Abstract
This paper studies on the new control algorithm for the mass-flow stabilization in strip head part of a hot strip mill. A new strip tension model in the strip head part is derived using the current deviation of two neighboring stands. The current deviation means a difference between a measured current and a lock-on current, where the lock-on current is set up when a strip tension or a looper angle reaches each target value or time is about 0.4sec, respectively. On the basis of the tension calculation model, a mill velocity of a backward stand is controlled to stabilize a strip mass-flow by PI control algorithm. Therefore, the mass-flow control for strip head part is executed from a metal-in time into a foreward stand till the looper works normally. It is known by the results of a computer simulation and an experiment that the proposed control algorithm is very effective in stabilizing the mass flow of the strip head part.