A new model for precision control of the radius in in-plane roll-bending of strip considering rolls and stand deflections

The rolls and stand deflections induced by rolling force lead to a significant decrease in the radius prediction accuracy of the ring product in the in-plane roll-bending of strip. To precisely predict the deflections and control the radius, a new analytical model is developed. Numerical implementation is presented to solve the theoretical rolling force, the deflections as well as the inherent force–deflection relationship considering the interactions of the strip workpiece, the rolls and the stand. A series of profile measurements of the formed ring parts are made to assess the accuracy of the predicted deflections. Different control approaches are used in the experiments to validate the radius control model. The experimental results show that the model is reliable to control the radii with a maximum relative error of 10.4% deviating from the desired ones. By considering the rolls and stand deflections, the prediction accuracy of the radii of most aluminum alloy AA-3003O rings is improved by 65.9–159.9%.