Most rebar starts as recycled steel scrap. This scrap is melted in an electric arc furnace (EAF), where high-current arcs between graphite electrodes generate temperatures above 1,600°C. Oxygen is injected to remove impurities such as carbon, silicon, and phosphorus, while slag-forming agents bind unwanted elements so they can be separated. The molten steel is then refined to achieve a target composition. Small adjustments in carbon, manganese, and microalloying elements like vanadium or niobium influence yield strength, ductility, and weldability. Once chemistry is verified, the steel is continuously cast into billets—semi-finished rectangular sections that solidify under controlled cooling. Billets are reheated to roughly 1,100–1,250°C and fed into a rolling mill. Here, they pass through a sequence of rollers that progressively reduce cross-section and elongate the material into long bars. The final rolling stands imprint the characteristic ribbed pattern, which increases mechanica...