Flexible cold rolling mill and method for converting the same

A flexible method of converting a reversible rolling mill having at least one rolling stand erected on first civil works foundations with a first production capacity into an upgraded rolling mill having more than one rolling stand with a second production capacity higher than the first production capacity, the method comprising:

• providing a reversible rolling mill comprising:
• at least one previously existing rolling stand erected on a first civil works;
• an uncoiling device or pay-off reel and a first recoiling device or entry tension reel on a first side or entry side of a previously existing rolling stand;
• a second recoiling device or delivery tension reel on a second side or delivery side of a previously existing rolling stand;
• and
• operation equipment for operation and control of the reversible rolling mill, the operation equipment comprising a roll coolant tank, pumps, filters, heat exchangers and piping to the previously existing stand, electrics and automation systems, a hydraulic power pack and valves, gearboxes, a gearbox lubrication system, spot welding machines, shearing machines, roll change cars, threading equipment, belt wrappers and coil extraction machines;
• in shadow time during operation of the reversible rolling mill:
• providing new second civil works foundations, or utilizing already existing unused second civil works foundations, the second civil works foundations being located in line with the reversible rolling mill next to the delivery side of a previously existing rolling stand and specifically configured for installing at least one additional rolling stand;
• installing at least one additional rolling stand on the second civil works foundations;
• providing an exclusive delivery side corresponding to the entry side of a previously existing rolling stand;
• providing an exclusive entry side located on a same side as the delivery side of a previously existing rolling stand, the entry tension reel becoming a delivery tension reel only so that the rolling operation is done in one pass only and the rolling mill is not reversible,
• extending existing operation equipment to the additional rolling stand or installing additional operation equipment for operation and control of the previously existing rolling stand and the additional rolling stands to obtain the upgraded rolling mill, and
• performing at least partial check-up and/or cold commissioning of the operation equipment.