Abstract
During the conference, a number of measuring instruments, control methods and strategies were described. This, the opening paper, set the broad background against which the later papers were discussed. The emphasis on the broad background is because measurement and control problems in rolling mills are not only technical, those of environment, which is usually the predominantly discussed feature, and performance, but include development, procurement, maintenance and operator acceptance and usage. These factors are combined in an overall concept of cost/benefit and it is the author's belief that, when embarking on a particular instrument or control development, as far as possible all these facets must be considered at the outset and not met individually on an ad hoc basis as the project develops.
We should examine critically how much costs are inflated and problems multiplied by treating each installation and development as a separate and unique problem, particularly for the case of special instruments. This has been attempted in what follows which, it is emphasised, is a personal view.
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