Optimum Work Roll Profile Selection in the Hot Rolling of Wide Steel Strip Using Computational Intelligence.

The finishing train of a hot strip mill has been modelled by using a constant volume element model. The accuracy of the model has been increased by using an Artificial Neural Network (ANN). A non-linear Rank Based Genetic Algorithm has been developed for the optimization of the work roll profiles in the finishing stands of the simulated hot strip mill. It has been compared with eight other experimental optimization algorithms: Random Walk, Hill Climbing, Simulated Annealing (SA) and five different Genetic Algorithms (GA). Finally, the work roll profiles have been optimized by the non-linear Rank Based Genetic Algorithm. The quality of the strip from the simulated mill was significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]