Monitor operation mode

Two operation modes are implemented:

Absolute mode
where the reference thickness is provided by the process computer.
If the deviation between the reference thickness value and the actual thickness value is
beyond an adjustable limit, the relative mode is automatically selected.

Relative mode
where the thickness set point is derived in a logon sequence from the
averaged actual thickness value.

Thickness control absolute and relative

A thickness measurement device is installed behind the last stand in the hot rolling mill in
order
to attain a strip rolled to within set tolerances.
The thickness control outputs correction (supplementary) setpoints to the LFE AGC of the
last
active stand and a configurable number of stands upstream of this stand in the mill to correct
the
deviation from a preset material exit thickness. The thickness control starts generating
correction
setpoints as soon as the thickness measurement device delivers valid measurement values.
The thickness control can operate in one of two modes:

Absolute mode,
Relative mode.
The thickness control normally operates in absolute mode, i.e. the mill exit thickness of the
material is predefined by the process computer. The thickness control will automatically
switch to
relative mode if this preset nominal thickness value is incorrect. This will be determined at
the
start of the strip by monitoring the deviation from the preset value (process computer
setpoint)
over a certain length at the strip head. A new material exit nominal thickness is selected from
the
mean value of the measured actual strip thickness values if the deviation lies outside of a
preset
limit.
The length of the controlled system implies that a Smith-controller should be selected due to
it's
suitability to controlled systems with deadtimes. This controller has been upgraded to include
a
non-linear digital filter, the so-called 'Predictor', that can generate a prediction value from the
measurement signals for the uncompensated controlled variable at the location of the
correction
actuation. This prediction value and not the measurement device measured value is used as
the
actual value by the thickness control.
The correction of the strip thickness during the rolling process occurs by changing the load
roll
gap via the subordinate actuator AGC. The corrections from the thickness control must not
exceed a certain limit value, such that overly large roll gap corrections reduce the quality of
the
strip profile and flatness. Therefore the maximum permissible actuation correction from the
thickness control is limited at each stand.
Actuation signal tracking has been implemented between the stands, since corrections at
any
one stand will propagate to the downstream stands.