Rolling

Rolling can be carried out either hot or cold. When done hot, it is capable of achieving major re-forming/re-shaping and slabs can be reduced to plate or sheet while bars of circular or rectangular cross section can also be produced. Hot rolling can also produce structural shapes such as ‘H’ or ‘I’ section beams.

If the rolling is done cold, it is aimed at improved surface quality, better accuracy and increased hardness/strength. Hot, dilute, sulphuric acid is used to remove the hot scale from steel prior to cold rolling. The rolling process would also be used to produce the clad and unclad sheets of aluminium alloys.