The rolling process uses rollers to manipulate the thickness of the workpiece. Pairs of rollers are used within the rolling process - one positioned above the workpiece and the other below. When the workpiece is passed through the rollers, it is flattened to the required thickness.
Both hot and cold rolling processes can be used. Hot rolling is usually used to manufacture sheet metal itself, whilst cold rolling is a popular choice for increasing the strength of a material. Rolling is suitable for use with many materials such as steel, iron, copper, aluminium and magnesium.
For high-volume requirements, rolling is a cost-effective way to reduce the thickness of a workpiece, whilst also increasing its strength. However, it can result in some surface defects, meaning that secondary operations may be required.