Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199

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Journal of Materials Processing Technology

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Prediction of maximum initial strip width in the cage roll forming

process of ERW pipes using edge buckling criterion
M.M. Kasaei a , H. Moslemi Naeini a,∗ , R. Azizi Tafti b , M. Salmani Tehrani c
a
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-143 Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
b
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yazd University, P.O. Box 89195-741, Yazd, Islamic Republic of Iran
c
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156, Islamic Republic of Iran

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Cage roll forming is an advanced process for producing electric resistance welded (ERW) pipes. It is
Received 1 April 2013 designed to improve the strip deformation and to increase the flexibility of production lines compared
Received in revised form 11 July 2013 with the conventional roll forming of ERW pipes. One of the most important parameters of this process is
Accepted 26 August 2013
the initial strip width. Accurate prediction of the initial strip width is vital for producing sound pipes with
Available online 4 September 2013
desired dimensional and geometrical tolerances. In this paper, cage roll forming process is simulated with
the explicit elastic–plastic finite element method in the MSC Marc Mentat software. Simulation results
Keywords:
show that by increasing the initial strip width, more circumferential length reduction is induced to the
Cage roll forming
Electric resistance welded pipes deformed strip in the fin-pass stands. This effect increases the difference of longitudinal strains at the
Initial strip width edge and center of the deformed strip and consequently leads to a high longitudinal compression at
Edge buckling the strip edge. Therefore, edge buckling will be unavoidable if the initial width is selected bigger than a
specific limit. In order to predict the maximum initial width in cage forming process, an edge buckling
criterion was introduced. The circumferential length and the horizontal distance between two deformed
strip edges were obtained from the simulation and were compared with the experimental data from a
production line. The comparison showed a good agreement and confirmed the finite element simulations.

© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
In cold roll forming process, metallic strip is continuously
deformed into a special cross-section by passing through a set of
rolls in several consequent stands. According to Paralikas et al.
(2011) this process is a major sheet metal forming process for mass
production of all types of open and closed profiles. ERW pipes which
are widely used in pipelines of the oil, gas, and water are produced
by the cold roll forming process.
Since each roll has a specific role in the strip deformation in
the cold roll forming process, producing a new product needs new
rolls with different shape, number, and configuration in the pro-
duction line. This lack of flexibility increases the cost and time of
the production. Cage roll forming process (Fig. 1) is an advanced
roll forming method for obtaining a flexible production line of ERW
pipes. In this process, unlike the conventional roll forming process
(Fig. 2), the strip is deformed using a large number of small rolls on
the basis of air bending method. This forming technique not only
∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +98 21 82883390; fax: +98 21 82886544.
E-mail addresses: Kasaei@modares.ac.ir, mm.kasaei@yahoo.com (M.M. Kasaei),
moslemi@modares.ac.ir (H. Moslemi Naeini).
provides the possibility of producing the ERW pipes with differ-
ent sizes by changing the position of the rolls without changing
the rolls, but also decreases forming defects such as edge buckling
and springback by providing a smooth and continuous deformation
(Jiang et al., 2009). Therefore, the cage roll forming process is able to
produce the ERW pipes with lower ratios of thickness to diameter
and higher yield strength materials compared to the conventional
roll forming process.
Cage roll forming process consists of five major sections which
are schematically shown in Fig. 1. Pinch roll unit does not form
the strip and is used to feed the strip along the production line.
The edge bending stand bends the edge portion of the strip up to
about the final pipe curvature at one stand. The pre-forming and
linear forming sections bend the middle and the center portions of
the strip continuously. At the pre-forming and linear forming sec-
tions, several small rolls are in contact with the strip edge. These
rolls which are called cage rolls are set on a downhill configura-
tion. The details of pre-forming and linear forming sections are
shown in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. The most important section of
the cage roll forming process includes three fin-pass stands where
the curvature and the thickness distribution of the deformed strip
are modified. The deformed strip edge is crushed and moved to a
correct position before the welding stage in the fin-pass stands.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2013.08.012
 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199 191

Fig. 1. Cage roll forming process of ERW pipes.

Due to complexity of the cold roll forming process of ERW pipes, Fig. 3. Pre-forming section in the cage roll forming process of ERW pipes.
3D finite element simulation is the best method for analysing the
strip deformation and making a decision on the important parame-
process of ERW pipes. Kasaei et al. (2011c) used a finite element
ters in this process. Wen and Pick (1994) developed a finite element
simulation to study the strip deformation in the cage roll form-
model to predict the edge buckling in conventional roll forming
ing process of ERW pipes with low ratios of thickness to diameter.
process of ERW pipes before the fin-pass stands. They set the
Kasaei et al. (2011a) investigated the possibility of the edge buck-
machine parameters such as the downhill forming path and roll
ling in the conventional roll forming process of ERW pipes by
gaps using their model to avoid the edge buckling. Kim et al. (2003)
comparing the longitudinal strains of the strip edge and center.
simulated the conventional roll forming of thick ERW pipes using a
They proposed some guidelines in order to prevent the edge buck-
rigid-plastic finite element method. They predicted the edge shape
ling defect. Kasaei et al. (2011b) studied the effect of the initial strip
of initial strip to obtain a correct contact between the strip edge and
width on the profile of deformed strip in the cage roll forming pro-
fin of upper roll in the fin-pass stands. Farzin et al. (2002) calculated
cess of ERW pipes. They concluded that the initial strip width affects
the buckling limit of strain using a finite element simulation and
the strip deformation only in the fin-pass section. Therefore, it is
used it for determining the forming amount at each stand of the
necessary to select the initial width in a particular range for obtain-
conventional roll forming process of ERW pipes. Salmani Tehrani
ing an ERW pipe with the desired curvature distribution. Kasaei and
et al. (2006b) simulated the first two forming stands of the con-
Moslemi Naeini (2011) considered the longitudinal strain distribu-
ventional roll forming process of ERW pipes. They showed that if
tion and the geometry of the deformed strip in the different forming
the forming angle of the first stand exceeds a specific limit, reverse
sections in order to investigate the strip deformation mechanisms
bending applied by the rolls of the second stand may cause local
in the cage roll forming and the conventional roll forming processes.
buckling at the strip edge.
The initial strip width is a very important parameter that affects
Jiang et al. (2009) investigated the strip deformation in the
all three forming, welding, and sizing stages in the manufacturing
cage roll forming process of ERW pipes using elastic–plastic finite
process of ERW pipes. Since an accurate scientific approach has
element simulation. They found non-bending areas at different
not yet been proposed for determination of the initial strip width,
forming sections and showed that the edge buckling may occur
try-and-error methods are performed to modify the estimated
at fin-pass stands. Li et al. (2010) showed that different models of
work-hardening have an important effect on the equivalent stress
and strain in the finite element simulation of the cage roll forming

Fig. 2. Conventional roll forming process of ERW pipes. Fig. 4. Linear forming section in the cage roll forming process of ERW pipes.
192 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199
Fig. 5. The first hypothesis.
initial strip width calculated by some simple relations in tube
and pipe industries. In this paper, a criterion for prediction of
maximum initial strip width is proposed.
2. Strip edge buckling
The edge buckling which appears as a wave at the strip edge is a
frequent defect in the cold roll forming process. It is a big problem
for obtaining a product with expected quality. In the cold roll form-
ing process of ERW pipes, since the edge buckling avoids achieving a
perfect weld, prevention of edge buckling is very important during
the forming process (Halmos, 2006).
Generally, the edge buckling is an unstable deformation due
to excessive longitudinal compression at the strip edge. Three fol-
lowing hypotheses have been reported in the available literatures
about the reasons of the longitudinal compression at the edge
portion in the cold roll forming process of ERW pipes:
1. According to Fig. 5, when the strip moves from one stand to the
next one in a downhill forming pass, it is longitudinally bent. This
bending creates longitudinal compression at the edge portion
(Wen and Pick, 1994).
2. During the strip deformation in each stand, the edge portion has
to move along spatial paths which are longer than those for cen-
ter and middle portions (For example the length of the path AD’
is longer than length of the path BC) so it is stretched more than
other portions (Fig. 6). After exiting the stand, the edge portion
is compressed in the longitudinal direction because the whole
deformed strip should have the same length to keep the product
straight (Farzin et al., 2002).
3. According to Fig. 7, after each stand, the deformed strip is bent
down due to the different lengths of the edge, middle and center
portions. Therefore, when entering to the next stand (regardless
of the downhill forming), the leading edge of the deformed strip
is raised up and the edge portion is longitudinally compressed
(Salmani Tehrani et al., 2006a).
Fig. 6. Schematic of initial and deformed strip, before the first stand, in the conven-
tional roll forming process of ERW pipes.
Fig. 7. The third hypothesis (Salmani Tehrani et al., 2006a).
Three mentioned hypotheses are acceptable before the fin-pass
section in the conventional roll forming process of ERW pipes.
Downhill forming has two opposite effects on the edge buckling.
Using the downhill forming causes the center portion to move
down in the vertical direction. This, on the other hand, decreases
the upward displacement of the edge portion and thereby leads
to shorter spatial paths at edge portion. Therefore, the downhill
forming provides more uniform spatial paths with closer lengths
in three center, middle, and edge portions. In other words, the
downhill forming decreases the edge buckling risk by decreasing
the stretching of the edge portion (Halmos, 2006). But if the down-
hill forming pass is not design correctly in the conventional roll
forming process, according the first hypothesis, the excessive lon-
gitudinal compression is induced to the edge portion and the edge
buckling may occur. Based on the second and the third hypotheses,
one can conclude that an increase of the length at the edge portion,
compared to the other portions, increases the potential of the edge
buckling.
The mentioned hypotheses are not applicable in the fin-pass
section because deformation mechanism of the strip in this sec-
tion is different from the previous sections. In this section, four
rolls of each stand are in complete contact with the deformed
strip while both the transversal bending and circumferential com-
pression are imposed to the deformed strip. Kiuchi (1986) showed
by many results of experimental measurement that the circum-
ferential compression plays an essential role in correcting the
curvature and thickness distribution of the deformed strip before
entering to welding stage.
At the entrance of each fin-pass stand, the strip edge is inten-
sively stretched due to the following deformations:
1. According to Fig. 8, the circumferential compression reduces the
circumferential length of the deformed strip at each fin-pass
stand. Assuming the constant volume in the plastic deformation,
the material flows in the longitudinal and thickness directions.
Because of the higher concentration of the circumferential com-
pression at the edge portion, the longitudinal stretching is higher
at this portion (Yokoyama et al., 1981).
2. By entering to each fin-pass stand, the strip edge is longitudi-
nally bent as shown in Fig. 9. This bending increases the length
of the edge portion suddenly. This increase is relevant to the
strip thickness and the radius of the center part of the upper roll
(Yokoyama et al., 1981).
Despite of different lengths at the edge, middle and center por-
tions, when the deformed strip is leaving the fin-pass stand, it is
not being bent longitudinally because it has a near-circular cross-
section with high flexural rigidity. The outcome of this resistance
against the longitudinal bending is the longitudinal compression at
the edge. Longitudinal compression is intensified by increasing the
reduction of the circumferential length at the fin-pass stand. If the
Longitudinal compression is higher than a critical limit at the edge
portion, the deformation will be unstable and the buckling will ini-
tiate. There are the similar conditions between the second and the
third fin-pass stands. The only difference is the work-hardening of
the edge portion which may increase the possibility of the edge
 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199
Fig. 8. Four rolls impose a circumferential compression at each fin-pass stand.
buckling. Because all kinds of cold deformation decrease the work-
hardening power (Marciniak et al., 2002) which is in direct relation
with the critical strain limit at the initiation of the buckling in the
sheet metal undergoing forming (Hutchinson and Neale, 1985).
The cage roll forming process is designed to minimize the possi-
bility of the edge buckling. For this purpose, the downhill forming
is applied to decrease the length difference at the edge, middle and
center portions. Furthermore, the cage rolls are used to control the
edge portion continuously and to prevent the sudden increase of
edge portion length. However, there is the possibility of the edge
buckling in some forming sections.
3. Modeling and simulation of the cage roll forming process
In order to investigate the possibility of the edge buckling and
effect of initial strip width on it in the cage roll forming process,
an industrial production line was modeled and simulated by MSC
Marc Mentat software.
3.1. Modeling
All five major sections of the cage roll forming process were
modeled. The model included only half of the production line
with 78 rolls because of the longitudinal symmetry. The rolls were
assumed to be rigid and all of their freedom degrees were fixed
except the rotation around their axis.
Since the length of the production line was 21,000 mm, the
strip length was considered 24,000 mm to have a continuous
Fig. 9. Longitudinal bending at the strip edge in the fin-pass stand.
193
Table 1
Material properties of X52 steel.
Parameter Value
Elasticity modulus (GPa) 201
Poisson’s ratio 0.3
Yield strength (MPa) 434
Ultimate strength (MPa) 503
simulation. Half of the initial strip width was considered and a
symmetric constrain was defined on the centerline of the strip.
The strip was discretized by 5700 thin shell elements. This ele-
ment has four nodes and its number in element library of MSC Marc
Mentat software is 139. Five integration points were selected thor-
ough the thickness to model the thickness deformation accurately.
In shell elements, the bending effect can be taken into account.
So, it is appropriate in modeling the sheet metal forming pro-
cesses where the prediction of buckling is vital (Wang and Cao,
2000). The onset and growth of the buckling obtained from the
finite element model is sensitive to the mesh density (Wang and
Cao, 2000). So, a convergence study was performed by examin-
ing different elements size and comparing the longitudinal edge
strain and buckle shape. The selected mesh predicted the longitu-
dinal edge strain with a difference smaller than 1% and produced
edge buckles with a similar wave length compared to a finer
mesh.
3.2. Material properties
The material behavior was described by an elastic–plastic
model. Table 1 shows the mechanical properties of the strip mea-
sured from a uniaxial tensile test. True stress/plastic true strain
curve was input to the software and the work-hardening behavior
was modeled using the isotropic work-hardening law.
3.3. Simulation settings
The strip was fed through the production line by introducing a
frictional contact between the strip and the rotating rolls. The fric-
tion was defined using Coulomb’s law with the friction coefficient
of 0.1. The rotational speed of the rolls was set based on the lin-
ear speed of the strip feeding that was 15 m/min. Since the cold
roll forming process is quasi-static, a static procedure with explicit
solver was used in the simulation.
3.4. Simulation specifications
In this paper, the cage roll forming was simulated in two
categories. The first category included the simulations used to
define a criterion for the maximum initial strip width where five
initial widths were simulated for each ratio of thickness to diam-
eter as shown in Table 2. The second category which is shown
in Table 3 included two simulations whose results were used
to compare with data measured from an industrial production
line.
4. Results and discussion
4.1. Determination of the talented position for edge buckling
Fig. 10 shows a view of the simulated cage roll forming pro-
cesses. In order to determine the talented positions for the edge
buckling, the results of the case 2 with the initial width of 1893 mm
are presented here as an example.
Fig. 11 shows the longitudinal strain distribution at the strip
edge during the cage roll forming process. In the edge bending
194 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199

Table 2
First simulation category.

Pipe diameter (mm) Strip thickness (mm) Material Initial strip width (mm)

Case 1 609.6 7.95 (t/D = 1.3%) X52 1902 1906 1910 1914 1918
Case 2 609.6 14.27 (t/D = 2.3%) X52 1885 1889 1893 1897 1991
Case 3 609.6 19.1 (t/D = 3.1%) X52 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888

Table 3
Second simulation category.

Pipe diameter (mm) Strip thickness (mm) Material Initial strip width (mm)

Exp. 1 609.6 7.95 (t/D = 1.3%) X52 1916

Exp. 2 609.6 9.53 (t/D = 1.6%) X52 1909

as a suitable mode for improving the curvature distribution of the

Fig. 10. Simulated cage roll forming processes (equivalent Von-Mises stress).
stand, due to the concentration of deformation at the edge portion,
the longitudinal strain increases intensively and then decreases
suddenly. In both pre-forming and linear forming sections, longi-
tudinal strain at the strip edge is very small compared to the edge
bending stand. Furthermore, the longitudinal strain has some fluc-
tuations with small amplitude in these two sections. In the fin-pass
section, the longitudinal strain at the strip edge increases severely
once the deformed strip enters to each forming stand and decreases
suddenly when the strip exits each forming stand. The peak strain
has a decreasing trend in the fin-pass stands so that the maximum
strain whose value is 0.013 is observed in the first fin-pass stand.
This trend is due to decreasing pattern of the circumferential length
reduction used for designing the fin-pass stands. In this pattern,
the circumferential length reduction decreases from the first to the
third fin-pass stand. Kiuchi (1986) proposed the decreasing pattern
deformed strip and obtaining the smoothest deformation.
Fig. 12 shows that the longitudinal strain at the strip center
during cage roll forming process. This strain is at the elastic range
(smaller than 0.002) in all forming sections.
Comparing the longitudinal strains shows that there is a big
difference between the strains at the edge and the center in the
edge bending stand. Hence, the edge experiences compression after
this stand and its strain decreases rapidly. Therefore, edge bending
stand is talented for the edge buckling. Controlling the curvature of
the deformed edge is a solution way to avoid the mentioned defect.
The longitudinal strains at the edge and the center are small and
close together in the pre-forming and the linear forming sections.
Therefore, the edge buckling risk is very low in these sections. As
shown in Fig. 13, flower pattern is created by superimposing cross-
section of the deformed strip in the edge bending stand (EB), end
of pre-forming section (PF), end of the first, the second, and the
third subsections of the linear forming section (LF.1-3) and fin-pass
stands (FP.1-3) onto each other. The flower pattern shows a down-
hill forming so that the center line moves down equivalent to the
downhill height 0.72 × D. Therefore, very low edge buckling risk is
due to the downhill forming and use of the cage rolls.
As the strip enters to each fin-pass stand, the difference between
the strains at the edge and the center increases intensively. This
is not only due to concentration of the circumferential length
reduction at the edge portion, but also because of the longitudi-
nal bending of this portion. The longitudinal strain distribution on
the transversal path in each fin-pass stand is shown in Fig. 14. It
is clear that the longitudinal strain at the edge portion is signif-
icantly bigger than other portions. The plastic longitudinal strain
is observed only at this portion. Therefore, the fin-pass stands are

Fig. 11. Longitudinal strain distribution at the strip edge.

 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199 195

Fig. 12. Longitudinal strain distribution at the strip center.

4.2. Prediction of the maximum initial strip width

Fig. 15 shows the circumferential length of the deformed strip at

Fig. 13. Flower pattern.
very talented for the edge buckling. The best solution way to avoid
the edge buckling and to decrease the strain difference between
the edge and the center is to control the circumferential length
reduction.
the outside surface in the edge bending stand, pre-forming section
and linear forming section for case 2. For obtaining the circum-
ference length at the outside surface from the simulation results,
eight transversal paths were defined on the deformed strip in the
required positions (Fig. 13) that represent the middle layer of the
deformed strip cross-section. After deformation, new position of
each path was found using its nodes coordinates and it was recon-
structed in SolidWroks software. Outward offsetting of these curves
gives some longer curves which describe the outside layer of the
deformed strip cross-section. The length of the new curves is the
circumference at the outside surface.
According to Fig. 15, the circumferential length which is initially
equal to the initial strip width increases in all three sections. Since
the strip is under a transversal bending in these sections, amount
and gradient of the increase is approximately the same for all initial
strip widths. For the five studied initial strip widths, the amount of
the circumferential length increase before the fin-pass section is
36 mm and the highest gradient is observed at the edge bending
stand.
Fig. 16 shows the circumferential length of the deformed strip
at the outside surface in the fin-pass section for case 2. Descen-
ding trend of the circumferential length shows that the reduction

Fig. 14. Longitudinal strain distribution on the transversal path in each fin-pass stand.
196 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199
Fig. 15. Circumferential length of the deformed strip in the edge bending, pre-
forming and linear forming sections (case 2).
of the circumferential length due to circumferential compression
is much higher than the increase of the circumferential length due
to transversal bending.
The curvature of the deformed strip is not uniform over the
entire strip width before the fin pass section as reported by Kasaei
et al. (2011c) and Jiang et al. (2009). In order to produce a round
pipe, the curvature distribution of the deformed strip should be
modified in the fin pass section. When the initial strip width
is not selected correctly, more or less than the optimum initial
strip width, an appropriate transversal bending and circumferential
compression will not be provided and the outside surface of the
deformed strip will not be in complete contact with four rolls of
each fin pass stand (Kasaei et al., 2011b). Therefore, as shown in
Fig. 16, deformed strips with different initial widths have different
circumference lengths while passing the fin pass stands.
Fig. 16. Circumferential length of the deformed strip in the fin-pass stands (case 2).
The simulation results show that selecting a larger initial
strip width increases the circumferential length reduction. The
maximum circumferential length reduction at the fin-pass sec-
tion is 10.1 mm which belongs to the biggest initial strip width,
1901 mm.
Since the initial strip width has a direct relation with the
reduction of the circumferential length in the fin-pass stands,
it can be concluded that the initial strip width is an effective
parameter on the longitudinal strain distribution and the edge
buckling.
Distribution of the plastic longitudinal strain at the strip edge for
case 2 is shown in Fig. 17. Simulation results show the plastic longi-
tudinal peak strain in each fin-pass stand increases with increase of
the initial strip width. At the initial strip width of 1897 mm, unlike
the smaller initial strip widths, the strain has some compression-
tension fluctuations between the second and the third fin-pass
stands. These big fluctuations show that the longitudinal compres-
sion at the strip edge is higher than the critical buckling limit. Fig. 18
shows a view of the wavy strip edge in the simulation of case 2 with
the initial width 1897 mm. Since the fluctuating longitudinal strain
is also observed after the third fin-pass stand, the third stand cannot
eliminate the waves of the strip edge. Since increase of initial strip
width increases the longitudinal compression at the strip edge, the
initial strip width which is higher than 1897 mm is more talented
for the edge buckling between the second and the third fin-pass
stands. This is confirmed by the simulation with the initial width
1901 mm. Since the edge buckling is not observed for the strip with
initial width equal and smaller than 1893 mm, one can conclude
that 1893 mm is the maximum initial strip width which can be
selected for the cage roll forming process of case 2 without edge
buckling.
4.3. Effect of strip thickness on the initial strip width
The simulation was repeated to predict the maximum initial
strip width for cases 1 and 3. Simulation results show the edge
buckling initiates between the second and the third stands in the
cases 1 and 3 as it was observed in the case 2. Simulation results
of maximum initial strip width are shown in Table 4 for the cases
1–3.
According to Table 4, due to transversal bending, Increase of
thickness strip intensifies the increase of circumferential length at
the outside surface before the fin-pass section. Also, the maximum
circumferential length reduction and subsequently the plastic lon-
gitudinal peak strain in the fin-pass stands increase as the thickness
strip increases. Because the critical buckling limit of thicker strip
is higher. Finally, based on the deviations of the circumferential
length, one can conclude that the maximum initial width decreases
with increasing strip thickness.
5. Verification of the simulation
The circumferential length at the outside surface and the hori-
zontal distance between two deformed strip edges were measured
on an industrial production line based on Table 3. Two measured
parameters are schematically shown in Fig. 19. All measurements
were carried out using a special accurate meter tape with the res-
olution of 200 ␮m in the six different longitudinal positions which
were after the edge bending stand, after the pre-forming section,
after each linear forming subsections and after the fin-pass section.
5.1. Circumferential length
The measured circumferential length at the outside surface and
the simulation results are compared in Table 5. It is observed that
experimental and simulation results are in a very good agreement.
 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199 197

Fig. 17. Distribution of the plastic longitudinal strain at the strip edge (case 2).

Fig. 18. Edge buckling defect (case 2, initial width 1897 mm).

Table 4
Simulation results of maximum initial strip width in the cases 1–3.

Strip thickness (mm) Maximum initial strip width (mm) Change of circumferential length (mm) Plastic longitudinal peak strain at edge

Before fin-pass In fin-pass No.1 fin-pass No.2 fin-pass No.3 fin-pass

section section stand stand stand

Case 1 7.95 (t/D = 1.3%) 1910 +22 −2.9 0.011 0.008 0.006
Case 2 14.27 (t/D = 2.3%) 1893 +36 −5.8 0.013 0.01 0.007
Case 3 19.1 (t/D = 3.1%) 1884 +48 −8.2 0.016 0.013 0.011

The relative error is smaller than 0.3% and the absolute error is
considerably small in all cases.
The edge of the strip whose initial width was 1916 mm buckled
at the experiment 1. This phenomenon confirms the simulation
results. Because the initial width is bigger than the maximum
initial width (1910 mm) which was introduced by the simulation
in case 1. Furthermore, comparing the results of the experiments
1 and 2 confirmed the simulation results that the increase of strip
thickness intensifies increase of the circumferential length before
the fin-pass section.

Table 5
Comparison of the experimental and simulation circumferential length.

Circumferential After edge End of pre-forming End of linear forming sub-sections After fin-pass
length (mm) bending stand section section

No.1 No.2 No.3

Exp. 1 Simulation 1923.7 1927.2 1931.1 1934.9 1937.9 1933

Experiment 1925.6 1928 1930.4 1935.2 1937.6 1934
Absolute error 1.9 0.8 0.7 0.3 0.3 1

Exp. 2 Simulation 1917.3 1922.3 1926 1929.8 1934.8 1929.2

Experiment 1919.4 1923.4 1927 1930 1933 1928.8
Absolute error 2.1 1.1 1 0.2 1.8 0.4
198 M.M. Kasaei et al. / Journal of Materials Processing Technology 214 (2014) 190–199

Table 6
Comparison of the experimental and simulation horizontal distance.

Horizontal distance (mm) After edge bending stand End of pre-forming section End of linear forming sub-sections

No.1 No.2 No.3

Exp. 1 Simulation 1861 1558.6 1082.1 757.3 372.1

Experiment 1885 1578 1071 745 363
Absolute error 24 19.4 11.1 12.3 9.1
Relative error (%) 1.3 1.2 1 1.6 2.5

Exp. 2 Simulation 1864.9 1568.5 1077.5 757.1 359.6

Experiment 1879 1578 1065 740 350
Absolute error 14.1 9.5 12.5 17.1 9.6
Relative error (%) 0.7 0.6 1.2 2.3 2.7

4. Increase of thickness strip intensifies the increase of cir-

cumferential length at the outside surface in the edge
bending, pre-forming and linear forming sections and maximum
circumferential length reduction at the outside surface in the
fin-pass stands.
5. Increase of thickness strip decreases the maximum initial strip
width.

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to SAFA Rolling and Pipe Mills Co. for
generous support of the experimental work.

References

Fig. 19. Schematic illustration of the circumferential length and the horizontal dis-
tance.
5.2. Horizontal distance between two deformed strip edges
The results which were obtained from the experiment and the
simulation are compared in Table 6. According to the small relative
and absolute errors, the simulation results are reliable.
6. Conclusion
In this paper, in order to introduce a criterion for predicting the
maximum initial strip width in the cage roll forming process of ERW
pipes, finite element simulation was employed. The results can be
briefly expressed as:
1. Edge buckling in the cage roll forming process of ERW pipes
has been investigated and according to the significant differ-
ence of the longitudinal strains at the edge and the center of the
deformed strip, the edge bending stand and the fin-pass stands
are introduced as talented position for the edge buckling. The
initial strip width has influence on the edge buckling only in the
fin-pass stands.
2. Although increase of the initial strip width does not affect the
increase of circumferential length at the outside surface in the
edge bending stand, pre-forming section and linear forming sec-
tion, but it increases the circumferential length reduction at the
outside surface, main effective factor on the edge buckling, in all
fin-pass stands.
3. Increase of initial strip width increases the plastic longitudinal
peak strain, and subsequently the longitudinal compression at
the strip edge in all fin-pass stands so that if the initial width is
higher than a specific limit, the edge buckling will be unavoid-
able. This specific limit is named the maximum initial strip width.
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