In-situ investigation of the roll gap in a cantilever stand for hot rolled wire rod

The global climate crisis forces in particular energy-intensive industries to ensure that their processes are more sustainable. One of the most important drivers of decarbonization is the steel industry which accounts for approximately 30 % of industrial greenhouse gas emissions in Germany. It is therefore essential for rolling mill operators to equip their rolling mills with modern measurement technology in order to obtain current measurements of crucial rolling parameters and remain competitive. One such decisive parameter is the roll gap. The aim of this work was to measure the roll gap during operation in a wire mill and to evaluate whether multi-axis detection of the roll gap is necessary. The unique feature here is that no studies on vector roll deflection in hot rolling mills for wire rod and bars have been undertaken so far. As a result, the correlative relationship between the roll deflection and the resulting diameter of the rod has been proven. In addition, the insights gained from the roll gap measurement can be used to optimize the predictive maintenance of the roll stands and the roll gap setting for different alloys.