EAGER PROPOSAL: An Exploratory and Radically Different Approach for Control of a Tandem Hot Metal Strip Rolling Process for Product Quality Improvement.

该奖项的目的是对金属精加工过程中热轧带钢的一种截然不同的控制机制进行探索性研究。这一过程在钢铁或铝等金属的整体制造中是一个非常重要的部分。例如，以钢为例，世界上几乎一半的成品是在热连轧精轧机组上轧制的。这项研究的成功完成将最终导致这一过程的最终产品的质量和产量的重大改进。这项研究的方法包括开发和验证过程的数学模型，探索性研究导致发现过程的一种新的非线性控制方法，以及评估过程输出将实现的质量和产量的改进程度。这一努力的结果将是整个铁水带材制造工艺的改善。这项研究的成功完成将提高连轧铁水产品的质量和产量，从而节省大量成本，因此将是振兴国内至关重要的行业的重要一步。这些成本节约产生的更广泛影响将是鼓励建设新工厂和升级现有设施，以应对激烈的国际竞争带来的压力。所需技能的多样性将扩大就业机会，这将对社会基础设施产生非常积极的影响。另一个更广泛的影响将通过在大学研讨会上发表演讲来解决，面向毕业生和本科生，他们在金属行业的就业将有助于缓解该领域人才的严重短缺。

The objective of this award is to perform exploratory research into a radically different control mechanism for the tandem rolling of hot strip in a metal finishing process. This process is a highly significant part in the overall manufacturing of metals such as steel or aluminum. For example, in the case of steel almost one half of the finished product made in the world is rolled on a tandem hot strip finishing mill. The successful completion of this research will ultimately lead to a major improvement in the quality and yield of the final product of this process. The approach toward this research includes the development and verification of a mathematical model of the process, the exploratory research leading to the discovery of a novel method of nonlinear control for this process, and the evaluation of the extent of improvement in the quality and yield that will be realized in the process output. The results of this effort will be an improvement in the overall hot metal strip manufacturing process. The improvement in quality and yield of the final product of tandem hot metal rolling that results from the successful completion of this research will produce major cost savings, and thus will be a significant step toward the revitalization of a vital domestic industry. A broader impact generated by these cost savings will be the incentives for the construction of new plants and the upgrade of existing facilities to counter the pressure from fierce international competition. The variety of skills required will provide an expansion of employment opportunities which will have a very positive impact on societal infrastructure. Another broader impact will be addressed by presentations at university seminars to reach graduate and undergraduate students whose employment in the metals industry will help relieve a crucial shortage of talented engineers in this area.