Evaluation of Sizing Press Mill Performance in Slab Width Reduction Using FE Simulation

In this paper, properties of slab deformation in sizing press mill as one of the slab reduction processes in hot rolling mills have been evaluated using the elastoviscoplastic finite element method with explicit formulation. Effect of prarameters such as initial slab width and thickness, reduction, feed pitch, and anvil speed on factors such as dogbone formation, head and tail fishtail profile, width necking at the leading end of slab, and slab edge quality have been studied. Furthermore, a comparison has been made between the two common width reduction methods, i.e. Vertical Rolling (Edging) and sizing Press, in order to determine their differences and the efficiency of each process. The amount of width return (back spread), one of the most important factors related to width reduction efficiency and also slab formation after the first horizontal rolling pass, has been evaluated. Also, in order to validate the applied finite element method, the results obtained have been compared with experimental ones found in the literature. The results show that deformation in sizing press is more favourable and that its efficiency is better than that of the vertical rolling mill.