Strip layer method for simulation of the three‐dimensional deformations of plate and strip rolling

A new method—the strip layer method (SLM) is used to simulate the three-dimensional deformations of plate and strip rolling process. The rolling deformation zone is divided evenly into a number of layers along the altitudinal direction of plate or strip, every layer plate (strip) is divided into a number of streamline strip elements along metal flow traces, and the streamline strip elements are mapped onto the corresponding rectangle strip elements for analysis and computation. The longitudinal distribution model of the metal lateral displacement is constructed to be a quartic curve, its lateral distribution is expressed as the third-power spline function, and its altitudinal distribution is fitted to be a parabolic curve. Based on the flow theory of plastic mechanics, the three-dimensional deformations and stresses of the deformation zone are analysed and formulated. Compared with the streamline strip element method (SSEM), the strip layer method considers the uneven distributions of stresses and deformations along altitudinal direction, and realizes an accurate analysis and computation. The simulation examples indicate that the method and the model of this paper are in accord with facts, and provide a new reliable engineering-computation method for a three-dimensional mechanics simulation of plate and strip rolling process. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.