A modular rolling train, particularly a hot rolling train, preferably in conjunction with an upstream casting facility, and a method for operating a modular rolling train are described. The rolling train is standardized and modularized by dividing the rolling train into discrete units n and by modularization of the discrete units. The rolling train can be flexibly adapted to new requirements by exchanging a module.

A modular rolling train, particularly a hot rolling train, preferably in conjunction with an upstream casting facility, and a method for operating a modular rolling train are described. The rolling train is standardized and modularized by dividing the rolling train into discrete units n and by modularization of the discrete units. The rolling train can be flexibly adapted to new requirements by exchanging a module.

Rolling method for the production of flat products with low productivity, which includes a continuous casting step at a speed between 3.5 m/min and 6 m/min of a thin slab with a thickness between 25 and 50 mm. It also includes a roughing step to reduce the thickness in at least one roughing stand to a value between 6 mm and 40 mm, and suitable for winding, a rapid heating step by means of induction in order to at least restore the temperature lost in the segment downstream of casting and in the roughing step, a winding/unwinding step in a winding/unwinding device with two mandrels. The method also includes a rolling step in a rolling unit that consists of a single reversing stand of the Steckel type to roll the product unwound by the winding/unwinding device.

Rolling method for the production of flat products with low productivity, which includes a continuous casting step at a speed between 3.5 m/min and 6 m/min of a thin slab with a thickness between 25 and 50 mm. It also includes a roughing step to reduce the thickness in at least one roughing stand to a value between 6 mm and 40 mm, and suitable for winding, a rapid heating step by means of induction in order to at least restore the temperature lost in the segment downstream of casting and in the roughing step, a winding/unwinding step in a winding/unwinding device with two mandrels. The method also includes a rolling step in a rolling unit that consists of a single reversing stand of the Steckel type to roll the product unwound by the winding/unwinding device.

A method for producing long metal products includes the steps of receiving long intermediate products traveling on respective continuous casting lines, to an exit area, and subsequently introducing products from the exit area into a production plant having known layout parameters; the production plant has a rolling mill for rolling the products; interconnected production lines between the exit area of the casting machine and the rolling mill, the production lines define production paths or routes; and a first and a second heating devices. The method associates a mathematical model to the production plant for dynamically calculating a reference value, or Global Heating Cost Index, correlated to heating devices; automatically determining for the intermediate products the production path or route that minimizes the reference value, or Global Heating Cost Index; and eventually automatically routing each of the products along the determined production path which minimizes the reference value, or Global Heating Cost Index.

Continuous casting equipment includes a casting product reduction apparatus and a casting product drawing apparatus, the casting product reduction apparatus including a pair of casting product reduction rolls that sandwich and apply pressure to a casting product and being configured to apply reduction to the casting product, the casting product drawing apparatus being provided in a following stage of the casting product reduction apparatus and configured to sandwich and draw the casting product with a pair of casting product drawing rolls. At least one of the pair of casting product reduction rolls includes a large-diameter part that projects radially outward in an axial-direction center region and applies pressure to a width-direction center region of the casting product. The casting product that is subjected to reduction by the casting product reduction apparatus has a depressed part corresponding to the large-diameter part. At least one of the pair of casting product drawing rolls of the casting product drawing apparatus includes a depressed part supporting part that contacts with and supports the depressed part, and is driven by a driving mechanism. An axial-direction length L.sub.2 of the depressed part supporting part and an axial-direction length L.sub.1 of the large-diameter part of the casting product reduction roll satisfy 0.5×L.sub.1≦L.sub.2<L.sub.1.

A method for altering the width of a strip-shaped rolled material (5), before, during or after hot rolling the rolled material in a hot rolling mill. The problem is to specify a method for altering width so that the length of a rolled out transition piece lying outside width tolerances can be reduced. Scrap losses are to be reduced. The crown of at least one working roll and/or at least one backing roll of a stand (7) is set as a function of a width error e=B−B between a setpoint width B.sub.setp and the width B of the rolled material (5), wherein the crown is increased when e>0 and the crown is reduced when e<0. AA R.sub.crown BB B.sub.setp.

A method for altering the width of a strip-shaped rolled material (5), before, during or after hot rolling the rolled material in a hot rolling mill. The problem is to specify a method for altering width so that the length of a rolled out transition piece lying outside width tolerances can be reduced. Scrap losses are to be reduced. The crown of at least one working roll and/or at least one backing roll of a stand (7) is set as a function of a width error e=B−B between a setpoint width B.sub.setp and the width B of the rolled material (5), wherein the crown is increased when e>0 and the crown is reduced when e<0. AA R.sub.crown BB B.sub.setp.

A casting-rolling integrated plant that is capable of producing, from a steel melt, in a cost-effective manner and with high productivity, a hot-rolled finished strip having a thickness of ≤0.6 mm, an excellent flatness, and an excellent profile by dividing the thickness reduction into at least three stages (roughing, intermediate and finishing train), measuring the actual profile after the roughing, intermediate and finishing train, and equipping the stands in the roughing, intermediate and finishing train with actuators for influencing the strip profile and/or the strip flatness.

A casting-rolling integrated plant that is capable of producing, from a steel melt, in a cost-effective manner and with high productivity, a hot-rolled finished strip having a thickness of ≤0.6 mm, an excellent flatness, and an excellent profile by dividing the thickness reduction into at least three stages (roughing, intermediate and finishing train), measuring the actual profile after the roughing, intermediate and finishing train, and equipping the stands in the roughing, intermediate and finishing train with actuators for influencing the strip profile and/or the strip flatness.