Abstract: A material handler formed from isotropic textured aluminum sheet rolled by rolls indented with spherical media, such as steel ball bearings, producing a sheet with a low coefficient of friction relative to particulate matter like flour. The slippery sheeting may be used to make tanks, silos, conduits and guides to facilitate storage and flow of the particulate matter.

Abstract: A material handler formed from isotropic textured aluminum sheet rolled by rolls indented with spherical media, such as steel ball bearings, producing a sheet with a low coefficient of friction relative to particulate matter like flour. The slippery sheeting may be used to make tanks, silos, conduits and guides to facilitate storage and flow of the particulate matter.

Abstract: A method for surface treating work rolls to produce isotropic textured aluminum sheet features indenting the surface of the working rolls that produce the sheet with spherical media such as steel ball bearings having the requisite properties to avoid fracture and resulting in a smooth surface lacking facets. The spherical media can be introduced into a nip between two rolls and indent by compression, but ultrasonic peening or knurling. The aluminum sheet produced by the roll has properties that facilitate mechanical forming, such as when the sheet is processed by forming tools.

Abstract: A method for surface treating work rolls to produce isotropic textured aluminum sheet features shot-peening the surface of the working rolls that produce the sheet. The media may be steel balls, such as ball bearings or other media, such as glass or ceramic balls, depending upon the optical properties desired for the aluminum sheet, e.g., in terms of diffuseness or brightness of reflection. The various parameters of shot-peening can be varied to accommodate given properties of the roll, such as hardness and existing surface texture to achieve a given desired surface texture. A sheet surface with target properties and the work roll processing needed to produce it may be generated by computer modeling.

Abstract: A method of making a strip product having a surface that is both bright and clean after being rolled by work rolls in a roll stand. The work rolls are polished to remove grind lines from the roll surfaces, and the roll surfaces are provided with minute, ovoid depressions having relatively shallow slopes extending in the direction of rolling, followed by steeper slopes at the opposite ends of the depressions. The depressions are created by a laser beam directed against the roll surfaces at oblique incidence to the roll surface normal during relative movement of the beam and roll surfaces. The roll surfaces are then polished to remove any roll material that is raised above the nominal surface of the rolls, the raised material being the result of melting of the roll surfaces and the deposition of roll material vaporized by the laser beam.

Abstract: A method of rolling metal in a plurality of rolling stands with each of the stands having two or more rolls. The method includes first polishing the surfaces of the rolls to a mirror finish, after which the roll surfaces are textured with a plurality of minute micron size craters. The roll surface and craters are then coated with a dense, hard material before the rolls are lubricated and used to reduce the thickness of the metal in the stands. To this end, the metal is directed through the stands, the craters being capable of retaining and carrying lubricant into the bites of all of the rolls without substantial adherence of metal to the roll surfaces and without substantial generation of wear debris on the surfaces of the rolls and rolled material.