A steel rolling mill is a mechanical equipment used to achieve the metal rolling process. It refers to the equipment that completes the entire process of rolling production, including main equipment, auxiliary equipment, lifting and transportation equipment, and auxiliary equipment. But generally speaking, the rolling mill only refers to the main equipment.

It is said that there were rolling mills in Europe in the 14th century, but it is recorded that Leonardo da Vinci, an Italian, designed a sketch of the rolling mill in 1480. In 1553, the Frenchman Brulier rolled gold and silver plates to make coins. Subsequently, rolling mills emerged successively in Spain, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. The rolling mill designed in 1728 for producing round bars is the one designed in the UK for producing round bars in 1728. In 1766, Britain had a series type small rolling mill. In the mid-19th century, the first reversible sheet metal rolling mill was put into operation in Britain and ship iron plates were rolled. In 1848, Germany invented the universal rolling mill, and in 1853, the United States began using a three roll profile rolling mill (as seen from the side view of the original three roll rolling mill in Figure 2), which was mechanized using a steam engine driven lifting platform. Subsequently, the United States introduced the Lauter mill. The first continuous rolling mill was built in 1859. The universal profile rolling mill emerged in 1872; in the early 20th century, it was made into a semi continuous strip rolling mill consisting of two three roll roughing mills and five four roll finishing mills.

In 1871, China began using rolling mills at the pull iron plant (steel rolling plant) under the Fuzhou Shipbuilding Bureau to roll iron plates with a thickness of less than 15mm and square and round steel with a thickness of 6-120mm. In 1890, the Hanyang Iron Plant of Hanyeping Company was equipped with a horizontal double stand 2450mm two roll medium plate rolling mill driven by a steam engine, a three stand horizontal two roll rail beam rolling mill driven by a steam engine, and a 350/300mm small rolling mill. With the development of metallurgical industry, there are now various types of rolling mills. The main equipment of the rolling mill includes the working base and transmission device.