In a reheating furnace, the input materials from the continuous caster (slabs, blooms or billets) are first heated to a temperature above the recrystallization temperature. Reheating furnaces can be designed as awalking beam, pusher-type or rotary hearth furnaces. In the walking beam furnace presented here, a hydraulically operated walking beam system transports the billets through the furnace at a constant speed applying a lift and feed motion.