H-shape metallic material rolling process

A process for hot rolling of an H-shape metallic material from a workpiece of rectangular cross section comprising:

• feeding the workpiece, with its broader sides extending horizontally, into vertical roll stand means,
• reducing the workpiece in the width direction thereof while wedgewise knifing the opposed sides thereof by the vertical roll stand means including rolls formed with a first pair of grooves each having a wedge-shaped projection formed at the bottom thereof to perform the function of knifing the side edge portion thereof by freeing the top and bottom surfaces corresponding to the web portion thereof from the reduction, so that the portion of the workpiece corresponding to the flange thereof is deformed by spreading the side of the wedge-shaped depressed portion thereof along the contour of the grooves,
• reducing the workpiece in the width direction thereof while spreading the wedge-shaped depressed side edge portion thereof by the vertical roll stand means including rolls formed with a second pair of grooves each having a wedge-shaped projection which is more obtuse than the projection formed in the first pair of grooves at the bottom to perform the function of reducing by freeing the top and bottom surfaces corresponding to the web portion of the workpiece from the reduction, so that the portion of the workpiece corresponding to the flange is deformed by spreading the side of the wedge-shaped depressed portion thereof along the contour of the grooves;
• and
• subsequently vertically reducing the web portion of the workpiece by horizontal rolls in universal rolling mills, and meanwhile transversely reducing the flange portions of the workpiece by vertical rolls in the universal rolling mills.