Several problems, such as strip deviation and buckling, are encountered in the continuous annealing process. In this study, equipment and process features of continuous annealing, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of single taper roller and double taper roller in the prevention and treatment of the buckling and strip deviation were considered. Basing on a number of field experiments and theoretical studies, a new set of furnace roller profile curve was proposed and a set of optimisation model suitable for furnace roller was established, with travelling stability of the strip as the objective function. Test results of field production showed that the strip exhibited high speed and stability after optimisation, and the service cycle of the furnace roller was considerably improved. The results of this study provide an important economic benefit for the site and are valuable for further popularisation and application.

Strip tension fluctuation caused by the attenuation of a furnace roller's surface roughness leads to strip deviation in continuous annealing. After several field experiments and theoretical studies, this work established a model for the surface roughness attenuation of a furnace roller during continuous annealing. The model is fully integrated with the equipment and process features of a continuous annealing unit. With the stability of strip travelling as the control object and the absence of strip deviation and buckling as constraints, a tension compensation technique of continuous annealing was developed, and a related theory was applied to production and practise. Software was also developed for predicting the roughness attenuation of a furnace roller during continuous annealing and determining tension compensation for a specific process of the unit. Integrated optimisation of tension parameters in all processes of continuous annealing was also achieved.