ISSN 0967-0912, Steel in Translation, 2009, Vol. 39, No. 8, pp. 696–699. © Allerton Press, Inc., 2009.

Original Russian Text © A.V. Gorbunov, V.K. Belov, D.O. Begletsov, 2009, published in “Stal,” 2009, No. 8, pp. 50–53.

Texturing of Rollers for the Production of Auto-Industry Sheet

A. V. Gorbunova, V. K. Belovb, and D. O. Begletsovb
aOAO Magnitogorskii Metallurgicheskii Kombinat (MMK), Magnitogorsk, Russia
bMagnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russia

Abstract—Five surface-treatment methods for working rollers are compared: shot blasting, electrical-dis-
charge texturing, laser treatment, and electron-beam texturing, as well as the Topocrom method, in which a
chromium layer is applied to the roller surface. These methods are used to ensure standard surface microtopog-
raphy in the production of auto-industry sheet. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are outlined.

DOI: 10.3103/S0967091209080178

Demand for high-quality cold-rolled and hot-galva- [8]; poor adhesion of contaminants from the rolled sheet
nized steel sheet with controllable surface microtopog- to the roller surface; and, consequently, low probability
raphy is rising with the expansion of the auto industry, of impressions due to such contaminants [14].
domestic-appliance manufacturing, and other high- Deficiencies include considerable dispersion of the
technology sectors [1–9]. roughness amplitude (Ra, Rq) at different sections of
In general, the surface of auto-industry steel sheet the surface; considerable spread of the roughness fre-
must have a matte finish; roughness amplitude Ra = quency (Pc, HCS, and Sm) over the barrel length; poor
0.6–1.6 μm; and roughness frequency Pc > 50 cm–1. regulation of microtopography formation; dependence
Usually, Ra and Pc are determined on passing the initial of the roughness amplitude on the hardness of the roller
material through a roughness-profile filter with a long- surface; poor reproducibility of the surface microto-
wave transmission boundary λc = 0.8 mm. Surface pography from roller to roller; and relatively fast wear
microphotographs of the sheet steel are transmitted of the roller surface in rolling or trimming, which limits
from the surface of the working rollers in the course of its working life.
cold rolling and trimming. Accordingly, working roll-
ers are generally subjected to surface treatment—in Shot blasting was the first generally accepted
most cases, incision [8]. method for the incision of working rollers in cold-roll-
Today, there are five methods of assigning standard ing and trimming mills. Currently, it is mainly used in
surface microtopography to working rollers: shot-blast the production of traditional sheet but it is increasingly
texturing (SBT), electrical-discharge texturing (EDT), being replaced by new technologies [8, 9].
laser texturing (LT), electron-beam texturing (EBT), Specialists of Daimler Chrysler and Baoshan Iron
and the deposition of a solid-chromium layer to the and Steel (China) see little future for shot blasting on
roller surface (the Topocrom method). The first four account of the high dispersion of the surface microto-
methods correspond basically to incision; the fifth is a pography, which is only permissible for interior auto-
surfacing method. Each method corresponds to distinc- mobile components of low importance [5, 8].
tive characteristics of the resulting microtopography, as
a result of the physics of roughness formation.
Shot
SHOT-BLAST TEXTURING
In this method, shot is accelerated toward the roller
surface by the blades of a rotating wheel (Fig. 1). Shot-blasting
Impact treatment of the surface by the steel or cast-iron wheel
shot results in plastic deformation or crumbling. Cra-
ters and projections are formed at the roller surface. The
microtopography depends on the size (fraction) of the
shot, the hardness of the roller, the speed of the wheel,
and the duration of treatment (the roller speed and dis-
placement, the number of cycles or passes) [8–13].
Benefits of shot blasting include simplicity and high
productivity; relatively low cost; roughness Ra = 1.5–6 μm Fig. 1. Shot-blast texturing of rollers.

696
 TEXTURING OF ROLLERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AUTO-INDUSTRY SHEET 697

Laser beam Laser optics

Electrodes

Fig. 2. Electric-discharge texturing. Fig. 3. Laser texturing.

ELECTRIC-DISCHARGE TEXTURING LASER TEXTURING

In this method, electrodes are placed close to the In laser texturing, a beam focused on the roller sur-
surface of the rotating roller (Fig. 2). In the gap face melts a small area. A modulator wheel periodically
between the electrodes, a dipole bridge is formed on interrupts the beam (Fig. 3). The melt forced out as a
account of the electric-discharge pulse passing through result of the pressure of plasma and inert gas gathers in
the dielectric. This results in electrical breakdown. A a protuberance around the crater or collects at the sides
and solidifies. The roller turns and also has a small axial
small section of the roller surface melts, and a gas bub-
velocity. To ensure the required microtopography, the
ble forms in the dielectric. When the pulse is switched process is regulated by changing the laser power, the
off, the bubble breaks down under the action of the radial and axial roller speed, and the modulator speed.
external pressure, with splashing of the molten metal This method permits the creation of a periodic micro-
[8, 15–23]. heterogeneous structure or a pseudostochastic surface
Benefits of the method include the wide range of structure, when the craters overlap [24, 25].
roughness amplitude (0.5–10 μm) and frequency (up to It is well known that surfaces treated by methods
150 cm–1); uniform surface microrelief (relatively small analogous to laser texturing are characterized by
dispersion of the roughness amplitude and frequency at increased wear resistance. However, a significant defi-
different sections of the surface); maintenance of the ciency of this method is that the efficiency of lasers
microtopography regardless of the roller hardness; sat- suitable for this method is no more than 5%. Therefore,
isfactory reproducibility of surface microtopography we must evaluate the economic expediency of laser
from roller to roller; and the production of matte sur- treatment. In addition, the complexity of the equipment
faces, in most cases. and the energy consumption in powerful lasers must be
taken into account. As a result, this method has not been
The deficiencies are associated with the high adhe- very widely adopted, although it provides good surface
sive properties of the surface after treatment [7, 14]. microtopography and offers great scope for regulation.
When using the working rollers for trimming after elec-
trode-discharge texturing, contaminants are transferred
to the roller and leave their impressions on the strip ELECTRON-BEAM TEXTURING
being machined. However, these problems are elimi- An electron beam is used to form craters after sur-
nated when using liquid or brushes to remove debris face melting of the roller. Some of the molten metal
from the rollers. evaporates, while the vapor pressure facilitates the for-
Specialists in Russia and elsewhere regard elec- mation of a ring of melt around the crater. The roller
trode-discharge texturing as a highly effective method, turns in a vacuum chamber and moves along the axis
capable of producing a wide range of roughness ampli- (Fig. 4). For orderly distribution of the craters in all
tude and frequency. Note, however, that, in the elec- directions, the roller speed and the frequency of beam
trode-discharge method, it is impossible to obtain high irradiation may be synchronized. As in laser treatment,
it is possible to form a periodic laser distribution or else
roughness amplitude and frequency at the same time.
an overlapping pattern, in which case the ordered struc-
Electrode-discharge texturing is widely used around ture is not discernible (pseudostochastic surface tex-
the world and has proven a reliable method, providing ture).
the required surface microtopography of sheet for the Electron-beam texturing offers great scope for vari-
mass production of forged automobile components, ation of the microtopographic parameters, but there is a
with a good combination of quality and performance risk of obtaining structures that are unsatisfactory in tri-
[8, 16, 17, 22]. bological terms. The complex equipment, which

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698 GORBUNOV et al.

Vacuum chamber + –
Electrolyte

Anode

Electron-beam optics
Reactor

Fig. 4. Electron-beam texturing. Fig. 5. Topocrom technology.

requires thoughtful use, is not very reliable. In addition, formation of hemispherical protuberances. By chang-
the roughness parameters may be widely different in ing the parameters of electrolytic deposition, the num-
different sections of the roller surface [8, 26]. ber of chromium hemispheres and their dimensions
may be adjusted. The amplitude and frequency of the
microtopography may be varied over a wide range, with
TOPOCROM TECHNOLOGY little dispersion over the barrel length. The surface
Topocrom technology is fundamentally different layer formed is characterized by increased wire resis-
from incision methods, in which the roughness is cre- tance. The roller hardness has no influence on the
ated as a result of destruction of the smooth (ground) microtopography [8, 27, 28].
roller surface by mechanical, electric-discharge, laser, Topocrom is a new technology, but it is already used
or electron-beam energy, with corresponding crater for- by several companies, including Salzgitter (Germany),
mation. In the Topocrom method, structural elements in Posco (Korea), and Baoshan Iron and Steel (China).
the form of convex chromium segments (hemispherical The technology has not been described in detail nor dis-
protuberances) are applied to the smooth surface. This cussed in the general literature. Available data show
has two consequences: the creation of the required that the roller life after Topocrom treatment is ten times
rough layer; and enhancement of the wear resistance. that of rollers after shot blasting.
The roller is placed in chrome-plating electrolyte,
within a reactor (Fig. 5). A uniform electric field is gen-
erated between the electrode and the roller surface. The COMPARISON
electrolyte is electrolyzed; its content of chromium ions OF SURFACE-TEXTURING METHODS
is reduced, and solid chromium is deposited on the
roller. Frequent change in voltage between the anode The table compares the parameters of the various
(electrode) and roller (cathode) leads to the uniform methods. It is evident that Topocrom technology is the

Comparison of texturing methods

Electric-dis- Electron-beam Topocrom
Parameter Shot blasting Laser texturing
charge texturing texturing process
Irregularities Triangular, Craters Craters with solid Craters with Spherical
trapezoidal collar solid collar segments
Topography Random Random Random Random Random
or determinate or determinate
Roughness amplitude Ra, mm 1.5–6.0 0.5–10.0 0.8–10.0 0.5–25.0 0.2–20.0
Roughness frequency Pc, cm–1 <70 50–150 50–100 (presence 50–150 (presence 50–200
of macroprofiles) of macroprofiles)
Relation of amplitude and fre- Strong Present Slight Slight Slight
quency parameters
Treatment time for a single 20 25–80 30–150 30–60 60
roller, min
Dispersion of amplitude and High Low Low Low Low
frequency parameters
Durability of rough layer Very low High Very high High Very high

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 TEXTURING OF ROLLERS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AUTO-INDUSTRY SHEET 699

most promising, although inadequate information is nauch. tr. (Modern Design Methods and Technology in
available. Shot blasting is outdated and only expedient Metallurgical Manufacturing: International Collection),
in cases without strict regulation of the surface micro- Ogarkov, N.N., Ed., Magnitogorsk: MGTU, 2006,
topography. Laser and electron-beam texturing may be pp. 39–45.
regarded as analogous mechanical methods of creating 14. Bodyaev, Yu.A., Gorbunov, A.V., Radionov, A.F., et al.,
periodic macroprofiles [29]. Economic considerations Influence of Trimming-Mill Rollers Textured by the
should determine their use. Electric-discharge texturing Electrode-Discharge Method on the Surface Microto-
is very reliable and produces regulated surface microto- pography of the Sheet Produced, Stal, 2006, no. 5,
pography of the working rollers and steel sheet. pp. 90–94.
15. Salganik, V.M., Pivovarov, A.V., and Pivovarov, F.V.,
Improvement in Sheet Quality by Electrode-Discharge
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