Abstract: Provided is a method for rolling a strip with a roll stand with at least two work rolls. A rolling gap with a pass line is defined between the work rolls. A control roll is arranged before the rolling gap of the work rolls in the rolling direction, the strip is guided into the rolling gap of the roll stand via the control roll at an entry angle relative to the pass line and the surface structure of the strip is controlled through the selection of the entry angle depending on the positioning of the control roll relative to the pass line. Also provided is an apparatus for rolling a strip with a roll stand having at least two work rolls. A rolling gap with a pass line is defined between the work rolls.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of controlling the height of a looper in an inter-stand section of a hot strip mill that overcomes the problem of looper instability due to looper inertia without the need for the controller of upstream rollers to have a reduced gain. The inter-stand section of the hot strip mill comprises a pair of upstream rollers driven by a main motor and a looper driven by a looper motor. The method comprises the steps of: calculating a desired speed trim to be applied by the main motor; estimating the inertia of the looper; calculating a torque necessary to overcome the inertia of the looper from the speed trim, the estimated inertia of the looper and a sensitivity calculated from the geometry of the looper; and controlling the main motor to apply the speed trim to the upstream rollers and controlling the looper motor to apply the calculated torque to the looper.