What happens inside a hot rolling mill?

When it comes to choose from the list of best construction materials, steel emerges out as the best material for architectural construction. It is light-weight, strong and most importantly durable and thus allows builders to build sturdy structures that can withstand different types of adverse forces for a longer period of time. Steel is recycled and is eco friendly. Being the most versatile material, it can be used for a wide range of applications.

The versatility of steel provides architects the freedom to achieve their most ambitious visions. Structural steel is an essential component of structures such as stadiums, shopping centers and commercial developments. Because steel is also one of the most sustainable construction materials, building owners naturally value the flexibility of steel buildings, and the value benefits they provide. Steel is perfect for modernization, reconfiguring, extending or adapting with minimal disruption, and without costly and sometimes harmful redevelopment.

After understanding the importance of steel in construction industry, it’s time to understand how steel shapes are manufactured in a hot rolling mill.

The process of hot rolling mill is to reheat semi-finished steel billets (square bars) at 1200 to 1250 degree centigrade to soften to provide easy and different shapes as required.

Descaling

After exiting the reheat furnace, these billets of different shapes pass through a descaling unit in which with pressurized water removes thick layer of oxidized iron that build on the billets/ bars. This is done to clear the surface before entering into hot rolling mill.

Finishing

This process reduces the thickness of the transfer bar down to desired diameter required by the further process. The rolling speed is set to allow the last stand to perform the final reduction at the finishing temperature, between 1000° to 1050°C, specified to reach required mechanical properties.

Post rolling, the bars are cooled at cooling bed and thereafter desired length is cut and bundled for dispatch.