Licensing

For solutions that were initially found during research projects and later led to industrial prototypes, we search for licensees to commercialise the products once they have reached a marketable stage.

World Leading Technology by BFI – the BFI Flatness Measurement Role

In cold rolling mills and strip processing lines, mainly contacting Measuring Rollers are used for flatness measurement. Several systems are on the market, one of which has been become the global market leader. This is not surprising as compared to other available technologies; the BFI Flatness Measurement Role has several undisputed advantages. Latest development is the implementation of temperature control, without doubt an important physical parameter to control the flatness of strips.

The BFI Flatness Measurement Role is based on a robust but very accurate measurement technology which was developed in the late 70s. It is an outstanding example for German engineering skill, as well for a strategic partnership between science and medium-sized enterprises.

The first generation of the measuring roller, of which rollers are still in use, consisted of individual steel disks in which piezoelectric force transducers were installed in a force-locking manner near the disk surface. The fourth generation of the measuring roller available today consists of a hardened solid roller body in which axial bores are incorporated to accommodate the force transducers and temperature sensors. This measuring roller is used to measure the flatness and simultaneously the temperature difference across the strip width. In addition, the measuring roller can now also be used for the first time for continuous flatness measurement on hot and hot strip (>1000°C).
The roller body has a closed surface, which can be hardened and coated with ceramic materials as well as rubber or polyurethane.

Diameter of the measuring rollers: 160 mm bis 700 mm

Bandwidths: 200 mm bis 2800 mm

Strip thickness: 0,006 mm bis 9,0 mm

Over the decades, this leading technology has been licensed to 6 licensees to market the BFI flatness measurement role worldwide.

Figure 3:Total number of BFI flatness measuring rolls sold — Figure 3: Total number of BFI flatness measuring rolls sold

Figure 2:BFI flatness measuring rolls sold per year — Figure 2: BFI flatness measuring rolls sold per year

Use of BFI flatness measuring rolls worldwide:

57 countries
930 Rolling mills
1650 Measuring rollers

Measuring rollers for different applications:

Stainless steel bracelet: 530 measuring rollers
Steel strip: 480 measuring rollers
Aluminium tape: 480 measuring rollers
Copper strip: 155 measuring rollers

The BFI supports their licensees in marketing as well as in evaluating and solving individual problems. Through the BFI flatness measurement role, sustainable jobs in Germany could be created or secured. A success story made in Germany!