Methods and apparatus to determine a plunge depth position of material conditioning machines

A tangible computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

• incrementally adjust, via an actuator, a first work roll relative to a second work roll between a plurality of incremental plunge depth positions;
• measure a pressure value in the actuator at the respective incremental plunge depth positions;
• associate the measured pressure values with the corresponding incremental plunge depth positions;
• detect a smallest one of the measured pressure values;
• and
• identify a first one of the incremental plunge depth positions corresponding to the smallest one of the measured pressure values.

A leveler to condition a strip material, the leveler comprising:

• a first plurality of entry work rolls;
• a second plurality of entry work rolls supported by an adjustable flight;
• an actuator associated with the adjustable flight, the actuator to incrementally adjust a position of the adjustable flight to move the second plurality of entry work rolls relative to the first plurality of entry work rolls between a plurality of incremental plunge depth positions;
• a pressure sensor coupled to the actuator, the pressure sensor to measure a pressure value in a control fluid of the actuator when the first and second work rolls are positioned at the respective incremental plunge depth positions;
• and
• a controller configured to determine a smallest one of the pressure values and identify a first one of the incremental plunge depth positions corresponding to the smallest one of the pressure values.