Modelling of axial thrust force considering 3D rolling deformation

The axial thrust force in the rolling deformation zone is influenced by interconnected factors, such as the metal transverse flow velocity, rolling pressure distribution, and strip shear deformation, often resulting in roll wear and a lower strip surface quality. Despite its significance in the design and manufacturing of strip mills, the available literature primarily focuses on the single-variable complete difference method as a means of evaluating this force. In this study, a novel approach is proposed for calculating the axial thrust force in the rolling deformation zone, incorporating the coupling variables of the 3D rolling space. The accuracy of the results is confirmed using data obtained from an industrial test rig, indicating that the axial thrust force in the rolling deformation zone can be precisely calculated through the integration of the energy method and the 3D difference method. The results indicate that the axial thrust force decreases with the transverse flow of the metal and the transverse shear deformation of the strip. It increases with a non-uniform distribution of rolling pressure and grows as the crossover angle increases. Conversely, the axial thrust force decreases with an increasing reduction rate of the strip. In general, a non-uniform distribution of rolling pressure enhances the axial thrust force, albeit with a minor effect when the crossover angle exceeds 0.8° Conversely, metal transverse flow significantly reduces the axial thrust force when the crossover angle is small (φ < 0.4°), but only marginally so when the crossover angle falls within the range of 0.4° to 1.0°