Development of strip temperature control system for a continuous annealing line

A sophisticated steel strip temperature control system for the KM-CAL (Kawasaki Multipurpose Continuous Annealing Line) has been newly developed at Mizushima Works of Kawasaki Steel. The control system comprises two subsystems: an expert system for smooth processing of steel strips, and a dynamic setup control system for highly accurate strip temperature control. The expert system examines the operating conditions of the continuous annealing line and makes decisions on how to properly operate the line, while the dynamic setup control system determines the optimum line speed and annealing temperature, using mathematical models based on thermal physics. The control system has been successfully applied to the KM-CAL, securing highly accurate strip temperature control and greatly contributing to the realization of fully automated and efficient operation of the line. As a result, the control has achieved stable product quality at a low production cost