LEADING AUTOMATION EXPERTISE

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1 LEADING AUTOMATION EXPERTISE In times of increasing complexity for plants and functionality, you want modular yet holistic automation approaches with simple operating philosophies. To obtain highest-quality products. To achieve the best operating results using the most efficient processes. We listen. We learn. We deliver. X-Pact world-leading automation expertise makes your plant fit for the future from energy supply and distribution through drive technology, instruments, and automation to production planning, and last but not the least digitalization. Let s add value along the entire value chain, together. Leading partner in the world of metals newsletter THE SMS GROUP MAGAZINE ISSUE 01 / 2018 newsletter IN FOCUS STRONG PARTNERS During the construction of the world s largest hydraulic drop forging press SMS group has demonstrated great proficiency in the project planning and implementation phase. THE SMS GROUP MAGAZINE ISSUE 01 / 2018 FROM ONE SOURCE SUCCESSFUL PREMIERE BREAKTHROUGH The new steel complex built by Big River Steel features innovative key technology from SMS group. 16 First multi-chamber VIM facility excels in performance at Liberty Speciality Steels. 76 With a view to safe mobility, automotive industry suppliers make use of modern press hardening lines

2 Big River Steel is the first LEED certified steelworks FOCUS PROCESS CHAIN SMS SMS group, group, the the Leading Partner in the in the World World of of Metals: 1,200 1,200 tons tons assembled Otto Otto Fuchs Group has has ordered a a new new hydraulic press press from from SMS SMS group Progress needs needs quality World market leaders bank bank on on pro- products from Schmiedetechnik Plet- Plettenberg. tenberg Everything from from a single a single source All All facilities of of Big Big River River Steel s new new steel steel complex are are built built by by SMS SMS group IRONMAKING PLANTS NLMK NLMK implements PCI PCI technology at four at four blast blast furnaces A PCI A PCI plant plant of of resource-saving Paul Paul FLAT FLAT ROLLING MILLS Production start start nearing rapidly A further A high-tech tandem mill mill has has been added to to the the facilities of of Tianjin Wurth design has has recently been been Tianjin Zhongwang started up. up STRIP PROCESSING LINES AND AND A state-of-the-art A blast blast furnace in 90 in 90 days days Paul Paul Wurth increases capacity of of JSW FURNACE TECHNOLOGY Ten Ten years years of of success in the in the NAFTA region region JSW Steel Steel blast blast furnace in India. in India SMS SMS group has has won won almost percent METALLURGY AND AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY Smart Smart modernization concept Upgrade of of continuous slab slab caster at at AcelorMittal Asturias starting soon. soon Higher availability and and increased safety safety Acciaierie Valbruna S.p.a. S.p.a. issues FAC FAC for for new new torque support of of all all new new orders for for annealing and and galvanizing lines. lines gal- Investigations in own in own test test lab lab SMS SMS group performs process analyses for for the the metallurgical industry Inductive heating of of shaped blanks Volkswagen and and SMS SMS Elotherm develop new new plant plant concept First First multi-chamber VIM VIM plant plant proves highly highly successful New New plant plant installed in in Stocksbridge fulfillfills all all existing customer approvals. 76 ful SMS SMS group group newsletter

3 In times of increasing complexity for plants and functionality, you want modular yet holistic automation approaches with simple operating philosophies. To obtain highest-quality products. To achieve the best operating results using the most efficient processes. We listen. We learn. We deliver. X-Pact world-leading automation expertise makes your plant fit for the future from energy supply and distribution through drive technology, instruments, and automation to production planning, and last but not the least digitalization. Let s add value along the entire value chain, together. Leading partner in the world of metals Automation Expertise.indd :12 IN FOCUS During the construction of the world s largest hydraulic drop forging press SMS group has demonstrated great proficiency in the project planning and implementation phase. FROM ONE SOURCE The new steel complex built by Big River Steel features innovative key technology from SMS group. 16 THE SMS GROUP MAGAZINE ISSUE 01 / 2018 SUCCESSFUL PREMIERE First multi-chamber VIM facility excels in performance at Liberty Speciality Steels. 76 BREAKTHROUGH With a view to safe mobility, automotive industry suppliers make use of modern press hardening lines STANDARDS LONG PRODUCT PLANTS Doubling of annual capacity Global Pipe Company invests in key equipment for new manufacturing line. 111 Eco-friendly and cost-effective Heat treatment line and hot tube straightener for voestalpine Tubulars. 112 FORGING TECHNOLOGY Improved casting quality, higher availability New casting machine of leaf-spring design provides key advantages. 114 Production increase by 50 percent Alba orders homogenizing equipment from Hertwich Engineering GmbH. 121 ELECTRICS AND AUTOMATION Looking forward to start of production Plug & Work integration test was demonstrated to MMPZ-group. 122 Future-oriented software architecture New automation solutions for hot and cold-rolling mills. 124 TECHNICAL SERVICE Delivery ahead of schedule Complete special tool for tube and pipe production was shipped to Brazil ahead of schedule. 127 Repair instead of replacing saves money Overhauling of 40-years-old toggle- lever coiler mandrel saves costs. 130 DEVELOPMENTS Reducing machining effort LEADING AUTOMATION EXPERTISE Advanced design of SMS group s chopper knife heads reduces re-sharpening effort. 133 EVENTS Guest at Hyundai Steel SMS group again present at Tech Show. 136 Performance modules 44, 56 News 46 Photo highlight 50 Retrospect-Outlook 52 Events 134 Imprint 135 The SMS group communication app is available in the App Store and at Google Play. newsletter STRONG PARTNERS Cover: Installation of the world s largest drop forging press at Otto Fuchs SMS group newsletter 3

4 IN FOCUS WORLDWIDE A STRONG PARTNER FOR ALL PROJECTS In three major projects, SMS group has underpinned its position as the Leading Partner in the World of Metals. At Weber Metals in Los Angeles, SMS group has installed the world s most powerful pit-mounted drop forging press. The GUF4-type press is designed for a press force of 54,000 tons. And in Osceola, Arkansas, SMS group has built a steelworks for Big River Steel. This steel complex the most modern in North America has already achieved a series of production records. In these two U.S. projects, SMS group demonstrated great competence as a trusted partner taking care of their customers needs and always ready to render support and advice. SMS group developed customized technologies for these projects to be able to design production processes that would excel in terms of efficiency and would be able to meet the extremely exacting environmental standards in the U.S.A. In so doing, SMS group was able to successfully cater to their customers individual requirements. Being a full-line systems supplier, SMS group offers not only the mechanical equipment and the electrical and automation systems for its plants, but also a wide range of service packages with a strong customer focus. At Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg in Germany, SMS group demonstrated its project planning and management competence as a provider of ring rolling technology. Learn more about these three projects on the following pages. 4 SMS group newsletter

5 IN FOCUS SMS group newsletter 5

6 IN FOCUS Large-scale projects such as the construction of the world s largest hydraulic drop forging press in pit-mounted design can only be accomplished with a strong-spirited team. 6

7 RUBRIK U.S.A. 1,200 TONS ASSEMBLED Important progress in construction of 540-MN press for Weber Metals SMS group newsletter 7

8 IN FOCUS View into the 24-metre deep construction pit. Lower crosshead successfully installed in the press pit. SMS group was commissioned by Otto Fuchs Group to set up a new 540-MN-strong hydraulic press in Paramount, California, the location of the US subsidiary Weber Metals. The lower crosshead of the 540-MN press for Weber Metals has been assembled from four parts and moved with precision as a complete assembly into the press pit. An important landmark in the construction of the world s largest hydraulic drop forging press in pit-mounted construction has been achieved with this system component, which weighs 1,200 tons. HEAVIER THAN THE EIFFEL TOWER The system is also called the 60-k press because it can exert 60,000 short tons (US) pressing force. Weber Metals will make products from forged aluminium, titanium and nickel materials for the aviation and aerospace industries on this press. Areas of application for these large forged parts made from high-performance materials are the fuselage, wings, landing gear and, increasingly, large engine parts. This is the second time in the history of Otto Fuchs that it owns the world s largest private-owned forging press. It is the single largest investment in the company s over 100-year old history. The extensive earth work began on 17 November The press pit is about 24 metres deep and lies just below sea level. In total, the system will incorporate about 9,000 tons of steel even more than the Eiffel Tower. Even for us, this size is on a different scale and presents a new challenge, says Harald Dewinklo, head of Purchasing and Work Planning at Otto Fuchs KG. The gigantic components for the forging press are mainly produced in Europe and Asia. Shipping them to the United States is associated with a challenging logistics performance. SMS group is responsible for the press mechanics, electrical system and automation, hydraulics as well as the complete assembly of the system, including the start-up. Forging individual reference pieces in cooperation with Weber Metals also belongs to the scope of delivery. Dewinklo explains: Clients expect state-of-theart technology from us, while we expect the greatest availability and best technology from our 8 SMS group newsletter

9 Illustration of the 540-MN press from Weber Metals. 9

10 IN FOCUS Left: Forging of the four tie rods on an open-die forging press supplied by SMS group to Saarschmiede in Völklingen. Below: Finishmachined tie rod ready to be shipped to the customer. 10 SMS group newsletter

11 IN FOCUS suppliers. Our vision flowed into the technology and we always believed that SMS group would expertly take up, guide and implement these demands. 34 PARTS WITH WEIGHTS OF UP TO 330 TONS 34 cast and forged parts with weights between 100 and 310 tons will be installed in this press, including the two crossheads. Despite heavy rainfalls the heaviest in Los Angeles in 25 years the lower crosshead, assembled from four parts, was successfully installed in the press pit using a mobile lifting tower (MLT). The assembly constitutes an important landmark in the context of the overall project. The foundation beam will be assembled as the next scheduled landmark. About 2,100 tons will be lifted then. This will be followed by the assembly of the upper crosshead and bracing of the press. Additional large parts are currently being delivered to the construction site for the next phases. The project is logistically unique because all transport options are used. The material streams for the press mainly come from Europe and Asia, especially from South Korea. The port of destination is Long Beach, which means European parts must be shipped through the Panama Canal. Due to their weight and size, almost all parts are shipped as special transports, for example, using custom ships, heavy duty cranes, night travel, special route assistance and barred routes. Each individual part requires planning down to the last detail. TIE RODS PRODUCED ON AN SMS OPEN-DIE FORGING PRESS of the open-die forging press and the manipulators. An intensive planning phase by Otto Fuchs and the SMS group preceded the current construction work on the world s most powerful drop forging press in pit-mounted construction. The technical specialists at Otto Fuchs developed a very detailed requirement profile that then was implemented by SMS group in close consultation. This partnership continued during realization. For example, the quality experts of both companies are testing the components together. There is comprehensive transparency between the commissioning party and the system builder and the intensive exchange of information significantly contributes to possible problems being identified far in advance, so early solutions can be set in motion without endangering the project s progress or schedule. STAFF IS PROUD OF THE ACHIEVEMENT With a pressing force of 54,000 tons and a die-clamping area of 6,000 by 3,000 millimeters, the hydraulic drop forging press will be able to hot- and cold-form very large parts for the aviation industry. The working stroke will be 2,000 millimeters. The drop forging press will have a balancing system to compensate for eccentric load effects in order to meet the highest demands for quality. Sascha Kleine, project head, Engineering 60K at Otto Fuchs KG: Like all my colleagues, I m very proud to participate in this unique project. You probably only build something like this once in your life. Experience its size on film This short movie will introduce you to the progress of construction, quotes from those in charge of the project and other interesting project information. Simply scan the QR code. com/60k-press/ Each large part was designed by the engineers at SMS group and then optimized for production and finishing with the suppliers in casting and forging. Complex FEM analyses were performed in this context to demonstrate the components fatigue strength when loaded and affected by temperature. The system builder is particularly proud that an open-die forging press supplied by SMS is used to forge the tie rods and pre-stressing anchors at Saarschmiede in Völklingen, Germany. At 25,000 millimeters in length and about 1,000 millimeters in diameter, the process uses the maximum capacity Holmer Kleist holmer.kleist@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 11

12 Multi-mandrel radial ring rolling machine of the MERW /90 type as key element of a ring rolling plant. GERMANY PROGRESS NEEDS QUALITY The progress of dynamic vehicles with higher and higher torques can only be envisaged through the use of ring rolling and forging parts with their excellent strength and toughness properties. World market leaders such as Volkswagen, Daimler and ZF Friedrichshafen AG rely on products of Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg. Ring blank in loading position. Ring during rolling process. Ring in unloading station. 12 SMS group newsletter

13 IN FOCUS For more than 50 years, SMS group and Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg have already cooperated successfully. For series production of ring gears, crown wheels and their gear components STP relies on SMS group. For blank manufacturing in the forming stages upsetting, finish-forging and piercing a closed-die forging press is used. Therefore, STP has now perfectly harmonized components. The cooperation with SMS group is reliable, fruitful and solution-oriented. Cornel Müller, Managing Director, Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg The development of Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg (STP) is based on the merger of renowned forging plants with a long history and experience. Within this development the introduction of the ring rolling technology significantly contributed to the success of the company. SMS group with its competence and expertise has accompanied this development right from the start. Ring rolling machines of the MERW series are the key element of the installed ring rolling plants. For decades, STP has relied on forging machines and induction heating plants of SMS group. Business relations date back to the year 1958 when SMS group supplied a forge rolling machine to STP, then operating under the name Hammerwerk Schulte. The good cooperation continued in the following years. STP operates several production facilities from SMS group such as closed-die forging presses, trimming presses, forge rolling machines, ring rolling machines and induction heating plants. RING ROLLING TECHNOLOGY For STP, the introduction of the ring rolling technology meant a technological challenge. Series production of ring gears, crown wheels and other gear parts in large-scale production required a huge amount of commitment and discipline by all those involved. In 2007, the ring rolling machine of the MERW /80 type was installed and taken into operation in record time. SMS group has supported this process among others by technological training, study programs, technological manuals and initial production monitoring. This developed into a new lucrative STP business segment. Frank Mandera, Plant Manager at STP, is responsible for the technological development of the ring rolling process. Despite high machine utilization, he found the time to test new workpieces and have them successfully certified by the automotive industry. Machine utilization, customer requirements and a customer redundancy of production facilities required from STP made it necessary to implement a second ring rolling plant. SUCCESSFUL EXPANSION The first ring rolling plant mainly consisted of the existing machine components in combination with a new ring rolling machine of SMS group. For the second plant from 2016, STP relied on a cooperative partnership with SMS group for the main components involved in heating and forming. The ambitious targets of STP do not only mean a doubling of the capacity with the new plant but also an additional increase in capacity by approx. 15 percent compared to the first plant. HARMONIZED PLANT COMPONENTS The process starts with cold shearing of bar material to little blocks on an existing central shearing device, with an inline weighing system for weight classification. These blocks are heated within the ring rolling plant to a forging temperature of approx. 1,250 degrees Celsius with an induction heating plant of SMS Elotherm (a company of SMS group). The little blocks in a diameter range between 55 and 90 millimeters can be heated on the plant with two inductor sets. An empty-running chain facilitates empty running of the plant. The temperature of the little blocks is monitored by an optical temperature measurement method. An extraction and break-off device ensures that the blocks are safely separated after heating. For blank manufacturing in the three forming stages upsetting, finish-forging and piercing an existing closed-die forging 20,000,000 forgings are produced at STP every year from about 55,000 tons of input stock which are partially delivered to customers as ready-to-install components SMS group newsletter 13

14 Cornel Müller (left) and Frank Mandera in front of the head office of Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg. SCHMIEDETECHNIK PLETTENBERG (STP) With its about 600 employees the owner-run company predominantly produces high-precision components for gearboxes, motor and drivetrain employed in passenger cars and utility vehicles. From roughly 55,000 tons of input stock approx. 20 million forgings are annually produced at STP which are mainly further processed and partly supplied to customers as ready-to-install components. All components produced at STP are subject to the high-quality requirements of the automotive industry. This is only possible with plant technology ensuring both high productivity and manufacturing precision. press from SMS group was chosen. Within the scope of a general overhaul of this press SMS group supplied a new forged eccentric shaft and the key components such as pushrod, ram, compensating cylinder, brake, coupling and ejector were overhauled. In addition to that, the press was equipped with a new lubrication system. The result: the 26-year-old press not only looks as good as new, it also achieves precise results during continuous operation at high availability. HIGH PRECISION WITH MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY Workpieces are transferred within the press by industry robots taking account of the special conditions of rough forging work. For simultaneous loading and unloading the multi-mandrel radial ring rolling machine of the MERW type provides a turret head to make it possible that blank feeding and ring removal using conveyor belts are implemented at the same time. This results in extremely short downtimes and thus in high productivity of this machine type. High precision of the ring rolling process with highest productivity at the same time is realized by SMS group with electromagnetic drives. The rolling feed as well as the ancillary motion for loading and unloading of the machine take place fully automatically. Here, the minimization of the tool changing time also contributes to high productivity. To further increase the accuracy the rolled rings are then calibrated in a press. They are first conveyed via conveyor belts from the unloading station of the ring rolling machine to the positioning stop of another industry robot which inserts the ring into the press. After stroke, another industry robot 14 SMS group newsletter

15 Plant overview including key SMS group components: mechanical 1,000-ton closed-die forging press and multi-mandrel radial ring rolling machine or the MERW /90 type. holds the ring and places it either on another transport equipment for cooling via a conveyor belt equipped with cooling fans or for further transport to a nine-zone roller hearth furnace. This enables STP to include material-dependent heat treatment directly from the forming temperature offering both ecological and economical advantages. INTEGRATED SUPPORT BY SMS GROUP The entire interlinking of plant components was implemented by the automation department of STP in cooperation with an external automation company responsible for PLC programming. To achieve this, a control station with master control was installed. Consequently, plant operation and monitoring can be realized with only one staff member. Robert Düser, Senior Manager Sales at SMS group: With the new plant, the customer not only more than doubled the capacities but now also has a redundancy in the production process. This is an important demand by the automotive industry for its long-term suppliers which STP now accomplishes in full. It is a sign of the dynamics of STP that other visions emerge for expanding the ring rolling capacities. Subject to an agreement of outstanding points, STP has decided in favor of SMS group to build the third machine, according to Cornel Müller, Managing Director at STP. SMS group as integrated partner looks forward to a continued cooperation with STP. We are highly satisfied with the plants of SMS group since they operate with consistently high quality. Frank Mandera, Technical Manager, Schmiedetechnik Plettenberg Robert Düser robert.dueser@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 15

16 IN FOCUS U.S.A. EVERYTHING FROM A SINGLE SOURCE With the successful Big River Steel project, SMS group reaffairms its position as a leading partner in the world of metals. The world s widest CSP plant features multiple technological innovations. 16 SMS group newsletter

17 IN FOCUS In March 2017, Big River Steel opened a new steelworks in Osceola, Arkansas. Big River Steel is the first LEED certified steelworks. In March 2017, Big River s Flex Mill became the first steelmaking facility to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The great number of energy-saving technological solutions, such as the use of speed-controlled motors along the entire CSP plant, were part of the criteria used to qualify for the certification. Further information 17

18 B A LEAP FORWARD FOR THE U.S. STEEL INDUSTRY Big River Steel banks on innovative technology from SMS group. In three years, a steelworks of the latest stateof-the-art was set up as a Greenfield project. A 18

19 IN FOCUS 5 The facilities: 1 Gas cleaning plant 2 Electric arc furnace 3 Twin-ladle furnace 4 RH degasser 5 CSP plant 6 Coupled pickling line and tandem mill 7 Skin-pass mill 8 Batch-annealing furnaces 9 Universal annealing and hot-dip galvanizing line A Roll shop B Service shops A SMS group newsletter 19

20 IN FOCUS STEELMAKING The key components of the melt shop are a DC electric arc furnace with a gas cleaning plant and an RH degasser. The DC electric arc furnace is designed for a nominal heat weight of 150 tons and a power rating of 160 megawatts. It features the SMS group-patented pin-type bottom electrode. The EAF produces heats at a rate of almost 220 tons per hour. A 150-ton twin-station ladle furnace offers the flexibility to treat two heats simultaneously. This proven steelmaking technology ensures that only the highest-quality steel reaches the CSP thin slab caster. FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION The gas cleaning plant efficiently and effectively captures and cleans the dust-laden gases emitted by the production units. To comply with the strict environmental protection and work safety regulations at the Osceola location, the company must reliably prevent fugitive emissions. That requires extensive capturing of the strongly varying gas volumes in all operating phases of the steelworks. The electric arc furnace: steelmaking with proven technology. Almost 220 tons of steel per hour an impressive performance. 20 SMS group newsletter

21 IN FOCUS Before the waste gas from the production process is released to the atmosphere, dust particles are efficiently removed in the gas cleaning plant SMS group newsletter 21

22 IN FOCUS RH DEGASSER The RH Degasser is designed as a fast vessel exchange type with two vessel stand-by positions and two ladle transfer cars on a V-track. This reduces the cycle time of the RH degasser. When the first vacuum treatment has been finished and the ladle transfer car is moving the first ladle either to the ladle treatment station or to the take-over position, the second ladle can already be lowered by the shop crane onto the second ladle transfer car and taken to the RH treatment position. Vacuum is generated by a steam ejector vacuum pump. A steam boiler system supplies the required amount of steam to the six ejectors. A TOP lance system is installed to blow oxygen for forced decarburization or chemical heating during vacuum treatment, or to burn gas with oxygen to keep the vessel refractory material at operating temperature during non-vacuum treatment. ALLOY ADDITION SPEEDS UP PROCESS A special feature of this RH unit is the vacuum alloy addition system, which consists of a vacuum lock system and three vacuum scale hoppers. This arrangement allows electrical steel grades with Si-contents of up to three percent to be produced in less than 50 minutes cycle time. The measuring and control equipment takes care of monitoring, controlling and regulating all process sequences. There is not only a basic automation system but also a process computer. This provides heat and process related information, collects data for a heat report, tracks and monitors the physical-chemical state of the heat, and finally determines set point data for the types and amounts of additions as well as for the duration of time-dependent treatment steps. Technical details of RH Degasser Cycle time: Suction capacity: TOP-lance burner heating speed: approx min 650 kg/h at 0.67 mbar > 50 C/h 22

23 Upper part of the integrated system SMS group newsletter 23

24 The CSP plant produced more than one million tons of hot strip within only eleven months. 24 SMS group newsletter

25 IN FOCUS CSP PLANT A new, consumption-optimized CSP furnace and a plant wider than ever before: The CSP plant of Big River Steel is setting new standards worldwide and is characterized by lower energy losses and very low emission levels. With a finished strip width of 1,930 millimeters the CSP plant of Big River Steel is the world s widest of all CSP plants. And not only that: SMS group implemented also a number of technological innovations in the 29 th CSP plant and attained optimum performances which impressively demonstrate the efficiency of CSP technology. The CSP plant consists of a CSP continuous casting plant of the VSB (Vertical Solid Bending) type, the CSP tunnel furnace, the six-stand CSP rolling mill, the laminar cooling system and a downcoiler. ENERGY SAVINGS OF 25 PERCENT A complete novelty is the CSP furnace by SMS group. Every effort has been made to ensure that the energy consumption of the CSP furnace is reduced and ideal thin slab heating is achieved at the same time. In the entire roller hearth furnace environmentally-friendly ultra-low NOx burners are used. With an average NOx emission of 85 mg/nm³ measured, the furnace at Big River Steel sets a new standard in its environmental performance. The legally required limit value is thus considerably fallen short of. To save energy, the combustion air is moreover pre-heated with waste heat from the furnace recovered by recuperators. For slab transport through the furnace special water-cooled rollers are applied with an insulation made of aluminum-silicate wool. Compared to conventional concrete rollers, these rollers ensure a lower energy removal by more than 30 percent. By using these rollers, the energy efficiency of the furnace is significantly increased which results in low gas consumption values and therefore saves operating costs. The use of burners and special transport rollers results in a total reduction of energy consumption in the furnace by 25 percent. For controlling the furnace a special DFC (Dynamic Furnace Control) furnace model is applied. The Level-2 process automation system ensures slab heating to the desired goal with high temperature uniformity and low energy consumption. The model also allows the application of different 25

26 IN FOCUS strategies for heating and acceleration of the slab and it simulates among others the temperature development inside the slab in a three-dimensional manner. It calculates from it the set temperatures for various furnace zones. A tracking module synchronizes the slab position in the furnace and calculates the control parameters of logistics. At Big River Steel the entire production process and the product quality are documented by the PQA (Product Quality Analyzer) system. To achieve this, all relevant production data are continuously detected and evaluated. On the basis of defined rules, the system can provide instructions which permit to react to possible irregularities in the production process in good time in order to achieve a high yield at top quality. Based on the process parameters, PQA additionally evaluates all coils with regard to the suitability for various quality requirements. This ensures that the passing of defective strips through further processing steps or the delivery of such strips to customers is prevented. ONE MILLION IN ELEVEN MONTHS The first strip was produced on the CSP plant on December 10, In January 2017, the first full production month, 57,000 metric tons (approx. 63,000 American short tons) left the plant world record for all CSP plants. At the beginning of November 2017, Big River Steel broke the mark of one million tons produced on the CSP plant. Another outstanding achievement is also an extremely low cobble rate. Here, the figure for example in July and August 2017 was below 0.06 percent. Technical data of the CSP plant Annual production: Strip width: Strip gage: 1.5 million tons 1,200 1,930 millimeters millimeters 26 SMS group newsletter

27 The redesigned CSP furnace reduces energy consumption in the furnace by 25 percent. 27

28 IN FOCUS Rotary Inspect stands for fast, reliable and ergonomic inspection of top and bottom strip sides. PICKLING LINE AND TANDEM COLD MILL Excellent performance features and protection of staff and environment: the pickling line tandem cold mill satisfies both requirements. Five four-high mill stands are capable of processing up to 900,000 tons of steel strip per year. The pickling line/tandem cold mill is designed to process up to 900,000 tons of steel strip per year with strip widths ranging from 914 to 1,880 millimeters. It is equipped with an X-Pro laser welder, a scale breaker, a turbulence pickling section and tandem cold mill. A large portion of the production volume, cold strip being 0.27 to 1.4 millimeters thick, is processed within the plant. Another component is the DUMA-BANDZINK oiling machine installed in the mill to produce pickled- andoiled material. Strip thicknesses here are between 1.4 and 5.0 millimeters. First strips were processed on the line in the summer of Thanks to the X-Pro laser welder it is possible to precisely and quickly join difficult-to-weld, high-alloy strips, to lead them through the process reliably and roll them without any problems. This ensures the line can handle even high-carbon or high-silicon grades. The turbulence pickling section comprises three plastic tanks of 27 meters length, each provided with its own cycle. The system is characterized by high pickling performance, low energy and acid consumption as well as low maintenance and operating costs paired with a long service life. To achieve optimum pickling results at minimum energy input, operators can actively influence and perfectly adjust all essential parameters. COLD ROLLING WITH RELIABLE CONTROL SYSTEMS The tandem cold mill processes an extremely wide range of materials, with each grade posing different, challenging requirements, and comes with five four-high mill stands. Measuring systems, control strategies and actuators make sure the high demands on strip quality are satisfied. One of these solutions is the X-Shape flatness measuring roll standing out due to its robustness and closed roll surface, to precise flatness measurement and reliable optical and wear-free signal transmission. Proven actuators such as CVC plus technology, posi- 28 SMS group newsletter

29 The turbulence pickling section comprises three plastic tanks and is characterized by high performance at low operating costs. The PLTCM at Big River Steel is one of the most eco-friendly plants of its kind worldwide. Its exhaust air system newly developed by SMS group makes sure the extremely strict limit values for particle emissions in the U.S. are complied with. Combined pickling line/tandem cold mill. tive and negative work roll bending, highly dynamic hydraulic adjustment and multi-zone cooling in the last mill stand ensure top strip flatness and thickness tolerances. This mill stand technology meets the extremely high quality requirements of the automotive industry while operating at low cost. Two tension reels are installed in the exit section for continuous coiling of the rolled strips. Belt wrappers support the gentle start of the coiling action to protect the valuable finished strip. Moreover, the cold tandem mill is equipped with Rotary Inspect, the latest inline strip inspection line permitting reliable, immediate and ergonomically optimized evaluation of the strip surface quality. HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY One of the components that makes the tandem cold mill particularly user-friendly and contributes to reducing nonproductive times is the fully automatic roll change system with integrated automatic coupling system for all media. When it comes to environmental compatibility and maintenance friendliness, the tandem mill sets new standards, too. Cutting-edge oil-air lubrication of the bearings throughout all rolling levels reduces the consumption of lubricants, and axial bearings at all levels maximize the service life of the roll bearing assemblies. The tandem cold mill is equipped with the latest-generation fume exhaust system which responds at an early stage and reduces fume generation by optimized air flow conditions. In addition, it meets the extremely strict U.S. requirements on exhaust-air particle emissions and, just like all media and auxiliary systems, is very energy efficient. This is accomplished, for example, by using speed-controlled pumps for precise and hence money-saving media supply SMS group newsletter 29

30 IN FOCUS BATCH-ANNEALING FURNACES The hoods for annealing and cooling cold strip coils in batches are of a new design, specifically developed for Big River Steel. Each base can accommodate several coils at a time. Apart from the continuous annealing and hot-dip galvanizing line, SMS group also installed batch-annealing furnaces for cold strip processing at Big River Steel. A total of 413,000 tons of steel per year can be heat treated in the 24 annealing bases installed. Being a new SMS group development, the batch-annealing furnaces at Big River Steel are the first of their kind in practical operation. OPTIMIZED GAS FLOWS Cold strip coils inside the hoods are annealed or cooled in what is called a batch-type process. Each base can accommodate several coils at a time. The stacked coils are separated by convector plates which provide better heating and cooling results and protect the coil edges. The gas circulation within the protective covers was optimized in Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) simulations. The treatment of carbon steel grades (CQ, DQ, EDDQ, HS- LA) and of non-grain-oriented silicon steels (NGO-semi finished and motor laminated) takes place in a pure hydrogen atmosphere at temperatures of up to 750 degrees centigrade. To conform to the strict U.S. environmental standards, the gas-fired heating hoods use special low-nox technology. The batches are cooled with air and water. The automation system is based on WINCC process control and MOBAF process intelligence systems. The process intelligence system comprises the level 3 link, the mathematical annealing model and functionalities like material tracking, throughput optimization by taking into account the availability of the plant units and optimized batch planning. Plant utilization and annealing times are optimized with a view to mix coil grades in production. With its 24 annealing bases, Big River Steel treats up to 413,000 tons of steel per year. The stacked coils are separated by convector plates of optimized design and treated under protective covers in a pure hydrogen atmosphere. 30

31 IN FOCUS SKIN-PASS MILL With a maximum rolling force of 18 meganewtons, Big River Steel s new skin-pass mill is a real power pack permitting very high elongations of up to 8.5 percent to be attained. The four-high skin-pass mill is designed for an annual capacity of 400,000 tons and rerolls strips that are between 914 and 1,880 millimeters wide and have thicknesses ranging from 0.28 up to 1.4 millimeters. As it is part of the discontinuous process route, the skinpass mill is arranged downstream the batch annealing furnaces. Its main function is to provide the annealed carbon strips and part of the non-grain-oriented silicon strips with the material properties required for subsequent processing. These properties include yield point harmonizing and setting of strip roughness and flatness. When it comes to meeting different material requirements, the skin-pass mill is very flexible as it can be operated at several work roll diameters. The high rolling force of 18 meganewtons is needed, in particular, to skin-pass silicon steel grades. INLINE SKIN-PASS MILL Equipped with hydraulic adjustment, work roll bending system and variable work roll diameters, the facility is able to cope with all skin-passing tasks. This applies also and specifically to highstrength grades. Integrated in the exit section of the strip processing line is an Inline Skin-Pass Mill (ISPM) which comes in four-high design and operates in the wet mode. Furthermore, the equipment includes a high-pressure roll cleaning system. The ISPM has a maximum annual capacity of 484,000 tons. It processes strips that are up to 1,850 millimeters wide and have thicknesses ranging from 0.28 to 1.4 millimeters. Elongation is maximum 2.5 percent SMS group newsletter 31

32 IM FOKUS The universal annealing and hot-dip galvanizing line at Big River Steel includes a Drever furnace with horizontal as well as vertical zones. The furnace has an annual capacity of almost 500,000 tons of steel strip and, due to high cooling rates, can process even high-strength dual-phase grades. 32 SMS group newsletter

33 IN FOCUS SMS group newsletter 33

34 IN FOCUS UNIVERSAL ANNEALING AND HOT-DIP GALVANIZING LINE The flexible line is capable of processing 476,000 tons of annealed or hot-dip galvanized steel strip per year. Sophisticated steel grades as well as efficient and flexible processing characterize the line. For the first time, the I-Furnace concept is implemented here. The universal annealing and hot-dip galvanizing line is designed to process two different products: annealed and hotdip galvanized cold strip. Thanks to a Drever furnace with ultra-fast cooling system generating high cooling rates, the line can produce high-strength dual-phase grades up to DP 800. The new line permits Big River Steel to produce steel grades such as CQ, DQ, DDQ and IF and also high-strength steels like HSLA, DP and CP. The total capacity of galvanized and annealed material is about 476,000 tons. The strips processed have thicknesses from 0.36 to 3.0 millimeters whereas their width range is between 900 and 1,850 millimeters. Process speed may attain 150 meters per minute. The strips are pre-cleaned in a horizontal cleaning section. The annealing process in the Drever furnace marks the start of the actual strip treatment. The furnace facility comprises a vertical pre-heating section and a vertical, directly fired furnace. Thereafter, the strip runs through a horizontal radiant tube furnace with electrically heated holding area. Cooling is accomplished in a vertical section with slow cooling and ultra-fast cooling systems. GALVANIZING OR ANNEALING POSSIBLE After the annealing process, there are two ways of strip processing. In the galvanizing mode, the strip travels through a furnace snout into the hot zinc bath. A FOEN air knife system precisely sets the required thickness of the zinc layer. In the annealing mode, however, this galvanizing process is bypassed. To this end, the zinc pot is lowered with the aid of a guide roll arranged above the zinc pot. A skin-pass stand, a tension leveler, a horizontal passivation system and an oiling machine are installed for the purpose of post-treatment. The Drever furnace complies with strict environmental stand- Two horizontal loopers ensure continuous strip flow in the process section. 34 SMS group newsletter

35 IN FOCUS The Intelligent Furnace uses the information provided by the IMPOC measuring unit from EMG to optimize the annealing process. ards and comprises equipment to recover energy. In the pre-heating zone, the hot exhaust gases from the burners are used for strip heating. The energy of burner and radiant tube exhaust air serves to heat the combustion air. A special system for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) is provided to reduce the nitrogen oxides present in the exhaust gasses. This measure helps achieve NOx emission values of less than 60 mg/nm³. The annealing process in the continuous furnace is controlled by a mathematical model from Drever International. For nondestructive online strength measurement the line is equipped with an IMPOC measuring unit from EMG Automation GmbH. In addition, SMS group has developed an annealing model to optimize, using numerical methods, individual process parameters on the basis of line data, product data and information on preceding processes. IMPLEMENTATION OF I-FURNACE CONCEPT Linking these three elements to an I-Furnace (Intelligent Furnace) offers the opportunity of maximizing throughput and increases the yield of strip with a consistently high quality level. Thanks to an improved process control, the concept offers the potential to enhance energy efficiency or throughput once again by adapting nominal temperatures within the process windows SMS group newsletter 35

36 IN FOCUS Control room for the CSP plant. ELECTRICS AND AUTOMATION The electrical and automation systems were selected with a clear focus on lowest energy consumption and green technology, Big River Steel s key design requirements. complete plant. The system architecture is designed to make for highly efficient planning and control of production, also in case of small batches of special steel grades. It also includes features for detailed quality reports of all plant areas and systems. All technological process models in the melt shop interact smoothly with X-Pact MES 4.0, providing for an innovative, optimized and flexible production process. QUALITY ASSURANCE INTEGRATED All of Big River Steel s facilities are equipped with X-Pact electrical and automation systems. The integrated systems solution comprises the flexible X-Pact MES 4.0 production planning system, technological process models, highly dynamic control systems and sequence controls, the integrated user-friendly X-Pact Vision HMI and visualization system, technological measuring and sensing equipment, the energy supply systems along the entire process chain as well as the main and auxiliary drives. Before shipping the automation equipment to the customer, SMS group installed and tested the complete X-Pact automation system in their test centers according to their proven Plug & Work procedures. These included testing the automation systems under near-reality conditions and pre-optimizing the control systems. The set-up in the test center allowed the operators of Big River Steel to receive their first training in a very realistic plant environment, actually on the original equipment that was going to be installed at Big River Steel. This was a great help in achieving a steep ramp-up. The X-Pact MES 4.0 production planning system defines all production plans and controls the SMS group s comprehensive PQA (Product Quality Analyzer) solution for quality inspection has been integrated into X-Pact MES 4.0. It accompanies the complete process chain from production down to the various stages of further processing. The system analyzes process and production parameters from different data sources within the process automation system for their influence on product quality. This, in combination with thorough expert knowledge and comprehensive field experience, generates a quality guideline that serves as the centerpiece of the PQA system. Operation managers, plant operators, metallurgists and engineers they all use PQA as a highly efficient tool in fault detection and the quality assessment of coils. Thus, the PQA system has become a key instrument in everyday operations and business routines at Big River Steel. 36 SMS group newsletter

37 IN FOCUS INTERVIEW THE KEY TO ENSURING THAT EVERYTHING WORKS DENIS HENNESSY DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT, BIG RIVER STEEL You have been using the X-Pact MES 4.0 system from the very first coil. What benefits has this offered BRS? MES 4.0. was fundamental to helping us start up. Benefits include the functionality, the data management, consistency from front to back. It interfaces with all the lines. It is key to how we disposition, manage, schedule and handle the coil inventory for the whole mill. Without it, the mill would not work. With MES 4.0, we are going to continue to develop as we do our other phase expansions. It s a tool we chose to use to help Big River expand and be the best steel mill in the world. The flexible analysis has allowed us to cut the rate of transitional slabs by half. You have prepared a very sophisticated test and sample plan based on the order and material requirements. What are the reasons for this? Sampling has always been an area which we knew we could always do better. MES 4.0 and the new system allowed us to build a system from scratch, including all the different testing directions, sampling throughout the whole mill from hot rolling, cold rolling, galvanizing, pickling, to give us the samples we needed timely without creating extra work or waste on the line, and it gives the operators a more efficient way to do their jobs and help us as engineers to disposition the steel and get it out to our customers, ensuring all the specifications are met and exceeded. SMS group has created a unique piece of software for BRS: the flexible analysis. What is the purpose of this X-Pact MES 4.0 module? Flexible chemistry s idea is to take a look at the heats. In each heat, you ve got multiple customer orders; some have very specific ranges which they allow. We looked at how we could customize each heat. Even though they are all of the same grade, they may have different setpoints within each of those grades. Flexible chemistry lets us do that by adjusting it based on the setup and the schedule and looking at the chemistries within it. By using that, we can better marry up our sister heats to minimize any transitional slabs, taking our opportunity to prime it. This is already a great benefit for Big River, as our transitional rate is approximately half of what we saw historically in other places we ve worked. What was your experience of the cooperation with the MES 4.0 team? Early on we developed a very good work relationship with SMS group, especially with the Level 3 teams. A lot of nights and weekends were spent working together as we developed it. Both teams were open to new ideas and new concepts. The good ones were taken and put into the system. We now have more functionality to customize orders and look at costing than we ve ever had before. It s a key part of how we run Big River, key part of how we manage our performance, and we ll continue to develop it with SMS group SMS group newsletter 37

38 IN FOCUS DIGITALIZED DOCUMEN- TATION INCREASES EFFICIENCY Digitalized documentation offers the customers of SMS group new ways to increase efficiency and is an essential milestone on the road to a Learning Factory. Hundreds of thousands of documents were prepared in structure for Big River Steel and can now be called using a single tool. By the end of the year 2017, digital applications in all process steps will have advanced the steelworks at Big River Steel to the first Learning Factory in the world. This aim is backed, amongst others, by an electronic parts catalog mapping the plant documentation of the complete supply package of the project in a cloud solution. The database rests on a total of approx. 410,000 bills of material items, 30,000 drawings and 45,000 individual documents from the SMS group business units involved and from all further suppliers of single parts or assemblies which can now be called using a single tool after they have been consolidated and specially prepared in structure for this purpose. The new tool permits Big River Steel to identify and inquire parts quickly and easily. All data are continuously updated and, up to now, used by about 70 internal Big River Steel employees. Time-consuming searching for required information is a thing of the past. Further functions such as displaying identical parts throughout the entire plant, provide Big River Steel with the desired transparency and contribute to increasing efficiency and reducing the inventory. Randy Martin, Warehouse Material Coordinator at Big River Steel, is enthusiastic about the electronic parts catalog: The catalog is very helpful, and we use it in the warehouse several times a day. But also maintenance people ask for our help in finding parts with the new system and see obvious benefits from the program. We can search for parts by title, material information, SMS and Big River Steel material numbers, etc. The software is available around the clock seven days a week. In addition, the electronic parts catalog serves as the basis for further digital products. Being a virtual image of the plant, it permits digital services to be linked to purchasing actions. The required technical information is immediately available in all applications and can directly be transferred to the procurement process. If, for example, the condition monitoring system forecasts the failure of a component, it will be possible to simultaneously check information on identical parts, inventory and delivery times and to procure the wanted part. The eservice of SMS group makes Big River Steel fit for future challenges and satisfies all conditions to cope with the fourth industrial revolution Industry 4.0. Learn more about edoc the first step towards digitalization. 38 SMS group newsletter

39 IN FOCUS Close to the customer: the SMS group s service staff. SERVICE FIRST SMS group offers full-service package for North America s most modern steel mill. To make sure that production at the Big River Steel plant continues to be successful, SMS group Technical Service offers a wide range of services. SMS Technical Services (STS) has opened a new maintenance shop, only two miles away from the Big River Steel s plant. STS performs all maintenance services on the continuous caster, on the molds, and the segments and rolling mill components for the CSP -plant. In addition, SMS Technical Services is responsible for two local roll shops of the hot and cold rolling mills. Altogether about 75 service employees are working in the workshop and the roll shops. REPAIRS AND COATINGS In the STS workshop in Osceola, North American operators of continuous casters can use all services provided: starting with repair, overhaul, and maintenance through to servicing all plant components. Thanks to a large horizontal CNC machine with additional machining and turning capacities and blasting and painting booths, SMS Technical Services can also offer additional services. The full-service repair shop with its modern electroplating operations enables high-quality coating of copper plates. Also offered is local field service including the service activities e.g. laser scanning and alignment for plant equipment and machines SMS group newsletter 39

40 IN FOCUS Know-how boosts productivity and that is just one of the mottoes according to which Big River Steel in Osceloa, Arkansas, USA operates the most modern steelworks in North America. The latest technologies and supremely trained staff make this possible, as they form the foundation for the competitiveness and safety of the production. When it comes to staff qualification, the steel group also relies on the SMS group and the comprehensive training offered by the SMS TECademy. Big River Steel knows exactly what counts in practice. That is why the staff training courses were tailored individually to the wishes and needs of the steel group. A good balance had to be found between theory and practice. Theoretical know-how was therefore first presented graphically in extensive classroom training sessions. These were held in cooperation with the Arkansas Northeastern College (ANC) at its facilities in Osceola. TRAINERS TRAINED IN GERMANY In June last year, three lecturers from the ANC came to the SMS group in Germany to prepare themselves thoroughly for their future teaching duties in the field of modern steel processing under the SMS TECademy s Train-the-Trainer concept. They thereby furthered their know-how of the plants and processes involved in metallurgy and rolling mill technology, and were particularly impressed by the SMS TECademy s digital workshop that allows a plant to be toured in real-time. Virtual reality simulates the entire process chain and depicts the production process dynamically. True to the motto: A picture says more than 1000 words and the digital workshop says more than 1000 pictures. A similar methodology was subsequently integrated into the ANC curriculum. Training in the digital workshop. EXPERT TRAINING At the SMS TECademy, staff members can enhance their skills based on individual training concepts. Process chains simulated in the digital workshop are applied in practice in the production facilities. 40 SMS group newsletter

41 IN FOCUS After teaching the theory, the focus then turned to the practical application. Here the Big River Steel training participants were able to demonstrate their newly acquired know-how directly on the plant in the subsequent hands-on training sessions. With an experienced trainer and technical experts at their side, they were able to put the theoretically acquired knowledge into practice and to immediately clarify any questions arising during the direct use. That gave the participants confidence. All the training courses were split into the two main topic areas, mechanical and electrical & automation. A further structuring of the material according to certain key topics provided the participants with a very detailed training plan. SMS TECADEMY EVOLVES FURTHER Big River Steel has been a great asset to us, and has given us valuable input for the further development of the training we offer. Both sides have therefore benefited equally, says Karsten Weiss, Head of the SMS TECademy. Big River Steel also draws positive conclusions. We are very satisfied with the training. We can only achieve our ambitious goals for the future with the best trained staff. The SMS TECademy training courses were tailored so individually to our requirements and wishes that we had no doubt about the success of the measures. With the SMS group at our side, we get not only first-class plant engineering, but also outstanding service and that is something we appreciate greatly, says Lenore Trammell, Chief Compliance Officer of Big River Steel. The most extensive order for the SMS TECademy to date required not only very detailed planning, but also great flexibility and commitment on the part of the TECademy team. We are very proud that Big River Steel put their trust in us for the further training of their staff. The cooperation with Karsten Weiss karsten.weiss@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 41

42 IN FOCUS INTERVIEW THE BIG PLUS: ALL FROM ONE SOURCE CEO David Stickler and CCO Mark Bula on the reasons of choosing SMS group as primary supplier, on production records and the Learning Factory concept. our operations team and Mr. Stickler, have you ever contracted just one supplier before? David Stickler: I ve built these projects for twenty years now. Occasionally we have multiple suppliers, occasionally we have a handful of suppliers, and we at Big River Steel decided to have one primary supplier: the SMS group. If people asked me today if I would make this decision again and my answer is yes that I would.. We are actually about six to nine months ahead of the plan, on both volume and certain grades and sizes of steel. Mark Bula, Chief Commercial Officer, Big River Steel. What are the benefits from your decision to have SMS group as primary supplier? Mark Bula: At Big River Steel our start-up has been incredibly fast. I think that is a credit to both, our operations team and the equipment we bought from SMS group, and the partnership that we have with SMS. We ve learned to work together very well over the years. Because the market was strong, we have actually had the opportunity to move our ramp-up probably much faster than any of us anticipated. We are actually about six to nine months ahead of the plan, on both volume and certain grades and sizes of steel. For the equipment design, Big River Steel set high value on environmental protection. Why is it so important to you? Mark Bula: Big River Steel wants to be a good steward of the environment. Part of this starts with SMS group and our relation with them to make sure that we have near zero emissions coming out of this plant. Can you give us an example of where this energy-efficient design is taking effect? David Stickler: Just like a lot of cars today we pull up to a stop line the motor turns off, our motors and drives are not way-way back. Most of our competitors keep their motors running at full torque 24/7. The only time when they are down is when they are down for maintenance. That s not energy-efficient. We spent extra money upfront 42 SMS group newsletter

43 IN FOCUS MARK BULA CCO, BIG RIVER STEEL. DAVID STICKLER CEO, BIG RIVER STEEL. which we know we ll go to get great returns on by the energy savings we earn here and in this mill. Big River Steel is an innovative company. Where are you heading to? Mark Bula: The steel industry must evolve. We ve challenged SMS group: How do we use technology, digitalization? What do we do to gain an advantage in the marketplace by having those types of relationships with SMS group? SMS group has proposed a learning factory. A learning factory, a smart mill, really what this is, is capturing an additional data, lots and lots of data, thousands of pieces of data for us to be able to make better decisions, almost with an artificial intelligence and perspective that will give us that competitive advantage that we think will take us into the next generation of steelmaking. SMS group is to take on comprehensive maintenance services with a staff of 75 in the workshop. What are the reasons for that? Mark Bula: What are the other important things about having SMS group as a partner is their ability to build a plant near us to service our needs on our maintenance going forward that after sales services are important the way we do business. We want to concentrate on running the mill not maintaining it. SMS group provides that service to us. That s why I would recommend SMS Most of our competitors keep their motors running at full torque 24/7. That s not energy-efficient. David Stickler, Chief Executive Officer, Big River Steel. group for any flat rolling mill you want to build around the world SMS group newsletter 43

44 PERFORMANCE MODULES X-PACT GAS CLEANING ASSIST Challenges Effective and homogeneous extraction at all suction points Solution Dynamic control of waste gas valves for most effective suction of the gases right where they arise Technical advantages Maximum suction power with minimum energy consumption Flexible reaction to any process step No additional measurement Easy to extend for new plant configurations Energy savings due to controlled suction fans and waste gas valves Electric and converter steelplants E Performance Checkbox Efficiency - Maximum suction power - Energy saving up to 25 percent CSP FURNACE ROLLERS WITH ALUMINIUM SILICATE INSULATION Challenges The slabs are transported on rolls which have to be cooled in order to avoid damages, which leads to energy waste and further limitations Solution Rolls with fireproof aluminum silicate wool insulation Technical advantages Net energy saving of 30 percent compared to concrete Improved slab temperature uniformity due to staggered ring arrangement Reduction of weight and bending Less maintenance effort CSP plant E Q Performance Checkbox Efficiency - 30 percent lower gas consumption - Less maintenance effort Quality - Better temperature uniformity 44

45 WORLDWIDE PERFORMANCE MODULES Improving competitiveness with affordable investments. SMS group is continuously developing a multitude of solutions to substantially improve the competitiveness of plants at moderate investment costs. These technologies, components, automation solutions or services are classified as Performance Modules. Each individual module helps customers improve the performance of their plants in one or several dimensions and hence achieve a competitive edge in a tough market environment. This means the modules will not only increase plant productivity and product quality, but also reduce operating costs and permit new, high-margin products to be introduced. At Big River Steel, too, numerous Performance Modules were installed with particularly strong emphasis on technologies that improve efficiency and environmental compatibility. Contact performance@sms-group.com Q 4.0 P E Quality Industry 4.0 Production Efficiency Tandem cold mill All plants NEW GENERATION FUME EXHAUST SYSTEM Challenges Limitations of conventional equipment in fulfilling upcoming environmental regulations Measurement equipment influenced by fume Solution Optimized arrangement of equipment: housing, suction hoods, ducts, fans and filter units Separation of the exhaust air by emission quantity Conduction of the air flows according to their emission ratio Technical advantages Reduced exhaust flow in the interstand area Fulfilment of strictest eco-standards E Q Performance Checkbox Efficiency - Saving of energy costs because of approx. 40 percent reduced exhaust flow - Meeting strictest exhaust air limit values Quality - Filterable pollutants < 5 mg/m 3 X-PACT LOW-VOLTAGE FREQUENCY CONVERTER Challenges Maximum process-oriented drive performance for top-level production Solution Standardized modular and flexible drive solution for low-voltage applications Technical advantages High quality due to modular drive concept Standardized and harmonized low-voltage drive solutions through all plant types Tailored to the process needs Always pre-tested drive cabinets Extremely energy efficient, optimized lifetime costs E Performance Checkbox Efficiency - Extremely energy efficient - Optimized lifetime costs 45

46 NEWS From left to right: Dr. Stefan Keil, German Consul General, Prof. Dr. Pino Tesè, SMS group, Alexander Shestakov, Principal of South Ural State University (SUSU), Chelyabinsk, Russia. RUSSIA CONTRIBUTING HANDS-ON EXPERTISE TO UNIVERSITY LIFE Honorary professorship and honorary doctorate for Pino Tesè. Cooperation between industry and science is a long-term relationship by nature. The idea here is that both academia and practice will gain from the mutual exchange of knowledge. SMS group has maintained very close contacts with a number of universities for many years. South Ural State University (SUSU) in Chelyabinsk, for example, and SMS group can look back on a longstanding and rewarding cooperation. As a culmination of this relationship, on October 30, 2017, the University awarded Pino Tesè the honorary professorship and honorary doctorate, and appointed him as a member of the University s International Academic Advisory Committee (IAAC). Pino Tesè, Head of SMS group s Technical Service Division, has been Assistant Professor at SUSU since The cooperative relationship between SMS group and the South Ural State University began in 2007, when the University offered the staff of the SMS service workshop in Chelyabinsk to use the University s laboratories. One year later, Pino Tesè started to teach as guest lecturer at the University s mechanical engineering and metal forming department. Since 2010, both cooperation partners have been jointly supporting the annual industrial forum of the Urals. This forum aims to promote the exchange of knowledge and expertise between foreign companies and the government of the Chelyabinsk region. Since 2013, SMS has been inviting students from the University to look into the practice-oriented occupational training offered at the SMS service locations in Russia and has provided the students internship opportunities at the SMS locations in Germany. Prof. Dr. Pino Tesè pino.tese@sms-group.com 46 SMS group newsletter

47 NEWS Andreas Pinkwart (front right) during his visit to SMS digital in Düsseldorf. Harald Rackel (in the middle) welcomes the guest. The Asia Supplier Excellence Award presented to SMS group by Johnson Controls Power Solutions. GERMANY MINISTER VISITS SMS DIGITAL CHINA SMS GROUP SUPPLIES TANDEM COLD MILLS On August 15, 2017, Andreas Pinkwart, Minister of the Economy, Innovation, Digitalization, and Energy of North- Rhine Westphalia (NRW), visited SMS digital as part of his summer tour of businesses in the state. He was welcomed by Harald Rackel, the Member of the Managing Board of SMS group responsible for Digital Solutions, and Nora Rühmann from the Managing Board of SMS digital GmbH. Over the summer, the Minister dropped in on a large number of companies, science organizations, and investors all over NRW. In discussions with his hosts, Andreas Pinkwart found out exactly how SMS group is driving ahead digitalization in the company. He was very interested to hear about the experience SMS has so far gained and about options for cross-industry solutions. The politician has headed the Ministry since June 30, One of its aims is to promote the state as a digital location with its initiative Digital Business NRW. The government can support industry above all by providing seamless digital infrastructure throughout Germany. There s still a need for improvement here, especially outside the major urban centers, says Harald Rackel. Johnson Controls Power Solutions has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of three tandem cold mills for lead rolling and has presented SMS group with the Asia Supplier Excellence Award. The manufacture, pre-assembly and testing of the three cold rolling mills will take place in China, according to the specifications drawn up by Johnson Controls. The supply scope includes a roll coating that SMS group has designed specifically for lead rolling. The automation system will be laid out in close cooperation with Johnson Controls. The tandem cold mills will be designed to roll lead strip in the narrow strip range. The finished strip is going to be used to make environment-friendly, high-performance automotive batteries. The first mill successfully passed all functional tests in the pre-assembled state and is now being prepared for shipment. All three tandem cold mills will be installed at different international locations of Johnson Controls. Further information Christoph Andrycz christoph.andrycz@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 47

48 NEWS GERMANY COOPERATION FOR THE FUTURE Additive Industries and SMS group team up for industrial additive manufacturing serial production. 3D printing technology for metallic materials has made huge strides forward in recent years. To help this manufacturing process break through into serial production, Additive Industries and SMS group have agreed to develop and jointly market a production system for additive manufacturing on an industrial scale. In joining forces, Additive Industries and SMS group bring with them specialist expertise in both core additive manufacturing technologies: the manufacture of metal powder and 3D printing. The industrial-scale, serial production of parts of high reproducible quality by the additive manufacturing method is possible only if both crucial process stages are closely aligned. The production concept will not just encompass powder manufacturing and 3D printing but other stages, too, right up to delivery of the finished component. The entire process is designed for maximum productivity, with the result that additive manufacturing can finally enjoy competitive success in serial production, says Guido Kleinschmidt, Member of the Managing Board of SMS group. SEAMLESS SYSTEMS As one of the world s leading machine and plant builders for the metallurgical industry, we have extensive design know-how and process engineering expertise in the field of vacuum melting plants. We are now transferring this expertise to powder production plants, explains Norbert Gober, Vice President Research and Development at SMS group. Daan A.J. Kersten, CEO of Additive Industries, adds: Five years ago, we started with the development of the world s first 3D metal printer for high-end production applications. Today, with our MetalFAB1, we are accelerating industrial additive manufacturing 48 SMS group newsletter 0X

49 NEWS as one of the industry s leading technology suppliers. In SMS group we have found a partner who has experience in planning production complexes such as these and delivering them on a turnkey basis. The process starting point is the manufacture of powder. To ensure maximum purity, the alloys are induction-melted under vacuum in the crucible. The liquid metal is atomized using pure argon in an oxygen-free atmosphere. The quality of the powder manufactured is crucial for the quality of the finished product. To enable us to make faster progress in powder production, we are building an industrial-scale pilot system, which is scheduled to go live at the end of the year, says Markus Hüllen, Vice President 3D Competence Center at SMS group. The powder manufacturing process is followed directly by 3D printing. In the integrated MetalFAB1 system, the metal powder bed fusion process is applied to melt the powder in a reproducible and efficient way. After additively manufacturing the parts, the build plate with parts is automatically transported to the heat treatment furnace for a stress relief cycle before storage by a robot. The MetalFAB1 system is designed to run autonomously 24/7 without the need for multiple shifts, substantially reducing cost. SMS group is also responsible for the heat treatment of the printed components for setting of improved material characteristics. Within the group, SMS Elotherm is the company with the induction heat treatment expertise, and one of the markets it supplies these machines to is the automotive industry. After the components have been machined and undergone quality control checks, they are ready to be shipped. Handshake after signing of the cooperation. From right to left: Guido Kleinschmidt (Member of the Managing Board of SMS group); Norbert Gober (Vice President Research and Development, SMS group); Daan A.J. Kersten (CEO, Additive Industries); Markus Hüllen (Vice President 3D Competence Center, SMS group) and Bernhard Steenken (Corporate Development, SMS group). MetalFAB1 printer, on which the powder produced by the plant is processed, and this will be installed right next to the pilot unit to work fully integrated. Norbert Gober: This Democenter will allow us to align the powder plant with its process guidance system perfectly with the printer and its parameters. We will then be able to apply this practical experience on an industrial scale and offer this as a turnkey solution to high-end users. PILOT PLANT IN MÖNCHENGLADBACH The first visible sign of this collaboration will be the Democenter, which is to be set up at SMS s facility in Mönchengladbach in the next few months. Additive Industries will supply a Norbert Gober additive.manufacturing@sms-group.com Further information Plant concept of SMS group and Additive Industries for industrial additive manufacturing serial production. 0X 2017 SMS group newsletter 49

50 PHOTO HIGHLIGHT GERMANY METALLURGICAL TEST LAB SMS group operates an own laboratory at its Austrian subsidiary SMS group Process Technologies in Vienna. The lab is specifically designed for the requirements of the metallurgical industry. It boasts all the equipment and knowhow needed to analyze the processes in strip processing lines and related operations. The knowledge gained from these analyses is used as highly valuable input in the design of plants and the development of new processes, among others in the field of hydrometallurgy. Read more about the capabilities of the laboratory starting on page 102. Stephan Zlotorzenski 50 SMS group newsletter

51 RUBRIK 51

52 RETROSPECT OUTLOOK SMS group has modernized more than 20 heavy-plate mills. 52 SMS group newsletter

53 RETROSPECT OUTLOOK WORLDWIDE PROFESSIONAL PARTNER FOR MODERNIZATION For heavy-plate mills, SMS group offers integrated modernization solutions that enhance the technology of production SMS group newsletter 53

54 RETROSPECT OUTLOOK Modernization projects to upgrade heavy-plate mills offer the users numerous advantages as they help improve product properties, raise productivity, increase availability and replace obsolete systems. About one third of all heavy-plate rolling mills in operation worldwide were built before Machine and drive technology, as well as process automation have seen an ever faster advancement over the last few years. On latest-generation plants, heavy plate can be produced at lower cost due to reduced energy consumption and higher productivity and in better quality using new technologies. MEETING NEW REQUIREMENTS SMS group has developed very flexible concepts suited to upgrade older heavy-plate mills to make them meet market requirements in the same way as mills of the latest generation do. This applies in particular to the production of newly developed materials coming with special mechanical-technological properties and corresponding rolling instructions, but also to attaining the required dimensions and geometrical tolerances. MODERNIZATION CONCEPTS To keep up production as long as possible while conversion and modernization measures are going on, SMS developed a concept that, compared to conventional upgrades, provides the plant user a distinctly higher degree of fail-safe operation, shorter commissioning periods, higher ramp-up curves and thus an early return on investment. As a general rule, the procedure is the same in all modernization projects. The first step is to swap ideas in discussions with the plant user, followed by fact-finding to analyze the actual condition of the plant. Based on the results thereof, an action plan is prepared for the upgrade. Then, schedules are prepared for the implementation of the modernization measures with due consideration of planned production and repair times at the user s plant. These schedules restrict downtimes for implementing the individual steps to the necessary extent. This helps prevent production stops as far as possible. 54 SMS group newsletter

55 RETROSPECT OUTLOOK OPERATION RESTART Top: Edger with slab. Bottom left: Thermomechanical rolling with three slabs. Bottom right: Control station of a heavy-plate mill with SMS group technology. All the above mentioned measures ensure the modernization process can be implemented in a well-organized manner. Due to its long-standing experience in the commissioning of metallurgical plants, SMS group makes the facility ready for resuming operation shortly within the conversion downtime. Successful restarting of a plant after a conversion is, without doubt, the highlight of every modernization project. SMS group assists the customer in every respect accompanying him throughout the entire ramp-up phase and rendering technological support. Often, there is also potential for joint advancements to be developed within the frame of cooperation agreements. SMS group has completed numerous projects to the satisfaction of its customers which confirms the success of the company s modernization concepts. GLOBAL REFERENCES Since the year 2000, SMS group has implemented more than 20 modernization projects for heavy-plate mills with the portfolio covering the whole spectrum comprising mechanical units, electrical and automation systems, planning activities, implementation, and services for ongoing operation. An even larger number of heavy-plate mills was supplied by the company as new plants. This demonstrates the global experience SMS group has gained in this field. Shortest downtimes, steep ramp-up curves and, frequently, exceeding the customer s expectations all these are convincing reasons to go for heavy-plate mills from SMS group. Contact hot.mills@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 55

56 PERFORMANCE MODULES Heat treatment lines for heavy plate Plate mill MULTIFLEX-QUENCH COOLING WITH VARIOUS COOLING RATES Challenges Depending on thickness and steel grades, plates must be heat-treated with appropriate temperature-time paths Cooling must not harm plate flatness Solution Adjustable water flow covering different cooling rates Adjustable pinch roll guiding for best flatness Technical advantages Only one MFQ to be installed for various cooling tasks and different plate dimensions Integrated solution with automation and technology E Q P E Performance Checkbox Efficiency - Alloying expense can be reduced by optimized temperature control up to five /t Quality - Flexible cooling rates for large variety of products X-PACT THERMO-MECHANICAL ROLLING INCREASED RATE SOPHISTICATED STAGGERING OF PLATES Challenges Optimized mill usage during cooling phases of thermo-mechanical rolling Solution Multi-plate rolling Process temperature model for precise determination of rolling sequence Technical advantages Production of micro-alloyed high strength steel with higher ductility requirements Stable reproducible thermo-mechanical rolling process Better thermo-mechanical production rate with sophisticated staggering of plates in the mill area Performance Checkbox Productivity - Increased operation time - Increased yield by multi plate rolling in TM Mode Efficiency - Reduced use of alloy 56 SMS group newsletter

57 RETROSPECT OUTLOOK WORLDWIDE PERFORMANCE MODULES Improving competitiveness with affordable investments. SMS group is continuously developing a multitude of solutions to substantially improve the competitiveness of plants at moderate investment costs. These technologies, components, automation solutions or services are classified as Performance Modules. Each individual module helps customers improve the performance of their plants in one or several dimensions and hence achieve a competitive edge in a tough market environment. This means the modules will not only increase plant productivity and product quality, but also reduce operating costs and permit new, high-margin products to be introduced. For heavy-plate rolling mills, too, SMS group has numerous Performance Modules to offer suited to make older plants competitive again. Contact performance@sms-group.com Q 4.0 P E Quality Industry 4.0 Production Efficiency X-PACT PLATE CUTTING OPTIMIZATION Plate mill P E Performance Checkbox X-PACT AUTOMATIC SHAPE CONTROL BEST RESULTS FOR AN OPTIMIZED PLATE CONTOUR Plate mill P E Performance Checkbox Challenges Big deviations in plate shape or length can not be cut as scheduled Solution Measuring the as rolled plate shape and verify if the scheduled daughter plates fit into it Adapting the cutting schedule for maximum yield Technical advantages Automatic corrections for measured/planned pattern mismatch Current performance of the various shears is taken into consideration Online information if one final dimension can not be cut Productivity - Increased plant yield Efficiency - Reduction of scrapped material - Minimizing of scrap - Maximum throughput rate of the shear line Challenges Finish rolling with almost rectangular plate shape Solution Tapered thickness rolling during broad sizing to compensate variation of material flow during following rolling passes Technical advantages Minimization of scrap Maximization of yield Automatic adjustments of roll gap for best plate rectangularity Productivity - Increase of yield Efficiency - Reduced scrap material SMS group newsletter 57

58 IRONMAKING PLANTS Photo courtesy of NLMK RUSSIA NLMK TO IMPLEMENT PCI TECHNOLOGY Resource-saving process from Paul Wurth reduces production costs of hot metal, while ensuring highly reliable plant operation. 58 SMS group newsletter

59 The main buildings of the coal grinding, drying and injection plants for blast furnaces Nos. 6 and 7. 7,400,000 tons of hot metal are being produced by the blast furnaces Nos. 6 and 7, for which Paul Wurth has supplied these new PCI plants and other technologies. NLMK Group, one of Russia s leading integrated steel companies with international operations, and technology supplier Paul Wurth have started commissioning of the pulverized coal injection (PCI) plants of blast furnaces No. 6 and No. 7 at NLMK s main steelmaking site in Lipetsk in the central European part of Russia. Recent press information released by NLMK stressed that this technology results in a 30-percent decrease in the consumption of expensive coke and a 50-percent reduction in the consumption of natural gas as well as a reduction of the cost of hot metal production by approximately 5 percent. HIGHEST DISTRIBUTION ACCURACY The PCI plants for blast furnaces No. 6 (yearly production: 3.1 million tons of hot metal) and No. 7 (4.3 million tons) have been part of an integral contract with Paul Wurth, covering the introduction of this resource-saving technology at the majority of NLMK s ironmaking facilities. At all these furnaces, dense phase conveying systems with static distributors ensure accurate distribution of the pulverized coal over the hot blast tuyeres, reaching injection rates of 150 kilograms or more per ton of hot metal. SUPPORT ALL THE WAY THROUGH For blast furnaces Nos. 6 and 7, the injection coal is produced by two upstream coal grinding and drying plants rated at 75 tons per hour each. Self-inertizing process circuits preclude by design any risk of explosion during pulverization. Besides design, supply of key components, instrumentation, automation and traditional supervision at the construction site, Paul Wurth has supported NLMK and its local partners in engineering, construction and erection of the plant over the entire construction period. Contact SMS group newsletter 59

60 MODERNIZATION IRONMAKING PLANTS JSW Steel s Vijayanagar works in Toranagallu, Karnataka. INDIA A STATE-OF-THE-ART BLAST FURNACE IN 90 DAYS Following the successful rebuild with capacity increase of blast furnace No. 1, JSW Steel has awarded Paul Wurth the order to also upgrade blast furnace No. 3 in Toranagallu, Karnataka State, India, which is the biggest ironmaking unit at JSW Steel s Vijayanagar works. The scope of the contract includes the complete engineering of the upgrade for the blast furnace proper, procurement and supply of equipment as well as a series of technical services for selected auxiliary plant units. The cooling and lining concept for the new furnace foresees a hearth with new carbon blocks, wall cooling with copper and cast iron staves and a completely new shell. The existing furnace tower will be modified and reinforced to accommodate the increased furnace volume and the necessary construction loads. The existing Paul Wurth Bell Less Top charging system will be fitted with new hoppers (110 cubic meters each) and a new weighing system. An additional new hot blast stove with external combustion chamber of Paul Wurth onedome design, the reline of two existing stoves with internal combustion chamber, a new hot blast main and bustle pipe as well as new tuyere stocks will ensure reliable hot blast supply. 60 SMS group newsletter

61 BLAST FURNACE 3 AT JSW STEEL The new furnace design will allow JSW Steel to reduce the coke rate by 9 percent and total fuel consumption by 1 percent. Its productivity will be 2.85 tons of hot metal per day per cubic meter of working volume. For efficient and safe process control, measuring technology such as above-burden gas and temperature probes and the TMT 3D TopScan profile recorder will be installed along with Paul Wurth s Tuyere Phenomena Detection System (TPDS). 3D TopScan and TPDS will be the first applications of their kind in India. Casthouse safety will be improved by installing four new TMT runner cover manipulators. MINIMIZING PRODUCTION LOSSES 5,339 cubic meters (+32 percent compared to the present volume of 4,019 cubic meters). The hearth diameter will be increased from 13.2 to 14.9 meters and the number of tuyeres from 36 to 42. These parameters will result in an average daily hot metal production of 12,550 tons and a total yearly production of about 4.5 million tons. The upgraded blast furnace will become one of the biggest blast furnaces in India, further strengthening Paul Wurth s references in extra-large blast furnace projects. A new axial cyclone and the modification of the existing wet gas cleaning stage by installing Paul Wurth annular gap elements and an external demister will ensure the required efficiency of top gas cleaning. Capacities of both the stockhouse and the cooling systems have to be increased. This is also included in the contract scope. Paul Wurth will provide basic and detail engineering for the erection as well as detailed schedules for supervision of erection and commissioning of the major plant units. Bigblock assembly techniques will make it possible to limit the shutdown period to only about 90 days, thus allowing JSW to minimize production losses due to the rebuilding activities. The modernized blast furnace 3 will have an inner volume of Contact SMS group newsletter 61

62 MODERNIZATION METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SPAIN SMART MODERNIZATION CONCEPT ArcelorMittal Asturias (Avilés) has contracted SMS group for tailor-made conversion of slab caster No. 2. ArcelorMittal Asturias, Avilés, Spain, has contracted SMS group for a comprehensive conversion of the company s two-strand slab caster No. 2. With this modernization, ArcelorMittal Asturias responds to the increasingly higher quality demands in the growing market for special steels such as grades for tube and heavy-plate production. The two-strand slab caster No. 2 was originally supplied by SMS group in Since then it has produced approximately 1.9 million tons per year of steel slabs with thicknesses of 235 and 280 millimeters and a maximum width of 1,600 millimeters. After the modernization, the continuous caster will be able to produce up to 2.7 million tons of steel slabs per year with thicknesses of 235, 300 and 365 millimeters and widths from 800 to 2,200 millimeters. CHALLENGING MODIFICATIONS The greatest challenge of this project was the customer s request to expand the slab width from 1,600 to 2,200 millimeters without extensive rebuilding of the foundations and the resulting prolongation of the building phase, which would have made the overall project less efficient. The special design of the segment carrying frames to be installed by SMS group will allow the existing foundations and anchor bolts of continuous caster No. 2 to be maintained without any modifications. The tailor-made modernization concept, based on the innovative design developed by SMS group, convinced ArcelorMittal Asturias also in terms of profitability. The continuous caster will be completely rebuilt from the mold down to the exit section, maintaining the curved mold design. The curved mold provides significant advantages especially when casting slabs with a thickness of more than 320 millimeters from steel grades particularly susceptible to cracking. Although the maximum slab thickness will be extended to 365 millimeters, the radius of 10.5 meters will be retained, while increasing the metallurgical length from 33.2 to 36.7 meters. The continuous caster will be designed for a maximum casting speed of 1.6 meters per minute; the spray cooling concept will take into account a future increase in casting speed. The caster will be equipped with SMS group s remote-adjustable mold, which allows width adjustment and automatic adaptation of the mold taper during production without having to reduce the casting speed. The system takes into account the steel grade and the current casting speed. The mechanical oscillation system will be replaced by a hydraulically actuated oscillation system by means of which both the stroke length and the frequency can be changed during the casting process. The straightening segments and the segments in the horizontal section will be equipped with an online gap control system operating with position-controlled clamping cylinders. The new slab caster No. 2 will work with various X-Pact Level 2 process models for quality control. The Mold Monitoring System will monitor the temperature distribution in the strand shell. In this way, stickers can be detected and the risk of break-outs can be eliminated early in the process. Furthermore, SMS group will implement a new secondary cooling concept with a width-dependent air-mist cooling system and DSC (Dynamic Solidification Control). DSC calculates the solidification process of the strand and controls the various secondary cooling zones based on selectable parameters such as casting speed maximization or in the case of steel grades particularly susceptible to cracking optimization of the straightening temperature as a function of characteristic values of the processed material. The metallurgical process model Dynamic Soft Reduction allows a targeted compression of the slab in the final solidification zone to improve the internal microstructure. The data specifying the most suitable location and amount of compression are provided by the DSC. The cooling circuits for the mold, the casting machine and the spray cool- 62 SMS group newsletter

63 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY Reliable measurement of continuous caster segments and molds using the HD LASr plant assistant system from SMS group. Slab caster from SMS group for high-quality steel grades. ing system will be completely renewed; the hydraulic equipment will be adapted and enhanced. For the workshop of ArcelorMittal Asturias, SMS group will supply its new HD LASr plant assistant. HD LASr is already in use in the workshop of continuous caster No. 1. Already when ordering the HD LASr assistant for that caster, ArcelorMittal Asturias had been so convinced of the new system that no rulers for conventional measurement of the mold and segments had been included in the contract. Thanks to the high quality of the laser measurement, the exact and reliable recording and the meaningful evaluation of the measured objects, HD LASr is far superior to the systems used up to now. Considering the high sensitivity to cracking of the steel grades to be cast and the greater slab thickness, more exact alignment of the strand guide system may significantly contribute to preventing crack formation in the slab. Continuous caster No. 1 was successfully commissioned in late 2016, after modernization by SMS group, which involved the conversion to a vertical bending plant. Only five weeks after commissioning, the monthly production rate had already reached pre-conversion figures. The customer rates the quality of the rolled coils as very good. The integrated steel plant of ArcelorMittal Avilés produces high-quality steel grades for the automotive and tinplate industries as well as for heavy plate production. Ulrich Kerp ulrich.kerp@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 63

64 MODERNIZATION METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY ITALY HIGHER AVAILABILITY AND INCREASED SAFETY Acciaierie Valbruna S.p.a. issues FAC for torque support of 70-ton AOD converter. High-performance AOD converter from SMS group. 64

65 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY For its 70-ton AOD (Argon Oxygen Decarburization) converter at its steel plant in Vicenza, Acciaierie Valbruna S.p.a., Italy has received a torque support from SMS group. The customer awarded the final acceptance certificate (FAC) to SMS group following a revamp which was completed two days ahead of schedule. The aim of the revamp which was to minimize the destructive forces on the gear unit, bearings and foundation when operating the AOD converter was fully achieved in every respect. What s more, the installation of the new electrohydraulic torque support resulted in a substantial reduction in uncontrolled gear unit and converter vessel vibrations. PRE-EXAMINATION WITH SENSORS Together with SMS INNSE S.p.A., a subsidiary of SMS group in Italy, SMS group supplied the torque support as a compact electrohydraulic unit. The engineering and erection supervision were also included in the scope of supply. Both the cold and hot commissioning were completed jointly with the customer. Before the revamp, SMS group examined the actual condition using special sensors (accelerometers) which were connected to a measuring and data recording system. The measurements were performed in the presence of a specialist consultant from the University of Padua. The same measurements and recordings were repeated following installation of the new torque support, and the data collected was compared with the previous measurement data. Confirmation was given that the contractually guaranteed values had been met. The consultant from the University of Padua made sure that the same method and the same components were used for both measuring processes and subsequently confirmed the result. The target values were achieved under production conditions after an extremely short commissioning period. Acciaierie Valbruna is entirely satisfied with the results, especially with the achieved higher availability and increased safety of the AOD converter. Moreover, the gear unit will require much less maintenance work than before. Even before issuing the FAC, Valbruna had given other steelworks operators the opportunity to take a look at the new torque support in Vicenza. Acciaierie Valbruna has three production sites, two in Italy, in Vicenza and in Bolzano, and one in Fort Wayne, U.S.A., and 40 storage sites around the globe. The company makes special and stainless steels in about 700 different grades. Daniel Beckers daniel.beckers@sms-group.com 3D image: AOD torque support. Result achieved with the AOD torque support: uncontrolled rocking of the AOD converter is eliminated SMS group newsletter 65

66 ArcelorMittal Temirtau receives a new 290-ton ladle furnace from SMS group. KAZAKHSTAN BOOST IN EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY ArcelorMittal Temirtau orders new ladle furnace. ArcelorMittal Temirtau, Kazakhstan, recently awarded SMS group a purchase order for the supply of a new 290-ton ladle furnace for its plant in Temirtau, Kazakhstan. The SMS group scope of supply will comprise the engineering, mechanical and electrical equipment and supervision of erection and commissioning of the new ladle furnace, gas cleaning plant, additives handling system and water treatment plant. ArcelorMittal Temirtau is one of the largest producers in Kazakhstan s steel and mining sector. The integrated steel plant located in Temirtau has an annual capacity of four million tons of crude steel and produces hot and cold rolled steel, tin plates, galvanized steel and polymer-coated coils, welded pipes, coke, and chemical by-products. FOR HIGH-GRADE STEELS The ladle furnace allows precise control of the chemical composition and temperature of the liquid steel and slag, thus satisfying an important basic requirement for the further process steps aimed at producing high-quality steel grades and also functions as a buffer for the molten metal upstream of the remaining processing stations. Commissioning is scheduled for the second quarter of Paolo Porracin paolo.porracin@sms-group.com 66 SMS group newsletter

67 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY CZECH REPUBLIC FIBER OPTICS FOR THE MOLD ArcelorMittal Ostrava is improving plant availability and product quality with HD mold FO. ArcelorMittal Ostrava, Czech Republic, has placed an order with SMS group for an HD mold FO (FO: Fiber Optics) for use in a continuous round bloom caster for bloom diameters of 350 and 400 millimeters. The SMS group scope of supply comprises two mold tubes, each with twelve optical fibers, for a total of 180 temperature measurement points per mold. ArcelorMittal Ostrava also ordered the HD mold FO software with assistance functions. They serve to protect the machine and to improve quality and yield, and provide support in the development of new steel grades. ONLINE VISUALIZATION WITH HD MOLD FO SMS Concast is to supply two new Convex molds that will be prepared for the use of HD mold FO. Commissioning is scheduled for With the HD mold FO, SMS group offers a significant improvement in online signal acquisition through the use of fiber optics. With more than 200 possible measurement points on continuous casters for long products, the measurement density is significantly higher than when using thermo couples. The measurement points can be distributed over the whole height of the mold, and the positions of the measurement points can be freely selected. Only the use of the HD mold FO will make online visualization of the local strand shell thickness and of the thicknesses of the liquid and solid mold powder layers possible. SMS Concast is also to supply CONCOR rollers for segment 1 and the Dynamic COOL (online and offline) Level 2 technology package for optimization of the secondary cooling zones. ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s is the largest steel producer in the Czech Republic. The integrated steel plant produces three million tons of steel per year. Apart from the Czech market, ArcelorMittal Ostrava sells its products in more than 40 countries worldwide. Martin Klein martin.klein@sms-group.com Higher product quality of round blooms through the use of HD mold FO in a continuous round bloom caster SMS group newsletter 67

68 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY WORLDWIDE THE MEASURING SYSTEM OF THE FUTURE HD scan classifies the internal quality of cast products.

69 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY HD scan is easy to use, the technique is reliable and the results are reproducible. Besides these benefits, HD scan provides the important advantages of being safe, working without any acids and requiring no specially equipped room in the works. Martin Klein, Engineer Sales, Special Technologies and Innovations, Metallurgy and Environmental Technology Division. HD scan consists of an ultrasonic unit, a bath for the samples complete with a scanner and ultrasonic sensors, and a computer for controlling the process and the automated evaluation procedure. The bath is available in different sizes depending on customer requests. As an example: 1.5 square meters (approx. 400 x 400 square millimeters) can accommodate about nine samples. For producers and sellers as well as processors and users of cast products, quality is a key economic factor. SMS group develops quality-determining systems for mechatronic components and metallurgical processes in continuous casting plants. Customers of SMS group using these systems have been successful in making premium products with their plants, setting high quality standards in the market. However, what exactly is high quality? Which criteria should be applied to assess quality? Are there any objective analyses and evaluation criteria available to measure quality? Yes, with our HD scan product all this is possible now, state Dr. Tamara Gusarova, Development Engineer, and Martin Klein, Sales Engineer, both from SMS group. Dr. Gusarova continues: In our new product, we use a tried and tested technique: ultrasound, which has been in use in many technological fields and in medicine for a long time. Our specially developed data evaluation software generates objective and meaningful reports about the internal quality of cast products. HD scan is easy to use; the technique is reliable and the results are reproducible. Besides these benefits, HD scan provides the important advantages of being safe, working without any acids and requiring no specially equipped room in the works, explains Martin Klein. In contrast, HD scan provides three-dimensional volumetric information, in other words, quality information on the basis of several planes. To achieve correspondingly reliable information with macro-etching would require much greater effort. Unlike macro-etching, HD scan provides truly representative results. Macro-etching is segregation-specific, i.e. etching with HCl only makes carbon segregation visible. HD scan, by contrast, is suitable for all segregation types. Unlike macro-etching, a quality check by ultrasound does not require a specially treated surface of the sample. All it takes is a roughly machined surface. Even rusty surfaces do not have an impact on the measurement. IN MANY WAYS SUPERIOR TO ETCHING Macro-etching is a quality assessment method based on the inspection of a randomly selected plane within a cast product, which is considered representative of the product. However, more often than not is the quality misinterpreted as too good or as too bad with this method. Sensor head with two ultra-sound sensors SMS group newsletter 69

70 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY OBJECTIVE RESULTS WITH AUTOMATED EVALUATIONS The automated evaluation by the HD scan software allows conclusions to be drawn about the product quality, the possibilities to optimize the casting parameters and machine settings, and can be used to test out new grades. With HD scan it is possible to classify center segregation, identify cracks (including information about the crack type and length and position in the sample) and evaluate the sample geometry, including eccentricity, trapezoidal shape and bulging. Additionally, the macro-structure is visualized. COMPARABILITY OF PRODUCTS AND PLAUSIBLE CLASSIFICATIONS The evaluation software of HD scan provides a significant enhancement in product comparability. Manufacturers of premium products will be able to strengthen and expand their market position. Most manufacturers use the HKM catalog to classify their products and as a basis to compare their products with those made by others. After a sample has been prepared, the lab staff compares the image of the sample with images in the HKM catalog. This classification is based exclusively on visual criteria, i.e. the quality is judged exclusively by eye. This way of comparing the quality of products is not feasible in practice. Also for downstream processes, it is important to have a plausible classification. As HD scan provides objective, automated and fact-based evaluations, quality assurance becomes an objectively traceable process. HD scan can be used without having to go through complicated instructions. The operator loads the samples into the bath. After the loading has been confirmed, the testing procedure including center segregation classification takes place fully automatically. For each sample, the area to be tested can be freely selected. While with other testing methods area always means a two-dimensional plane, HD scan provides three-dimensional volumetric information about the chosen area of the sample. HD scan captures measured data down to a depth of 6 centimeters, producing more than 200 tomograms of the scanned area. To obtain an equivalent result by macro-etching, it would be necessary to grind and etch sample 200 times. HD scan is designed to classify center segregation in an automated process. The system characterizes internal flaws with a resolution of 0.5 millimeters true to scale. The ultrasonic head and frequency are selected to provide optimal results for the classification of center segregation in an automated process. The system also detects other internal defects, such as micro-cracks. Existing photos of macro-etched samples are digitized and archived. Thus the digital archive does not have to be built up from scratch, while long-time comparability is ensured. The photos can be additionally evaluated by the HD scan software. To enable better comparability, the here applied evaluation algorithms are the same as those used to evaluate the data from the ultrasonic tests. The HD scan data can be stored as low-volume data in a long-term archive. Moreover, processes can be optimized safely and instantly by coupling the digital evaluations with existing process data. 70 SMS group newsletter

71 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY BOTTOM LINE With HD scan the measuring system of the future for classifying the internal quality of cast products SMS group has developed a system of low investment and operating costs. Also human resource requirements are low. The investment pays off in about 18 months. The content of information is high, the evaluation software is easy to use and the results are objective and plausible. HD scan is an advanced technology which can be relied on to make quality visible in a highly efficient way. Dr. Tamara Gusarova tamara.gusarova@sms-group.com Martin Klein martin.klein@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 71

72 MODERNIZATION METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY SOUTH KOREA HIGHER DEGREE OF AUTOMATION Hyundai upgraded existing combi-caster together with SMS Concast in shortest time. Hyundai Steel Company and SMS Concast successfully commissioned the revamped continuous casting machine in Pohang, South Korea. This start-up was achieved after a revamp time of merely 1.5 months. The combi-caster went into operation smoothly and to the full satisfaction of Hyundai so that the Final Acceptance Certificate was granted. With a casting radius of ten meters, the six-strand continuous casting machine produces roughly one million tons per year. The steel grades range from carbon to automotive steel and are cast in different bloom and beam blank sections. The major aspects of the modernization were the introduction of a new section size of 250 x 350 millimeters and the increased level of automation for quality monitoring. The revamp of the machine head included stopper control, new oscillation mechanisms, a new mold powder feeder and electromagnetic stirrers. Furthermore, the straightener units, deburrers and electrical equipment including a level-2 process management system were renewed. Further information EXCELLENT QUALITY With the sturdy SMS Concast design and new equipment like a laser measuring device to ensure correct mold tube taper, an extended online mold oscillation monitoring system and an automatic powder feeder, Hyundai is able to ensure a reliable production. The cooperation with SMS Concast has been very fruitful and enabled us to restart production on time with an upgraded continuous casting machine adapted exactly to our high quality standards, says Sang-Hoon Lee, Project Responsible and Mechanical Team Manager at Hyundai. SMS CONCAST IN A NUTSHELL Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, SMS Concast is the center of competence within SMS group for long-product continuous casting. Building on process know-how accumulated in more than 60 years, SMS Concast is the partner of choice in dealing with any task or challenge in long-product making for any steel grade and any section size cast. 72 SMS group newsletter

73 Upgraded SMS Concast bloom caster at Hyundai Steel, Pohang, in full production SMS group newsletter 73

74 CONDRIVE in combination with a conventional short-lever oscillation system. The drive also works with other oscillation mechanisms. WORLDWIDE GAME CHANGE IN ONLINE MOLD OSCILLATION CONTROL New electrical oscillation drive for stroke and frequency adjustment during operation. 74 SMS group newsletter

75 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY CONDRIVE - EXAMPLE OF INSTALLATION AND WORKING PRINCIPLE Stroke [mm] (peak-peak) Down position of the mold Upper position of the eccentric Movement during casting Modern billet production in a six-strand casting plant. The principle of CONDRIVE oscillation control: frequency and stroke can be changed via the turning angle. One crucial piece of equipment in continuous casting machines is the mold oscillation system, responsible for production stability as well as for flawless mold lubrication and perfect surface quality. Oscillation parameters, such as stroke and frequency need to be adapted to the steel grades and casting modes (e.g. open or closed casting, casting speed and others). To accommodate these requirements, hydraulic drives are very often used for the mold oscillation in order to easily generate different oscillation curves adapted to the specific needs. On the other hand, hydraulic drives are more costly in both CAPEX and OPEX due to their design and the hydraulic system required. The traditional solution for mold oscillation is an electrical motor associated with an eccentric drive. The latter implies lower CAPEX and OPEX but does not allow oscillation stroke changes during operation. The new CONDRIVE drive concept (patent pending) developed by SMS Concast AG combines the simple design of the fully electrical eccentric oscillation drive with the flexibility of hydraulic cylinder actuation (see comparison table). The stroke is generated by an eccentric shaft, however, instead of 360 rotation it rotates only partially. The position of the eccentric is accurately driven and controlled by the combination of a servo drive and a torque motor. FLEXIBLE ADJUSTMENT OF STROKE AND FREQUENCY The sinusoidal oscillation at the mold with a stroke s is generated by a part turn movement. The stroke and/or frequency can be adjusted independently by the software at any time during casting by changing the angle and/or the cycle period. So from now on, a fully electrical oscillation drive is available giving full online control of the oscillation parameters stroke, frequency and curve pattern (including non-sinusoidal curve). This drive combines the advantage of full oscillation control with low maintenance cost. Furthermore, the new drive can be easily installed in revamps of existing oscillation systems. All this makes the CONDRIVE system a potential game changer for the mold oscillation equipment and the upgrade from rebar to SBQ casting. Dino Kabosch dino.kabosch@sms-group.com COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT OSCILLATION DRIVE SYSTEMS Electrical oscillation Manual stroke adjustment + Simple design, electrical power + Low maintenance costs + Low cost solution Hydraulic oscillation + Online stroke adjustment Hydraulic power unit and piping needed High maintenance cost Expensive Solution CONDRIVE + Online stroke adjustment + Electrical power and cooling water needed + Low maintenance costs + Very good value for money SMS group newsletter 75

76 RUBRIK UNITED KINGDOM FIRST MULTI-CHAMBER VIM PLANT PROVES HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL The VIM X-eed plant supplied by SMS group to Liberty Speciality Steels for its Stocksbridge site fulfills all existing customer approvals. A cast ingot being stripped from the mold. 76 SMS group newsletter

77 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY The VIM facility commissioned by SMS Mevac and Liberty aligns closely with Liberty Steel s overall GREENSTEEL strategy. The quality, flexibility and efficiency capability of the equipment supplied by SMS Mevac enables Liberty Speciality Steels and our customers to reduce our environmental footprint, during all stages of the supply chain. Andrew Douglass, Engineering Director, Liberty Speciality Steels, Liberty. Ingots from third party VIM suppliers impacted the production volume, operating efficiency and development of new alloys at Liberty Speciality Steels. To be able to produce speciality steels for components subjected to high mechanical or thermal loads, the company decided to invest in a new VIM X-eed unit. Existing customer approvals are transferrable to the new process route as the new equipment fulfills the customers specifications one hundred percent. At its Stocksbridge site, Liberty Speciality Steels, UK, has successfully commissioned the VIM X-eed vacuum induction melting furnace supplied by SMS Mevac, a company of SMS group. The new tertiary metallurgy plant the very first VIM plant of multi-chamber design built by SMS Mevac produces ultra-pure steels and special alloys. At its tradition-rich site in Stocksbridge near Sheffield, Liberty Speciality Steels makes ultra-pure steels for high-tech applications, primarily for key markets such as the aerospace, oil and gas, and automotive industries. The product range includes remelted ingots and semi-finished products, which Liberty s customers manufacture into components for use under extreme mechanical and thermal conditions, e.g. turbine blades, rotor parts, engine components and landing gear for the aerospace industry, vehicle parts and fittings for the oil and gas industry. The business has been continuously investing in VAR (Vacuum Arc Remelting) and ESR (Electro Slag Remelting) facilities at the 175-year-old Stocksbridge site since the 1970s, with feedstock ingot supplied from its electric arc furnace melt shop. However, in the past Liberty had to source certain special ingots for its remelting process from third party VIM suppliers. This placed constraints on the volume, efficiency and alloy development opportunities for VIM-VAR alloys within Liberty Speciality Steels. ULTRA-PURE MATERIALS ARE IN GREAT DEMAND The market for new high-tech materials has been characterized by constant growth. Besides traditional market segments such as the aerospace industry, the demand for speciality steels has also been increasing in other sectors where components able to withstand high mechanical, or thermal loads are needed. Liberty Speciality Steels Technical Director Simon Pike says: One immediately associates high-tech materials with aerospace applications. But we also supply our products to other specialist industries like motor sport. The mechanical demands on, for example, a Formula 1 race-car gear box are immense. Products for this application are manufactured on our new VIM furnace. Against the backdrop of the great potential offered by hightech materials, the management of Liberty Speciality Steels developed plans to invest in facilities that would cater precisely to that market. The business backed its investment decision with a comprehensive market study, which identified a growing demand for ultra-pure grades in various market segments. Liberty Speciality Steels opted for a solution that would make the company independent of ingot supplies from third parties. It was decided to concentrate the complete process chain for this steel in one location and add a vacuum induction furnace to the steel refining facilities at Stocksbridge. NEW EQUIPMENT FULFILLS EXISTING APPROVALS Andrew Douglass, Liberty Speciality Steels Engineering Director, explains: A key issue we faced was deciding which technology to choose and which partner to work with to allow us to reach our goals effectively, without risk to the customer approvals that we already had at that time. A top priority of the project was to ensure a smooth transition of existing customer approvals to the new, in-house process route. Therefore, it had to be guaranteed that the new facility would be able to fulfill the customers specifications one hundred percent. The new facility was to be built at the site of a former vertical billet caster, in order to take advantage of overhead cranes and plant services. The main task for the engineers was to configure the core units of the new facility within the constraints imposed by the building dimensions and the crane footprints. When looking for suitable plant suppliers, those responsible for the project at Liberty Speciality Steels turned to SMS group newsletter 77

78 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY THE VIM PROCESS Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) is the preferred technology for the production of steels for use in the most demanding applications. The benefits of VIM include: no formation of oxides during melting, as melting takes place in an oxygen-free atmosphere under fine vacuum, removal of unwanted accompanying elements, removal of gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen, the possibility to produce new highpurity alloys under ultra-high vacuum, something unfeasible under atmospheric pressure The new VIM facility at Liberty Speciality Steels in Stocksbridge. SMS Mevac. Both companies knew each other from successful ladle metallurgy projects jointly implemented in the past, and SMS Mevac had an excellent reputation due to its extensive ladle metallurgy knowhow and expertise. Liberty and SMS Mevac entered into discussions and when the question as to whether SMS Mevac would also build tertiary metallurgy plants came up, the answer was a clear yes. SMS Mevac had recently established its Tertiary Metallurgy product area. With more than 400 RH, VD and VOD plant installations, the company brings a wealth of vacuum process expertise. Thus it was a consistent move for SMS Mevac to take secondary metallurgy to the next level tertiary metallurgy and design cutting-edge VIM facilities. SMS Mevac s Tertiary Metallurgy product area covers three key melting and remelting technologies: VIM (Vacuum Induction Melting), ESR (Electro Slag Remelting) and VAR (Vacuum Arc Remelting). THOROUGH CONCEPT FOR ALL PROCESS STAGES For the Stocksbridge project, SMS Mevac developed an attractive and thorough concept that comprised all process stages from raw material sourcing through to the casting of the VIM ingots. The concept is based on a four-chamber system, in which the melting, casting and exchange chambers and the vacuum charger are interconnected. Each chamber can be evacuated separately from the others. The design even provides for the possibility to feed additives whenever necessary while the melting chamber is under vacuum. The layout integrates the main furnace components with the raw materials preparation area, the crucible pre-heating equipment, the mould preparation facilities and the ingot stripping area. The suggested concept also provided clear cost advantages. In October 2012, Liberty awarded SMS Mevac the order to plan and engineer the facility and, in September 2013, the order for the supply, including commissioning of the plant. We deliberately decided in favor of SMS Mevac although we knew that it would be the first multi-chamber VIM SMS Mevac was going to build. The success speaks for itself, adds Andrew Douglass. Before the erection work could start, the former vertical billet caster had to be disassembled and the 30-meters-deep pit capped. Numerous interfaces had to be designed and prepared. Then, in the late summer of 2014, the erection phase started. In the summer of 2015, hot and cold commissioning took place. Andrew Douglass continues: The construction of this plant was a typical brownfield project with lots of imponderables. Already during the preparation phase, our joint approach to integrating the facility into the existing works infrastructure proved extremely successful, last but not least due to the close and trustful cooperation between the two partners. Cihangir Demirci cihangir.demirci@sms-mevac.com Further information 78 SMS group newsletter

79 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY The casting process - with the tilted crucible shown in the background - is monitored from the control room. The technology in detail The VIM unit at Liberty Speciality Steels comprises an eight-ton vacuum induction melting crucible furnace and the associated vacuum pumping, material charging and process control equipment. SMS Mevac s scope of supply also included the ancillary equipment for crucible preheating and relining. The VIM unit built at Stocksbridge is the very first multichamber installation supplied by SMS Mevac. As a matter of course, all core components are of the latest state-of-the-art. Additionally, we have implemented numerous innovations in this facility. Not only the individual components, but the entire plant is automated to a very high degree. This speeds up the processes and achieves excellent reproducibility, says Cihangir Demirci, SMS Mevac. Vacuum generation The unit is evacuated with a system of mechanical vacuum pumps, down to a maximum vacuum of <0.05 mbar. It operates with several modules coupled via evacuation lines to the process chambers, either to all chambers at the same time, or one after another. SMS Mevac has designed an optimized sealing system for the entire plant. This system features newly developed vacuum gate valves for the fine vacuum range, providing secure sealing between the chambers. Any dust particles arising from the process are captured by dry-type filters specifically designed for this application. These filters prevent any ingress of particles into the vacuum pump system. Charging The raw materials clean revert scrap and virgin alloys are prepared, weighed and loaded to charging baskets. These baskets are transferred by the charger crane to the melting chamber. When the vacuum charger has reached its dedicated position above the melting chamber, it seals with the melting chamber. Then the charger flap opens and the basket is lowered, allowing the raw materials to drop into the crucible. This procedure is repeated until the required charge weight has been reached. Melting The melting chamber is evacuated to the required process vacuum level. Then the melting chamber is ready for the melting process to start. Refining of the molten metal under vacuum begins as soon as all scrap and alloys are in the liquid state. An electromagnetic stirring unit provides continuous mixing of the bath, ensuring a high process speed especially during the de SMS group newsletter 79

80 METALLURGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY gassing/homogenizing phase. A distinct advantage of the multi-chamber design is that material can be added at any time during melting under vacuum via the vacuum charger. Casting After the melting process has been completed, a crane loads a preheated launder and tundish system into the exchange chamber, which will be evacuated to the required process vacuum level. The vacuum gate valves between the exchange and the casting chamber and between the casting and the melting chamber open. Then the launder is placed under the spout of the crucible. The casting process starts as soon as the crucible is tilted. The casting chamber is fitted with a turntable that accommodates several molds. Both bottom pouring and top pouring are possible. Process control All process sequences are automated to a very high degree. This minimizes non-productive times and guarantees utmost reproducibility. The processes are remote controlled and monitored from a control room. A special feature of the SMS Mevac technology is that sampling, temperature measurement and charging have been integrated into the plant. This provides extra flexibility and simplifies the processes, resulting in time and cost savings. The high degree of automation and the sophisticated process control of this newly developed technology allow the operators to perform their various tasks faster than would be possible with conventional technology. All process automation data is stored, guaranteeing complete traceability and assurance of quality, which is particularly relevant to the aerospace industry. Successful right from the start The plant started to produce high-tech materials right after the functional testing phase of all the plant components had been completed. From the very beginning, all material tests provided successful results. Meanwhile, the new facility has been producing all contractually agreed steel grades and alloys to the required specifications. Simon Pike adds: We have reached our goal: all grades produced meet our customers specifications. Producing the ingots in-house allows us not only to produce with pinpoint accuracy what the aerospace industry requires, but also to document that we have met all specifications along the entire production chain. All our products are made completely in our own facilities. Also Cihangir Demirci from SMS Mevac is very satisfied with the project: I am very pleased to have been able to contribute my knowledge of the manufacture of special steels and superalloys into the construction of this new VIM system with integrated charging and vacuum casting equipment. We have done well with the 18 / 8t VIM- Xeed at Liberty Speciality Steels in Stocksbridge, Yorkshire, UK. The result is a reliable system with a consistently high availability and performance. From the perspective of a steel producer, reliability and maintenance aspects must be the main focus. Andrew Douglass from Liberty Speciality Steels adds: The plant excels in terms of reliability and availability and product quality. In addition to the highly convincing plant technology, the dedicated cooperation between Liberty and the engineers from SMS Mevac has contributed largely to the success of this project. Outlook From the outset, SMS Mevac designed all core components with a view to a future expansion of the melting capacity from currently eight to 18 tons per charge without requiring anything but minor modifications. Thus Liberty Speciality Steels will be able to supply larger quantities as new markets open up. The business plans to expand its portfolio of certified grades (alloy steels, stainless and maraging steels) to include high-nickel superalloys. For the development of these and other innovative materials, the VIM furnace opens up entirely new prospects, as from now on the development of new materials no longer relies on any third-party products. SMS Mevac will accompany the development activities by contributing its extensive metallurgical knowhow. 80 SMS group newsletter

81 MODERNIZATION FLAT ROLLING RUBRIK MILLS Hot strip finishing stand with subsequently installed CVC plus system. FRANCE MODERNIZATION AT ARCELORMITTAL DUNKERQUE Finishing mill to be equipped with modern actuators for setting strip geometry. SMS group has received from ArcelorMittal Atlantique et Lorraine an order for the modernization of the hot strip mill at Dunkerque, France. The modernization covers the installation of the CVC plus bending and shifting system, of new drive spindles in all finishing stands, and the installation of a new PCFC system (Profile, Contour and Flatness Control). This modernization provides the hot strip mill with a powerful actuator for influencing the strip geometry and prepares the mill for future challenges. CONVERSION START AT END OF 2017 The CVC plus system with integrated work-roll bending system of SMS group is the worldwide leading technology for the setting of hot strip profile, contour and flatness and is used in more than 400 hot strip mill stands all over the world. On the basis of the process parameters, PCFC calculates for every strip the correct shifting position of the work rolls, which are provided with a special barrel grind, and the setting values of the work-roll bending system. This way the roll gap is ideally adapted to the changing conditions and the mill can produce strip with close geometrical tolerances. The drive spindles for ArcelorMittal s Dunkerque mill will be SIEFLEX toothed universal joint shafts. Modernization will be implemented in three steps. PCFC will be installed as early as at the end of 2017 and operate in parallel with the existing control system. This so-called shadow mode makes it possible to check all functions of the PCFC, the inter-play with the automation environment, and allows adaptation to the products of ArcelorMittal Dunkerque. In the end, this way of proceeding guarantees a smooth start-up of the new system. This start-up of the PCFC will take place after the installation of the new bending and shifting systems in the first four stands during the annual shutdown scheduled for August The modernization of stands F5 to F7 will follow one year later. With this order, ArcelorMittal and SMS group continue their good cooperation in the modernization of the hot strip mill at Dunkerque. In the period between 2010 and 2014, SMS group replaced a total of nine main gear units of the roughing mill (R2 to R5) and the finishing mill (F1 to F5). Only some months back, at the end of 2016, SMS group had successfully completed the modernization of ArcelorMittal s hot strip mill at Gent, Belgium. Further information SMS group newsletter 81

82 FLACHWALZWERKE View of the entry section of the CCM equipped with pay-off reel and reversing reel 2. VIETNAM PRODUCTION START IN RECORD TIME Hoa Sen boosts cold strip capacity to 400,000 tons. After a project duration of only 13 months, the new twostand cold rolling mill at Vietnamese cold strip producer Hoa Sen Group was successfully put into operation in June 2017 by Esmech Equipment Pvt. Ltd. Hoa Sen has been continuously producing on the CCM since June 24, The plan now is to increase the rolling speed and gradually ramp up the mill to maximum performance, so that the nominal capacity of 400,000 tons per year can be achieved. Esmech Equipment Pvt. Ltd., a company of SMS group, has supplied and commissioned the two-stand cold rolling mill of six-high design, which is equipped with CVC plus and other quality-critical components supplied by SMS group and made in Germany, in addition to the X-Pact electrics and automation. The rolling technology and the automation system implemented ensure the CCM can adapt very flexibly to changes in the rolling process and achieve the required product quality. The fluid-related equipment is also included in the scope of supply. The successful cooperation between SMS group and Hoa Sen Group will be continued. Esmech Equipment Pvt. Ltd. is currently arranging the delivery of a second CCM to its Vietnamese customer. Technical data of the CCM Material: Strip width: Strip thickness: Rolling speed: Coil weight: Capacity: Low carbon steel max. 1,250 mm min mm max. 1,400 m/min. max. 27 tons 400,000 tpy Torsten Seeger torsten.seeger@sms-group.com 82 SMS group newsletter

83 FLAT ROLLING MILLS VIETNAM SUCCESS TIMES THREE Hoa Sen Group orders third CCM from SMS group. In September 2017, Vietnamese cold strip producer Hoa Sen Group again placed confidence in SMS group as supplier of high-performance and efficient cold rolling mills and ordered the fourth reversing cold mill within three years. The order covers a twin-stand CCM (Compact Cold Mill) and hence the third plant of this type on the whole. Placing the current order with Esmech Equipment Pvt. Ltd., a company of SMS group, Hoa Sen Group is pushing on the expansion of cold strip production. The third CCM in a row is dedicated to the new facility in Nhon Hoi in southern Vietnam. As in the previous supplies, the quality determining core components of the rolling mill, as e.g. the CVC plus technology, will be provided by SMS group from Germany. The comprehensive X-Pact electrics and automation will be part of the overall supply scope just like the required auxiliaries. 350,000 TONS ANNUAL CAPACITY schedule as well as the ideal presetting of process parameters for thickness, tension und flatness control. This makes the plant react very flexibly to changes in the rolling process and helps achieve reliably the demanded product quality. Excellent flatness results are ensured by the X-Shape flatness measurement and control system. Part of the supply scope will be one SMS group flatness measurement roll each on the entry and exit sides. These rolls are characterized by their robust design and, at the same time, by highly precise measurement accuracy and trouble-free optical signal transmission. Also included in the supply will be fluid and media systems like high- and low-pressure hydraulics as well as the emulsion plant, consisting of roll cooling with selective spraying system as well as roll gap lubrication with separate spray bar. Further, the rolling mill will be equipped with entry- and exit-side strip blow-off systems for highly efficient coolant removal. Production start is scheduled for autumn The CCM will be designed for the rolling of low-carbon steel strips with maximum widths of up to 1,250 millimeters and final gauges of minimum 0.11 millimeters. The annual production capacity will add up to 350,000 tons, depending on the product mix. The CVC plus technology by SMS group in combination with other proven rolling technologies will ensure high-grade strip quality. The mill stands in six-high design will be equipped with slim work rolls permitting high pass reductions to be achieved. Rolling will take place at a maximum rolling speed of 1,400 meters per minute. The CCM will be provided with one pay-off and two reversing reels, so the finished coils can be removed from entry or exit side as needed. The reversing reels will be designed to wind up finished strips to coils with a maximum weight of 30 tons. Further, both reels will be equipped with belt wrappers for easy coiling of thin strips onto sleeves. Work and intermediate roll changes will be performed automatically. SMS group is to supply the entire electrical equipment and the automation including level 1 and 2. Adaptive physical models, e.g. for the description of plastic yielding, roll gap and roll setting, are a precondition for the optimum roll pass Two CCM s have already been supplied by SMS group to Hoa Sen Group. In the back CCM 1 operating since June 2017, and in the foreground CCM 2 during erection. Torsten Seeger torsten.seeger@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 83

84 FLAT ROLLING MILLS PAKISTAN CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR HIGH-GRADE COLD STRIP Pakistani cold strip producer Aisha Steel Mills Limited contracted SMS group to supply a Compact Cold Mill (CCM ). Within short, this is the third order from Pakistan for a cold rolling mill of this type. In July 2017, Aisha Steel Mills Limited (ASML) located in Karachi, placed an order with SMS group for the single-source supply of a twin-stand reversing cold mill, a Compact Cold Mill (CCM ). In 2005, ASML was founded as a private company in order to provide the Pakistani market with high-grade cold strip products according to international standards. On upgrading the production facility, ASML particularly focuses premium plant technology and purchases equipment exclusively from well-known suppliers. The company has confidence in SMS group, because quality determining components like mill stands, tension reel and drive trains are to be supplied from Germany. SMS GROUP MEETS ALL EXPECTATIONS The CCM comes in CVC plus 4-high design. In combination with positive and negative work roll bending and X-Shape flatness measurement rolls on entry and exit side, ASML can produce the required strip qualities with width ranging from 650 up to 1,250 millimeters and minimum final gauges down to 0.15 millimeters. Additionally all current and future flatness demands of the customers are fulfilled by the multizone cooling system. Among other things high productivity is supported by equipment for fast work roll change. MECHATRONICS FROM ONE SOURCE SMS group supplies the complete mechatronic systems from a single source. The X-Pact automation comprises beside the level-1 system also the level-2 system as well as latest measurement instrumentation for strip thickness and flatness control. Auxiliaries like emulsion plant, high and low pressure hydraulics as well as the fume exhaust system are also included in the supply scope. The third CCM, SMS group is implementing in Pakistan, will start operation in early Technical data Mill stand type: Material: Strip width: Strip thickness: Rolling speed: Coil weight: Capacity: CVC plus 4-high CQ, DQ, DDQ 650 1,250 mm mm (entry) mm (exit) max. 1,200 m/min. max. 25 tons 500,000 tpy Design concept of a Compact Cold Mill (CCM ) from SMS group. Torsten Seeger torsten.seeger@sms-group.com 84 SMS group newsletter

85 FLAT ROLLING MILLS INDONESIA STARTING ON SCHEDULE Gunung Raja Paksi rolls and skin-passes in one mill. On August 31, 2017 the first coil was successfully rolled on the new reversing cold mill of the Indonesian steel producer Gunung Raja Paksi (GRP) in Bekasi. SMS group supplied and commissioned the complete plant in due time. All essential milestones on the path of commissioning, such as assembly, functional testing and cold commissioning were met right on schedule and allowed the production start of the reversing cold mill (RCM) in accordance with the planning. On the RCM Gunung Raja Paksi is going to roll and skinpass cold strips with maximum widths up to 1,270 millimeters and minimum final gauges down to 0.15 millimeters. SMS group supplied the complete RCM in CVC plus sixhigh design, comprising mechanical equipment, X-Pact electrical and automation systems and auxiliaries. Because all systems were supplied from a single source, they were perfectly technologically harmonized in order to support smooth commissioning. PARTICIPATING LIVE FROM AFAR For this reason, the commissioning team on site was supported remotely by a team of specialists from Germany. With the help of the service portal as well as Skype and other communication media, the team from Germany could provide valuable help despite the great distance as well as participate live at the first coil. The RCM gives GRP the opportunity to switch between the reduction and skin-passing mode according to the product requirements. A maximum of 200,000 tons of highgrade cold strips can be produced on the RCM per year. Premium-quality rolling technologies like hydraulic adjustment, wedge adjustment, CVC plus in combination with positive and negative work and intermediate roll bending, each with entry and exit side multizone cooling and und drystrip systems ensure high yield and unstained product quality. The X-Pact automation with online level 2 system assures the fully automatic and efficient operation. All these installations are completed by X-Shape flatness measurement and control systems, one at the entry and one at the Gunung Raja Paksi s flexible plant facilitates rolling and skin passing in one and the same mill. exit side.after the successful production start, the commissioning team is working on further technical fine tuning in order to utilize the full compatibility of the RCM. Markus Gümpel markus.guempel@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 85

86 FLAT ROLLING MILLS Illustration of the concept for the new combined reversing cold rolling and skin-pass mill for BILSTEIN. GERMANY FUTURE-PROOF PLANT CONCEPT BILSTEIN relies on future-proof plant concept from SMS group. BILSTEIN Cold Rolling Mill, parent company of the familyowned BILSTEIN GROUP in Hagen, Germany, awarded SMS group the order to supply a complete four-high reversing cold mill. This high-performance cold rolling mill is designed for reduction and skin-pass (RCM/SPM) operations. The SMS group plant design combines powerful, robust mechanical systems with intelligent, future-oriented process control. TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS BILSTEIN will receive a high-performance reversing cold mill of the proven CVC plus design featuring the well-established X-Pact electrical and automation system. The RCM/SPM is designed to roll and skin-pass a wide range of demanding materials in widths between 600 and 1,350 millimeters and minimal final thicknesses of up to 0.20 millimeters. The plant will be able to roll and skin-pass 290,000 tons of cold strip annually. In order to achieve the required performance as well as reliable and efficient rolling, the four-high stand will be equipped with small-diameter work rolls. The SIEFLEX HT drive spindle, designed to transmit extremely high torques via small-diameter work rolls in order to achieve great pass reductions, even with higher-strength materials, is among the system s many highlights. Another feature of the plant will be the X-Shape flatness measuring and control system, which plays a crucial role in achieving outstanding flatness results. Special characteristics of the plant include its future-oriented upgradability, allowing, for example, innovative rolling assistance systems to be integrated or the degree of automation to be increased in the future. Process reliability and output will be further enhanced as a result. Alongside the cold rolling mill and its auxiliary equipment, the peripheral equipment, such as the demineralized water unit, fire extinguishing system, closed cooling water circuit and air treatment systems for balanced shop air management, including preheating and heat recovery, is part of SMS group s 86 SMS group newsletter

87 The project teams of BILSTEIN and SMS group are delighted with the successful signing of the contract. Martin Kießling, Member of the Managing Board of BILSTEIN GROUP, and Harald Rackel, Member of the Managing Board of SMS group, seal the deal with a handshake. scope of supply. SMS group is also responsible for final erection and commissioning of the new plant. BILSTEIN will benefit from the extensive pre-erection work and tests performed in the SMS group s Hilchenbach facility. QUICK AND SMOOTH INSTALLATION This also includes the full assembly of the mill stands as well as testing of the hydraulic valve stand and the hydraulic positioning system. Only previously tested units will be delivered to the customer. All automation hardware and software will be commissioned in advance in the SMS group test field. As part of these Plug & Work tests, BILSTEIN s personnel will also receive prior training in the operation of the plant. All these measures will ensure quick and smooth installation and commissioning and a fast plant startup, and guarantee that BILSTEIN will be able to produce marketable material on the new RCM/SPM from September The cooperation between SMS group and BILSTEIN will extend beyond the equipment installation. Both partners aim to establish a long-term partnership based on process-oriented service engineering. The objective of this cooperation is to drive forward the future-oriented systematic refinement of the plant and related processes towards greater system integration. Performance, process efficiency and sustainability are features characterizing BILSTEIN s new combined reversing cold rolling and skin-pass mill and making it one of the most advanced plants of its kind worldwide. Arnulf Wurm arnulf.wurm@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 87

88 FLAT ROLLING MILLS To be able to produce the required grades and qualities, the six-high mill stands of the three-stand tandem mills were equipped with state-ofthe-art technologies such as CVC plus, positive and negative work and intermediate roll bending systems.

89 In the foreground: TCM 1 of Tianjin Zhongwang Aluminium Co., Ltd. in the final phase of erection. In the back: TCM 2 and the single-stand aluminium cold mills CRM 4 and 5. CHINA PRODUCTION START NEARING RAPIDLY Tianjin Zhongwang Aluminium Co., Ltd. is nearing completion. The aluminium hot and cold rolling mills established in the first and second construction stages are in operation and have recently been completed by a further important facility. At present, Tianjin Zhongwang is operating eight hot and cold rolling mills supplied by SMS group. One hot rolling line with two roughing stands, one fine hot rolling mill as well as two single-stand cold rolling mills were established in the first construction stage. A further hot rolling line with roughing stand and five-stand finishing mill were added in the second stage for aluminium strip in addition to two three-stand tandem cold mills (TCM 2 and TCM 1) plus two single-stand cold rolling mills (CRM 4 and CRM 5). Production start of the three-stand tandem mill 1 is another important milestone for Tianjin Zhongwang. Just like its twin, the TCM 2, TCM 1 consists of three mill stands in sixhigh CVC plus design and includes further cutting-edge rolling technologies as, for example, SMS group s new inter-stand cooling system HEC (High Efficiency Cooling). Owing to the improved cooling effect of HEC, it is possible to attain high rolling speeds of maximum 1,500 meters per minute. This and the X-Pact automation system AluControl contribute to the line s high productivity. On TCM 1, Tianjin Zhongwang rolls aluminium strips and aluminium alloys that have a maximum width of 2,150 millimeters. The maximum thickness of 3.5 millimeters at the entry section may be reduced to a minimum thickness of 0.15 millimeters at the exit section. Dieter Weisenstein, Technical Project Manager at SMS group and incharge of the two three-stand tandem mills, summarizes: The two new high-tech tandem mills provide Tianjin Zhongwang with an additional production capacity of more than 660,000 tons of cold strip. Together with the facilities previously supplied by SMS group, Tianjin Zhongwang now has the equipment to produce high-quality aluminium strip and to thus satisfy all demands of its national and international customers. Dieter Weisenstein dieter.weisenstein@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 89

90 FLAT ROLLING MILLS WORLDWIDE THE NEXT GENERATION ALUMINUM MINIMILL Within the nexcast project, SMS group, jointly with the U.S. aluminum producer Golden Aluminum, is advancing the process of aluminum strip casting with the target of improving quality and efficiency. In a sophisticated process, the block caster shapes liquid aluminum to strip. Optimum temperature management is an important factor. At its Fort Lupton location in Colorado, the U.S. aluminum producer Golden Aluminum Inc. is operating a continuous strip casting and rolling facility, a so-called minimill, for aluminum hot strip. The production line essentially consists of a strip caster and a direct compact hot rolling mill. BOOSTING CAPACITY Market demands have changed over more than 30 years of plant operation and the market calls for a wider portfolio of alloys and grades. The maximum product width of about 800 millimeters at Golden Aluminum Inc. turned out to be a limiting factor. SMS group was the right technology partner for Golden Aluminum Inc. to systematically advance the potential of the strip casting facility to be able to even better meet modern market requirements. The nexcast project strives for an increase in product width to 2,200 millimeters. This raises the minimill s nominal capacity to about 200,000 tons per year and expands the range of grades that can be cast and rolled. To this end, extensive tests on process temperature management and surface quality have been performed at Golden Aluminum s production plant in Colorado and also in SMS group s test center in Hilchenbach, Germany. TARGETED ADVANCEMENT Within the nexcast project, SMS group engineers focus on design and technological advancements of the strip caster serving for controlled solidification of the liquid aluminum and for shaping it to hot strip. A particular challenge here is 90 SMS group newsletter

91 Layout of a nexcast minimill. FEATURES Wide range of alloys from AA1xxx to AA8xxx Annual output up to 200,000 tons Maximum strip width: 2,200 millimeters Reduced effort for material handling Significant reduction in investment and manufacturing costs due to compact plant configuration the increase in width. The new design solutions shall then be tested in further trials in the SMS test center. The nexcast project will enable SMS group to expand its portfolio in the field of aluminum plants by a caster that can be combined, in interaction, with the proven hot rolling facilities to form a compact, continuously working process line for low to medium capacities. NEXCAST MINIMILL Similar to the CSP technology that revolutionized the production of hot steel strip, the minimill concept for combined casting and rolling of aluminum strip has the potential to substantially enhance efficiency in aluminum production. Contrary to the conventional method, all steps needed to produce and process ingots are no longer required. This means that sawing, grinding, heating and pre-rolling of ingots can all be omitted. Since complete production plants are waived, investment cost savings of up to 40 percent are achievable for new facilities referred to a corresponding annual output. In addition, the compact production process reduces operating costs by up to 25 percent. The nexcast minimill is particularly suited for businesses with low to medium production capacity and also for serving local markets. Guido Fick guido.fick@sms-group.com Olaf Jepsen olaf.jepsen@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 91

92 STRIP PROCESSING LINES RUSSIA NEW HOT-DIP GALVANIZING LINE TIMELY ON STREAM SMS group supplied third hot-dip galvanizing line to Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. The Russian steelmaker PJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has commissioned the new continuous hot-dip galvanizing line No. 3 in July 2017 according to schedule. The facility was completely supplied by SMS group and is designed to process 360,000 tons of galvanized cold strip per year. With this line, MMK has enhanced its production capacity of galvanized steel by almost 20 percent to reach an annual output of more than two million tons. The line serves for hot-dip galvanizing of cold-rolled, thin, low-carbon steel strips. To a large extent, the resulting products are employed in the construction and packaging industries. The facility was established in Magnitogorsk in the southern Ural Mountains on the site of rolling mill No. 11. ALL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED FROM ONE SOURCE Victor F. Rashnikov, Chairman of the Board of Directors (right) and Boris A. Dubrovskiy, Governor of Chelyabinsk Region (left). A large portion of the steel strip processed in the new, hot-dip galvanizing line is employed in the construction and packaging industries. SMS supplied the complete line from one source, including mechanical equipment, process and furnace technologies as well as electrical and automation systems. The finished material has widths between 800 and 1,400 millimeters and thicknesses ranging from 0.25 to 1.0 millimeters. The maximum speed in the process section is 180 meters per minute, 92 SMS group newsletter

93 The new hot-dip galvanizing line from SMS group increases MMK s annual capacity of galvanized steel by 360,000 tons. whereas in the entry and exit sections strip speed reaches a maximum of 250 meters per minute. The first step in the line is to remove residual dirt particles from the strip surface in a cleaning section. A fully horizontal Drever furnace then heats the strip up to the required recrystallization temperature. In a subsequent gas cooling section, the strip is cooled to galvanizing temperature. The eco-friendly furnace is equipped with several facilities to recover energy, and the SMS-made downstream air knife system precisely sets the thickness of the zinc layer. an ASC twin-head side trimmer with integrated scrap chopper. This twin-head design of the shear permits the trimming knives to be changed in maintenance position while production is going on. Prior to coiling, additional protection of strip is provided by an electrostatic oiling machine. SMS group had already supplied to MMK a hot-dip galvanizing line and a universal annealing and hot-dip galvanizing line, which were both put on stream in 2012 with good results. EXTENSIVE FACILITIES FOR POST-TREATMENT Available for material post-treatment are a four-high skin-pass mill stand, a tension leveler and a spray passivation. Strip edge straightening and strip width adjustment are accomplished by Contact strip.processing@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 93

94 STRIP PROCESSING LINES AND FURNACE TECHNOLOGY Over the last ten years, customers in the NAFTA region placed a total of eleven orders for annealing and galvanizing lines with SMS group. The lines are designed to refine steel strips for use in the automotive and household appliance industries. SMS group newsletter

95 U.S.A. 10 YEARS OF SUCCESS IN THE NAFTA REGION 90 percent of all new orders for annealing and galvanizing lines in North America were awarded to SMS group. Steel producers in North America count on high-performance plant technology offering great flexibility at the same time. The most important target market is the automotive industry. This means high-strength steel grades and high surface qualities are facing strong demand. Steel producers in the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) region demonstrate their confidence in cold strip processing lines from SMS group. Over the last ten years, 90 percent of all new orders for high-performance annealing and galvanizing lines for strip material have been awarded to SMS group. The lines are always supplied from a single source and are equipped with advanced strip processing technology. Customers in the NAFTA region demand extremely efficient, high-capacity plants that offer great flexibility at the same time. Besides this, the lines must be capable of producing advanced, high-strength steel grades and of attaining high surface qualities. The automotive industry is the most important target market for the customers of SMS group in the NAFTA region, meaning the annealed and galvanized sheets must satisfy the high standards in this sector. The sheets are also used in the construction and household appliance industries. INTEGRATED PLANTS FROM A SINGLE SOURCE The U.S. companies attach particular value to the fact that SMS group can supply fully integrated plants and, through its U.S. subsidiaries, has a SMS GROUP PITTSBURGH Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is where SMS USA is headquartered. Roughly 800 employees service the NAFTA-based customers for the various SMS product units. SMS USA has a special role to play when it comes to NAFTA orders for annealing and hot-dip galvanizing lines. We are the local contact during both the project and order handling phases. And of course we always work closely with our colleagues in Europe. We also take care Joe Dzierzawski, President of our customers after commissioning, and CEO of SMS USA. says Joe Dzierzawski, President and CEO of SMS in the United States. What s more, some core components for these projects are supplied directly by SMS USA, such as the fourhigh skin-pass mill stands in the hot-dip galvanizing lines, and in addition, many further parts of the equipment are procured directly in the U.S.A. TIGHT-KNIT U.S. SERVICE NETWORK Of course, customers in the NAFTA region also benefit from our tightknit network of service locations and business relations spanning many years, Dzierzawski adds. Quick responsiveness to our customers is a key element for success, so prompt delivery of spare parts or urgent assistance is a necessity. There are 18 service locations spread across the United States, ensuring customers are supported close to home, despite the huge area of the region. Some of the locations have the special equipment to meet the needs of galvanizing lines. Substantial machining, welding and assembly capacities are available for roller and equipment repairs SMS group newsletter 95

96 STRIP PROCESSING LINES AND FURNACE TECHNOLOGY DREVER IN THE UNITED STATES In addition, Drever Furnace in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been taking care of furnace technology since Its employees assist with sales and project handling in the NAFTA region. A special feature of this is that the modules for the furnace and the cooling system are pre-assembled in the U.S. and, as complete plant sections, delivered to the construction site, where they are welded. This modular system reduces assembly work on site to a minimum. This method was successfully tested for the first time on the new annealing line for PRO-TEC. For the new galvanizing line at Nucor-JFE, the entire furnace will be delivered in modules and assembled next to the bay during the bay construction phase. The fully assembled furnace will then be moved into the bay and integrated into the line. This procedure results in huge time savings during project handling. Radiant-tube furnaces from Drever precisely set the wanted material properties by a heat treatment process according to given annealing curves. Thanks to a modular system, furnace assembly work on sites in the NAFTA region is reduced to a minimum. strong presence in the country. As a result, routes are kept short, and one partner is responsible for the entire plant. All annealing and hot-dip galvanizing lines are equipped with radiant-tube furnaces from Drever International and with FOEN air knives. Both SMS subsidiaries are represented by their own branches in the U.S., which provide significant project support. In addition to mechanical equipment, process engineering and furnace components, SMS group sup- plies all required electrical and automation systems. Moreover, it is common for customers to enter into long-term service contracts that are managed directly by the U.S. service locations. This means a large share of the scope comes straight out of the United States itself. And since there are no interfaces with a complete package like this, project handling and commissioning are particularly fast and efficient. Commissioning Customer Capacity [tpy] Plant type 2019 Nucor Steel Gallatin, U.S.A. 500,000 Heat-to-coat hot strip pickling and hot-dip galvanizing line 2019 Nucor-JFE Steel Mexico, Mexico 400,000 Hot-dip galvanizing line (automotive) 2017 Big River Steel, U.S.A. 456,000 Universal annealing and hot-dip galvanizing line (automotive) 2013 PRO-TEC Coating Company, U.S.A. 454,500 Continuous annealing line (automotive) 2013 SDI Columbus, U.S.A. 544,000 Hot-dip galvanizing line for hot and cold strip (white goods and construction industry) 2011 AM/NS Calvert, U.S.A. 475,000 Hot-dip galvanizing line (automotive) 2011 AM/NS Calvert, U.S.A. 565,000 Continuous annealing line (automotive) 2011 AM/NS Calvert, U.S.A. 515,000 Hot-dip galvanizing line (automotive) 2011 AM/NS Calvert, U.S.A. 545,000 Hot-dip galvanizing line (white goods) 2009 Nucor Steel Decatur, U.S.A. 550,000 Hot-dip galvanizing line (automotive & white goods) 2008 SDI Columbus, U.S.A. 362,000 Hot-dip galvanizing line (automotive) Overview of the eleven annealing and galvanizing lines ordered from SMS group by customers in the NAFTA region. 96 SMS group newsletter

97 RUBRIK Three hot-dip galvanizing lines and one annealing line from SMS group operate in the works of AM/NS Calvert, Alabama. ELEVEN COMPLETE LINES IN TEN YEARS Over the past ten years SMS group has been awarded contracts for eleven lines which, as a general rule, were fully supplied by SMS group. The latest order is for the delivery of a heat-tocoat pickling and hot-dip galvanizing line for hot strip for Nucor Steel Gallatin in Ghent, Kentucky, which is set to go into operation in Two further orders for hot-dip galvanizing lines for automotive applications were also awarded by Nucor. The first line went into operation in 2009 at Nucor Steel Decatur in Alabama, U.S., and another line is currently being built for Nucor-JFE Steel Mexico in Silao in the Mexican state of Guanajuato, with production scheduled to start in Big River Steel in Osceola, Arkansas, recently produced its first coils on the new universal annealing and hot-dip galvanizing line. This line can be used to manufacture both hot-dip galvanized strip and, if required, annealed strip. A line that is used solely for annealing went into operation in 2013 at PRO-TEC Coating Company in Leipsic, Ohio. This line features a high-performance gas cooling system and a water cooling system enabling ultra-high-strength steel strip to be produced. FOEN IN THE UNITED STATES Fontaine Engineering, Inc. has been serving its customers very successfully from its base in Bridgeport, West Virginia, since In terms of air knives for hot-dip galvanizing lines for automotive applications, the company has a market share of almost 100 percent in North America. Sales activities are organized by the employees, who are the key contacts for customers. The air knives are manufactured in Germany, however, significant content (steel fabricated structures, sink roll suspension fixtures, etc.) is designed and manufactured directly in the U.S. Responsibility for the commissioning, on the other hand, lies with the American colleagues, who then take over the after-sales service and provide ongoing support to the customer. 0X 2017 SMS group newsletter 97

98 STRIP PROCESSING LINES AND FURNACE TECHNOLOGY To PRO-TEC, SMS group supplied a continuous annealing line for ultra-high-strength steel strips. FLEXIBLE PLANTS WITH HIGH CAPACITIES For the new Thyssenkrupp Steel USA plant, which is now operated by AM/NS Calvert, SMS group supplied four lines. Besides three hot-dip galvanizing lines, a continuous annealing line was built in the plant in Mobile, Alabama, and the first coils were produced there in Another two hotdip galvanizing lines were supplied for the new SeverCorr (now SDI Columbus) integrated steel mill in Mississippi. The first line was commissioned in 2008 and the second one in Contact strip.processing@sms-group.com Steel strips processed on SMS-made lines feature flawless surfaces and convincing material properties. 98 SMS group newsletter

99 RUBRIK The new walking beam furnace will process square and round blooms at a rate of 30 tons per hour. SPAIN NEW WALKING BEAM FURNACE IN TWELVE MONTHS The new furnace technology is energy-efficient, low in emissions and ready for use in a short time. In August 2017, SMS group received a new contract from Forjas Iraeta Heavy Industry, S.L. (GRI Group), Spain, for the supply of a new 30-ton-perhour walking beam furnace to be used upstream of the existing breakdown mill for flange production. The goal of the project is to install furnace technology for proper and optimal reheating of a wide range of products: the charge will include blooms from 200 to 500 millimeters square and round blooms from 300 to 700 millimeters in diameter, in lengths between three and five meters. ON STREAM IN TWELVE MONTHS start twelve months from contract signing. The fact that Forjas Iraeta Heavy Industry has again chosen SMS equipment is proof of SMS group s reliability in brownfield projects. The project includes the latest of technical solutions to handle the wide range of products and meet the customer s requirements in terms of fuel consumption, pollutants emission and furnace operation. SMS group will be responsible for integrating the new furnace into the existing rolling equipment and automation system, and will modify the existing water treatment plant to meet the new requirements of the new furnace. SMS group engineers found the right technological formula to fit the new furnace into the existing, confined space and reuse the existing equipment as much as possible in order to meet the customer s budget requirements. According to the tight schedule of this turnkey project, production is to Contact furnaces@sms-group.com 0X 2017 SMS group newsletter 99

100 BANDANLAGEN The project team at the signing ceremony for the new galvanizing line. CHINA PRODUCT PORTFOLIO AND CAPACITY CONTINUE TO GROW Shougang Jingtang s hot-dip galvanizing line for high-strength steel grades is the sixth strip processing line SMS group installed on the Chinese Caofeidian Island. Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., China, has contracted SMS group to supply a continuous hot-dip galvanizing line for high-strength steel grades. This is the sixth strip processing line SMS group will install in the works on Caofeidian Island, a man-made island offshore the Chinese province of Hebei. As from 2019, the line will produce 360,000 tons of hot-dip galvanized steel strip including high-strength grades with tensile strengths of up to 1,350 MPa. One of the reasons for Shougang Jingtang to decide in favor of SMS group as supplier of the new line was the vast experience SMS has gained in the field of high-strength steel strip. The material shall be used in the automotive industry to produce structural parts and car body shells. In addition to designing all mechanical equipment and to manufacturing high-quality core components, the supply package of SMS group will comprise the supervision of parts made in local workshops and of erection and commissioning. All electrical and automation systems will be supplied by SMS group, too. The strip guiding system including BREIMO strip width measurement will be provided by EMG Automation. PARTICULARLY HIGH SURFACE QUALITIES The hot-dip galvanizing line is designed to process strips being up to 1,580 millimeters wide and between 0.6 and 3.0 millimeters thick. Strip speed during the galvanizing process will be maximum 160 meters per minute, while in the entry and exit sections it may reach up to 220 meters per minute. 100 SMS group newsletter

101 STRIP PROCESSING LINES In addition to soft steel grades, the product range will include high-strength grades such as HSLA, DP and Q&P. To satisfy particularly high demands on surface quality, a FOEN air knife system will be installed to precisely and homogeneously set the thickness of the zinc layer. The air knife system is equipped with contact-free edge mask, automatic gap width adjustment and HD cameras for continuous quality monitoring. As Shougang Jingtang wants to use the line also for the purpose of developing new materials, the exit section must be designed to permit steel strips with a tensile strength of up to 1,500 MPa to be processed. This demand has to be considered in particular in the design of skin-pass stand, tension leveler and side trimming unit. A special tension leveler will be installed which comes with high tensions and, additionally, with an extended correction roll unit. The major components of the line are two payoff reels, welder, cleaning section, furnace, skin-pass stand, tension leveler, vertical roll coater, side trimmer with scrap chopper, inspection station, oiling machine, flying shear and two coilers. Contact strip.processing@sms-group.com The new line from SMS group, including a modern FOEN air knife system, will increase Shougang Jingtang s production capacity of hot-dip galvanized steel strip by 360,000 tons per year and expand the product range by high-strength grades SMS group newsletter 101

102 STRIP PROCESSING LINES AUSTRIA INVESTIGATIONS IN OWN TEST LAB SMS group performs process technological analyses for the metallurgical industry at Vienna-based group company. SMS group operates an own test lab for process technological analyses at its Austrian subsidiary SMS group Process Technologies in Vienna. As development constantly brings about new metallic materials, it is more important today than ever to analyze technological processes in order to find the best possible design for strip processing lines and related processes or to even develop entirely new processes. The laboratory is specifically designed for the requirements of the metallurgical industry. The lab boasts the necessary equipment and the lab staff the necessary knowhow to analyze processes, such as pickling and cleaning, that take place in strip processing lines. Also other chemical processes can be investigated and made ready for industrial-scale implementation, for example, in hydrometallurgical plants. SMS group uses the laboratory equipment and the available knowhow in the design of both new plant installations and revamps as well as for the development of new processes and products. Also the customers of SMS group may use the lab to perform own tests and accompany the development and optimization of processes. Stephan Zlotorzenski The key process parameters of reactions under pressure can be determined in the pressure reactor. TEST STAND FOR PRESSURE REACTIONS AND COMPONENT TESTS Before process technological equipment can be implemented on an industrial scale, the materials and components have to be tested for their up-scaling capacity. Also the automation and control sequences have to be verified beforehand. Such tests can be performed in a highly flexible test stand that is even suitable for tests with aggressive media. The stand features indirect heating and its own PLC for simulating process sequences. It can be used to examine specific reactions under pressure, which may be useful for hydrometallurgical processes. In this way it is possible to determine the relevant process parameters and identify the engineering requirements for hydrometallurgical plants. The tests are performed in indirectly heated pressure reactors of both lab and test field scale. 102 SMS group newsletter

103 STRIP PROCESSING LINES CHEMICAL WET ANALYSIS AND QUALITY CONTROL The chemical substances required by the various processes going on in strip processing lines can be meticulously analyzed in the lab. A very important analysis is the determination of the metal content in pickling liquor. Also cleaning water and waste water are analyzed, for example, to determine the content of certain ions. Volumetric analyses of samples can be performed by manual as well as semi or fully automatic titration. Sample preparation for the analysis. PICKLING TESTS In strip processing lines, pickling i.e. the removal of oxides, so-called scale, from the metallic surface - is a central process step. The pickling process is influenced by the intensity of scale formation, which in turn largely depends on the material and the cooling process after hot rolling. Whenever materials and upstream processes change, process parameters have to be re-evaluated and verified anew. In the lab, pickling tests can be performed with sheets or wire rod. Depending on the metal (steel, stainless steel, aluminium), inorganic acids or special mixed acids can be used as pickling medium. It is possible to simulate both turbulent and electrolytic pickling processes. The composition of materials can be determined with great accuracy by trace analysis with the ICP-OES method. SEDIMENTATION ANALYSIS AND PROCESS OPTIMIZATION The analysis of the sedimentation behavior of process fluids is an essential analytic technique to optimize the processes in processing plants. Such analyses provide essential information about the relevant sedimentation parameters such as sedimentation time and quality. The sedimentation behavior is particularly important for pickling liquors, process water and waste water and for precipitation processes and reactions. ANALYSIS OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND QUALITY CONTROL Trace analysis of ores and alloys is performed with ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometry) instruments. This method provides the possibility to analyze up to 60 trace elements and determine the exact composition of the examined materials and the purity of end products, intermediate products or input material. Sedimentation tests provide information about the sedimentation time and quality SMS group newsletter 103

104 RUBRIK FURNACE TECHNOLOGY WORLDWIDE INDUCTIVE HEATING OF SHAPED BLANKS In cooperation with Volkswagen AG, SMS Elotherm has developed a new plant concept for heating shaped blanks. The automotive industry places high demands on its suppliers. To meet the requirements innovative manufacturing pro- cedures are needed. Through press hardening sheet metal can be formed and hardened in a single step. Inductive heating during press hardening not only leads to higher temperature uniformity but also to lower energy consumption. Companies such as Big River Steel are producing grades for the automotive sector. These grades are being used for the manufacture of body parts. The effort for the necessary forming from strip to body part is noticeable in particular in the passenger car cell where just a few shapes remind one of a flat sheet. High demands on light construction and crash safety contradictory in principle are realized by adequate production processes. PRESS HARDENING For manufacturing crash-relevant and highly-stressed body components, press hardening respectively form hardening is increasingly applied. Typical parts are A- and B-pillars as well as longitudinal and transverse members surrounding the passenger cell and axle components. For press hardening a sheet metal is formed to a body part in a single operation and simultaneously hardened in a closed pressing tool within a few seconds. Consequently, it is possible to achieve tensile strengths of up to 1,500 megapascals with comparably low-alloyed steel, typically 22MnB5, and at the same time ensure good hot formability despite high final strengths. Spectrum of hot-formed components (highlighted in red) using a Volkswagen Golf VII chassis as an example (Source: Volkswagen AG). 104 SMS group newsletter

105 FURNACE TECHNOLOGY RUBRIK SMS ELOTHERM SMS Elotherm (a company of SMS group) specializes in inductive processes for metallurgical applications. With this technology metallurgical processes can be optimized in an innovative way. Very high energy densities equivalent to about ten or twenty times the density of conventional heating processes ensure that exceptionally high heating rates are realized. Inductive processes are utilized for a large number of workpiece geometries (e.g. strips, slabs, tubes, rails or billets) and in combination with conventional methods. With regard to economy and quality, even existing processes can be optimized by inductive preheating or intermediate heating steps. The required pressing tools are expensive since they must not only reflect the component contour exactly but also provide a sufficiently efficient cooling technology. The cooling ducts are customized to high cooling rates already during body and tool development. The entire thermal process management, including temperature accuracy during heating particularly austenitizing, is of paramount importance for process stability and is thus significant for forming quality and size accuracy of the components. Press hardening offers the possibility to produce even crash-relevant components with clearly defined high strength and low weight. In an effort towards light construction of the automotive manufacturers this technology will be widely introduced SMS group newsletter 105

106 FURNACE TECHNOLOGY Complex component contours for press hardening must be heated uniformly placing high demands on the heating process but also on component handling and strict adherence to cycle times. (Source: Vokswagen AG) Shaped blanks for press hardening are cut directly from unwound coils to irregular contours. These sheets are typically protected against corrosion with aluminium-silicon layers. A typical production line for press hardening consists of a conventionally heated roller-hearth or walking-beam furnace to heat the components to approx. 950 degrees Celsius. Other components are quick ejection and robot handling systems to enable press charging with hot parts in a cycle time accurate manner. This conventional plant concept has proved itself in practice but is not without limitations on certain points. Space requirement for heating in a conventional furnace is relatively high. The common throughput of a press line necessitates a long heating section and the Al Si corrosion protection layers require a certain diffusion time. A large material quantity in the furnace also means at the same time that in case of malfunctions a large number of shaped blanks must be ejected as rejects shortly thereafter since the surfaces are scaled and the corrosion protection layer incinerates. ADVANTAGES OF INDUCTIVE HEATING FOR PRESS HARDENING Within the scope of a joint development project between Volkswagen AG and SMS Elotherm a prototype plant was built for heating shaped blanks which has been placed upstream of an existing, conventionally heated heating furnace and a press. The hybrid configuration and a special inductive heating design allow for testing a variety of operating scenarios. The inductive preheating of up to 750 degrees Celsius has particularly proved itself since it generates a very high temperature uniformity despite the irregular workpiece geometry and thus creates ideal run-in conditions for the downstream heating and holding furnaces. It is therefore feasible to reduce the heating time by approx. 50 percent until the austenitizing temperature is reached. A high effectiveness of inductive preheating becomes most evident by the required plant length: the typical (conventional) furnace length for this application is usually about 30 to SMS group newsletter

107 FURNACE TECHNOLOGY Inductive heating goes well with high levels of automation in press hardening lines since reaction times are very short and all process parameters can be automated. As a result, the plant can be customized to short cycle times of the forming presses of less than eight seconds without problems. (Source: Gestamp) meters when using an inductive preheating system with a required space of approx. one meter the furnace length can be reduced to 20 to 40 meters. At the same time, thermal inertia and energy consumption of the furnace are considerably reduced. Consequently, the entire line can be operated much more dynamically and rejects can possibly be minimized. material systems enabling the diffusion time to be shortened or to be dispensed with would result in an additional plant reduction with the advantages described. Inductive heating thereby allows for another variation of conventional heating technologies. ADVANTAGES FOR EXISTING PLANTS These advantages not only apply to new plants. Already existing press hardening lines can also be retrofitted with inductive preheating. The above-described advantages of faster and more efficient heating can therefore be implemented also in existing lines. These findings reveal a great technical and economic potential of inductive heating for shaped blanks. By interacting with inductive preheating, future developments in the field of corrosion protection methods and Marcel Beißner m.beissner@sms-elotherm.com Further information SMS group newsletter 107

108 STRIP PROCESSING LINES GERMANY NEW ZONE TECHNOLOGY WITH HEAT RECOVERY SMS Elotherm builds innovative induction heating plant. The first induction heating plant of its kind from SMS Elotherm GmbH is under construction. The twelve-meterlong billet heating plant featuring a process performance of 2,200 kilowatt and a throughput of seven tons per hour is setting new standards in the world of induction technology. In addition to the characteristics zone technology (izone), no-load operation and fully automatic inductor shuttle, the heating plant provides a sophisticated cooling concept which can be applied for heat recovery. In this way, the heating system can be adapted flexibly and automatically to different load conditions. Contact j.gies@sms-elotherm.com Further information TH HEATING PLANT FOR HIRSCHVOGEL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP SMS Elotherm has been building induction heating plants for one of the world s largest automotive supplier in the area of massive forming and machining of steel and aluminium. During this period, cooperation and technologies have been continuously further developed. First plant of its kind with zone technology and heat recovery. 108 SMS group newsletter

109 STRIP PROCESSING LINES During contract signing (from left to right): David Maurizio, Flavio Tremonti, Thomas Maßmann, all SMS group; Benjamin O. Yao, Jun Wang, Ryan John F. Bernabe, all SteelAsia. In addition to I-beams, H beams, equal-sided angles and U-beams, it will also be possible to produce various bars, flats and squares. PHILIPPINES HIGHLY FLEXIBLE SMALL SECTION MILL Commissioning is planned for SteelAsia Manufacturing Corporation (SteelAsia) has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of a new small section mill. The small section mill with its annual capacity of 500,000 tons will be SteelAsia s seventh rolling mill and will be built in at the Phoenix Petroterminals & Industrial Park in the Municipality of Calaca, Province of Batangas. The plant is scheduled to go into operation in The small section mill has a capacity of 100 tons per hour and is designed for a very wide range of products. In addition to I-beams, H beams, equal-sided angles and U-beams, it will also be possible to produce various bars, flats and squares. This flexibility is achieved by 18 housingless stands in horizontal, vertical, convertible and universal configuration. An in-line quenching and tempering line allows material with high strengths to be produced. stacking machine and four tying machines with up to 7 ties complete the plant. Automation is fully integrated into the new rolling mill line. We decided in favour of the SMS group for the best technical solution proposed. Furthermore, the SMS group s vast experience in the design and production of section mills was a crucial argument, said the SteelAsia s CEO Benjamin O. Yao. SteelAsia Manufacturing Corporation is the largest producer of rebar in the South East Asian Region. Production at 6 rolling mills is spread over the whole Philippine island group and totals 2.3 million tons per year in capacity. Around 50% of all steel bars employed in the country are produced by SteelAsia. More than 80% of the bar steel demand for the land, air, sea, electricity and communication infrastructure is met by SteelAsia. AUTOMATED ROLLING LINE The 90-meter long cooling bed is equipped with water spraying system for improved cooling of the sections. Arranged downline of the cooling bed is a multi-roller straightener for straightening the sections. A cold shear, two cold saws, two finishing sections each with a bundler for bars, a magnetic Contact barandwirerodmills@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 109

110 LONG PRODUCT PLANTS SMS group is going to supply loop layers to Xinji Aosen. Wire rod block in the manufacturing workshop. CHINA EQUIPMENT FOR TWO WIRE ROD MILLS CHINA HIGH-SPEED WIRE ROD OUTLET Xinji Aosen Iron & Steel Co. Ltd., based in Shijiazhuang City in the Chinese province of Hebei, has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of high-speed equipment for its wire rod mills Nos. 8 and 9. Each of the mills will be designed for an annual capacity of 700,000 tons. They will roll wire rod in sizes from 5.5 to 16 millimeters and rebar in diameters from 6 to 16 millimeters at rolling speeds as high as 105 meters per second. The wire rod outlet of mill No. 9 will be equipped with one six-stand and one fourstand wire rod block. Installing two separate blocks will allow Xinji Aosen to cool the rolling stock before and behind the blocks in such a manner that all sizes can be finish rolled at low temperatures (thermomechanical rolling) and to very close tolerances. Xinji Aosen considers this an outstanding feature of the mill. Already ten wire rod mills in China use this mill concept developed by SMS group. Hejin Hongda Special Steel Co. Ltd., based in Shanxi, China, has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of a high-speed outlet for wire rod in quality steel grades. The central element of the 700,000 ton-per-year line will be a ten-stand wire rod block of proven, highly reliable SMS group design. The range of rolled products will include wire rod in diameters from 5.5 to 20 millimeters and rebar in diameters from 6 to 14 millimeters finish-rolled at speeds of up to 105 millimeters per second. In addition to the wire rod block, SMS group will supply the shear group ahead of the block and the loop layer complete with a pinch roll unit. Commissioning of the plant is scheduled for summer Contact barandwirerodmills@sms-group.com Contact barandwirerodmills@sms-group.com 110 SMS group newsletter

111 During contract signing (from left to right): Maher M. Fkaier, General Manager Global Pipe Company; Johannes Heinlein, Commercial Sales Manager, SMS group; Frank Kaiser, Technical Sales Manager, SMS group; Ahmed Hamed Al Khonaini, Shareholder and Managing Director, Global Pipe Company. SAUDI ARABIA DOUBLING OF ANNUAL CAPACITY Global Pipe Company invests in SMS group s key equipment. Global Pipe Company (GPC), based in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of a mechanical expander and a hydrostatic pipe tester for its new manufacturing line that will double the company s annual production capacity from 200,000 tons to 400,000 tons. Our target is to equip our new manufacturing line with the most advanced technology available on the market, from reliable machine suppliers with lengthy experience in the supply of equipment for pipe mills, says Ahmed Hamed Al Khonaini, Shareholder and Managing Director of GPC. Thus SMS group has been selected as the supplier for the expander and the hydrotester. With the total number of 17 installed expander machines from 2002 and 19 hydrotesters from 1971, SMS group presented us strong references in pipe mills with similar scope of business. continues Mr. Al Khonaini. The new 10MN mechanical expander will be installed in the final control area of the new line. In addition to the stress relief on welded pipes, the expander will give the final shape for GPC s products, making sure that the final dimensions are within the required range according to the applicable specifications. The machine will initially cover the diameter range between 24 and 56, and optimize GPC s output in big diameter pipes. The new hydrostatic pipe tester covering pipe diameters from 16 to 62 is also one of the major equipment additions to the new line. It will have a testing capacity of 650 bar allowing the hydro-inspection of small-diameter pipes with heavy wall thickness pipes as per applicable specifications. The new line will be implemented as a completely independent line from the existing one. This will allow GPC to run two different manufacturing orders simultaneously and avoid interruption for orders in case of priority changes. By doubling our nominal capacity to 400,000 million tons, we will be in the position of allocating production slots for neighboring markets in the GCC and MENA region without neglecting our home market, says Ahmed Hamed Al Khonaini. The new line should be ready for production by the third quarter of OPTIMIZED OUTPUT Contact largediameterpipeplants@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 111

112 LONG PRODUCT PLANTS The annealing furnace is fired with eco-friendly digitally controlled recuperator burners. AUSTRIA ECO-FRIENDLY AND COST-EFFECTIVE voestalpine Tubulars commissions new heat treatment line and hot tube straightener. 112 SMS group newsletter

113 The cross-roll straightener is equipped with ten individually controlled rolls. voestalpine Tubulars GmbH & Co KG based in Kindberg-Aumühl, Austria, has successfully commissioned a new heat treatment line and a hot tube straightening machine. The line is designed for seamless tubes with outside diameters between 60.3 and millimeters. It can process steel grades with alloying contents of up to approx. 20 percent. The line has a maximum capacity of 25 tons per hour. With this new line, voestalpine is strengthening its market position as a supplier of seamless tubes for oil and gas exploration. FIT FOR THE FUTURE The heat treatment line consists of a walking beam type austenitizing furnace, an SMS Quenching Head, a cooling table for normalizing, a tempering furnace, also of walking beam design, a cooling bed and two sawing stations for sample cutting. This equipment allows voestalpine Tubulars to perform various different heat treatments such as quenching, tempering, and normalizing in one single line. Today the heat treatment line can handle tubes with wall thicknesses of up to 25 millimeters. The line is designed to be expanded by an additional quenching unit at a later stage in order to process tubes with wall thicknesses greater than 30 millimeters. STURDY AND ENERGY-SAVING The cross-roll straightener with ten individually controlled rolls has a very sturdy design and allows rapid roll changing for minimum standstill times. The line is controlled fully automatically. Thanks to the high product flexibility of the line, also small batches and a great number of different product groups can be processed highly cost-efficiently. The use of eco-friendly, extremely low-nox recuperator burners in the furnaces saves up to five percent of fuel compared to conventional burners. The water treatment plant cools and filters up to 1,800 cubic meters of water per hour, reducing fresh water requirements to less than three percent. SMS group received the Final Acceptance Certificate after only two months of intensive testing in close cooperation with the engineers of voestalpine Tubulars. During these tests, all performance parameters (specific fuel consumption, temperature uniformity, production rate and final tube quality) were successfully reached. Contact tubefinishing@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 113

114 FORGING TECHNOLOGY WORLDWIDE IMPROVED CASTING QUALITY, HIGHER AVAILABILITY The conditions inside the mold determine the quality of the continuously cast product. The leaf-spring design of the mold oscillation system guarantees exact vertical movements. Vertical continuous and semi-continuous casters are in use worldwide to produce semi-finished products made of copper and copper alloys. Such semis are further processed into profiles in extrusion plants or into strips and foils in rolling mills. Typical fields of application are the electronics industry, seamless pipes in water lines and heat exchangers, the automotive industry and the plumbing trade. Continuous casting plants for copper and copper alloys fulfill the following tasks: melting of the charge material followed by exact control of the temperature and the molten metal, controlled solidification inside a water-cooled mold to achieve the desired cast section and controlled withdrawal of the solidified strand. The cast strand is cut to the desired length either in the casting line or after having been removed from the line, depending on whether the caster operates continuously or semi-continuously. The conditions inside the mold are decisive for the quality of the cast product. The casting mold, which is open at both ends and has water-cooled side walls, and the downstream secondary cooling equipment determine the cast product s microstructure and surface, both of which are crucial parameters for the quality of downstream processing steps. The molten metal starts to solidify at the sidewalls of the mold. This initial solidified shell is very thin and sensitive and extremely susceptible to external effects. At this stage, care has to be taken to avoid any sticking to the mold walls in order to prevent the shell from breaking. In support of this, the mold oscillates up and down. Thus the casting result depends a lot on how precisely the mold is guided up and down and on the quality of the oscillation. THE CASTING MACHINE SMS group has significantly enhanced the original design of the casting machine. Previously, the machines used to be equipped with a centrally positioned eccentric. The lifting stroke was transferred to the mold by means of a complicated lever system that actuated coupling rods. This single-eccentric design has been replaced by a four-eccentric design. The four eccentrics act more straightforwardly on the mold and trigger the movement exactly where it is needed. This ADVANTAGES OF THE NEW CASTING MACHINE OF LEAF-SPRING DESIGN: Highest-precision oscillation for top product quality Proven eccentric drive, available with stroke height adjustment as an option Maximum plant availability and improved operating reliability Wear-free design markedly reduces maintenance effort Can be installed in existing plants without major modifications Installation in existing plants can be accomplished during a single weekend Significantly reduced number of movable mechanical components 114 SMS group newsletter

115 Casting machine for a vertical caster. makes the support of the mold table more stable and the oscillation more sinusoidal, while eliminating the negative effect the wearing mechanical lever equipment would have had on the quality of the oscillation. As this arrangement has proved highly successful during the last few decades, it has been retained in the newly developed design. NEW DEVELOPMENT The elements on the casting machine that used to actuate the movements of the mold have been replaced by a leafspring design. The maintenance- and play-free leaf springs have been designed specifically for this application and with a view to an extraordinarily long lifetime. The leaf springs are arranged and aligned in such a way that they can move only in a perfectly vertical direction. This makes for a much more precise guidance of the oscillating movement and significantly improves the rigidity of the casting machine. Moreover, the new design increases safety while reducing the maintenance effort to virtually zero. The eccentric drive features the same proven drive precision and enhancements based on experience gained in recent years. The drive acts on four positions of the frame. The oscillation frequency is adjusted by changing the drive speed. Due to the counter-rotation design, transverse forces are avoided. As an option, the eccentric can also be supplied with a system that allows the stroke height to be changed when the machine is in the idle mode. QUICK-CHANGE DESIGN OF THE CASTING MACHINE The basic design of new casting machines comes with the same dimensions as the conventional one. This makes it very easy to replace conventional casting machines in existing vertical casting plants with those of the new, leaf-spring design without modifications. Even the drive mode (electric or hydraulic motor) can be retained. Thus the existing control system requires but minimal adjustments. Therefore, it is generally possible to accomplish the replacement of a casting machine during a single weekend. Stephan Grimm s.grimm@sms-group.com Patrick Schneider patrick.schneider@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 115

116 FORGING TECHNOLOGY WORLDWIDE EXCEPTIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY SPEvolution a new generation of direct-driven screw presses. Eumuco, Hasenclever, Berrenberg all of them well-established companies with excellent reputation. More than 100 years of experience and far more than 1,000 screw presses supplied testify the existing competence and experience in screw press construction at SMS group and give evidence of an outstanding durability of the products over 80 percent of all screw presses ever built are still in reliable day-to-day production service. Nowadays, modern screw presses must not only be able to be operated economically and in a highly productive way. An increase in energy efficiency and improved flexibility regarding new automation solutions are becoming increasingly important. Based on these assumptions, SMS group has subjected its proven SPE series to re-engineering. INVITATION SMS group cordially invites all people interested to inspect the screw press SPEvolution with MEERtorque synchrodrive concept under production conditions at the German SMS group location in 116 SMS group newsletter

117 FORGING TECHNOLOGY NEWLY DEVELOPED MEERtorque SYNCHRODRIVE CONCEPT Technical highlight of the new screw press series Eumuco Hasenclever SPEvolution is a completely redesigned MEERtorque synchrodrive concept, which is ideally suited to set new standards with regard to productivity and energy efficiency. Manufacturers of conventional direct-driven screw presses often use asynchronous motors. As regards the spindle drive, SMS group however consequently counts on highly dynamic synchronous drives with rotor driven by a permanent magnet whose favorable course of the torque over the entire speed range achieves a considerable improvement of energy efficiency. Due to the lower heat loss, the use of fans with all their disadvantages is dispensed with. If required by the ambient conditions, a separate cooling water connection is provided for permanent operation at increased ambient temperatures. A standard four-quadrant frequency converter is used enabling regenerative feedback of electricity generated during braking. SPINDLE AS THE CENTRAL ELEMENT OF SPEvolution Centerpiece and key element of SPEvolution is a spindle from forged and highly alloyed Q&T steel. The thread form specially designed and optimized for this application and highest machining accuracy lead to high contact ratio and high mechanical load-bearing capacity of the threads. A reduction of the spindle length significantly contributes to an improvement of the rigidity of the whole system. In addition, the spindle tip is designed in such a way that it is part of a hydraulic damping system serving as buffer to reduce the impact impulse. Nowadays, a screw press must be designed such that optimal accessibility for operation and maintenance is ensured which also considerably affects productivity and availability of the plant due to decreasing setup and non-productive times, explains Frank Viegen, Head of Design Mechanical Presses at SMS group. To take this aspect into account and preserve the mechanical properties of the previous SPE series at the same time the machine housing was completely re-engineered by means of the FE method. All key housing components are castings free from inherent stresses caused by thermal distortion on weldments. The abandonment of the monobloc construction towards a multi-part tierod design also permits to enlarge the lateral press windows significantly so that all common automation approaches can be realized. For the design of the press frame the focus was additionally on optimizing operator convenience and ease of maintenance. On the one hand, the operator should control the machine intuitively and ergonomically, and on the other hand, maintenance should be simplified to such an extent that all components to be maintained at regular intervals and media supply are more easily accessible. A central element here is the energy column, a media duct mounted vertically on the press frame where all energies required on the machine are fed centrally. A lateral service access offers the maintenance staff quick access to all pipes and fittings without having to remove any cladding sheets. OPTIMIZED CHARACTERISTICS FOR HIGHEST DEMANDS Besides, the following objectives could be achieved with SPEvolution: Large, better accessible press working space Precise dosage and highest repeatability of energy output Diverse stroke control possibilities Large working capacity / safeguarding by mechanical overload protection Optimized, precise ram guide Increased production capacity owing to superior reliability and improved performance Extremely quiet and smooth running SPEvolution shows that SMS group has succeeded in maintaining outstanding properties of the previous SPE series such as highest precision in the ram guide system and large working capacity and at the same time has met changed customer requirements. Martin Gerhard Scholles martingerhard.scholles@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 117

118 FORGING TECHNOLOGY CHINA HIGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCT QUALITY Jiandong Alloy orders most efficient CONTIROD * copper wire rod plant for Chinese market. ECOPLANTS By using new, energy-efficient technologies and high performance capability the CONTIROD * CR 3500 sets a new standard and will be awarded with the SMS group Ecoplants label for environmental-friendly technologies. Jiandong Alloy Technology Co. Ltd. from Nantong City, Jiangsu Province, China, has placed an order with SMS group to supply a CONTIROD * plant, of the type CR Commissioning is scheduled for the first quarter of The line will be designed for casting and rolling of wire rod in one process with a production capacity of 35 tons of copper wire rod per hour. The plant is to produce predominantly ETP (Electrolytic Tough Pitch) copper wire on the CONTIROD * CR 3500 which serves as semi-finished product for producing electrical conductors. COMPREHENSIVE SCOPE OF SUPPLY The scope of supply includes a shaft melting furnace, a twinbelt casting machine with a large cross-sectional area of 6,510 mm², a twelve-stage rolling mill with separate individual drives, a deoxidation and cooling line and a wire coil station, an automatic strapping unit and a coil packaging plant for the produced copper wire rod coils. The applied casting and rolling technique enables very good prerequisites for the downline drawing process especially for the production of enameled wire and fine wires in an environment of continuously growing demands on drawing speed and technological features. The proven SMS group lambda control in combination with the further devel- oped loading and distribution system for cathodes and recycled scrap is used on the shaft melting furnace. This technique minimizes natural gas consumption and increases the product quality. In an almost horizontal casting process the twin-belt caster produces a rectangular cast ingot with higher cross-sectional area. This is an important prerequisite for a high and constant quality of the final products, particularly for the demanded large dimensions. The homogeneously cast ingot is formed to the required wire dimension in the rolling mill consisting of twelve individually driven stands. In the cooling line the oxide layer on the wire surface is first reduced by a chemical reaction with a hydroalcoholic solution before it is cooled down to the desired target temperature in a second step with water without addition of alcohol. By delimiting the two process steps a significant reduction of the alcohol consumption is reached. *CONTIROD is a registered trademark of Aurubis Belgium. Michael Schwarze michael.schwarze@sms-group.com 118 SMS group newsletter

119 SCHMIEDETECHNIK Existing continuous homogenizing plant at Hammerer Aluminium in Romania. ROMANIA HAI EXPANDS HOMOGENIZATION IN ROMANIA Hertwich sets the trend for combined operation of continuous and batch homogenizing furnaces. Hammerer Aluminium Industries Santana S. R. L., based in Santana, Romania has ordered a second homogenizing plant consisting of two batch furnaces, a cooling station and handling equipment from Hertwich Engineering, a subsidiary of SMS group. Commissioning is scheduled for February In 2009, the Austrian company Hammerer Aluminium Industries (HAI) built a casthouse for aluminium extrusion billets in Santana, Romania. A modern Hertwich continuous homogenizing furnace with ultrasonic testing, saw and packing unit was put into operation for the homogenization of the extruded aluminium billets. At that time, the plant s annual production was 80,000 tons. CAPACITY EXPANDED BY 50 PERCENT The batch homogenizing furnaces currently on order complement the existing continuous homogenizing furnace in several respects. Initially the new plant will increase the capacity by around 50 percent. In addition, production becomes more flexible because continuous homogenizing is less suitable for more frequent changes of homogenizing parameters or for alloys with very long holding times. In such cases, the batch homogenizing furnace brings to bear its advantages. In the case of Hammerer Aluminium in Santana, there is also the option of using batch homogenizing furnaces for the heat treatment of the rolling slabs newly added to the production program. For this reason more and more foundries have recently started to combine continuous and batch homogenizing furnaces. Meanwhile the combination of continuous and batch homogenizing furnaces may even be considered as state-of-the-art in modern casthouses. As described above, this combination offers full automation, so that the ancillary equipment for sawing, ultrasonic testing, stacking, strapping, etc. can be used by both plants. In the case of Hammerer Aluminium in Romania, additional handling equipment will be installed alongside the extension of the existing ultrasonic facilities. The trend towards the combined operation of continuous and batch homogenizing furnaces was initiated when Hertwich took a critical look at the conventional batch furnace design a few years ago and came up with some technical innovations. The newly developed batch furnaces are not only similar to the continuous furnaces in terms of temperature distribution, but their operation is also highly automated with the help of suitable equipment. The market s attitude to the new generation of batch furnaces was quite critical for some time, but now the industry is fully convinced of its benefits. Further information SMS group newsletter 119

120 FORGING TECHNOLOGY SLOVENIA EXPANDED CONTINUOUS CASTING PRODUCTION Hertwich provides second continuous homogenizing plant. Talum d.d. based in the Slovenian town of Kidričevo has ordered a continuous homogenizing furnace and a helical ultrasonic testing station from Hertwich. The new plant will start operation in July 2018 and will almost double the homogenizing capacity of the group. Founded in 1942, Talum started operating a newly built electrolysis in 1954, which was expanded continuously in the following years. The production has since been modernized and the product range expanded. One of the most important and expanding product lines of the Group are aluminum extrusion billets. FAVORABLE CONTINUOUS HOMOGENIZING The semi-finished product range includes standard AlMgSi alloys. For the homogenization of these materials, the continuous homogenizing furnace, developed by Hertwich, offers a number of advantages. Compared to the conventional batch furnace, one of the salient features of the continuous process is the fact that each individual billet is heated uniformly and identically. Quality fluctuations within a batch or even across the billet cross-section are thereby excluded. From the economic point of view, the continuous process has the advantage of a completely automated work-flow. Talum had already installed an aluminum continuous homogenizing and sawing line from Hertwich in When an expansion of the homogenizing capacity became necessary, the contract was awarded to Hertwich again. The new furnace with a capacity of 40,000 tons per year will be integrated in the existing plant. One of the benefits of this is that the already existing saw can be used. Furthermore, a helical ultrasonic testing station as well as the additionally required handling equipment, magazines and safety devices are included in the scope of supply. Today the Talum Group ranks among the most important European aluminum companies. In 2016, the company had an annual turnover of around 300 million Euros with 1,300 employees and the annual production volume totalled to approx. 147,000 tons. Further information Continuous homogenizing plant. 120 SMS group newsletter

121 FORGING TECHNOLOGY BAHRAIN PRODUCTION INCREASED BY 50 PERCENT Order for homogenizing equipment goes to Hertwich. of Hertwich s current scope of supply. The existing saw and equipment for transport, stacking, strapping, etc. will be used for the new batch furnace as well. PLANTS WORK HAND IN HAND Aluminium Extrusion Billets. Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) is currently expanding its primary aluminium production capacity with Line 6 Expansion Project. Upon the full ramp-up of Potline 6 in 2019, the Company s smelter capacity will be increased by more than 50 percent to 1.5 million tons a year. This investment will make Alba one of the largest aluminium smelters in the world. Hertwich Engineering, a company of SMS group, has been awarded the contract for the necessary expansion of the homogenizing capacity. Alba has installed a total of six furnaces and ancillary equipment from Hertwich during the cooperation lasting more than two decades. Now Hertwich received an order to supply a modern batch homogenizing plant for Potline 5, which started operation in 2005, to upgrade the existing continuous homogenizing plant. This plant now on order is designed for an annual production of 60,000 tons of logs with diameters in the range from 152 to 254 millimeters and lengths up to 8,100 millimeters. The furnace will be integrated into the material flow of the existing continuous homogenizing plant. The cooled logs will be de-stacked, separated and tested in an ultrasonic inspection station, which is also part For the new primary aluminium expansion project Potline 6 the continuous and batch homogenizing furnace will be installed side by side so that the production program can be organized flexibly at this point. The main component is the continuous homogenizing plant with an annual capacity of 140,000 tons. It is designed for logs up to 9 meters length and diameters in the range from 152 to 410 millimeters. The batch homogenizing plant (charge weight: 85 tons) with separate cooling station will be installed next to the continuous homogenizing plant, so that both plants can operate in combination using the auxiliary equipment. For the sawing, weighing and packaging operations Hertwich is to deliver transport and stacking / de-stacking equipment, a linear ultrasonic testing unit, two sawing units, two strapping and weighing stations and two briquetting presses for chips. The inspected logs will be placed on the entry roller table of the circular saw. To ensure adequate removal of the relatively large quantity of chips, the saws will be equipped with chip exhaust systems and briquetting presses. The sawn billets will then be stacked according to the customer s requirements and strapped at the subsequent station. Once the packages have been weighed and labelled, they are ready for shipment. Further information SMS group newsletter 121

122 ELECTRICS AND AUTOMATION BELARUS EXCITING FUTURE PROSPECTIVES MMPZ, Belarus, visits SMS group s test field in Mönchengladbach for the Plug & Work integration tests of the new tinplate production facility. SMS group has demonstrated MMPZ-group (Miorskij Metalloprokatnyi Zavod) the set-up and performance of a Plug & Work integration test at its new test center in Mönchengladbach. The tests involved the simulation of the customer s new reversing cold mill (RCM) to be installed in Belarus. The automation system of the RCM, which is going to be commissioned already in 2018, was now thoroughly tested in Mönchengladbach in a very realistic simulation environment. In the test center, crucial parts of the automation system were arranged in a functional set-up, using the genuine control cabinets, computers, control pulpits and software of the future plant. Delegates of MMPZ-group observed the testing procedures of the proven Plug & Work concept, which will later on save time during the commissioning and ramp-up of the plant. 3D SIMULATION SMS group uses hybrid real-time simulation techniques to simulate the specific mechanical, drive and process technology of its customers production plants in a near-reality environment. Thus SMS group can test and optimize the automa- In the new Plug & Work test field of SMS group, the tinplate production complex of MMPZ-group in Belarus can be controlled long before the commissioning on site takes place. 122 SMS group newsletter

123 The representatives of MMPZ-group accompanying Vladimir Tischenko, First Vice General Director of MMPZ-group (seated), were deeply impressed by the possibility of controlling the first plant of the new tinplate complex in the Plug & Work test field at this early stage. The new SMS group test center in Mönchengladbach. tion systems in the test center under very realistic conditions before the equipment is shipped to its customers and commissioned on site. Plug & Work now also integrates 3D simulation to train the future operating staff on the genuine control pulpits. In 3D, complex functions and sequences can be visualized even more realistically and clearly. The new test center in Mönchengladbach covers an area of 800 square meters, enough space to set up equipment for several integration tests at a time and performing various tests in parallel. Dr. Vladimir Tischenko, First Vice General Director of MMPZ-group, was deeply impressed by the tests. He who has dedicated his entire career to metallurgy comments: It is a fascinating experience to see at this early stage how our new reversing cold mill, its functions and features will be working in the future. This state-of-the-art mill will set new standards in Belarus. As part of the Plug & Work concept, SMS group integrates a professional interactive 3D graphical application into the simulation environment to enhance the visualization of the production processes. Peter Waldhoff, Project Director, E&A Flat Rolling Mills at SMS group, says: By visualizing the plants in 3D, we can show our customers the mechanical components and movements even more realistically. This is particularly beneficial in situations where the future operators have not seen the new equipment before. Also the individual process steps within a plant can be much more realistically visualized in 3D. LARGE-SCALE ORDER MMPZ-group has chosen SMS group as supplier for a new tinplate production complex in Miory, Belarus. SMS group is going to supply the complete rolling and strip processing plants, including the X-Pact electrical and automation equipment. The supply scope comprises a reversing cold mill, an electrolytic cleaning line, a batch annealing facility, a two-stand DCR (Double Cold Reduction) mill, an electrolytic tinning line and two packaging lines, one for sheet packs and one for coiled product. Initially, plants for an annual capacity of 150,000 tons of product in tinplate grades T1, T2, T3, DR7 and DR8 as well as sheet in CQ und DQ grades will be installed. Provision will be made for a future capacity increase to up to 240,000 tons. The first facilities are scheduled to become operational in early September MMPZ-group plans to use the new facilities mainly to produce tinplate for the packaging industry and cold-rolled sheet. Most of the mill output is intended to be exported, mainly to Russia and other CIS markets, but also to EU countries. EXTREMELY SLIM WORK ROLLS The Plug & Work-tested reversing cold mill will be equipped with one pay-off reel and two reversing reels. The six-high mill stand with CVC plus technology will be able to produce sheet in CQ and DQ grades as well as tinplate down to a minimal final gage of 0.15 milli-meters for subsequent coating in the electrolytic tinning line. The mill will feature the new high-performance design of cold rolling mills built by SMS group. It will use very slim work rolls, which make mill operation highly efficient, as they allow high reductions per pass to be achieved with comparatively low rolling forces. In addition to the CVC plus technology, features such as work roll and intermediate roll bending, multi-zone cooling and the DS system will guarantee that the strip has the quality the customer demands in terms of strip thickness, flatness and surface quality. Peter Waldhoff peter.waldhoff@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 123

124 ELEKTRIK UND AUTOMATION Control room in a rolling mill WORLDWIDE FUTURE-ORIENTED SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE SMS group has developed a new software architecture for the automation of hot- and cold-rolling mills. The solution uses latest IT-based communication services and is scalable to integrate new and further developments in the future. Capacities of production plants and their complexity have been constantly increasing, so have the qualitative and functional requirements on the automation software. Additionally, growing digitalization and networking of plants pose ever new requirements on the software architecture. Therefore, the solution of the future has to be based on flexible, scalable concepts. Against this backdrop SMS group decided to develop a fundamentally new software architecture concept that would be based on modern and future-proof interaction, structures and communication channels. 124 SMS group newsletter

125 ELECTRICS AND AUTOMATION Plant functions FL1 A top Functional level model of the software structure. Plant area functions FL2 B H Main product (Group) functions FL3 C D Product functions FL4 E F G Sensor/Actor FL5 down Features of the new software structure Introduction of a model of functional levels Based on the result of a functional analysis from different perspectives, a hierarchical automation model was set up, defining the system architecture from a functional perspective. Software-wise, the structure is basically set up as a network of autonomous components of equal rights performing specific functional tasks, e. g. control or service functions. Flexible linking of components as required Within the software all services are available to all components for example, to all sequence controllers. There are no fixed links between components. Loosely coupled communication Links between components exist only for the duration of active sequences. As soon as a sequence has ended, the active components are released and may be immediately used for other sequences. 3. Machine code generation Large program parts are generated automatically using standardized modules and templates. Customer-specific solutions are assembled from existing modules, making a greater part of the software reusable. Each functional component has a twin displayed on the HMI, dramatically accelerating fault diagnosis and troubleshooting. First references SMS group implemented this innovative software architecture and the above described approach for the first time in 2016 in the context of a tunnel furnace automation project. In August 2017, a newly installed reversing cold mill for the first time produced strip on the basis of this new concept. Further projects are currently being implemented. The new software architecture designed by SMS group provides answers to current and future challenges of the digital age. Efficient adaptability to functional changes Tightly coupled communication via fixed programmed structures has become a thing of the past. Throughout the system, standardized interfaces are used and the components can be controlled by commands and sets of parameters. No adjustments to the communication infrastructure are necessary. Redesigned engineering process Also the engineering process has been redesigned. The process now consists of three main phases: 1. Specification of requirements on the functional element level This phase is decisive for assuring the quality of production. At the end of the process, it will serve as the measure of how well a task has been fulfilled. 2. Modeling Definition of the system architecture from the functional perspective. Alfred Metzul alfred.metzul@sms-group.com BENEFITS FOR THE CUSTOMER For the terminals, meaningful pop-ups (or faceplates) are provided. For sequences, plain text diagnostic features are provided. The customer no longer needs any software knowledge to perform maintenance activities. Signals, defective devices or sub-functions can be temporarily bypassed directly via the HMI. Adjustments, expansions and replacements can be easily made SMS group newsletter 125

126 TECHNICAL SERVICE GERMANY CONVECTION ROLL COOLING READY FOR PRODUCTION Work roll convection cooling system for hot wide-strip mills optimized after test runs. Following the convection cooling system trials at Salzgitter Flachstahl AG in autumn 2015, the second stage of development has now been completed by manufacturing new prototypes. The second development stage focused on optimizing the new work roll CRC (Convection Roll Cooling), on preparing one complete unit for top and bottom rolls and the use thereof in one of the rear stands of the hot wide-strip mill. To advance the design of the work roll convection cooling system, the engineers could resort to the results of the first test phase and use the newly gained parameters as a basis for the calculation procedures and mathematical models. So, it was possible, in turn, to check the new compact cooling unit design, clearances and cooling water volumes by means of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and optimize them in iterative processes. Thanks to the findings from the first stage, it was possible to optimize manufacturing processes and cut related costs in producing the new prototypes in the Hilchenbach workshop of SMS group. In addition to advancement in design, this helped improve the manufacturing process in the workshop, and hence shorten lead times. Prior to being tested in trial operation at Salzgitter Flachstahl s hot rolling mill, the new prototypes were submitted to numerous tests on the existing test station in the SMS workshop. Ralf Setzer ralf.setzer@sms-group.com Top and bottom cooling unit in work roll change position. 126 SMS group newsletter

127 TECHNICAL SERVICE BRAZIL DELIVERY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE Complete special tool for the production of pipes/tubes with high wall thicknesses and yield strengths delivered way before deadline. The Brazilian Confab Industrial S.A., part of Tenaris Group, commissioned SMS group with the supply of a complete special tool including complete segment set. For demanding tube/ pipe sizes in terms of high wall thicknesses and yield strengths or also increased working lengths particularly designed special tools are required for the mechanical expander. Due to a long-standing customer relationship and specific technical conditions the customer, in March 2017, opted for the Technical Service of SMS group to supply the tool. The biggest consideration while awarding the contract was the delivery time. In the past, delivery times from eight to twelve months were not unusual, however, production start at Confab Industrial S.A. for the new large-diameter LSAW pipes was scheduled for September After a short but close coordination a maximum delivery time of five months could be assured to the customer. After placing the order, the customer was informed on the current status every two weeks and could convince himself personally of the progress made with the core components by paying regular production visits. Thanks to very good planning and comprehensive project management the air waybills to Brazil were already prepared in July After just four months and therefore a whole month prior to the agreed delivery date the customer had sufficient lead time for setting all required parameters for the Markus Siekmann markus.siekmann@sms-group.com Expander tool with segments in Mönchengladbach workshop SMS group newsletter 127

128 MODERNIZATION TECHNICAL SERVICE GERMANY SLAB SIZING PRESS SUCCESSFULLY OVERHAULED After having repaired the operating side, SMS group also received the follow-up order for the repair of the drive side. In January 2016, thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG issued the request to repair the operating side of the slab sizing press in hot rolling mill no. 2 at the Duisburg-Beeckerwerth site. It was time for a regular replacement of the two used bearings of the eccentric shaft units which was a complex and time-intensive repair measure. SMS group employed an expert team for local assembly supervision and implementation. In addition, an expert from the Design department was continuously available for the sizing unit as technical contact. Through the experiences of the SMS group service staff, thyssenkrupp was able to resume scheduled operation of the slab sizing press at the beginning of March WORK COMPLETED WELL ON TIME Due to excellent performances and deadlines strictly adhered to during the repair of the operating side, thyssenkrupp also placed the order to repair the drive side of the slab sizing press with SMS group. The bearings of the drive side were exchanged from mid-february to the beginning of April To realize this, an expert team of SMS group was again at the Duisburg site of the customer. As was the case in the previous year, the amount of work extended to the following activities: Technical assistance including supervision and implementation of the work General overhaul of sizing press, drive side Disassembly of sizing slide unit Supervision of milling work on sizer stand Supervision of machining of the sizing press equipment Reassembly of sizing slide unit The standstill was finished on schedule and hot rolling mill no. 2 was again ready for operation on the scheduled date. The customer is satisfied with the measures carried out and has already granted acceptance for the repair measures. Christoph-Peter Fröhlich christoph-peter.froehlich@sms-group.com A prepared conrod is ready for reinstallation. 128 SMS group newsletter

129 TECHNICAL SERVICE Production of aluminum hot strip. GERMANY EVERYTHING ABOUT ALUMINIUM HOT STRIP Intensive TECademy training on production technology. After completion of a three-day intensive training course at SMS group s Hilchenbach site, Martin Mölich, Head of Maintenance Mechanical Equipment at Aleris Rolled Products Germany GmbH, draws a positive conclusion: A top training event that provided valuable information and tips on all subjects and issues for use in operational practice. Together with four attendants from AMAG rolling GmbH, the graduated engineer Mölich amplified his knowledge of the technological principles of hot strip rolling. This special training is part of SMS group s annual TECademy program offering customers the option to choose from numerous dates over the whole year courses on selected topics from the fields of engineering, maintenance and plant technology. An SMS group expert imparted his know-how to the participants from Koblenz, Germany and Ranshofen, Austria. The training focused on the preparation of a pass schedule on the basis of specified target properties such as thickness, temperature and profile, and on factors that may influence the pass schedule concept. The SMS group expert inspired the training participants to consider the pass schedule as a route plan for the way from ingot to hot coil since the requirements of pass schedule preparation are similar to that of route planning. Transferred to the rolling mill, this means the best possible combination of (wanted) production goals, (existing limits in) plant capacities, and material properties. Exercises supplemented the training content and gave the participants the opportunity to test what they had learned. A tour through SMS group s Hilchenbach workshop completed the training which introduced the fundamentals of rolling on the flat strip, the principles of control technology and plant and process technology in hot rolling mills for aluminium. Karsten Weiss karsten.weiss@sms-group.com Overview of the SMS TECademy expert training program 2018: com/expertise/ sms-tecademy/ SMS group newsletter 129

130 MODERNIZATION TECHNICAL SERVICE RUSSIA REPAIR INSTEAD OF REPLACING SAVES MONEY First toggle-lever coiler mandrel successfully repaired in Hilchenbach repair center. Alcoa has commissioned SMS group with the repair of a toggle-lever coiler mandrel from the cold rolling mill in Samara, Russia. At the age of almost 40 years and a long service life it was time for an overhaul to make sure that the toggle-lever coiler mandrel continues to be reliably used. The customer is highly satisfied with the existing coiler mandrel and wants to maintain the design in that way, despite a very complex construction nowadays. In addition, calculations on the part of SMS group have demonstrated that a repair in this case is less expensive than a complete new manufacture of a coiler mandrel. After the component had been delivered to the Hilchenbach plant of SMS group in Germany it was disassembled and subjected to a damage analysis. Then, all components were categorized into parts to be machined, reused or to be newly procured. The information gathered could be sent to the customer in a detailed repair report and led to a repair authorization. Since its construction year 1978 the coiler mandrel was in use periodically. Such a long service life shows that a toggle-lever coiler mandrel is not often repaired. There were some exciting challenges for the service team of SMS group which had to be considered during repair. For example, other On the left side the newly installed coupling sleeve (in yellow) driving the component can be seen. 130 SMS group newsletter

131 TECHNICAL SERVICE The upper part of the hydraulic cylinder enables spreading and despreading of the coiler mandrel. The smallest lubricant distributors ever built by SMS group were installed in the segments for the first time. standards were applied at that time which are obsolete in the meantime and which have been replaced by new standards according to the state-of-the-art. It also had to be considered that the existing drawings and bills of materials had been prepared manually at that time and had to be first digitalized for subsequent processes and embedded into the system environment taking into account a tight delivery deadline. And the production status has also changed dramatically during the last few years. In the past, the components were rather complicated due to missing manufacturing technologies such as CNC machines. Workpieces with complex contours were e.g. cast which nowadays would have to be designed for machining with CNC machines. Machining, rebuilding or new procurement of such parts posed a particular challenge. For damage analysis a functional test of the assembly group was required. And only limited possibilities for review were available since the spreader cylinder was not included in the delivery scope of the customer and a suitable spare cylinder had to be used for test purposes. dicators. The coiler shaft is supported in antifriction bearings using the circulating oil lubrication. Customer s explicit request for optimization was, however, to modify the grease supply system on the segments. A socalled continuous lubrication system enables sufficient grease to be supplied to each lubrication point of the segments. At this location, the smallest lubricant distributor ever built by SMS group was installed. The lubricating rod applied consists of a cast large-diameter pipe where many small pipes are fixed ensuring consistent grease supply. This corresponds to the latest design for these particular products, resulting in an optimization of the lubrication system with less maintenance required and thus reduced cost for the customer. Repairs always pose a new challenge since no repair is similar to another. Due to complex framework conditions, the repair of the toggle-lever coiler mandrel was yet very particular, Björn Weber, responsible technical project manager at SMS group, reported. With the intensive involvement of all departments concerned SMS group was however able to successfully tackle this task and create a new reference! SMALLEST-EVER LUBRICANT DISTRIBUTOR INSTALLED A new stand or redesign of the coiler mandrel was not a customer request. On the other hand, it is quite normal that optimizations are also carried during repair work. In the present case, the improvements realized are the circulating oil lubrication when the piping system was renewed according to the current state-of-the-art and seven supplemented oil flow in- Björn Weber bjoern.weber@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 131

132 MODERNIZATION TECHNICAL SERVICE GERMANY COILER MANDREL MODERNIZATION CREATES DROP-IN SOLUTION Existing spare coiler can now be flexibly used as tension or payoff reel at the drive or operating side. Located in Nachterstedt, Germany, the company Novelis has awarded to SMS group an order covering the repair and upgrade of a coiler mandrel. The challenges to be met by this modernization were to make the old, existing spare coiler at the drive side fit for future operation as tension and payoff reel and for use at both, drive and operating, sides. An additional goal was to reduce the clamping range of initially about 700 millimeters to 600 millimeters in order to permit smaller-diameter sleeves to be clamped. To find out the technical feasibility of this project, the first step to be performed was a study in the design department. SMS group experts examined which of the existing components had to be modified and which to be replaced by new ones. Further, a detailed list was prepared of the wear conditions to be expected. The result of the study led to a geometrical extension of the existing coiler mandrel. Externally, this extension is fastened by shrink-fitting and several bolts to lock it against rotation. An internally arranged adaptor compensates the gap created between the two components for the spread tension. Thanks to the modernization by SMS group, the spare coiler can be used to perform several functions in the future it is suited for coiling and uncoiling and can be used on drive and operating sides. Björn Weber bjoern.weber@sms-group.com Diameters are examined and documented during segment spreading and unspreading. Prior to shipment, a last check was made in the Hilchenbach workshop. 132 SMS group newsletter

133 DEVELOPMENT GERMANY REDUCED RE-SHARPENING EFFORT Advanced design of the proven SMS group chopper knife heads makes re-sharpening more efficient. Side trimmers in strip processing lines trim endless steel strip to a defined width with high accuracy. Thus, at first an also endless seam is trimmed off both strip edges. In order to enable easy handling of the high quality scrap, the scrap chopper cuts the seam into short pieces. The scrap chopper is an integral part of SMS group s ASC (Automatic Scrap Chopper) side trimmers. The SMS Technical Service and product management of the business unit strip processing lines have jointly developed an advanced design for the proven SMS group scrap chopper knife heads. The goal is to achieve a substantial reduction in handling and machining time during re-sharpening of scrap chopper knives. Retrofitting Twinblade knife heads only requires a minor machining of the scrap guiding channels between side trimmer (circular knives) and scrap chopper. The first test set comprises four complete 250 millimeters knife heads with spare knives. It was developed in close cooperation with Wuppermann AG located in Moerdijk, Netherlands. After the order placement in July 2017, its installation, commissioning and test run are now planned for end of 2017 in Moerdijk. TWO CUTTING BLADES INSTEAD OF ONE The improved knife heads contain knives with two instead of only one cutting blade. The blade not in use is protected by the knife clamping piece. When one blade is worn, the knife can be rotated by 180 degrees and refitted immediately. In contrast to the conventional knife head concept, knife replacement or knife rotation requires no head dismounting. The Twinblade knife head also requires no shimming for enabling the re-sharpening of worn knives. The knives can quickly be re-ground separately on a flatbed grinding machine. Thus, a knife reconditioning time reduction of up to 90% is possible, says Ronald Genßler, Product Manager Technical Service, at SMS group. Twinblade knife heads will be made available in the diameters 250 millimeters (four knives) and 350 millimeters (six knives). The modified outer geometry also facilitates the fabrication. The identical fitting geometry enables installation at all ASC scrap choppers produced so far. Twinblade knife heads in 250-millimeter and 350-millimeter design. Ronald Genßler ronald.genssler@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 133

134 EVENTS GERMANY INNOVATIONS OF SMS GROUP AT EMO HANNOVER For SMS group, the world metalworking trade fair was a complete success. Together with SMS digital, the audience was informed on plant technologies. Trade fair innovation: Prototype of novel spraying head for closeddie forging machines manufactured in 3D printing. A guarantee for doing good business, a showcase for international markets and a pacesetter for future production this is how the exhibitors of the EMO Hannover 2017 describe the world s leading metalworking trade fair. After six turbulent days of the fair the over 2,200 international manufacturers of production technology said goodbye to Hannover with full order books and in an excellent mood. As leading supplier of metallurgical plant technology, SMS group was also present at the fair. The presentations focused on products and services for the forging industry. Highlight of this year s presentations was the prototype of a novel spraying head for closed-die forging machines manufactured in 3D printing. SMS group has always been offering effective spraying systems which are optimally integrated in the functional sequence of the forging plant. This proven technology is now complemented by an absolutely innovative and additively manufactured 3D spraying head achieving top results at low investment cost and at the same time facilitating the handling. In addition to that, the Product Unit Forging presented a new energy-efficient drive concept for closed-die forging presses which optimizes productivity, significantly improves the energy 134 SMS group newsletter

135 EVENTS efficiency of production facilities and considerably reduces CO 2 emissions. Meanwhile, the new servodrive concept MEERtorque has also been tried and tested in practice. Along with SMS group, the international exhibition visitors were informed by SMS digital on digital solutions in times of Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT); its first digital product- Smart Alarm, the intelligent alarm management system. With its slogan Connecting Systems for Intelligent Production the EMO Hannover has struck the nerve of the times and attracted predominantly visitors from abroad. With a different focus, a wide variety of solutions for networking, for Imprint SMS group newsletter Issue 01 /2018 Spraying heads made by 3D printing. applications regarding data analysis and new services were reflected by most of the exhibitors for the first time on a large scale. There the issue was networked systems, also between different partners, cloud-based machine monitoring systems, simulation software, Augmented Reality (AR) for machine maintenance, blockchain technology for safe data transmission and new business models. Carl Martin Welcker, Commissioner General of EMO Hannover 2017, concludes: The expectations of the visitors were met perfectly. The machine tools industry has proven that it is at the cutting edge when it comes to digitalization of production. All in all, all eyes in the industry are turned already expectantly to September 2019 when the next EMO Hannover is taking place. The subjects of digitalization and networking will continue to concern ourselves very intensely also two years from now, Commissioner General Welcker is sure. At that time, we will know more precisely where we are headed. Publisher SMS group Corporate Communications, Eduard-Schloemann-Straße Düsseldorf, Germany Responsible under Press Law: Thomas Isajiw Editing: Jan Euler Phone communications@ sms-group.com Printing and prepress processes Druckhaus Kay GmbH Hagener Straße Kreuztal, Germany Published on January 30, 2018 SMS group Circulation: German 4,000, English 12,000, Chinese 1,000, Russian 1,000 The information provided in this magazine contains a general description of the performance characteristics of the products concerned. The actual products may not always have the characteristics described and, in particular, these may change as a result of further developments of the products. The provision of this information is not intended to have, and will not have, legal effect. An obligation to deliver products having particular characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of the contract. Heinz Zacharia heinz.zacharia@sms-group.com SMS group newsletter 135

136 VERANSTALTUNGEN Prof. Dr. Tesè explains the advantages of 3D-spray head to Dr. Woo, Hyundai Steel. SOUTH KOREA GUEST AT HYUNDAI STEEL SMS group again present at Tech Show. Hyundai Steel organized its second Tech Show in October 2017 in Dangjin, South Korea. 60 exhibitors were invited to the three-day event. In addition to SMS group only two further European suppliers took part in the event. In personal conversations, actual product solutions and services as well as projects were discussed together with the employees of Hyundai Steel. The team of Patrick Oppermann, Managing Director, SMS group Korea Branch, presented the latest technologies, e.g. 3D printing for future just-in-time production of spare parts. Dr. Markus Reifferscheid, Vice President Research & Development, was particularly impressed of the interest shown by the visitors in digitalization solutions of SMS group like eservice and Smart Maintenance solutions. A special honor was given to Prof. Dr. Pino Tesè, as he was the only European supplier invited to the VIP exchange of experiences at Hyundai Steel. In this context, SMS group has been invited to take part in 2018 again. Contact SMS group newsletter

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