The concept of the Z-High® mill is a revamping of a classic 4-High mill with a system that uses a much smaller work roll. This configuration allows the mill to take heavier reductions per pass and can achieve thinner gauges. Harder materials can be rolled without intermediate anneals; as a result, a better surface can be produced. Moreover, intermediate rolls are equipped with axial shifting displacement and are ground with parabolic tapers at their opposing ends. This allows the mill to change the “effective flat” and provide excellent shape control capabilities that are similar to the 20-High mill.

The evolution to the current 20-High Cluster Sendzimir Mill from the early 12-High configuration was pioneered by Tadeusz Sendzimir in the early 1930s. Many design improvements were made by his company, T. Sendzimir, Inc., including the flexible shaft backing assemblies, segmented idler rolls, along with tapered edge intermediate rolls with lateral adjust for superior shape control. Significant design improvements were made including the flexible shaft backing assemblies and segmented idler rolls, as well as tapered edge intermediate rolls with lateral adjust for superior shape control. With the advent of Finite Element Analysis Technology, T. Sendzimir, Inc. iterated the mono-block housing design to create the Zero Crown Housing solution. This reduced the amount of material required for the housing, while creating uniform elastic deformation across the housing during rolling in order to maintain a better shape profile of the strip.

There are 5 major Z-High installation configurations as follows:

• As a retrofit into an existing 4-High mill, the “Z-High® Package” is adapted to an operating mill where the mill can be reconverted back into a 4-High by withdrawing the “Z-High® Insert” and replacing the 4-High work rolls, chocks and drive spindles within 20 minutes.
• As a conversion of a 4-High mill to a “dedicated” Z-High® mill and optionally widening the mill at the same time.
• As a new Z-High® mill with smaller diameter back-up rolls, smaller chocks and smaller mill housings due to reduced RSF requirements of the Z-High®, as compared to 4-High mill of the same width.
• As a new Z-High® / 4-High convertible mill similar to (3) above and built according to new mill specifications
• As a tandem mill either in a process line, in line with the other process line equipment, or, in a stand-alone single pass tandem mill configuration.

Because of the versatility in installation, the configuration of the Z-High® results in a smaller capital investment than other alternatives.

American Steel specializes in buying and selling rolling mills, coil processing, and tube, pipe and metal forming equipment around the world.  We have experience and knowledge that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field to assure that a customer has the right machine to match the job.  Our team is ready to help you with the right solution for your business.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on American Steel Products for your next project.

We provide professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety.

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The rolling mill can also have multiple configurations based on the metal type, thickness and yield applications with a wide variety of feedback options for the roll positioning providing tight output tolerances.  This mill can provide output to tolerances of better than +/-0.0001” ((+/-4um).

At American Steel, we can offer you different options to increase the overall productivity for your equipment.  Some of those options are:

• Repetitive reduction schedules
• Quick roll change out options
• Automatic gauge control features

As previously noted, a compacting rolling mill turns powder(s) from various exotic alloys, like monel, nickel, inconel, alloy 20, hastelloy and chrome-moly, and turns them into a continuous strip that can then be used in multiple industrial disciplines.   Some of the industries that are served by a compacting rolling mill are, but not limited to, integrated mills, mini mills, manufacturing, service centers, construction, and aerospace/military disciplines.

American Steel specializes in buying and selling rolling mills, coil processing, and tube, pipe and metal forming equipment around the world.  We have experience and knowledge that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field to assure that a customer has the right machine to match the job.  Our team is ready to help you with the right solution for your business.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on American Steel Products for your next project.

We provide professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety.

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Two-High pull over mill
As the name implies, it has two rolls with a constant direction of rotation around a horizontal axes.  The two-high mill is the most common and simplest type of rolling mill.  To achieve successive reductions, the stock is returned to the entrance of the mill by hand or by means of a platform that can be raised to pass the stock over the rolls. To achieve the rolling process, the material is drawn by friction in one direction only. The upper roll can be raised or lowered to change the distance between the rolls.

Two-High reversing mill
You can see an improvement in productivity when using the two-high reversing mill.  The work can be passed back and forth through the rolls via reversal of their direction and rotations.  This enables the work to travel in a unilateral direction, and then back through in the other direction. A series of reductions can be made using the same set of rolls – passing the work back to front.

Three-High rolling mill
With the two-high reversing mills come a few disadvantages that are overcome by using a three-high rolling mill with a constant direction of rotation arranged in a single vertical plane.  At either both, or one side of the stand are lifting tables to raise and lower the bar with each pass.  In a three-high mill, the top and bottom rolls are drive rolls and the middle rotates by friction. These mills are employed as blooming mills for billet and finishing rolls.

American Steel specializes in buying and selling rolling mills, coil processing, and tube, pipe and metal forming equipment around the world.  We have experience and knowledge that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field to assure that a customer has the right machine to match the job.  Our team is ready to help you with the right solution for your business.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on American Steel Products for your next project.

We provide professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety.

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The term “rolling” is categorized by the temperature at which the metal gets rolled. Should the temperature of the metal be above that at which it can recrystallize, the process is known as “hot rolling.” Conversely, should the temperature used be below its recrystallization temperature, and then the process is called “cold rolling”.

A rolling mill can also be known as a reduction mill, or just simply, a mill. Rolling mills have a common construction regardless of which kind of rolling is being performed. In a previous article, we discussed the uses of a rolling mills.

Rolling mills are a system of machines for deforming metal into rotary rolls and performing auxiliary operations such transportation of stock to rolls, disposal after rolling, cutting, melting, piling or coiling.  A set of rolls in their housing is called a ‘stand’.  Rolling mills are classified according to the number of rolls in the working stand and the arrangement of the stand.

American Steel specializes in buying and selling rolling mills, coil processing, and tube, pipe and metal forming equipment around the world.  We have experience and knowledge that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field to assure that a customer has the right machine to match the job.  Our team is ready to help you with the right solution for your business.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on American Steel Products for your next project.

Our team can provide professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety. Contact us at 419.843.6051 or email sales@americansteel.com for assistance.

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When embossing metals, you are by nature, imparting variable stresses across the width of said materials; it’s important to tightly control certain rolling parameters.

There is a variety of options available when it comes to the exact embossing rolling mill for your needs.  They include:

• Embossed pattern profiling systems
• Finite tension control systems
• Quick roll change out options
• Automatic gauge control features
• Repetitive reduction schedules
• Zoned lubrication systems with specialized lubricants

Industrially manufactured embossed sheets have a regular, raised geometric pattern with either a smooth, brushed, matt or shiny surface.  When the material is passed between the two molds, the thickness of the sheet remains unchanged. The process of embossing the metal gives rise to two different sides, one with a raised pattern and one with indentations. The side with the raised pattern is usually the one that is displayed.  For instance, you see this displayed in the automotive industry with tool boxes, or in interior construction with kitchen design, and exterior construction in newer architectural designs.

Stainless steel, Carbon/mild steel, aluminum, brass, copper, bronze and titanium are all examples of metals that can be embossed for various specifications.

American Steel specializes in buying and selling rolling mills, coil processing, and tube, pipe and metal forming equipment around the world.  We have experience and knowledge that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field to assure that a customer has the right machine to match the job.  Our team is ready to help you with the right solution for your business.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on American Steel Products for your next project.

We provide professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety.

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Casting re-melts the alloyed material and converts the alloy while in the liquid state to a cast strip or rod. Alloys are often preferred over single element metals, particularly for solder preforms, because of their different melting points, specific conductivity attributes or improved thermal expansion values.

The casting process requires a starting bar for the liquidus metal to cling to; once the starting bar is in place, it slowly draws the liquidus metal through a die to form cast strip or rod with the proper cross sectional dimensions. The result is a uniform bar or rod ready for subsequent processing. Prior to the introduction of Continuous Casting in the 1950s, steel was poured into stationary molds to form “ingots”. Since then, “continuous casting” has evolved to achieve improved yield, quality, productivity and cost efficiency.

The casting process is comprised of the following sections:

• A tundish, located above the mold to feed liquid steel to the mold at a regulated rate
• A primary cooling zone or water-cooled copper mold through which the steel is fed from the tundish, to generate a solidified outer shell sufficiently strong enough to maintain the strand shape as it passes into the secondary cooling zone
• A secondary cooling zone in association with a containment section positioned below the mold, through which the still mostly-liquid strand passes and is sprayed with water or water and air to further solidify the strand
• A severing unit (cutting torch or mechanical shears) to cut the solidified strand into pieces for removal and further processing

We are able to work with your needs to fully integrate the casting rolling mill directly into your line to provide processing of cast strip to coil.  Typically, that line would consist of the casting mill, temper pass mill, flying shear and coiling equipment for take-up of the finished product.

American Steel specializes in buying and selling rolling mills, coil processing, and tube, pipe and metal forming equipment around the world.  We have experience and knowledge that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field to assure that a customer has the right machine to match the job.  Our team is ready to help you with the right solution for your business.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on American Steel Products for your next project.

We provide professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety.

The post Casting Rolling Mills appeared first on American Steel.

Simply put, rolling mills are used to decrease width and increase hardness of the metal. Though there is more to a rolling mill than this simple definition.

In metalworking, rolling is a metal forming process in which metal stock is passed through one or more pairs of rolls to reduce the thickness and to make the thickness uniform. The concept is similar to the rolling of dough. Rolling is classified according to the temperature of the metal rolled. If the temperature of the metal is above its recrystallization temperature, then the process is known as hot rolling. If the temperature of the metal is below its recrystallization temperature, the process is known as cold rolling.

In terms of usage, hot rolling processes more tonnage than any other manufacturing process, and cold rolling processes the most tonnage out of all cold working processes. Roll stands holding pairs of rolls are grouped together into rolling mills that can quickly process metal, typically steel, into products such as structural steel (I-beams, angle stock, channel stock, and so on), bar stock, and rails.

There are major differences between hot rolling and cold rolling. Hot rolling is more pliable and the surface is not shiny.  Cold rolling is worked under high intensity and offers a harder finished product that has a shiny surface.

There are many types of rolling processes, including ring rolling, roll bending, roll forming, profile rolling, and controlled rolling.

We typically have a few select pieces of machinery available for purchase or we can search the marketplace for the piece of equipment that best suits your needs. Our team is ready to help you with the right solution for your business.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on us for your next project.

We provide professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety and the experience that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field.

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There are two different types of roll forming machines, Pre-Cut and Post Cut. There are advantages as well as disadvantages to both.

Pre-cut advantages:

• Eliminates expensive cut-off dies and their maintenance
• Buff-free ends
• Simple low-maintenance pre-cut shear
• Ability to hand-feed strips or sheets for low-volume production
• In roofing and wall panel products, pre-cut avoids cut-off distortion because running different gauges and yield with the same roll tooling affects the final shape which may not match the blade even though it is within tolerances

Pre-cut disadvantages:

• Possibility of increased end flare, especially in deeper parts
• Higher strength steels present a larger challenge
• Requires more forming stations making the roll former and tooling more expensive
• Generally requires more floor space
• Shorter parts are more of a challenge and can introduce part quality issues
• Difficult multi-bend parts can be a problem in terms of quality
• Pre-cut may require intermediate guides, especially when running short pieces. Adjusting these guides becomes problematic with multiple width guides

Post-Cut Pros

• Production rate is higher with post-cut
• Better part control in terms of quality
• Reduces end flare considerably-end flare can be controlled
• Better results for high-strength steels such as dual phase and martensitic steels
• Lengths as short as 2-3 inches can be produced
• End straighteners are most effective in post-cut, controlling bow, camber and twist
• No leading edge deformation of the part in post-cut
• Better roll life in post-cut when running heavy gauge and high-strength material because the leading edge in pre-cut hits the rolls with every part
• Friendlier to material deviation in terms of gauge and hardness
• Ability to provide punching/notching during the cut-off operation, possibly eliminating one or more secondary operations

Post-Cut Cons

• Expensive cut-off press and die
• Maintenance costs, especially for the cut-off die
• End burr resulting in rough end
• Distortion on product end
• May require manual feeding of leading end of first part upon introduction of a new coil
• In many cases, all surfaces must be supported in order to avoid end distortion. This is not always possible due to inability to build robust die sections into the die OR the need to leave an opening in a practically close space

The above information is a good guide when deciding how best to address your roll forming needs.  Our team of experts are available to help you find the right equipment to fit your specific needs.

With over 60 years of experience and a real focus on customer satisfaction, you can rely on ASP for your next project. We provide a professional renovation and installation services with a real focus on customer satisfaction. We have proven results for setting exceptional standards in cost control, planning, scheduling and project safety. We have experience that gives us a competitive advantage over others in our field.

The post How To Choose A Roll Former appeared first on American Steel.

Three-high rolling mills are also used to reduce costs for high reductions for expanded metals because large roll bend is possible with one of the work rolls.  Three-high mills can also be used as a low cost skin pass mill and put into a cut-to-length or slitting line.

Reducing Coil-to-Coil

Theoretically, if you create enough tension to overcome the yield strength of the material within the uncoiler and recoiler tension reels, you can reduce the thickness without a rolling mill.  If you apply a rolling mill with substantial tension input and output and hold the thickness accurately, you can make substantial reductions with a minimum amount of separating force.  Using a tandem mill, tension can be created in between many stands by going from the first rolling mill to the second rolling mill.  Each rolling mill inline creates tension at the next mill.  Tension is not only used to reduce the separating force, but it is also very important in tracking the material through the mill. Without tension, the material with not go through the rolling mill straight and true.

Read about 2-high Rolling Mills and 6-high Rolling Mills.

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Roll Bend

Depending upon the amount of reduction, rolls are already crowned to take care of some deflection of the roll.  Roll bend is used to adjust the roll shape and can be positive concave or negative convex to remove center buckle or stretched edges.  Sometimes, roll bend is accomplished with hydraulic cylinders that are offset with the main centerline bearings, which allows the roll to bend one way or the other, usually with hydraulic cylinders located within the bearing blocks or chocks.  Small hydraulic cylinders can operate at pressures up to 10,000 PSI to bend the rolls.

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