Rolling mill machinery is a great way to compress and shape metal for manufacturing. They are commonly used for a variety of industries from automotive and tech to home furnishes and jewelry.
However, not all types of rolling mills are useful for every purpose, which is why it’s so critical to understand the 3 types of rolling mill machinery. That way, you can choose the best option for your specific operations.
This article covers the main types of rolling mills including Two-High Pull Over Mills, Two-High Reversing Mills, Two-High Rolling Mills, four-high rolling mills, cluster rolling mills, and more. But first, in addition to type, how else are rolling mill types identified?
How Are Rolling Mills Types Differentiated
In general, rolling mills are classified by their specific type, size, and number of rolls. However, all rolling mill machinery technically falls into two main types: hot and cold.
A cold rolling mill will press metal through the machine. The cold temperature will strengthen and harden the metal. These types of rolling mills are commonly used for stainless steel, aluminum, and titanium.
On the other hand, a hot rolling mill will heat up the sheet metal, often to create I-beams, construction materials, or automobile framing out of steel.
Now, that you know the difference between hot and cold rolling mills, let’s look at the main types of rolling mills.
Types of Rolling Mills
There are numerous types of rolling mills, so when comparing different models it’s important to look at productivity, use cases, and other factors. Let’s look at some of the main types and their features.
Two-High Pull Over Mill
This is the most common and most simple type of rolling mill, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be highly effective. With two rolls in a constant direction along a horizontal axis, this machine type is cost-effective and semi-manual.
By raising a platform to pass the stock over the rolls, the material will go in one direction and the roll will be raised or lowered according to your specifications. While it may not be as precise as other methods, it’s a highly affordable way to increase production.
Two-High Reversing Mill
Compared to the two-high pullover mill, this type is more efficient because the material can be passed back and forth by reversing the rotations. This can reduce time to completion and increase efficiency and output.
Generally, this cold-rolling mill type is great for working copper, lead, and other soft metals. They are also less expensive than most other options, but will typically cost more than a simple pull-over mill.
Three-High Rolling Mill
This type overcomes some of the challenges associated with two-high machines because the constant rotation is arranged on a single vertical plane. Using two large working rolls and a smaller backup roll, this machine is great for creating class material using steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and other metals.
They are more expensive, but also more productive and great for large-scale operations. However, with small strip thickness requirements, you may want to move ahead to the four-high rolling mill machinery options.
Four-High Rolling Mills
Four-High Rolling Mills have two working rolls of metal close to the metal material. Then, it has another two larger rolls at the highest and lowest points. These machines have the downside of being more expensive than the other options, but there are plenty of benefits as well.
They can press basically all types of sheet metal to create extremely thin strips that can be useful for a variety of operations, especially industries like aerospace and the military. This is because they are extremely precise, durable, and have a high volume output.
Cluster Rolling Mills
Cluster rolling mills are a specialized formation of a four-high rolling mill machine. They allow you to add larger and smaller materials during the process of rolling the metal. They are also extremely powerful, making them a good option for very hard metals including titanium alloys.
Planetary Rolling Mills
Planetary rolling mills are used for stripping as well as steel rolling processes. They use a grinding jar that uses the power of friction to grind down sheet metal. They aren’t as productive as continuous rolling mills, but they are highly efficient when it comes to material loss and energy costs.
Continuous Rolling Mills
Continuous rolling mills allow multiple rolls of sheet metal to pass through without interruption, which means your operations can continue producing precise materials at all times. This is perfect for operations that are trying to scale up to extremely high volume output. They are commonly used for construction industries but are not really useful for smaller operations.
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