Apparatus to control and adjust the drawing action in a rolling mill provided with rolling stands through which a product passes. A video monitoring system acquires frames of the product; a processing system that processes the frames and defines a normal rolling range within which the product being rolled must be positioned; identifies the position of the product and its geometric characteristics; and identifies a possible variation of the position of the product being rolled over time based on the analysis of the sequence of frames acquired. An automation system is associated with the rolling mill, configured to receive data relating to the position of the product to determine the continuation of the rolling if the product is correctly positioned in the range, or a variation of the rolling parameters if the position of the product being rolled is able to generate a cobble which is outside of the range.

A refractory metal plate is provided. The plate has a center, a thickness, an edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has a crystallographic texture (as characterized by through thickness gradient, banding severity; and variation across the plate, for each of the texture components 100//ND and 111//ND, which is substantially uniform throughout the plate.

A refractory metal plate is provided. The plate has a center, a thickness, an edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has a crystallographic texture (as characterized by through thickness gradient, banding severity; and variation across the plate, for each of the texture components 100//ND and 111//ND, which is substantially uniform throughout the plate.

A refractory metal plate is provided. The plate has a center, a thickness, an edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has a crystallographic texture (as characterized by through thickness gradient, banding severity; and variation across the plate, for each of the texture components 100//ND and 111//ND, which is substantially uniform throughout the plate.

A refractory metal plate is provided. The plate has a center, a thickness, an edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has a crystallographic texture (as characterized by through, thickness gradient, banding severity; and variation across the plate, for each of the texture components 100//ND and 111//ND, which is substantially uniform throughout the plate.

A refractory metal plate is provided. The plate has a center, a thickness, an edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has a crystallographic texture (as characterized by through, thickness gradient, banding severity; and variation across the plate, for each of the texture components 100//ND and 111//ND, which is substantially uniform throughout the plate.

A contactless looper for a metal substrate includes an entrance, an exit, and at least one deflection device between the entrance and the exit. The contactless looper is configured to receive a metal substrate moving in a processing direction from the entrance to the exit and impart a deflection along the processing direction in a metal substrate such that a position of the metal substrate at the at least one deflection device is vertically offset from a height of the metal substrate at the entrance of the looper. A method of processing a metal substrate with the contactless looper includes receiving the metal substrate at the entrance of the contactless looper along a passline, imparting a deflection in the metal substrate with the looper, and passing the metal substrate out the exit of the contactless looper.

A refractory metal plate is provided. The plate has a center, a thickness, an edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has a crystallographic texture (as characterized by through thickness gradient, banding severity; and variation across the plate, for each of the texture components 100//ND and 111//ND, which is substantially uniform throughout the plate.

A refractory metal plate is provided. The plate has a center, a thickness, an edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and has a crystallographic texture (as characterized by through thickness gradient, banding severity; and variation across the plate, for each of the texture components 100//ND and 111//ND, which is substantially uniform throughout the plate.

Apparatus to control and adjust the drawing action in a rolling mill provided with rolling stands through which a product passes. A video monitoring system acquires frames of the product; a processing system that processes the frames and defines a normal rolling range within which the product being rolled must be positioned; identifies the position of the product and its geometric characteristics; and identifies a possible variation of the position of the product being rolled over time based on the analysis of the sequence of frames acquired. An automation system is associated with the rolling mill, configured to receive data relating to the position of the product to determine the continuation of the rolling if the product is correctly positioned in the range, or a variation of the rolling parameters if the position of the product being rolled is able to generate a cobble which is outside of the range.