One of the most significant advantages of incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into the plate rolling process is that it eliminates the need for conventional radius-measuring templates. As a result, the process requires less leg work on the part of operators, in-process measurements are more accurate, and the need for skilled operators is reduced. But most importantly, the elimination of manual templates makes the plate rolling process faster and more productive.

Plate rolling is often considered an art because it requires an operator who has learned the skills and nuances of the job through experience. While there are more advanced and complex machines in fabrication operations, plate rolling requires a different skillset, and it is for this reason that plate rolling for many fabrication shops often causes production bottlenecks. Furthermore, when long-time plate rolling operators retire, they take with them decades of knowledge and experience.

To overcome this loss, machine controls that incorporate AI make the plate rolling process significantly easier for operators and provide better results. With the recent advent of AI-augmented laser radius measuring systems, workers with a basic understanding of the rolling process and how to navigate the machine’s control can quickly start producing simple parts. Plus, shops using this technology can further optimize the output of their existing skilled operators for more complex jobs.

AI-augmented laser radius measuring systems for both hydraulically and electrically powered plate rolling machines eliminate the use of templates and the need for operators to physically traipse back and forth from the machine’s control console to the part. Thanks to AI, that process is now accomplished from the machine’s control console. By eliminating the need to take multiple measurements during the rolling process, the shop can increase throughput and make better use of the time its plate rolling veterans spent walking back and forth.

For conventional hydraulic-type plate rolling machines, AI-augmented laser radius measuring systems provide operators with faster and more accurate plate radius readings that are then used to manually make necessary roll position adjustments at the machine’s control console. These same capabilities hold true for all-electric plate rolling machines, but instead of manual adjustments, the all-electric machine’s control makes the adjustments automatically — all in an autonomous operation requiring no operator intervention.

While AI-augmented laser radius measuring systems for hydraulic machines operate regardless of specific plate width, thickness or material, the algorithms for all-electric machine AI measuring systems require this information. The systems use it not only to provide an in-process reading of a current radius, but also to determine how much the rolls need to move for the next pass to achieve the final desired results. On Davi e-POWER all-electric plate rolling machines, that positioning accuracy is as tight as 0.05" as compared to conventional plate rolling machines that are typically around 0.1".

Instead of single laser beam points, effective AI-augmented laser radius measuring systems use “laser blades” for in-process measuring. Employing a laser in the non-visible spectrum, the blade scans a wider rounded area, recording thousands of points along the curved surface of a radius simultaneously.

By ignoring atypical readings and “averaging” all data points captured by the laser blade, the system obtains an accurate picture of the plate. It also eliminates the risk of inaccurate measurements due to material hard spots and irregularities, surface mill scale, or shop environmental conditions such as incidental light reflections.

AI-enhanced plate rolling also has the capability to learn and discern the inconsistencies between various types and grades of material. Hot-rolled, cold-rolled and pickled-and-oiled steels all have different characteristics and surface conditions that will affect not only the rolling process, but also the measuring and analytic process for radius determination. AI-augmented systems can account for those inconstancies and correct rolling processes accordingly without operator intervention.

With the combination of AI and specific algorithms, the systems transmit readings and measurements directly to the plate rolling machine’s CNC where process adjustment data is calculated. It is then used for manually adjusting the machine’s side rolls in the case of hydraulic machines and for automatically doing so in real time for all-electric machines. For both types of machines, this capability streamlines the rolling process and ensures the most accurate results in the shortest amount of time possible.

AI-augmented laser radius measuring systems also “teach” new operators. As new operators work with the machine, they quickly gain a familiarization of the various rolling parameters used for various plate material types, thicknesses and radius sizes.

Plate rolling AI databases are “live” and constantly “learning” from data supplied by both plate rolling machine OEM internal testing and from customers, the latter of which remains confidential even as it informs the databases. These databases continuously grow in terms of new stored parameters based on a myriad of plate materials, widths, thicknesses and yields, as well as on a wide range of radius/ID sizes and applications. The more the database grows, the wider its capabilities are in terms of providing optimized parameters for every conceivable plate rolling scenario.

Thanks to AI, plate rolling machine operators avoid the back-and-forth template measuring procedure that previously happened several times during a single plate rolling sequence. By eliminating the need for templates, AI-augmented laser radius measuring systems not only speed the process, they also significantly reduce the need and time involved for highly experienced operators to make those calculations and roll position adjustments. As a result, shops increase machine throughput and profitability.

— Marco Chiarabelli is the Chief Sales Officer for Davi Inc.