Dynamical processes in a multi-motor gear drive of heavy slabbing mill

A real case study is represented of abrupt failures in a new multi-motor gear drive of vertical rolls in the heavy slabbing mill. Modal analysis is conducted, and the lowest torsional vibration modes are verified by the data from an industrial plant. Conditions of parametric resonances due to variable stiffness of teeth are determined within the range of working speed. The branched gear drive is investigated by the non-linear dynamical model with backlashes. It is shown that instantaneous dynamic loads in driveline are strongly dependent on the difference in gap sizes and phase shift between two intermediate gears in the output gear wheel coupling. Deviation in electrical parameters by 0.5 % is considered as the additional cause of not equal load sharing of parallel motors. Results of this research allowed preventing further failures of the gearbox and optimizing slabbing mill control. The proposed approach can be used in other multi-motor machines