NORTH AMERICAN PICKLE LINE MARKET SURVEY. Final Questionnaire (All Sponsors)

Transcription

1 NORTH AMERICAN Final Questionnaire (All Sponsors) I. PLANT IDENTITY: A. Name of Company: B. Plant Location: C. Pickle Line Designation: D. General Phone #: II. PROSPECT ANALYSIS (Based upon AIM s opinion after completing the interview): A. Is this plant a prospect for a Pickle Line project? YES / NO 1. Candidate: Hot Good Poor 2. Action: Present Future B. Best Application: C. Comment: III. CONTACTS A. Name: Date: Title: Phone: Address: FAX: City/State/Zip: B. Name: Date: Title: Phone: Address: FAX: City/State/Zip: C. Name: Date: Title: Phone: D. Name: Date: Title: Phone: E. Name: Date: Title: Phone: February 4, 2004 Page 1

2 IV. CHARACTERIZING THE PICKLING PRODUCER A. This plant is an: Integrated Steel Producer Minimill Steel Producer Outside Processor Specialty Steel Producer Service Center Toll Processor Other, B. Describe pickle line facilities at this location using the following table: Type of Facility 1.Total Number of Lines 2.Coupled to Cold Mill a. Continuous Pickle Line b. Push- Pull c. Anneal-Pickle d. Cut-to-length XXXXXXXXX e. Slitting XXXXXXXXX f. Coating XXXXXXXXX g. Other types, specify: 1. Comment: C. Characterize this Pickle Line: Designation: 1.No. of Tanks 1.Length of Tanks (ft) 2. Shallow/ Non- Shallow (S/NS) 3. Acid application methodology* 4. Total Length * T Turbulent counter flow * O - Other, specify: 1. Is the strip shot blasted prior to pickling? YES / NO 2. Is a skin pass mill installed before the pickling tanks? YES / NO 3. Is Scale Breaker/Tension Leveller located before pickling tanks? YES / NO 4 Is the skin pass mill or scale breaker Wet or Dry? 5. Does this pickle line have Strip Edge Trimming? YES / NO a. What share of line capacity is typically edge trimmed? % b. What width is typically trimmed? Minimum: Maximum: c. Is the strip edge trimming that is now in place adequate? YES / NO 6. Does this pickle line have strip oiling? YES / NO a. If Yes, is it adequate? YES / NO February 4, 2004 Page 2

3 7. Does this pickle line utilize tapered tension? YES / NO a. If YES, is it adequate? YES / NO 8. For Push-pull Pickle Lines (only): What kind of tensioning devices are there in the line? Tension Reels (recoilers) Other, a. specify: b. If There is a tension reel, is it a : One two or turret type 9.. Does this pickle line have in-line slitting? YES / NO 10. Does this pickle line have deep-draw or other coating abilities? YES / NO 11. Comment: D. Production of this Pickling Mill: 1. Rated capacity: K tons / year 2. Production : K tons / year 3. Project Production : K tons / year 4. Operating Hours: : Hours/day Days / WK Wks / yr Hours/WK Turns / week 5. Comment: E. Grades / Product Characteristics 1. % Low Carbon (<.08 C) 2. % Medium\High Carbon 3. % HS Low Alloy Steels 4. % Stainless 5. Pickling time and Line Speed by Grades: Steel Grades Specify Grades Pickling Time (sec) Low (<.8 C) Carbon XXXXXXXXXXXXX Medium Carbon HS / LA Stainless Silicon Line Speed (Feet per Min) February 4, 2004 Page 3

4 6. What grade(s) of steel is the most difficult to pickle? a. Time to pickle: seconds or 1b. Line speed for these grades: 2a. Time to pickle: seconds or 2b. Line speed for these grades: 3a. Time to pickle: seconds or 3b. Line speed for these grades: F. Type of acid used: HCl Sulfuric Nitric HFl 1. Are you using Raw Regenerated or Both types of acid? 2. Do you change acid concentrations depending on the grades pickled? YES / NO a. Comment: G. What are pickled product dimensions? 1. Strip Thickness: a. Minimum: b. Maximum: c. Typical: 2. Strip Width: a. Minimum: b. Maximum: c. Typical: 3. PIW: a. Minimum: b. Maximum: c. Typical: 4. Do you vary wet section speed as a function of coil dimensional and mass parameters? YES / NO 5. Do you vary wet section speed as a function of coil steel grades? YES / NO 6. Comment: H. End-product Destinations: 1. Outside Internal Use (Only) Both a. If Outside, indicate if for: Cold Roll Galvanizing Other, specify: b. If Both outside & internal use, indicate percent Outside: % I. Identify major end-use markets for steel pickled product: J. What new products are being considered for production on this Pickle Line? I. Comment: February 4, 2004 Page 4

5 V. THE FUNDAMENTAL PRIORITY A. What are the current fundamental priorities of this Pickle Line operation, or what problem, concern or factor is having the greatest significant impact on your performance? Distribute 10 points as an indication of priority among the following: Increase Productivity Reduce Operating Costs Increase Yield Improve Equipment Reliability Improve Quality (Surface, Shape, Flatness, Gauge Performance) Other, specify: B. What is the relative priority as far as investments in the Pickle Line? Cost Reduction vs Increasing Tonnage? (Distribute 10 pts betweeng these two alternatives!) C. Comment: VI. ASSESSING THE ADEQUACY OF THE EXISTING MILL EQUIPMENT A. Is this Pickle Line or the pickling facilities at this plant adequate for your needs? YES / NO 1. If NO, Indicate PW if your response applies to PW if plant wide: a. What are the major problems, limitations, or concerns with the adequacy of the current Pickling equipment? b. How could the existing pickling equipment be improved? c. Specify what area(s) will be targeted? 2. If YES, What type of operating improvements or equipment upgrades would provide you with the greatest value on each of these mills? B. Will current capacity be sufficient for future needs? YES / NO C. What characteristics of the Hot Band make it difficult to pickle? D. What are the major factors that contribute to poor quality in the pickling operation? Distribute 10 points among the major factors: Coiling HSM Rolled in Scale Condition of Pickle Liquor Time in contact with acid Line stops & Starts due to staining Other, specify; February 4, 2004 Page 5

6 D. Comment: VII. FEEDSTOCK REQUIREMENT A. Do you presently buy Hot band from outside your company? Yes / No B. Do you expect this to change in the next 3-5 years? YES / No C. What are your key markets (for your pickled steel products)? D. What is your biggest concern for the supply of steel feedstock for pickling over the next 3-5 years? E. What processing or other technologies investments do you expect will be required for you to remain cost/quality competitive in your markets served? F. What is your source of feedstock for your pickling operations? _ In-house Open market purchase (1. US, Imports, or Both) or Combination VIII. ENVIRONMENTAL A. Are there any environmental issues with regard to this pickle line operation? YES/NO 1. If YES, waste acid, waste water Water consumption air quality Other, specify: 2. Comment: B. Do you have your own acid regeneration plant? YES / NO 1. If NO, is this planned or being considered? YES / NO C. Comment: February 4, 2004 Page 6

7 IX. MILL EQUIPMENT COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS A. Who are the leading firms you would consider as suppliers of Pickling line equipment systems? B. How would you rate these suppliers? (on a scale of 0-10) Supplier Factor Supplier #1 Supplier #2 Supplier #3 Supplier Track Record Price System Engineering Technical Support C. Comments: X. Pickle Line Automation & Control A. Is the present level of Pickle Line automation adequate for your needs? YES / NO 1. If it is not adequate, what aspect or problems are related to drives and automation? Insufficient operational visibility Maintenance Reliability Productivity System is inflexible\ Not integrated Other, specify: 2. To what extent will addressing these problems involve new or upgraded drives and/or automation? B. Who are the present suppliers for hardware and/or engineering services for your pickle line drives and process automation control systems? C. How would you rate these suppliers? (on a scale of 0-10) Supplier Factor Supplier #1 Supplier #2 Supplier #3 Track Record Price System Engineering Technical Support February 4, 2004 Page 7

8 D. Are you completely satisfied with their performance? YES / NO 1. If Not, where do they fall short? E. When (what year) was the present system commissioned (or last major upgrade)? F. Are there any plans (P) or considerations (C ) to replace, install new, or upgrade any drives, control or automation for pickling or any other related lines such as slitting or cutto-length lines at this facility? YES / NO If YES, describe plans in table below: 1.Type* 2.N-New, or U-Upgrade 3.Scope** P- Planned or C - Considered 4.Approx Value 5.Is Money Allocate d? Yes / No 6.Year of Order *CP = Cont Pickle Line; PP = Push-Pull.; PA Pickle Anneal S Slitting CTL Cut-to Length O other,( specify) G. Comment: February 4, 2004 Page 8

9 XI. MILL MAINTENANCE A. How would you characterize your current maintenance program? Very Good, Good, Adequate, or Inadequate B. Could your Pickle Line maintenance program be improve? YES / NO 1. How? C. 1. What is the availability of your line excluding scheduled outages, roll changes, and so on? % a. Which area you think to improve? _Mechanical _Electrical _Operational b. Please describe 2. Describe the scheduled Pickle Line outages: Scheduled: Number of: a. Weekly Hours b. Monthly Days c. Yearly Days d. Other, specify: D. What is your estimated annual maintenance cost for the pickle line? Indicate any of the following: 1. Total annual cost: $ 2. Total annual cost range: $ XXX $ XXX $ XXX $XXX 3. Cost per ton: $ per ton E. Are you having any problems with your rolls? YES / NO a. If YES, Life Sourcing Other, specify: F. Is your Pickle Line (OEM) supplier involved in your maintenance program? YES / NO G. Distribute 10 points among the leading components of pickle line maintenance costs: XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX Other, specify: H. Comment: February 4, 2004 Page 9

10 XII. ACID PUMPS A. On a scale from 1 5 rate your satisfaction with the current pickling pumps. (1=very dissatisfied, 2= somewhat dissatisfied, 3=neutral, 4=somewhat satisfied, 5=very satisfied) B. How many pickling pumps including spares do you have? C. Indicate pump brand/manufacturer: 1.. What type of seal arrangement do these acid pumps have? single double/tandem sealless other, specify: 2. Is a seal flush used? Yes / No D. List the top three primary causes of our pickling pump failures: 1. a. Comments: 2. a. Comments: 3. a. Comments: E. Do you use caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) scrubbers for fumes? YES / NO 1. If YES, indicate pump brand/manufacturer: 2. What type of seal arrangement do these acid pumps have? F. Have you heard of sealless pickling pumps? YES / NO a. If YES, what brand(s) are you familiar with and what are/were your impressions of these pumps? Sealless Pump Brands a. (1) b. (1) c. (1) Impressions or Opinions G. Who(m) makes the purchasing decisions for pickling line pump replacement? 1. Name: Title: Phone: - H. Comment: February 4, 2004 Page 10

11 XIII. PICKLING ACID RECOVERY A. How many pounds of Acid do you use for this line? per ton of steel B. Cost: $ per Lb. C. Strip time in Acid? Seconds D. Do you use a scale breaker? Yes / No E. Pickling and rinse additives (inhibitors, accelerators, rinse aids) used and cost per ton of steel pickled: * Gen l F n: P Pickling R Rinse **Spec. purpose: I Inhibitor A Accelerator RA Rinse aids Type of Additive P or R* I, A, RA ** Cost ($ / Ton) F. Comment: February 4, 2004 Page 11

12 XIV. HEATING IN PICKLING OPERATION A. Heating Method: Direct Steam Injection Heat exchangers Is the pickling line heating system adequate? YES / NO B. Is the pickling line heating system adequate? YES / NO If not adequate, how could it be improved? C. If Heating Method is Heat exchangers. 1. Where are they located: Outside or Inside 2. What type of heat exchangers are there on this line? 3. Have you ever had acid leaking through the heater seals? YES / NO If YES, a. What was the consequence? b. Were tubes destroyed? YES / NO c. Is this a concern at present? YES / NO d. Comment: D. If Heating Method is Direct Steam Injection. 1. What is feed water to Boiler temperature: degrees F 2. What is condensate returned water temperature: degrees F E. If you had a capability to preheat the strip to bath temperature prior to the pickling tank, what benefit would you foresee? Surface Quality Improvement Reduced Acid consumption Less maintenance Improved environmental issues Other, specify: F. Pickle tank temperature: degrees F G. Are you experiencing or anticipating an increase in Natural Gas price? YES / NO 1. If Yes % in 2004/5 H. Comment: February 4, 2004 Page 12

13 XV. PLANS TO ADD OR UPGRADE PICKLING EQUIPMENT A. Are there any plans to replace, install new, or upgrade any Pickling or related lines at this facility? YES / NO 1. If YES, describe plans in table below: Type* N-New, or U-Upgrade Scope Approx. Value Is Money Allocated Yes / No Year of Order *CP = Cont Pickle Line; PP = Push-Pull.; PA Pickle Anneal S Slitting CTL Cut-to Length O other,( specify) 2. Is there any interest or discussion about coupling a pickling line with a coating process in this plant? YES / NO 3. Are you exploring any new pickling technology? YES / NO B. Comment: XVI. PICKLE LINE EQUIPMENT DECISION CRITERIA A. Who are the key decision makers that are involved in the specification and selection of an outside supplier pickling line projects? Name: Title: Name: Title: B. If different decision makers are involved for Automation & Process Control for Pickle Line Projects: Name: Title: Name: Title: C. What is the most important factors in selection of a mill or process system supplier for these projects? (Distribute 10 Points among Top 3) Track Record Price Engineering Design Technical Support Other, specify: D. Comments: February 4, 2004 Page 13