Aida2011:
I doubt that there is anyone cold rolling 8" thick plate for PV’s. It is a question of the size, roll diameters and the power of the rolling machine. But, irrespective of that, there is some limit to the amount of elastic stretch the outer fibers of a thick plate can tolerate without starting to crack and the like. And, the thicker the plate, the more stretching (strain, then strain and work hardening) occurs out at the outer fibers to achieve the yielding needed near the neutral axis of the plate, to achieve the final rolled shape. I suspect most people are hot rolling plate much over 4 or 5" thick.