Quaker Chemical Corporation introduced roll lubrication to the 4-high Steckel mill at Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc., which resulted in advantages such as significant extension to roll service life and a notable reduction in mill torque. Amy Beard, Quaker Chemical Key Account Business Analyst, and Qiulin Yu, Nucor Steel Metallurgy and Quality, published the data in a paper, Application of Hot Rolling Lubrication on a Reversing Coil/Plate Mill. In April 2015, the authors were recognized by the AIST as the recipients of the 2015 Richard J. Fruehan Award.
To further understand the impact of roll lubrication, a trial was performed which yielded the mechanism and advantages of backup roll lubrication in the reversing hot rolling mill:
– Fewer roll changes are needed with lubricated backup rolls, as the normal pressure and friction traction between the backup and work rolls are reduced, which translates to extended roll service lives and lower roll costs
– Roll bite lubrication lowers the mill separating force and torques by increasing the slipping zones and counteracting the length of the breaking zone
– Bite and roll slippage are no longer factors with the presence of lubrication after oiling time is schemed
Established in 2005 to honor Dr. Richard J. Fruehan, a devoted teacher, an outstanding scientist, and a prominent contributor to the steel industry, the Richard J. Fruehan Award is presented to an author of a process metallurgy technical paper judged to be the best of class by the AIST Metallurgy Technology Division. The award presentation will take place at the Materials Science & Technology Conference in October 2015.
