / or one or more processing units and / or one or more memory devices. Processing units may be a variety of suitable processing devices or combinations thereof, including but not limited to one or more application-specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, digital signal processing devices, programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays, processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units, and / or combinations thereof. One or more memory devices may be any machine-readable medium accessible by a processor, including but not limited to any type of long-term, short-term, volatile, non-volatile, or other storage media, and are not limited to any particular type or number of memories, or the type of medium storing the memory. Furthermore, as disclosed herein, the terms “storage medium,” “storage device,” or “memory” may refer to one or more memories used for storing data, including read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM, magnetic core memory, disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, and / or other machine-readable media used for storing information. The term “machine-readable medium” includes, but is not limited to, portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wireless channels, and / or various other storage media capable of storing instructions and / or data.

[0023] The controller 122 may be located at various locations within the rolling system 100. Although shown as separate from the flatness sensor 120 and the flatness control actuator 118, in some embodiments, the controller 122 (or its sub-components, such as one or more processing units and / or one or more storage devices) may be a component of the flatness sensor 120 and / or the flatness control actuator 118.

[0024] In some embodiments, the controller 122 may optionally include an associated user interface, including but not limited to a graphical user interface or a human-machine interface, enabling the controller 122 to obtain information from and / or provide information to the user. In these embodiments, the user interface and / or human-machine interface may be located on the controller 122 itself, or may be located remotely from the controller 122, such as on a user device, a dedicated user interface device, an operation control center remote from the rolling system 100, a combination thereof, and / or other methods as required.

[0025] The controller 122 may be communicatively coupled to the flatness sensor 120 and the flatness control actuator 118. The controller 122 may also be communicatively coupled to various other components of the rolling system 100, such as, but not limited to, controlling the rolling speed, the tension of the metal substrate, combinations thereof, and / or other desired components. In various embodiments, and as discussed in detail below, the controller 122 may generate control signals for controlling one or more flatness control actuators 118, based at least in part on data related to the flatness of the metal substrate 102 from the flatness sensor 120.

[0026] In some embodiments, controller 122 may receive and / or determine an initial target flatness of the metal substrate 102. The target flatness of the metal substrate 102 typically refers to the shape or profile of the metal substrate 102 in the width direction. The initial target flatness may be determined based on various control parameters, such as, but not limited to, the type of rolling process, alloy type, exit thickness of the metal substrate, reduction of the metal substrate, combinations thereof, and / or other desired parameters. During rolling, controller 122 may compare the actual or measured flatness from flatness sensor 120 with the target flatness and may generate control signals for controlling one or more flatness control actuators 118 based on any difference between the actual flatness and the target flatness. As a non-limiting example, controller 122 may generate control signals for controlling a roll tilting actuator, a roll bending actuator, and / or a temperature control actuator based on the difference between the actual flatness and the target flatness.

[0027] While the target flatness is traditionally kept constant during rolling, controller 122 can dynamically change and / or control the target flatness during rolling. Controller 122 can dynamically change and / or control the target flatness based on various parameters as needed, such as, but not limited to, the type of rolling process, the type of alloy, the exit thickness of the metal substrate, the reduction of the metal substrate, the rolling stage, the rolling speed, combinations thereof, and / or other desired parameters. As a non-limiting example, controller 122 can adjust and / or control the target flatness of the metal substrate 102 based on the rolling stage (e.g., an acceleration stage, a stabilization stage, or a deceleration stage), and the target flatness during one stage (e.g., an acceleration stage) may differ from the target flatness during another stage (e.g., a stabilization stage). Dynamically controlling the target flatness can accommodate the different physical phenomena experienced by the metal substrate 102 during the various stages, thereby providing a metal substrate 102 with improved flatness and a process with improved recycling and productivity. In some embodiments, controller 122 dynamically controls the target flatness during rolling such that the target shape during the acceleration phase differs from the target shape during the stabilization phase, and optionally from the target shape during the deceleration phase. Similarly, controller 122 may dynamically control the target flatness such that the target shape during the deceleration phase differs from the target shape during the stabilization phase, and optionally from the target shape during the acceleration phase.

[0028] Figure 2 and Figure 3 A non-limiting example of dynamic control of target flatness by controller 122 according to an embodiment is shown. Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the same dynamic control target flatness, it is represented by target figure 201, where the x-axis represents time and the y-axis represents the distance from the first edge of the metal substrate 102. The red area in target figure 201 represents the relaxation of this part of the metal substrate by compensation via flatness control actuator 118; and the blue area represents the compaction of this part of the metal substrate by compensation via flatness control actuator 118.

[0029] Figure 2A comparison is shown between the accelerated target shape 203 at time 205 during the acceleration phase of rolling and the stable target shape 207 at time 209 during the stabilization phase of rolling. The stable target shape 207 typically has a positive (or "frowning") shape profile, while the accelerated target shape 203 is a modified negative (or "smiling") shape profile. As shown by comparing the accelerated target shape 203 and the stable target shape 207, the accelerated target shape 203 makes the center of the metal substrate 102 more relaxed and the edges tighter compared to the stable target shape 207. In various embodiments, the adjusted accelerated target shape 203 can facilitate the bending of the metal substrate 102 into the desired shape (e.g., a positive shape profile) and can reduce the time required for the acceleration ramp to rise.

[0030] Figure 3 A comparison is shown between the deceleration target shape 211 at time 213 during the deceleration period of rolling and the stable target shape 215 at time 217 during the stabilization phase of rolling. The stable target shape 215 is similar to the stable target shape 207 and generally has a positive (or "frowning") shape profile, while the deceleration target shape 211 is closer to a negative shape profile (or, for discussion purposes, referred to as a "modified frown") than the stable target shape 215. As shown by comparing the deceleration target shape 211 and the stable target shape 215, the deceleration target shape 211 makes the center of the metal substrate 102 more relaxed and the edges tighter than the stable target shape 215, which can facilitate the bending of the metal substrate 102 into the desired positive shape.

[0031] As generally illustrated in target figure 201, the target profile is dynamically controlled and adjusted during the rolling process. While target figure 201 shows a changing target profile from a modified negative profile to a positive profile and then to a modified frowning profile, this target profile should not be considered limiting. In other examples, controller 122 may dynamically control the target shape during the rolling process as needed and based on the parameters described above (such as, but not limited to, process type, alloy type, exit thickness, required reduction, rolling speed, etc.).

[0032] Figure 4 An example of a process for controlling the flatness of a metal substrate 102 using a rolling system 100 is shown. The method may be at least partially performed by a controller 122, and in some embodiments, may be fully performed by the controller 122.

[0033] In block 402, the method includes receiving or determining an initial target flatness. Block 402 may be based on various parameters, such as, but not limited to, the type of rolling process, alloy type, exit thickness of the metal substrate, reduction of the metal substrate, combinations thereof, and / or other desired parameters. In various embodiments, the user may provide an initial target flatness, and / or the controller 122 may determine the target flatness.

[0034] In block 404, the method includes dynamically controlling the target flatness. Dynamically controlling the target flatness can be based on a variety of parameters that are dynamically changed and / or controlled, such as, but not limited to, the type of rolling process, the type of alloy, the exit thickness of the metal substrate, the reduction of the metal substrate, the rolling stage, the rolling speed, combinations thereof, and / or other desired parameters. As a non-limiting example, block 404 may include adjusting and / or controlling the target flatness of the metal substrate 102 based on the rolling stage (e.g., acceleration stage, stabilization stage, and / or deceleration stage). In some embodiments, dynamically controlling the target flatness may be based on data from one or more system sensors that measure one or more characteristics of the rolling system 100 and / or the metal substrate 102, but this is not necessarily required in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the data from one or more system sensors may correspond to various stages of rolling, and said data may be used to determine the stage of rolling. As a non-limiting example, the system sensors may measure rolling speed, temperature, and / or other information corresponding to the stage of rolling.

[0035] In some embodiments, block 404 includes dynamically controlling the target flatness by adjusting the target flatness such that the target flatness during one stage of rolling (e.g., an acceleration stage) differs from the target flatness during another stage of rolling (e.g., a stabilization stage and / or a deceleration stage). In some examples, block 404 may optionally include providing a static target flatness during one stage of rolling and dynamically changing the target flatness during another stage of rolling. As a non-limiting example, block 404 may include providing a static target flatness during a stabilization stage of rolling and providing a changed target flatness during the acceleration and / or deceleration stages. In one non-limiting example, block 404 may include controlling the target flatness such that the target flatness during one stage can be a positive target flatness and the target flatness during another stage can be a negative target flatness.

[0036] In block 406, the method includes receiving measured flatness of the metal substrate 102 using one or more flatness sensors 120. In some embodiments, block 406 includes receiving measured flatness from one or more optical sensors, shape gauge rollers, and / or other flatness sensors 120 as needed.

[0037] In block 408, the method includes determining the error or difference between the flatness measured in block 406 and the target flatness dynamically controlled in block 404.

[0038] If the measured flatness is within the acceptable tolerance range of the target flatness, the method can proceed to box 410; and if the rolling process continues, the process returns to box 404. The acceptable tolerance in box 408 can be provided by the user and / or determined by controller 122 based on process type, alloy type, exit thickness, required reduction, and / or other desired conditions.

[0039] In various embodiments, based on the difference between the measured flatness and the target flatness exceeding an acceptable tolerance, in block 412, the method includes determining a control response for one or more flatness control actuators 118. In some embodiments, block 412 may include determining a control response for one or more work roll bending actuators, work roll tilting actuators, and / or coolant or temperature actuators. In various embodiments, block 412 may include determining a control response based on the type of error determined in block 408. As a non-limiting example, a symmetric error or difference identified in block 408 may lead to the determination of a control response in block 412 for a work roll bending actuator and / or any other symmetric flatness actuator, while an asymmetric error or difference in block 408 may lead to the determination of a control response in block 412 for a work roll tilting actuator and / or any other asymmetric flatness actuator. In some embodiments, block 412 may include determining a control response to address both symmetric and asymmetric errors. Non-limiting examples of control responses for one or more flatness control actuators 118 may include increasing bending force, decreasing bending force, increasing the tilt of the work roll toward a first side, increasing the tilt of the work roll toward a second side, combinations thereof, and / or other control responses as needed.

[0040] In block 414, controller 122 can generate control signals for controlling one or more flatness control actuators 118 based on the control response determined in block 412, thereby modifying the flatness of the metal substrate 102 and bringing the measured flatness within the acceptable tolerance range of the target flatness.

[0041] The above methods are for illustrative purposes only, and various other operations and / or combinations of operations related to controlling the flatness of at least the material head region of the metal substrate may be performed as needed.

[0042] The following provides a collection of exemplary embodiments, including at least some embodiments that are explicitly listed as “examples” providing further descriptions of various exemplary embodiments in accordance with the concepts described herein. These examples are not intended to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or limiting; and this disclosure is not limited to these exemplary examples, but covers all possible modifications and variations within the scope of the proposed claims and their equivalents.

[0043] Example 1. A cold rolling mill comprising: a flatness control actuator at a work stand of the cold rolling mill for controlling the flatness of a metal substrate; and a controller communicatively coupled to the flatness control actuator, wherein the controller is configured to: provide a dynamically changing target flatness during rolling of the metal substrate and based on the stage of rolling; and control the flatness control actuator based on the dynamically changing target flatness to control the flatness of the metal substrate.

[0044] Example 2. A cold rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the flatness control actuator includes at least one of a roll bending actuator, a roll tilting actuator, or a coolant actuator.

[0045] Example 3. A cold rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the target flatness based on whether the cold rolling mill is in an acceleration phase of rolling, a stabilization phase of rolling, or a deceleration phase of rolling.

[0046] Example 4. A cold rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness such that the target flatness during the acceleration phase of rolling is different from the target flatness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

[0047] Example 5. A cold rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness based on the cold rolling process type, the metal type of the metal substrate, and / or the exit thickness of the metal substrate.

[0048] Example 6. A cold rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness such that the target flatness is static during the steady phase of the rolling process.

[0049] Example 7. A cold rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, further comprising a system sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the system sensor measures at least one characteristic of the mill corresponding to a rolling stage, and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness based at least in part on information from the system sensor.

[0050] Example 8. A rolling mill for a metal substrate, the rolling mill including a control system comprising: a sensor for measuring the flatness of the metal substrate; and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to: receive measured flatness from the sensor; compare the measured flatness with a target flatness, wherein the controller dynamically changes the target flatness during rolling of the metal substrate and based on the stage of rolling; and generate a control response for a flatness control actuator for the rolling mill based on the difference between the measured flatness and the target flatness.

[0051] Example 9. A rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, further comprising: a work stand including at least one work roll for rolling the metal substrate; and a flatness control actuator for controlling the at least one work roll to control the flatness of the metal substrate.

[0052] Example 10. A rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the flatness control actuator includes at least one of a roll bending actuator for controlling the bending of the at least one work roll, a roll tilting actuator for controlling the tilting of the at least one work roll, or a coolant actuator for controlling the application of coolant to the at least one work roll.

[0053] Example 11. A rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, further comprising a system sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the system sensor measures at least one characteristic of the rolling mill corresponding to a stage of rolling, and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target smoothness based at least in part on information from the system sensor.

[0054] Example 12. A rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the target flatness to have a variety of shapes during the rolling of the metal substrate.

[0055] Example 13. A rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target smoothness such that the target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling is different from the target smoothness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

[0056] Example 14. A rolling mill according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target smoothness such that the target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling is different from the target smoothness during the deceleration phase of rolling.

[0057] Example 15. A method for rolling a metal substrate using a cold rolling mill, the method comprising: providing a target flatness and dynamically changing the target flatness during rolling of the metal substrate and based on the stage of rolling; receiving a measured flatness of the metal substrate; comparing the measured flatness with the target flatness; and controlling a flatness control actuator based on the difference between the measured flatness and the target flatness.

[0058] Example 16. The method according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein dynamically changing the target smoothness includes providing a target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling that differs from the target smoothness during the deceleration phase of rolling.

[0059] Example 17. The method according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein dynamically changing the target flatness includes providing a static target flatness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

[0060] Example 18. The method according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein dynamically changing the target smoothness includes providing a target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling and providing a target smoothness during the deceleration phase of rolling, the two target smoothnesses being different from the target smoothness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

[0061] Example 19. The method according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein controlling the flatness control actuator includes dynamically controlling the tilting of the work roll or the bending force of the work roll during at least one of the acceleration phase or deceleration phase of rolling.

[0062] Example 20. The method according to any of the foregoing or subsequent examples or combinations thereof, wherein dynamically changing the target flatness includes providing a negative target flatness during at least one stage of rolling and providing a positive target flatness during another stage of rolling.

[0063] As used herein, the terms “invention” and “the present invention” are intended to refer to all the subject matter of this patent application and the following claims. Statements containing these terms should not be construed as limiting the subject matter described herein or limiting the meaning or scope of the patent claims below.

[0064] In this specification, references are made to alloys identified by AA numbers and other relevant designations such as “Series” or “5xxx”. For information on the most commonly used numerical designation systems for naming and identifying aluminum and its alloys, see the Aluminum Association’s “International Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Wrought Aluminum and Wrought Aluminum Alloys” or “Registration Record of Aluminum Association Alloy Designations and Chemical Composition Limits for Aluminum Alloys in the Form of Castings and Ingots”.

[0065] As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, “an,” “a,” and “the” refer to both singular and plural references.

[0066] The subject matter of embodiments of this disclosure is specifically described herein to satisfy statutory requirements, but such description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in combination with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be construed as implying any particular order or arrangement of the various steps or elements, except where the order or arrangement of the individual steps of the elements is clearly described. Directional references such as “up,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “lateral,” “longitudinal,” “front,” and “back” are intended to refer to the orientation shown and described in one or more of the accompanying drawings to which the components and orientations are referenced.

[0067] The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” should be interpreted as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including but not limited to”) unless otherwise noted. All methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise specified herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by the context. Any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein are intended only to better illustrate embodiments of the invention and, unless otherwise required, do not limit the scope of the invention. The language in this specification should not be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as necessary for practicing the invention.

[0068] The foregoing aspects are merely possible examples of embodiments, set forth only for the purpose of clearly understanding the principles of this disclosure. Many changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of this disclosure. All such modifications and changes are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure, and all possible claims relating to aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by this disclosure. Furthermore, although specific terminology is used herein and in the appended claims, such specific terminology is used in a general and descriptive sense only and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the purpose of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A cold rolling mill, comprising: A flatness control actuator at the work stand of the cold rolling mill for controlling the flatness of the metal substrate; as well as A controller, communicatively coupled to the flatness control actuator, wherein the controller is configured to: The target flatness is provided dynamically during the rolling of the metal substrate and based on the rolling stage; and The flatness control actuator is controlled based on the dynamically changing target flatness to control the flatness of the metal substrate.

2. The cold rolling mill according to claim 1, wherein the flatness control actuator comprises at least one of a roll bending actuator, a roll tilting actuator, or a coolant actuator.

3. The cold rolling mill according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the target flatness based on whether the cold rolling mill is in the acceleration phase, the stabilization phase, or the deceleration phase of rolling.

4. The cold rolling mill of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness such that the target flatness during the acceleration phase of rolling is different from the target flatness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

5. The cold rolling mill of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness based on the cold rolling process type, the metal type of the metal substrate, and / or the exit thickness of the metal substrate.

6. The cold rolling mill of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness such that the target flatness is static during the stable phase of the rolling process.

7. The cold rolling mill of claim 1, further comprising a system sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the system sensor measures at least one characteristic of the cold rolling mill corresponding to a rolling stage, and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target flatness based at least in part on information from the system sensor.

8. A rolling mill for a metal substrate, the rolling mill including a control system, the control system comprising: A sensor used to measure the flatness of the metal substrate; as well as A controller, communicatively coupled to the sensor and configured to: The flatness is measured from the sensor; The measured flatness is compared with a target flatness, wherein the controller dynamically changes the target flatness during the rolling of the metal substrate and based on the rolling stage. as well as A control response for the flatness control actuator of the rolling mill is generated based on the difference between the measured flatness and the target flatness.

9. The rolling mill according to claim 8, further comprising: A work stand, the work stand including at least one work roll for rolling the metal substrate; as well as The flatness control actuator is used to control the at least one work roller to control the flatness of the metal substrate.

10. The rolling mill of claim 9, wherein the flatness control actuator comprises at least one of a roll bending actuator for controlling the bending of the at least one work roll, a roll tilting actuator for controlling the tilting of the at least one work roll, or a coolant actuator for controlling the application of coolant to the at least one work roll.

11. The rolling mill of claim 8, further comprising a system sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the system sensor measures at least one characteristic of the rolling mill corresponding to a rolling stage, and wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target smoothness based at least in part on information from the system sensor.

12. The rolling mill of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically control the target flatness to have a variety of shapes during the rolling of the metal substrate.

13. The rolling mill of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target smoothness such that the target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling is different from the target smoothness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

14. The rolling mill of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to dynamically change the target smoothness such that the target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling is different from the target smoothness during the deceleration phase of rolling.

15. A method for rolling a metal substrate using a cold rolling mill, the method comprising: A target flatness is provided and the target flatness is dynamically changed during the rolling of the metal substrate and based on the rolling stage; The flatness of the received metal substrate is measured. The measured flatness is compared with the target flatness; as well as The flatness control actuator is controlled based on the difference between the measured flatness and the target flatness.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein dynamically changing the target smoothness includes providing a target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling that differs from the target smoothness during the deceleration phase of rolling.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein dynamically changing the target flatness includes providing a static target flatness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein dynamically changing the target smoothness includes providing the target smoothness during the acceleration phase of rolling and during the deceleration phase of rolling, the two target smoothnesses being different from the target smoothness during the stabilization phase of rolling.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the flatness control actuator includes dynamically controlling the tilting of the work roll or the bending force of the work roll during at least one of the acceleration phase or deceleration phase of rolling.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein dynamically changing the target flatness includes providing a negative target flatness during at least one stage of rolling and providing a positive target flatness during another stage of rolling.

Images