INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS ON THE SURFACE CLEANLINESS OF COLD-ROLLED STEEL SHEETS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/3041-2080/2025-5-24Keywords:
cold-rolled steel, surface cleanliness, reflectivity, replicate method, rolling emulsion, annealingAbstract
The article presents the results of industrial research on factors that determine the surface cleanliness of cold- rolled steel sheets. Based on statistical analysis, five main parameters were identified as having a significant impact on steel contamination: the annealing furnace block, roll mileage of the 4th stand of the Tandem mill, strip thickness, rolling emulsion concentration, and emulsion operating time. It was found that factors such as the operating time of skin-pass mill rolls, the mileage of the rolls of the 1st stand of the continuous mill, as well as hydraulic oil leaks into the rolling emulsion, have virtually no effect on the surface cleanliness of finished products. For each of the identified parameters, optimal production ranges were established, taking into account technological capabilities, which made it possible to increase the reflectivity of the steel by 10.3 %. Recommendations for process improvement were proposed: maintaining the emulsion concentration at 1.5–1.9 %, limiting its operating time to 200 hours, performing rolling with work rolls of the 4th stand after more than 40 km of mileage, and annealing coils in block No. 11 furnaces under increased protective gas pressure. An experimental industrial trial confirmed the effectiveness of these recommendations: the surface quality of cold-rolled steel was improved compared to control heats. The results obtained are important for enhancing the competitiveness of products used in the automotive industry, packaging, and other sectors where steel surface cleanliness is critical.
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