Effect of Lubricant Scarcity on the Film Formation in an Inlet Zone During High Speed Cold Rolling Process

Effective lubrication during the cold rolling is vital in achieving desirable tolerance and surface quality over the metallic sheets. However, in the process of cold rolling, it has been established that the lubricant’s viscosity drastically reduces (viscosity thinning) due to huge viscous heat dissipation in the lubricating film at the elevated rolling speeds. Thinning of lubricant viscosity increases the escaping tendency of the lubricant from the inlet zone. Thus, scarcity (starvation) of lubricant prevails in the inlet zone of roll and strip interface. Based on the present investigation, it is observed that the existence of starvation seems to be beneficial in terms of reduced temperature rise and less quantity of lubricating oil required provided there is a continuous film at the strip-roll interface.