Abstract: To determine the parameters such as input power, heating current, samples' temperature distribution, and their variations the resistance heating process of cold-rolled strip samples was investigated on the electric and thermal theories in combination with FEM. For the samples with definite size, the maximum output power, voltage and current of the transformer used are determined as 150 kW, 24 V and 10 kA, respectively. It was found that in the heating process, the input power mainly plays the role to increase the sample temperature and compensate for the energy loss due to thermal radiation, while the energy loss due to convection and conduction is negligible. When heating at a constant rate, the heating current required in the low and high temperature sections is higher than that in the intermediate section. The sample temperature field presents a trapezoidal distribution, i.e., high at the middle but low at both ends under the conductive influence of a pair of water-cooled clampers which tightly clamp the samples.