Method of and apparatus for rolling strip of fluctuating thickness

An apparatus for rolling strip having a periodically fluctuating strip thickness, the apparatus comprising:

• a roll stand with a set of rollers defining a gap;
• an adjustment actuator for adjusting the gap of the set of rollers;
• unwinding means for feeding the strip with an initial thickness in a travel direction to an intake side of the roller gap;
• winding means for receiving the strip with a desired final thickness from an output side of the gap;
• an upstream roller assembly having a respective immersion roller and upstream of the roll stand between the unwinding means and the roll stand;
• a downstream roller assembly having a respective immersion roller and downstream of the roll stand between the roll stand and the winding means, the strip being guided around the respective immersion rollers on each side of the roll stand;
• and
• control means for, while operating the rollers of the roll stand at a constant roller speed, determining the roller gap in dependence on the relative positions of the rollers of the roll stand and setting positions of the immersion rollers directly according to the detected positions of the rollers of the roll stand, and for operating the unwinding means and the winding means in a tension-controlled manner.