What Are the Benefits of Using the Hot Rolling Process?

Ⅰ. About the hot rolling process

Rolling is classified by the temperature at which the metal is rolled. The hot rolling process is only carried out when working at extremely high temperatures, hence the name "hot rolling". It is used to break down defects in flat steel coils such as billets and ingots. After this process, the hot coil can be sold as is or transferred to the next cold rolling process due to technological advancements. Hot rolling is relative to cold rolling, cold rolling is rolling below the recrystallization temperature, and hot rolling is rolling above the recrystallization temperature. To put it simply, a billet is heated and rolled several times, then trimmed and straightened into a steel plate, which is called hot rolling. Using the hot rolling process can significantly reduce energy consumption and reduce costs.

The hot rolling process starts in the high temperature range and is usually used for the development of large deformations. In contrast to cold rolling mills, which work with four vertically oriented rolls, hot rolling is done with two vertical rolls. Apply pressure and fast and high heat between these two rolls to reduce the material and make it stronger. Unfortunately, the dimensions don't capture exactly how this process happens.

Ⅱ. Advantages of using hot rolling process

Hot rolling is the process of forming steel, aluminum, and other metals by applying pressure on one or more rolling mill stands to reduce the cross-section. Hot rolling exploits the ductility of metals at high temperatures to achieve large cross-sectional reductions.

1. The hot rolling process can significantly reduce energy consumption and cost. Wherever a billet can be hot rolled, it should be hot rolled metal, because the thermal deformation resistance of metal is lower than that of cold rolling, which can reduce the energy consumption in the rolling process. The finished product price of hot-rolled seamless steel pipe is lower than that of cold-drawn seamless steel pipe.

2. The hot rolling process can improve the properties of metals and alloys. Because the coarse grains in the hot-rolled state can be broken, microcracks healed, and casting defects are reduced or eliminated, the low-ductility casting structure is transformed into a structure with higher plastic deformation.

3. Hot rolling can be large reduction rolling. Within a certain temperature range, as the temperature increases, the plasticity of the metal increases, and a larger rolling deformation can be used, which can also reduce the crack defect of the metal and improve the yield of the metal.

4. Hot rolling is usually the rolling of large ingots. Due to the high plasticity of hot-rolled metal, the resistance to deformation is small. It could be a larger ingot, both to increase productivity, yield and rolling speed, and to allow for automation of the continuous rolling process.