Rolling is a plastic deformation process in which the material circulates continuously and in a preferred direction, through cylinders that generate compression forces. Lamination is applied both hot and cold.

Hot rolling is usually the first stage of the process of transforming molten materials into finished products, and large section reductions can occur. It is important that the entire mass of metal is heated uniformly to the desired temperature before undergoing deformation, as cracking and breaking problems can occur. The most common finished products by hot rolling are: sheets, bars, straps and rounds that will later be used in cold forming or machining operations.

Cold rolling can obtain fully finished parts with excellent finish and mechanical characteristics. In this case, large reductions in the section cannot occur.

Rolling processes are generally carried out in a rolling mill, that is, various roller units that, chained one after another, form the final piece. They are classified as follows:

In profile rolling contours are generated in the cross section. The products produced by this procedure have an I-shaped, L-shaped, double-T profile, and U-shaped channels. The process is carried out by passing the work material through rollers that have the reverse side printed in the desired shape.

The principles that apply to flat rolling can be applied to profile rolling. The initial material, generally square in shape, requires a gradual transformation through several rollers to reach the final section. The design of the sequence of the intermediate forms and the corresponding rolls is called rolling pass design, its goal is to achieve uniform deformation across the cross sections of each reduction. Otherwise certain portions of work are reduced more than others, causing greater elongation in these sections. The consequences of non-uniform reduction can be twisting and cracking of the material. Horizontal and vertical rollers are used to achieve consistent reduction of work material.