NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING AND MEASURING TECHNIQUES FOR ROLLING-MILLS AND ROLLED PRODUCTS

Rails for high-speed trains require new systems for the measurement of the straightness and flatness of the rail upper surface; their integration in the hot-rolling process would be desirable. In the manufacture of flat products, it is important to measure the strip width, thickness on shape in the hot strip mill. Roentegenmeters have been further developed in more than one respect for this purpose. The measurement of strip flatness is state-of-the-art technology in cold mills, but just as necessary in hot strip mills as the detection of the temperature pattern of the rolled surface. In surface inspection systems, flaw identification is still a developing field. Methods for the measurement of roughness and cleanliness open up interesting perspectives. Particular attention will be attached in the future to the nondestructive determination of characteristic material properties, e.g. deep drawability, yield and tensile strength. The further development of measuring techniques will be determined in the first line by modern electronic engineering, the larger capacity of computer systems and new types of sensors.