The input stock from the casting plant or hot rolling mill is up to 16.0 mm thick and wound into loose coils with variable inner diameters. To handle the large strip gauge variations, the entry and exit stations consist of a combined payoff gear and payoff drum with various reel diameters. The reversing cold mill is a 4-high type. Crucial here is that the thick, relatively short strip goes into the closed roll gap so it is completely rolled from end to end before emerging. Then it is re-threaded for the reverse pass.