Principle characteristics of steel: structure of metals; metallurgical characteristics of steel; chemical compositions of steel; classification of steel; physical properties of steel products; metallurgical factors controlling the properties of steels. Deformation of steel: microscopic and macroscopic plasticity; analysis of workpiece deformation; resistance to deformation in hot rolling; roll force and torque in flat rolling; friction and lubrication in rolling. Metallurgical aspects of hot rolling process: heat transfer in hot rolling; structural changes in steel during hot rolling; thermomechanical treatment combined with rolling; metallurgical defects in cast slabs and hot rolled products. Rolling mills for flat products: types of rolling mills; optimisation and modernisation of hot strip mills. Geometry of flat rolled products: definition of geometrical parameters of rolled products; standard dimensional tolerance; statistical and analytical dimensional tolerance. Gauge control: principles of measurement of rolling parameters; causes of gauge variation; gauge control sensors an actuators; automatic gauge control systems. Width control: basic principles of width change; width change by rolling and pressing; optimisation and control of width change process. Profile and flatness control: strip profile and flatness analysis; roll thermal expansion and wear; backup rolls with specific profiles; roll deformation and displacement systems; strip profile and flatness control systems.