What is the difference between work rolls and support rolls?

2025-08-15 14:15:59

The work roll and support roll are two very important components in rolling equipment such as steel rolling. They have many differences in function, structure, working environment, and application scenarios, as follows:

Working environment and stress situation

Work roll: The working environment is relatively harsh, directly in contact with high-temperature and high-pressure metal materials. During the rolling process, it not only has to withstand huge rolling forces, but also frictional and impact forces caused by metal material deformation. At the same time, it is also affected by thermal stress. The working conditions are complex, and high performance requirements are placed on its strength, wear resistance, and heat resistance.

Support roll: It mainly bears the rolling force transmitted from the work roll, and the force is relatively simple, but the load is usually large. Its working environment is relatively better than that of the work roller, and it generally does not come into direct contact with high-temperature metal materials. However, it needs to maintain stable support under long-term heavy load, and has high requirements for its load-bearing capacity and rigidity.

structural characteristics

Work roll: usually with a relatively small diameter, the surface requires high hardness and smoothness to ensure good contact and friction with metal materials, achieving efficient rolling. At the same time, in order to meet different rolling process requirements, the surface of the work roll may have different shapes and patterns, such as flat rolls used for rolling flat materials, groove rolls used for rolling steel sections, etc.

Support roll: The diameter is generally much larger than that of the working roll, in order to provide sufficient support area and stiffness to withstand larger rolling forces. Its structure is relatively simple, generally cylindrical, with high surface hardness, but the requirement for smoothness is relatively low compared to the work roll.

function and role

Work roll: directly in contact with the metal material being rolled, its main function is to apply rolling force to the metal material through its own rotation and friction with the metal material, causing plastic deformation of the metal material, thereby achieving the purpose of changing the shape, size, and properties of the metal material, such as rolling thick plates into thin plates, further rolling rough rolled steel into finished products that meet precision requirements, etc.

Support roll: It does not directly contact the metal material being rolled, and its main function is to support the working roll, bear various loads such as rolling force that the working roll is subjected to during the rolling process, prevent excessive deformation of the working roll under the action of rolling force, ensure stable rolling operation of the working roll, and ensure the accuracy and quality of the rolling process.

Application scenarios

Work rolls: According to different rolling processes and product requirements, there are various types and specifications of work rolls, which are widely used in various steel rolling production lines, such as hot-rolled strip production lines, cold-rolled strip production lines, section steel production lines, pipe production lines, etc. Different production lines will choose suitable work rolls according to specific rolling tasks.

Support Roller: mainly used in situations that require high-precision rolling and large rolling force, such as large hot-rolled plate plants, cold-rolled plate plants, etc. In some small-scale rolling equipment or situations where rolling accuracy is not required, it may not be necessary to use support rollers, or relatively simple support structures may be used to assist the working rollers in rolling.