Generally three different kinds of rolling processes are used. The old standard process is hot rolling at high final temperatures followed by heat treatment. More modern processes are normalising and thermomechanical rolling. All rolling processes require a uniformly heated slab when leaving the furnace.

Normalising rolling aims at a fine-grain structure. This is achieved by deformation in two steps both above the recrystallisation stop temperature. The first step, called roughing, is carried out at high temperatures in order to minimise the rolling forces.

After a certain holding time the final deformation takes place at a specific temperature. Thus a fine-grain structure is obtained, comparable to a material in normalised condition. The plate is cooled in still air.

This rolling process is used for structural steels, plates for pressure vessels and shipbuilding. Because of the fine grain structure a subsequent heat treatment is only required for special applications.