Articles

Rolling is a key industrial process in metalworking, used to reduce the thickness of a semi-finished product through the action of counter-rotating rolls. This method is widely applied across various sectors, including the production of sheets and profiles from metals such as steel, aluminum alloys, copper, and its alloys.

Rolling Techniques

There are two main types of rolling:

• Hot rolling: performed at high temperatures, allowing greater material deformability and improving the metal's microstructure through the process of recrystallization.
• Cold rolling: used to achieve more precise surface finishes and enhance the material’s mechanical properties, further reducing thickness after an initial hot rolling stage.

Both processes can be applied to different materials—including steel and aluminum—and result in a wide variety of semi-finished products such as special profiles, beams, and strips.

Rolling Lubricants

A crucial aspect of the rolling process is the use of specialized rolling oils, which are essential to achieving the desired thickness reduction while maintaining high surface quality. Lubricants used in hot rolling, especially for aluminum, must meet several key requirements:

• Excellent thermal resistance: they must perform effectively at high temperatures without degrading.
• Adequate lubrication: they allow thickness reduction without excessive force on the rolling mill and without causing slippage of the material.
• Clean, high-quality surfaces: essential for preventing contamination and ensuring an optimal aesthetic and functional finish.

Today’s most advanced products offer significant advantages, such as reduced sludge and free oil formation, improved finishing conditions, and excellent lubrication to avoid scrap and surface defects.

Innovations and Future Developments

The evolution of rolling lubricants is driven by the need to enhance performance while reducing environmental impact. Research is focused on emulsifiable oil-based lubricants that minimize waste and offer longer operational life, with increasing attention to sustainability.

The rolling sector continues to innovate, constantly seeking more efficient solutions to optimize production processes and meet the demands of an ever-evolving market.