.

 The precision tracking function provides an accurate information of

the current location of the billet head and tail end proceeding through the
mill.

 Information about the exact position is needed for an accurate timing

and sequence control of the automatic control functions for main and
auxiliary drives, as speed reference distribution, automatic loop control
and minimum tension control.

 The tracking is based on a numerical integration of material speed

(m/s), over time.
 Hot material detectors, loop scanners and rolling load indications
are used to start and update the tracking function.

 The sensor signals are supervised and tested for probability before
being allowed to update the position of the billet head and tail end.

 The tracking is automatically adapted to new speeds and mill

configurations, without any need of adjustment when rolling a new
product.
 The precision tracking of the billet head and tail end is based on the
following:

 The true position of the head and tail end, proceeding through the mill, is

given by hot material detectors located in the inter stand section before each
stand. Where it is applicable, the load indication from the main drive is used
to generate the indication.

 Material detector indications are only requested for the stands selected in the

mill configuration that is used for the rolling of the current product.
 The Material Detected indications are supervised and tested for
probability before being allowed to start and update the tracking. Any
failure in the indications result in alarms to alert the operator for
immediate action.

 An individual tracking function for each inter stand section follows the
billet head and tail end. The position of the advancing billet ends are thus
updated continuously within each inter stand section, from the previous
roll gap to the next.

 The tracking is based on a numerical integration of the production

speed (m/s) of the upstream roll gap.
 The tracking function generates an In Roll Gap, P, signal to indicate that
the billet has entered the downstream roll gap. 3 Warning signals, W1-3 are
generated to indicate that the billet is approaching within a warning length
or warning time, from passing the down-stream gap.

 The signals used, and generated by the tracking, are assembled in data
arrays, to facilitate the adaptation to different mill configurations, for control
functions that are depending on In Roll Gap and Warning signals from the
currently used upstream and downstream located roll gaps.
 The tracking function does not introduce any restrictions to the
minimum time gap in between subsequent billets as the tracking
follows the progress of the head and tail end individually.

 The tracking continues through the roll gap up to the next material
detector. If the tracking but not the sensor shows that the material has
passed the roll gap, the tracking generates a COBBLE alarm.
 The MINIMUM TENSION CONTROL is based on an
automatic observation and analysis of small variations
in the rolling torque.

 The control system evaluates the torque changes,

during the ROLLING of a billet through the mill, to
achieve a minimum tension in the rolled material via
automatic corrections of the set speed relations.
The automatic control system is based on the following:
 Variations in back tension affect the drives torque 2-4 times
less than variations in front tension.
 Immediately before the billet enters the downstream stand,
the torque of the upstream drive represents the torque
needed for the reduction in this stand, without influence
from push or pull in the upstream inter stand section.
 Any change in the torque of the upstream drive, after the
billet enters the downstream stand, is caused by push or
pull due to an incorrect speed relation.
 In practice, the correlation between upstream drive
torque, before and after entering the downstream stand, is
valid only for a short time.
a) Select control
b) Torque measurement
c) Memorizing
d) Tension control
a) Select control

The min tension control is selected for operation via the Operator
Station and reference value can be input in N/mm².
The torque (kNm) of the upstream drive is obtained from the control of
this drive The torque value in kNm is transformed to a tension value in
N/mm2, via the following calculation:

Tens = M* Z*2000000
Dw * A

Where: M = motor torque of upstream stand (kNm)

Z = motor to roll gear ratio
Dw= effective roll diameter (mm)
A = average material cross section area (mm²)

Note that the transformed value does not represent the actual tension in the
material but is merely the torque level, adapted to the tension control
 The memorizing of the transformed torque to represent the reduction
of the material, is done at a fixed short distance before the billet head
end enters the downstream stand. The memorized torque is stored in
N/mm².

 The variation in the memorized value for subsequent billets, shall be

less than +/-4 N/mm².
 The difference between the memorized torque and the torque
developed after the billet head end has entered the downstream stand
forms directly a measure of the actual tension in the rolled material.
The tension value(N/mm²) has a positive sign for pull and a negative
sign for push developed in the material in the inter stand section
between stands.

 Subtracting actual tension value from the tension reference gives the
deviation of control system. The reference is set by the operator to achieve a
speed relation for the head end that can be used throughout the billet.
Normally a tension reference of 0-2 N/mm2 is necessary to compensate for an
increased mass flow given by a decreasing temperature along the billet. The
sign of the reference is positive for pull and negative for push. Note that the set
reference is a target for the control during head end rolling.
• The AUTOMATIC LOOP CONTROL is based on an automatic
measurement of the excess material formed between two stands.
The excess material is guided to form a loop on a looper table,
where the current loop position provides an indirect measure of
the length of the excess material.

• The control system evaluates the measured loop position, and

via automatic corrections of the set speed relation continuously
along the billet, keeps the loop position fixed, so as to obtain the
constant excess length. The speed relation is thus automatically
corrected for initial set up errors and variations in the rolling
process.
 The loop position is measured via an electro optical
scanner that indicates the position as a digital value
to the control system. The scanner is also used as a
Hot Material Detector, HMD detector.

 Before the billet head end enters the downstream

stand, the speed of the latter is slightly offset to give a
speed relation that is optimal for fast and safe loop
forming.

 The loop is formed via speed corrections to the

downstream stand alone, in order to prevent speed
disturbances being propagated through the mill.
 When the tail end is approaching the upstream
stand, the loop height is reduced to prevent the tail
from whiplashing. The reduction is achieved by
accurately timed speed corrections to this stand alone
in order to prevent speed disturbances from being
propagated upstream in the mill, affecting the billet
that follows.

 The signals needed to control the switching of speed

corrections and activation of loop forming equipment
are provided by a precision tracking function,
tracking the billet head and tail end through the mill
with a high time resolution.
 The control acts directly on the set Reduction
factor. The automatic corrections of the indicated
value, give a continuous measure of changed mass
flow and hence material dimension along the
billet.

 The R factor, and hence the speed relation is

automatically memorized once the loop has been
formed and stabilized. The memorized value,
representing head end rolling conditions, is
restored as the optimal speed relation for a fast and
safe loop forming of the subsequent billet.
 The Automatic Loop Control is selected for operation
and the loop height reference is set as part of the Mill
Set Up & Configuration procedure. The reference is
given in mm,via the Operator station.

 The selection makes a Loop Control Enable, LCE

(Loop Control Enable )signal, release the automatic
control function.