Abstract: For the traditional one-dimensional or two-dimensional analysis mode of the rolling mill vibration, the three-dimensional (spatial) vibration analysis mode and its vibration characteristics (vibration frequency and mode shape) of the 1 580 mm 4-h plate rolling mill are given. The required clearance in the roll system structure should be considered during the mill vibration analysis. The modified three-dimensional multi-body transfer matrix method (MTM-TMM) and the finite element method (FEM) are used to complete the three-dimensional vibration (6 degrees of freedom -3 linear displacements and 3 angular displacements) numerical analysis of the rolls. The vibration frequencies obtained in numerical simulation demonstrate that the frequency (imaginary part of complex frequency) of the 4-h mill basically agree with that measured in the field test. The required clearance leads to the appearance of dangerous low frequencies. The mode shape is a complex mode shape that is composed of some single mode shape of the horizontal, cross and swinging vibration.

Key words: finite element method, modified three-dimensional multi-body transfer matrix method, plate 4-h rolling mill, vibration characteristics