Novel simulation software for hot rolling mills

开发新的钢种是一个昂贵且耗时的过程，可能需要进行多个实验室和钢厂试验。由于每个钢厂的独特配置(例如机架数量、功率、冷却……)，不同的钢厂需要采用的工艺参数可能有很大差异。等)。通过工艺建模有可能加速新钢材的开发，并通过允许钢厂在较少次数的试验后得出最终产品来降低开发成本。热轧带钢模型(HsMM)软件包是Integ Inc.于2000年发布的，其目标是允许用户创建一种模型，该模型能捕捉到每个轧机的独特配置。该软件包的一个主要优点是能够优化特定轧钢厂的加工计划，而不会超过该轧钢厂的能力(例如功率或冷却速度)。然而，HSMMM需要输入关于钢的机械性能及其组织演变的实验数据。因此，该模型不适合于设计新的钢种，因为在使用该模型之前需要进行大量的前期实验室工作。这一限制可以通过引入基于物理的建模来解决。在过去的20年里，麦克马斯特团队开发了一系列基于物理的模型，捕捉了碳-锰和微合金钢的微观结构演变。McMaster TMP模型已针对多个钢种进行了校准，并能够在广泛的成分和工艺条件下预测流动应力的组织演变。我们已经演示了(概念验证)使用TMP模型为HSMM提供新钢种所需的组织演变和流动应力数据的潜力，从而克服了使用HSMMM进行钢和工艺设计的主要限制。基于行业专家的强烈积极反馈，该建议寻求创建和测试最低限度的可行产品(集成TMP和HsMM)，然后将其授权给一家初创公司，该公司将向这个拥有全球800多家热轧带钢和中厚板厂的利基市场销售产品。

The development of new steel grades is an expensive and time consuming process that could involve multiple laboratory and mill trials. The process parameters that need to be employed can vary greatly from one steel mill to another as a result of the unique configuration of each mill (e.g. number of stands, power, cooling... etc.). Through process modelling has the potential to accelerate the development of new steels and to reduce the development costs by allowing the steel mill to arrive at the final product after a smaller number of trials. The Hot Strip Mill Model (HSMM) software package was released by INTEG Inc. in the year 2000 with the goal of allowing users to create a model that captures the unique configuration of each mill. A key benefit of this software package was the ability to optimize the processing schedule for a specific rolling mill, without exceeding that mill's capabilities (e.g. power or cooling rate). The HSMM, however, required input experimental data on the mechanical properties of the steel and its microstructure evolution. As a result, the model was not suitable for designing new steel grades because a lot of preliminary lab work was needed before the model could be used. This limitation could be addressed through the introduction of physics-based modelling. Over the last 20 years, the McMaster team has developed a series of physics-based models that capture the microstructure evolution of C-Mn and microalloyed steels. The McMaster TMP model was calibrated for several steel grades and is able to predict the microstructure evolution of flow stress for a wide range of compositions and processing conditions. We have demonstrated (proof of concept) the potential to use the TMP model to provide the HSMM with the microstructure evolution and flow stress data that it requires for a new steel grade, thus overcoming a major limitation for using the HSMM for steel and process design. Based on strong positive feedback from industry experts, this proposal seeks to create and test a minimum viable product (integrating the TMP and HSMM), which would then be licensed to a Start-up company, who will sell into this niche market of over 800 hot strip and plate rolling mills worldwide.