Abstract: A workpiece is advanced through a succession of universal roll stands each having a pair of rotatably positively driven horizontal rolls engaging horizontal surfaces of the workpiece and a pair of idling vertical rolls engaging vertical surfaces of the workpiece and normally only rotationally entrained by engagement with the advancing workpiece. The roll stand is controlled by detecting the peripheral speeds of the vertical rolls and generating outputs corresponding thereto and then comparing the outputs to set points and generating error signals corresponding to the difference. The peripheral speed and position of the horizontal rolls are detected to establish same as operating characteristics. Finally the peripheral speeds of the vertical rolls are varied in accordance with the respective differences by varying at least one of the operating characteristics.