The Influence of Surface Waviness on Hydrodynamic

Lubrication Behavior in Cold Rolling Process

Liu Lemin , Zang Yong, Gao Zhiying
School of Mechanics Engineering
University of Science and Technology Beijing
Beijing, China
chiefpirate@163.com (Liu Lemin)

Abstract—Rolling lubrication is a hot topic in the field of calculate inlet zone film thickness under different rolling
tribology. In the process of rolling, surface roughness has long conditions [7].
been concerned by researchers, for rolling lubrication is often
defined by the distance between surface asperities. Since Patir However, the features of lubrication do not only depend on
and Cheng proposed the average flow theory of partial surface roughness, surface waviness of rolling sheet can also
hydrodynamic lubrication for metal working process, many affect hydrodynamic states in rolling lubrication [2,7].
scholars have used this theory to establish more precise Although scholars have paid attention to the theory of partial
lubrication models considering surfaces roughness. But the lubrication for many years, but the studies of sheets surface
features of rolling lubrication do not only depend on surface waviness are still rare to see [8]. In this paper, partial
roughness, surface waviness of rolling sheet can also affect the lubrication in cold rolling process will be discussed. The
hydrodynamic states. However, the related researches are average flow Reynolds equation considering surface waviness
actually rare to see. In this paper, partial lubrication formula for will be set up. The analysis mainly includes the distributions of
cold rolling based on average flow theory is set, both surface rolling pressure and friction under various inlet velocities and
waviness and roughness are considered in the theoretical surface waviness.
analysis. And the results will show what surface waviness and
inlet velocity exert on rolling lubrication.
II. LUBRICATION MODELING
Keywords- lubrication; average flow theory; surface waviness Studies showed that mixed lubrication is the main form of
lubrication in rolling process [3]. The actual contact of rough
I. INTRODUCTION surfaces in cold rolling process is shown as Fig. 1.
Rolling lubrication problem is one of the most complex
areas in tribology, for rolling process is often accompanied by
huge pressure, sliding, plastic deformation, heating and
wearing. Therefore, both theoretical and experimental studies
are more difficult in this field. And there is no general theory to
solve rolling lubrication problems accurately till now. A
number of scholars conducted a lot of research in the field of
partial film lubrication in 1970’s. From then on, some
researchers have applied these theories to metal working
lubrication. For example, J. A. Greenwood and T. E. Tallian
studied the partial film lubricating problems between two
sliding rough surfaces, and their work showed that the total
rolling pressure and the total friction are shared by the fluid
film and the surface asperity in partial lubrication [1,2]. K. L.
Johnson has also conducted similar studies. He used random
theory to describe surface asperity in the research of partial Figure 1. Schematic of surface asperity contact..
film lubrication, and gave a model for film thickness
calculation [3]. N. Patir and H. S. Cheng have studied the The direction of rolling is set as x-axis in analysis. The
theory of partial hydrodynamic lubrication, and put forward the direction perpendicular to paper is set as y-axis. So lubricating
famous average flow model for partial lubrication [4,5]. In equation for cold rolling can be set up as follows:
China, Wang Qiaoyi studied non-steady state rolling process
with partial lubrication theory, and obtained theoretical
solutions for rolling pressure under sinusoidal back tension [6]. ∂ § hT3 ∂p · ∂ § hT3 ∂p ·
¨ ¸+ ¨ ¸=
Sun Jianlin applied Patir and Cheng’s average flow theory to ∂x © 12η ∂x ¹ ∂y © 12η ∂y ¹
cold rolling lubrication, and obtained a series of solutions to u + u ∂h ∂h
= 1 2 T + T
2 ∂x ∂t 㧔1㧕

This work was supported by the National High Technology Research and
Development Program of China. (No. 2009AA03Z515)

978-1-4244-7739-5/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE


Where p is the pressure in contact zone, hT is the actual
thickness of lubricating film, u1 and u2 are the speeds of
rollers and rolling sheet, and η is the viscosity of lubricating
fluid.
While the equation for calculating actual film thickness can
be given as:
hT = h + δ1 + δ 2
(2)
Where h is nominal film thickness, namely, the gap
between surfaces of smooth roller and smooth sheet, δ1 and δ 2
are the heights of surface asperities, and h can be given by the
principle that lubricant flow keep constant in deformation zone.
∞
hT = ³ ( h + z ) f ( z )dz
−h (6)
Where φx , φy and φs all depend on the values of h / δ and
surface parameter γ . These factors can only be calculated by
numerical method. The parameter γ reflects the feature of
surface waviness of rolling sheet. When γ > 1 , the waviness of
sheet surface distributed horizontally. When γ =1, there is no
difference between the distribution of x-axis and y-axis on
sheet surface. When γ < 1 , the surface waviness distribution
turns to be vertical stripe. That is, a smaller γ means the
waviness of sheet surface is more vertical. As is shown in Fig.
2:

§ u +u ·
h = h0 ¨ 1 2 ¸
© u x + u2 ¹ (3)

By comparing the features of elastic hydrodynamic

lubrication and plastic hydrodynamic lubrication in inlet zone,
Wilson derived a formula to calculate the entrance film
thickness h0 [9,10]:

3η0ξ R(u0 + u1 ) (4)

h0 =
x0 (1− e−ξ (σ s −σt ) )

Where η0 , ξ and R are, respectively, initial viscosity of the Figure 2. Surface directional feature versus γ
lubricant, the pressure coefficient of viscosity and radius of the
roller, u0 is the inlet velocity of rolling sheet, x0 is the length IV. SIMPLIFICATION OF LUBRICATION EQUATION
of deformation zone, σ s and σ t are the yield stress of rolling
For the axial length of the roller is much greater than the
sheet and the back tension. length of lubrication zone, effects of edge leaking in lubricating
interface can be neglected. So (5) is simplified as:
III. AVERAGE FLOW FACTORS
To solve (1), Patir and Cheng’s average flow model can be ∂ § h3 ∂p · U1 + U2 ∂hT
¨ φx ¸ =
adopted here. That is, taking a rectangular cell Δx<Δy from the ∂x © 12η ∂x ¹ 2 ∂x
lubrication interface. Then the average flow factors are taken U 1 −U2 ∂φs ∂hT
into (1). So the original equation is transformed into average + σ +
2 ∂x ∂t (7)
flow lubrication equation, as follows [4,5]:
To simplify (7) once more, two parameters U1 + U 2 and
U =
∂ § h3 ∂p · ∂ § h3 ∂p · 2
¨ φx ¸ + ¨ φy ¸ = are adopted in it:
∂x © 12η ∂x ¹ ∂y ©12η ∂y ¹ Us =
U1 −U 2
2
U1 +U2 ∂hT U 1−U2 ∂φs ∂hT
= + δ +
2 ∂x 2 ∂x ∂t (5)
∂ § h3 ∂p · ∂h
¨ φx ¸ = U T
Where φx and φy are the pressure factors in x and y ∂x © 12η ∂x ¹ ∂x
∂φs ∂hT
direction, φs is the shear factor, δ is the mean square value for +Usσ +
∂x ∂t (8)
surface roughness ( δ = δ12 +δ22 ), and hT is the value of average
film thickness. Derived from Greenwood and Williamson’s To facilitate the calculation of (8), a factor φc is adopted
formula for surface roughness, hT can be expressed as: here:
 ∂ht U1 − U 2
φc = τh =η
∂h (9) h (16)

Then (8) can be simplified a step furtherer as follows: The formula for total friction can be expressed as:

∂ § h3 ∂p · ∂h F = Fc + Fh = τ c Ac + τ h A(1 − Ac / A)
¨ φx ¸ = U φc (17)
∂x © 12η ∂x ¹ ∂x
∂φs ∂h
+ U sσ + φc
∂x ∂t (10) VI. EXAMPLE AND RESULTS OF CALCULATION
Equation (10) can be solved by numerical calculation on
Viscosity of the disperse oil phase is given as: Matlab. The distribution of rolling pressure and friction stress
in deformation zone are studied in detail. Data for analysis
came from experiment of rolling hard aluminum sheets on a
η = η 0 eξ P (11) two-roll mill: roll diameter 130mm, lubricant viscosity 0.2Pa.s,
surface roughness 0.25 μ m , rolling speed 0.32m/s, thickness of
Where P is the value of rolling force. aluminum sheet 1.0mm, yield stress of aluminum 120Mpa. The
distribution of rolling stress under different inlet velocities is
V. ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMIC FEATURES IN ROLLING shown in Fig. 3. The horizontal axis is nondimensional
LUBRICATION PROCESS coordinate axis of rolling deformation zone. The vertical axis is
nondimensional axis for rolling force. The value of waviness
In the process of cold rolling, the pressure in lubricating
parameter γ was set unchanged in calculation ( γ = 1 ), while
zone often goes beyond the yield stress of work piece. Partial
film lubrication and direct contact of surface asperity occur the inlet velocities varied in analysis. The values of inlet
simultaneously. This is so called mixed lubrication. Therefore, velocity u0 were 0.95-fold, 0.75-fold and 0.55-fold of rolling
rolling force is shouldered by lubricating film and the surface speed v (v=0.32m/s).
asperity. So the total rolling pressure P contains the contact
pressure Pc and the lubricating pressure Ph .

P = Pc + Ph
(12)

Where Pc is plastic contact pressure of surface asperity. Pc

can be given by:

Pc = σ s Ac
(13)

Where σs is yield stress of the rolling sheet, Ac is the real

contact area of rough surface, and A is the nominal contact
area. The lubricating pressure Ph can be expressed as:
Figure 3. Nondimensional rolling force versus different inlet velocities

Ph = pA(1− Ac / A) (14) The distribution of nondimensional rolling force under

different surface waviness is shown in Fig. 4. The inlet velocity
u0 was set unchanged (0.75-fold of rolling speed v), while the
Where p is the average compressive stress on lubricating
values of waviness parameters γ varied in analysis ( γ =1/9, 1/6,
film. That is the mean value for Ph . According to the theory of
1, 6 and 9).
adhesive friction, friction stress on the roughness surface of
rolling sheet can be given as:

τc = k (15)

Where k = σ / 2 is the shear yield stress of rolling sheet.

Friction stress of hydrodynamic lubrication can be expressed as:
 Figure 4. Nondimensional rolling force versus different surface waviness
The graph of friction distribution under different surface
waviness is shown in Fig. 5. The surface waviness parameter γ
varied. The values of γ were 1/9,1/6,1,6 and 9 in calculation,
while the inlet velocity u0 was fixed (0.8-fold of rolling speed
v).
Figure 5. Nondimensional friction stress under varied surface waviness
The distribution of friction stress under different inlet
velocities is shown in Fig. 6. The parameter of surface
waviness was set unchanged ( γ = 1), while the inlet velocities
u0 changed in analysis (0.9-fold, 0.75-fold and 0.55-fold of
rolling speed v).
Figure 6. Nondimensional friction stress versus different inlet velocities
VII. CONCLUSIONS
(1) The relative sliding between rollers and rolling sheet
(inlet velocity) has little influence on the peak value of rolling
force. But it can influence rolling force in the outlet zone. And
different inlet velocity also means different position of neutral
plane in rolling process.
(2)The values of γ (surface waviness factor) have great
influence on the values of rolling force. A smaller γ causes a
bigger rolling stress. That is, rolling force is bigger when the
surface waviness appears to be vertical stripe.
(3)Both sliding (inlet velocity) and surface waviness can
influence the values of rolling friction. Bigger sliding (smaller
inlet velocity) causes bigger rolling friction. However, a
smaller γ means a bigger friction. That is, the friction is bigger
when the waviness of sheet surface is vertical stripe.
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