Feedforward control of plate thickness in reversing plate mills

As the plate thickness and temperature cannot be measured directly during rolling there is a strong need for well adapted models. The product quality can be increased by making use of measured plate data that are available from a previous pass. A feedforward control strategy is proposed to improve the regularity of the plate thickness. An accurate forward slip model is used to track the current plate position even if no velocimeter signal is available. The performance of the controller is examined using an advanced simulation model of a finishing mill. The simulation studies are based on measured plate data.