Abstract: A method of producing a ferritic stainless steel strip having reduced intra-face anisotropy as well as excellent r value and anti-ridging characteristics. The method involves subjecting a ferritic stainless steel slab to a hot rolling step including rough rolling having at least one rough rolling pass and a finish rolling having at least one finish rolling pass, followed by a hot-rolled sheet annealing, pickling, cold rolling and finish annealing. At least one of the passes in the rough rolling is conducted with the rolling temperature between about 970.degree. C. to about 1150.degree. C., the friction coefficient between the rolls and the rolled material of about 0.3 or less, and the rolling reduction ratio between about 40 to about 75%.

Abstract: A method of controlling the operation of a cross helical rolling mill. The cross helical rolling mill has a pair of work rolls arranged at respective predetermined lead angles, and a pair of power-driven drive roller shoes arranged obliquely at predetermined lead angles on both sides of the rolling region formed between both work rolls. The method comprises controlling the rotation speed of each of the drive roller shoes in synchronism with the speed of rotation of the rolled material such that the difference in the peripheral speed between each of the drive roller shoe and the rolled material falls within a predetermined range, and, simultaneously with the control of the speed, controlling the driving torque applied to each of the drive roller shoes.