The types and manufacturing processes of rolls have continuously developed with the advancement of metallurgical technology and the evolution of rolling equipment. In the Middle Ages, low-strength gray cast iron rolls were used when rolling soft non-ferrous metals. In the mid-18th century, Britain mastered the production technology of cold-hard cast iron rolls used for rolling steel plates. In the second half of the 19th century, the advancement of steelmaking technology in Europe required the rolling of larger tonnage steel ingots, and the strength of both gray cast iron and cold-hard cast iron rolls could no longer meet the requirements. Ordinary cast steel rolls with a carbon content of 0.4%~0.6% were correspondingly born. The emergence of heavy forging equipment further improved the toughness and strength of forged rolls of this composition. In the early 20th century, the use of alloying elements and the introduction of heat treatment significantly improved the wear resistance and toughness of cast steel and forged steel hot and cold rolling rolls. The addition of molybdenum to cast iron rolls used for hot-rolled plates and strips improved the surface quality of the rolled material. The flushing method composite casting significantly improved the core strength of cast rolls.