Control of the Metal Rolling Process: A Multidimensional System Approach

The metal rolling process is modelled as a delay differential system with noncommensurate delays. Stability conditions for delay differential systems have been recently developed using asymptotic stability tests and the Lyapunov approach. These results are applied to the stability analysis and stabilization of the metal rolling process. Conditions on the gains of finite dimensional controllers such as proportional plus derivative controllers are developed to ensure the stability of the controlled process against delay variations.