Steel Times International Digital June 2021 by Quartz Business Media

INNOVATIONS

INDUSTRY NEWS ROUND-UP

ENVIRONMENT

OPINION

Pages and pages of the latest new products and recent contracts

A five-page round-up of the latest global steel industry news

Green graphite and energy efficiency from Coidan Graphite

Innovation must never stop, says Stewart Beer of Electrix

Since 1866

www.steeltimesint.com Digital Edition -June 2021 - No.18

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

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CONTENTS - DIGITAL EDITION JUNE 2021

INNOVATIONS

INDUSTRY NEWS ROUND-UP

ENVIRONMENT

OPINION

Pages and pages of the latest new products and recent contracts

A five-page round-up of the latest global steel industry news

Green graphite and energy efficiency from Coidan Graphite

Innovation must never stop, says Stewart Beer of Electrix

Since 1866

www.steeltimesint.com Digital Edition -June 2021 - No.18

Front cover photo courtesy of Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co KG

2 Leader by Matthew Moggridge.

KOCKS 3-roll RSB® 500 for medium and large size SBQ products, currently operating at NISCO, China.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE WORKPLACE

EDITORIAL Editor Matthew Moggridge Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855151 matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com Consultant Editor Dr. Tim Smith PhD, CEng, MIM Production Editor Annie Baker Advertisement Production Martin Lawrence SALES International Sales Manager Paul Rossage paulrossage@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855116 Sales Director Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855117 Managing Director Tony Crinion tonycrinion@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855164

4 News round-up Five pages of the latest global steel news. 10 Opinion Why innovation must never stop 14 Innovations Eleven colourful pages of the latest new products and global contracts stories. 34 Analysis and testing Quality control for wire rods.

40 Stainless Steel Kindred Spirits in stainless steel. 42 Maintenance Rising above downtime. 48 Workforce The human in tomorrow’s steel industry. 54 Environment Green graphite and energy efficiency. 60 History A 15th century hybrid mortar.

Chief Executive Officer Steve Diprose SUBSCRIPTION Elizabeth Barford Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Steel Times International is published eight times a year and is available on subscription. Annual subscription: UK £178.00 Other countries: £254.00 2 years subscription: UK £320.00 Other countries: £457.00 ) Single copy (inc postage): £40.00 Email: steel@quartzltd.com Published by: Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, England. Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 www.steeltimesint.com Steel Times International (USPS No: 020-958) is published monthly except Feb, May, July, Dec by Quartz Business Media Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER send address changes to Steel Times International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Printed in England by: Pensord, Tram Road, Pontlanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent NP12 2YA, UK ©Quartz Business Media Ltd 2021

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LEADER

When a steel mill is labelled ‘the plant of death’

Matthew Moggridge Editor matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com

Digital Edition - June 2021

When I was kid I used to love reading horror stories. I remember all too well the Pan Book of Horror, there were many volumes of short stories and I lapped them up whenever a dog-eared paperback fell into my hands. I progressed to horror movies when I felt it was possible to grow an amateur-looking moustache and gain access to what were then classed as ‘X films’. For some reason, the film of Anthony Burgess’ novel A Clockwork Orange was labelled a horror movie, which I never quite understood, but the problem of definition was not high on my agenda at the time and myself and an old school pal managed to watch Kubrick’s celluloid masterpiece at least half a dozen times. I watched it recently and it hasn’t aged well; it has a very ‘seventies’ feel about it. For me, horror movies were the more extreme B features like Blood Devils and films of that ilk, or movies like It’s Alive about mutant babies running amok in the New York sewer system. But horror movies, while escapist in nature and purely there for entertainment purposes – these days give me Toy Story or Monsters Inc any day – are nothing when

compared to the horrors of the real world. At the moment the world is experiencing it’s own horror movie in the shape of an invisible virus that has killed millions of people and forced us all to be vaccinated; a few years back there was the disaster of the World Trade Centre attacks, which killed 3,000 innocent people. There have been countless mass shootings in the US and a plethora of train and plane crashes, tower block fires, you name it; these are the real horror stories, but little is said about industrial accidents and, thankfully, the global steel industry has its finger on the pulse when it comes to preventing tragedies in the workplace. But that’s not to say they don’t happen. Recently, I stumbled across a story of two fatalities at Hyundai’s Dangjin mill in South Korea. What struck me hard was the fact that the plant has been labelled ‘the plant of death’ as it is notorious for industrial accidents. As one newspaper put it, ‘real workplace safety is a long way away’. My questions to Hyundai Steel’s management at Dangjin are simple: Why in hell’s name has it come to this? What are you going to do about it? We all want to know.

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4 NEWS ROUND-UP

• Two pipe conveyors with a conveying length of 6.6km and a speed of 5,500 tonnes/ hr have been constructed by Beumer Group. The conveyors link the Chinese port of Langshan with Shandong Steel Group & Rizhao Steel Group. The general contractor for the project was Shangdong Harbour Engineering. The two conveyors will transport iron ore from Langshan to the steel plant. Source: Dry Bulk Magazine, 30 April 2021.

• Indian steelmaker JSW has acquired the high-grade steel plates and coil businesses of Welspun Corporation, the flagship company of the Welspun Group and among the largest welded pipe line manufacturers in the world. JSW has paid a partial payment of 225 crore (US$56 million). Source: Business Standard, 1 May 2021.

Digital Edition - June 2021

US Steel has cancelled a one billion dollar plan to upgrade its Mon Valley steel plant. Two years ago the company committed to a major upgrade, but now it’s off and the pandemic is being blamed. The company claims it is reviewing all of its plans. State representative Austin Davis (Republican) called the move a devasting blow to the local and regional economy and said that ‘good familysustaining jobs and a clean environment are possible’ and that this investment would have achieved that. Source: WPXI.com, 1 May 2021.

• South Korean steelmaker POSCO has set up a facility in Poland to recycle electric vehicle batteries. There are also plans to open a similar facility in Gwangyang, South Jeolia Province in South Korea. The Poland plant will collect defective batteries from LG Energy Solutions’ nearby lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant. Source: EconoTimes, 1 May 2021.

• A reverse auction plan devised by the Indian Government will mean that companies offering the lowest price might find themselves bagging the order, according to the managing director of Jindal Steel & Power, Mr VR Sharma. There used to be just one steel manufacturer supplying the Indian railway network with rails and that was Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) but today there is also Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. As more players enter the market, the reverse auction system seems like a good idea. Source: Business Standard, 2 May 2021.

• JSW Steel USA Ohio Inc has signed a longterm agreement with Allegheny Technologies Inc to convert carbon steel slabs into hot rolled coils. The steel is produced by JSW Steel USA at its Mingo Junction facility in Ohio and turned into hot rolled coils at ATI’s facility in Brackenridge, PA. The deal enhances the steelmaker’s product portfolio, it is claimed. Source: Business Standard, 4 May 2021.

• Italian plant builder Tenova has been awarded a contract to supply Nucor Corporation’s new plate mill in Brandenburg, Kentucky, with two heavy-duty combination roll grinding machines. The roll grinders will be designed for grinding, roughing and finishing stand work rolls with or without chocks, says Tenova. The green field plant is scheduled to start operations in late 2022. Source: Tenova, 2 May 2021

• Safeguards aimed at protecting the UK steel industry from cheap foreign imports expire next month (June) and British steelmakers fear it might mean tonnes of imported steel flooding into the country. The safeguards were put in place in 2018 when the UK was part of the EU and extended as part of the Brexit transition period. UK Steel is urging Liz Truss, International Trade Secretary, to extend the UK’s safeguards. Source: Daily Mirror, 2 May 2021.

NEWS ROUND-UP

• German steelmaker thyssenkrupp Steel, HKM and Port of Rotterdam are jointly investigating setting up international hydrogen supply chains. The German steelmaker and HKM will require large and increasing quantities of hydrogen to produce steel without coal. Both companies have been importing coal, iron ore and other raw materials via their own terminal in Rotterdam, using inland barges as well as rail to transport it to their blast furnaces in Duisburg, Germany. Source: thyssenkrupp Steel, 4 May 2021.

• Steelmakers trying their hand at other industrial sectors isn’t new and, says Nikkei Asia, ‘history is littered with failed attempts’. The latest steelmaker to branch out is POSCO. The company is going all out to crack the lithium-ion battery market. Choi Jeong-woo, chairman of POSCO, sees battery materials as a major growth area and is said to be gaining footholds in lithium mining and other areas in order to build the world’s only integrated supply chain for battery terminals. Source: Nikkei Asia, 6 May 2021

• Good news from ArcelorMittal, the world’s biggest steelmaker: The company’s Q1 earnings are being described by the company as the strongest quarter in a decade, according to a report from Reuters, and with capacity utilisation rising and steel demand for the business expected to grow by between 4.5% and 5.5%, things are looking good. Q1 core profit of US$3.24 billion is more than three times the US$967 million of a year earlier. Source: Reuters, 6 May 2021

• A joint venture is under consideration between JSW Steel and JFE Steel Corporation. The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and intend to carry out a feasibility study before setting up a JV company in India. The aim is to set up a grainoriented electrical steel sheet manufacturing and sales enterprise. The magnetic properties of GO steel mean it is ideal for making the iron cores of power transformers. Source: Livemint, 7 May 2021

• US steel giant Nucor Corporation has approved a project to upgrade its engineered bar mill in Nebraska. A $58 million investment project has been set in motion and will include a new reheat furnace, intermediate mill and coil inspection and trimming station. The aim is to better serve the automotive market, says Nucor, and continue to meet customer demand for high quality products. Source: Nucor Corporation, 5 May 2021

• Hohhot Risun China Gas Energy of China has contracted Dortmund-based Thyssenkrupp Uhde to build and supply four lowemission, stamp-charged coke oven batteries with an annual capacity of 3.9Mt. The ovens will incorporate EnviBAT emissions reduction technology and Cokemaster automation systems. Source: Chemical Engineering, 6 May 2021

• The sale of Tata Steel’s South East Asian business has been put on hold as business in the region has picked up and the company needs to concentrate on consolidating operations, boosting margins and reducing debt. All eyes are on how Tata plans to develop its UK business where it is believed the focus will be on transformation. Times of India, 6 May 2021

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Digital Edition - June 2021

NEWS ROUND-UP

• Gerdau CEO Gustavo Werneck believes there are clear signs of improvement in steel demand, claiming that civil engineering in Brazil remains strong. A report by Steel Orbis claims that a rebound in the Brazilian and US steel markets are behind Gerdau’s optimism. Source: Steel Orbis, 7 May 2021

• ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel (AM/NS), a 60:40 joint venture between the world’s largest steelmaker and the Japanese Nippon Steel, have initiated a feasibility study alongside the Odisha State Government of India for a 12Mt/yr integrated steel mill. The greenfield project will be located in Kendrapara. Source: Financial Express, 9 May 2021

• A 44-year-old man employed by South Korea’s second largest steelmaker, Hyundai Steel, has been found dead near a furnace of the company’s Dangjin mill, 120km south west of Seoul. Police are investigating the incident to establish the cause of the accident and whether the company was adhering to safety regulations. Source: Yonhap News Agency, 9 May 2021

• If you have asthma and live near US Steel’s Clairton Coke Works in the USA your condition was likely to worsen after a fire on Christmas Eve in 2018. The fire destroyed the plant’s pollution controls and released large quantities of sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere. Researchers used the University of Pittsburgh’s Ashtma Institute registry ‘to study associations of asthma exacerbations between two geographically distinct populations of adults with asthma’ and concluded that big increases in SO2 from a pollution control breach can worsen the asthma of sufferers ‘proximal to the event’. Source: WESA.fm, 10 May 2021

• A sharp increase in steel demand and a China-led economic recovery mean that troubled German steelmaker Thyssenkrupp is likely to post a profit for the first time in three years, according to a report by the UK Financial Times. An uplift in the fortunes of the global automotive industry has seen orders and sales of the company’s steel division rise 13% and 8% respectively. Source: Financial Times, 11 May 2021

• A sub-contractor working for Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has died after a fall while engaged in welding work at the company’s Ulsan plant. Shortly afterwards a man in his 40s died at Hyundai Steel’s Dangjin plant (see story above). HHI, claims Korea Times, is notorious for industrial accidents and Hyundai Steel is known as ‘the plant of death’. Real workplace safety is a long way away, says the newspaper. Source: Korea Times, 10 May 2021

• Fives, a global industrial engineering group, and JSW Dolvi Works, part of India’s leading steel producer JSW Steel, have successfully discharged the first hot slab from one of two reheating furnaces. JSW Steel contracted Fives to design and supply two reheating furnaces – Stein Digit@l Furnace® – for its new hot strip mill at Dolvi works in the state of Maharashtra. According to Fives, the furnaces have the highest capacity installed in India to date – each 450 tonnes per hour – and feature high environmental performance and low fuel consumption. Source: Fives, 11 May 2021

• The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) have reported that for the month of March 2021, US steel mills shipped almost 8Mt (net tons) of steel, an 18% increase on figures released for the previous month and a 1.9% increase from March 2020. Shipments year-to-date in 2021 are 22.1Mt (net tons), an 8.3% decrease versus 2020 shipments of 24.1Mt (net tons) for three months. Source: AISI, 11 May 2021

NEWS ROUND-UP

• Nucor-Yamato Steel Company (NYS), based in Blytheville, Arkansas, USA, has granted German plant builder SMS group a Final Acceptance Certificate for the successful modernization of NYS' heavy beam mill No. 2. The new beam mill, which produces wide-flange beams and I-beams, was revamped to strengthen the steelmaker's leading position in the structural steel market sector, enabling NYS to expand its product range and increase its production and processing of high strength steel grades. Source: SMS group, 11 May 2021

• Jean Boulet, Quebec’s Labour Minister, expressed his concern over a strike of 2,500 ArcelorMittal unionized workers who are members of the United Steelworkers union and the Quebec Federation of Labour. The strike follows another rejection of the employer’s offer and follows hot on the heels of an earlier rejection of a previous offer made in April. The workers in question are employed at the Mont-Wright mining complex and the Fire Lake mine in the Cote-Nord region and at a pelletizing plant in Port Cartier. Source: Global News.ca, 11 May 2021

• The FNV labour union in Holland is claiming that Tata Steel Ijmuiden in the Netherlands could eliminate its reliance upon fossil fuels and use green energy and cleanly produced hydrogen within five years. Tata’s use of carbon capture and storage, subsidized by the Dutch government, is frowned upon by the FNV, which claims the subsidy could be used for ‘real, structural CO2 reduction’. Source, NL Times, 16 May 2021

• Green hydrogen is expensive and insufficient to meet the needs of the steel industry according to Markus Schoeffel, manager of sustainable production at Thyssenkrupp. Source: Montelnews.com, 20 May 2021 www.steeltimesint.com

• Indian steelmaker JSW Steel is going to set up a 1,000-bed COVID hospital, according to online media reports. The hospital [which is expected to be open on or around 15 May] will benefit from a 5km oxygen pipeline running from the company’s Vijayanagar steel mill directly into the hospital. Source: The Hindu Business Line, 12 May 2021

• An interesting report in the UK Financial Times suggests that the Chinese Jingye Group, owner of British Steel, might be interested in buying Sanjeev Gupta’s UK steel plants if he fails to find funding. The paper says that Jingye is looking to set up an empire in the UK. Gupta’s plan to find new financing was hindered to a degree by the Serious Fraud Office’s investigations into money laundering and fraud. Perhaps Jingye will now take on the role of the ‘saviour of the UK steel industry’. Source: Financial Times, 19 May 2021.

• ArcelorMittal’s Fos-sur-Mer steelworks in France has been accused of air pollution close to the mill. France Nature Environnement (FNE) claims that levels of benzene, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions have been exceeding legal limits for over five years since the start of 2013. Mathieu Victoria, the FNE’s lawyer, said that the world’s biggest steelmaker should be ordered to pay a hefty fine (in the region of 110,000 Euros). Source: Luxembourg Times, 12 May 2021

• Chinese steelmaker Shagang Group, ranked the sixth biggest in the world in 2019, is considering some kind of ‘mixed ownership’ with state-owned Anyang Iron and Steel Group, according to Nasdaq. The plan is for Shagang to be the controlling shareholder. China is hoping to consolidate 60-70% of production in the hands of 10 steelmakers by 2025, says Nasdaq. Currently the percentage is less than 40%. Source, Nasdaq, 13 May 2021

Digital Edition - June 2021

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NEWS ROUND-UP

• Net zero carbon emissions by 2050? That is US Steel’s plan, according to online media reports. The company cites its growing number of electric arc furnaces alongside technologies like DRI, carbonfree energy sources, carbon capture, sequestration and utilization. Success will also depend upon public-private collaborations across industrial sectors. Source: HometownFocus.com, 21 May 2021

• According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Lakshmi Mittal, the man at the top of the world’s biggest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, is worth an eye-watering £14.68 billion, up almost £8 billion on 2020. Mr Mittal ranks number five on the 2021 Rich List, up from number 14 in 2020. Lakshmi, according to the newspaper, is the name of the goddess of wealth. Mittal’s fortune, it is claimed, has more than doubled in 12 months. Source: Sunday Times, 21 May 2021

• The American Iron and Steel Institute’s (AISI) Board of Directors today elected Leon Topalian, president and CEO of Nucor Corporation, pictured above, to serve as chairman for a two-year term. “Leon Topalian is one of the global steel industry’s most influential leaders and a vocal advocate for the American steel industry. AISI’s aggressive engagement on key steel industry issues will continue to grow by leaps and bounds under his direction,” said Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of AISI. Source: AISI, 2 June 2021.

• While there was talk earlier on these pages of German steelmaker Thyssenkrupp moving into profit, the company is still mulling over applying for state aid, according to Global Banking and Finance.com. The website claims that the company will take matters further after the federal elections in September. Source: Global Banking and Finance.com, 21 May 2021

•30 June 2021 might be a day of action for workers at Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) who are calling for industrial action to press for a wages revision. The dispute could affect production and mining activities. According to union leaders employees of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam (RINL) will join the strike. Source: New Indian Express, 15 June 2021. Recycling of steel packaging in Europe has hit a new alltime high of 84%, according to figures issued by APEAL, the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging. It is an increase of 1.5% and is the ninth consecutive year in which the overall recycling rate has risen. Alexis Van Maercke, pictured left, secretary general of APEAL, said: “Once again, this strong recycling performance highlights steel as one of the most sustainable packaging solutions available. Source: APEAL, 8 June 2021. www.steeltimesint.com

• Thomas J. Gibson, former president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute(AISI), has been awarded the industry’s highest honour — the Gary Memorial Medal — at AISI’s board of directors meeting in Washington, DC. Gibson, pictured second from left above, had been AISI president and CEO since 2008 and retired in June of 2020. Source: AISI, 1 June 2021.

• Russian steelmaker NLMK has been exploring the potential for cutting CO2 emissions as part of the World Steel Association's Step Up decarbonization programme. The company joined the programme in 2020 and, in collaboration with worldsteel's experts, is developing measures to increase equipment productivity, decrease resource consumption, improve raw material quality and boost the reliability of production processes. The aim is to lower GHG emissions and reach global best practice levels. Source: NLMK, 10 June 2021. Digital Edition - June 2021

OPINION

Technology’s grip on modernday life has tightened over the last decade, especially in the world of manufacturing. Innovation, efficiency, safety and hygiene have been the order of the day for quite some time, with the latter gaining more spotlight due to the coronavirus pandemic, says Stewart Beer*

Why innovation must never stop

WITH production lines in many industries, such as pharmaceutical, food and beverage, the automotive sector and steel manufacturing, needing to work around the clock to support the US economy and beyond, innovation – and the use of technology – in factories and warehouses must continue well past the point a vaccine is found for the virus. In this article, we look at how the evolution of technology has benefitted the manufacturing sector so far and what the future looks like in a post-pandemic world. Efﬁcient and effective production Every business tries to operate in the most efficient and effective ways, but for manufacturing, it’s paramount that production is carried out promptly. Over the years, companies across the US – and further afield – have realized that relying on manual labour tasks carried out by humans can be restrictive for productivity and profitability. This conundrum has led to the introduction of robots over the last decade to automate complex processes that previously would have been difficult to streamline. The debate over whether robots should replace humans is one that will probably never go away, but with the latest manufacturing labour statistics in the US showing that productivity has decreased at a 15.5% annual rate in the second quarter of 2020 – with output falling 47% and hours worked dropping 37.3% – the need for automation has never been more important. With COVID-19 sticking around for as long as anyone can predict, industry leaders have been discussing and looking

* Senior manager, Electrix. Digital Edition - June 2021

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OPINION

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Digital Edition - June 2021

OPINION

at ways to use automation to maintain high productivity levels and reduce human contact. Alan Duncan, senior industry strategy director at Blue Yonder, commented: “In the case of a pandemic, or similar catastrophic events, the focus should be on machines autonomously running mundane, day-today tasks with people intervening based on experience and complementing the machine with strategic actions. “Ultimately, it’s machines and people working together that will get us through this crisis, and those that will inevitably occur again. Automation has evolved into having a greater focus on flexibility, scalability and process adaptability, becoming a tool to optimize efficiency through manufacturers’ ability to adapt to demands,” The relationship between humans and robots creates an interesting topic for discussion far beyond whether robots should replace humans at all. The future certainly looks like it will involve a happy balance between the two. An emphasis on safety Away from productivity levels and profit

margins, a factory or warehouse’s longterm existence to operate without a hitch, in respect of workplace accidents and disruptions, relies on safety measures being put in place and followed religiously by workers. In 2017, 5.1 injuries were recorded per 100 full-time warehouse workers, according to figures compiled by the US Bureau of Labour Statistics. Innovation in the respect of safety has advanced since 2017 and now businesses find themselves in a position of using more and more technology to keep people safe. One way in which safety is being taken seriously is through the introduction of radio frequency identification or RFID sensors. The sensors can be used to track inventory, but also generate proximity warnings if workers stray too close to an unsafe area. Robots are also being used for automation assistance, especially for dangerous or repetitive processes – and even tasks where humans would normally be in close contact with each other. In the current situation, this can be lifesaving in more ways than one. Aside from humans keeping clear of heavy machinery or working in a socially

distanced manner, how equipment is contained within the workplace is vital. Switches to operate machines, and cables used to power them, need to be well protected and out of sight to avoid becoming a hazard. The use of stainless steel electrical enclosures and cable management systems are both ways of combatting these problems. The steel is easy to clean for hygiene purposes and is also corrosion, fire and heat resistant. Cable containment provides the perfect solution for keeping things safe and secure. Innovation, innovation, innovation Manufacturing is like so many other industries in the world. It must adapt to new surroundings when the time comes, and it must strive for progression through innovation every day. The pandemic has exaggerated this need, but in a way that will hopefully help boost the economy, at least in the sense that work can happen smoothly without further interruptions. The virus isn’t going away, and innovation isn’t something that belongs on a five-year plan, it needs to happen now. �

SOURCES https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2020/manufacturing-labor-productivity-decreased-15-point-5-percent-in-the-second-quarter-of-2020.htm https://www.electrixinternational.com/us/stainless-steel-electrical-enclosures/ https://www.manufacturingtomorrow.com/article/2019/07/5-ways-technology-improves-warehouse-safety/13736/ www.steeltimesint.com

Digital Edition - June 2021

INNOVATIONS

Another big award for Combilift Combilift, the Irish manufacturer of a wide range of handling solutions, has won its 10th industry award from the Forklift Truck Association for one of its latest products. The 2020 FLTA Awards for Excellence took place virtually on Saturday 10 April, having been postponed from last year due to Covid. The recently introduced Combi-CBE model – the world’s first counterbalance design, multi-directional forklift with electric drive on all of its three wheels, was one of the 12 finalists in the Innovation Category. According to the host of this year’s Awards, ‘this is the category that everyone wants to win, as you get to feel incredibly clever.’ The company was proud to be singled out by the jury as outright winner, said Combilift. The Combi-CBE features internationally patented electric traction which enables independent control of each of the front and rear drive wheels and guarantees 100% traction control, which negates the need for differential lock when it is operating on wet or slippery surfaces. As the truck drives and steers, the speed and rotational direction of the wheels are controlled independently. Operators benefit from precise acceleration and deceleration control, which significantly reduces long load momentum twisting when travelling sideways. Each electric drive incorporates parking and regenerative dynamic braking for power efficiency, and AC drive means that there are no mechanical brushes to maintain or replace. Combining the benefits of very compact dimensions and the ability to handle long loads as well as pallets, the multi-directional Combi-CBE is a universal truck for multiple applications and is claimed to offer cost effective and efficient operation. It also answers growing market demand for powerful and quieter electric forklifts, which comply with ever more stringent emissions guidelines. The FLTA commented: “a clever and innovative design, Combilift’s entry impressed the panel with its unique, independent front and rear wheel drive, letting it handle long loads in the tightest spaces while minimising tyre wear.” Combilift CEO and co-founder Martin McVicar said: “Innovation is a cornerstone of Combilift’s product development and, given the large number of excellent finalists this year, we would like to thank the FLTA jury of industry experts for recognising our achievements.” For further information, log on to www.combilift.com

Digital Edition - June 2021

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INNOVATIONS

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INNOVATIONS

Busy port chooses Hyster lift trucks Reliability, visibility, fleet management and parts supply are just some of the benefits that Hyster® lift trucks and ReachStackers have brought to the Port of Oxelösund to support its tough metal coil handling requirements. The Port of Oxelösund is around 100km south of Stockholm, Sweden. With a team of around 200 employees, operations at the Port are based on bulk goods for ocean-going vessels, alongside other packaged transportation solutions. Metal coils arrive at the port by train from Borlänge and are unloaded with a crane, ready for forklifts to drive out and pick up the coils. When a ship comes in, the Port’s operators must then transport the metal coils to the port cranes, which load coils onto the ships. A combination of factors made the Port of Oxelösund choose a fleet of Hyster® trucks for its demanding operations. “Machines that are reliable. Strong machines,” says Christian Vallin, production engineer at the port. “That they [Hyster] had a solution on how to fix any problems. Supply of spare parts. A total solution that appealed to us.” Eric Pogrebnjak, sales representative for local Hyster distribution partner Nordisk Truck-Trans AB, commented: “Before selecting the new fleet, the Port of Oxelösund created a list of requirements for the vehicles. Its drivers also had a say from start to finish, with the opportunity to express how they wanted the vehicle to behave and what equipment the new lift trucks should have.” Nordisk Truck-Trans AB visited the site many times and provided feedback to help specify trucks to meet the port’s specific requirements. After consulting with Hyster and the local dealer, the Port of Oxelösund eventually opted for two Hyster® H32XM012 forklift trucks, two Hyster® RS46-36CH ReachStackers and one 20-tonne capacity H20XM-9 Hyster® lift truck. This equipment is claimed to be well suited to www.steeltimesint.com

tough portside conditions. “Before ordering the trucks, the customer had the chance to see the trucks and ReachStackers in action at other Hyster® customer sites and with Hyster® dealers,” says Dmitry Dubrovsky, big truck manager for Hyster. “They also had the opportunity to visit the Hyster® factory in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, to test the trucks and ensure they made the right decision for their specific application needs.” The Port of Oxelösund uses big machines and handles large metal loads, so that means an operator’s view backwards and forwards may be impaired. Hyster helped by installing cameras at the back of the Hyster® heavy duty forklift trucks, as well as high cameras placed both on top of and under the fork stand. Operators have found that this has helped with the view of the quay when driving.

An important part of the new fleet delivered is the Hyster Tracker wireless asset management system. Alongside a full range of fleet management benefits, this has given the Port of Oxelösund an opportunity to limit drivers, so only those authorised by the company can drive a truck during working hours. Since the delivery of the trucks, Hyster and the dealer have worked with the customer to adjust and adapt the trucks even further based on the Port of Oxelösund’s specific business needs. “As a whole, we are very pleased with the deal and how it went from start to finish and our relationship with Hyster has further developed – the Hyster team takes time to call and ask how it is going,” says Christian Vallin, production engineer at Oxelösunds Hamn. For further information, log on to www.hyster.com

Digital Edition - June 2021

FLAWLESS TRIM COIL AFTER COIL

100% Edge Inspection with Auto Defect Detection

Watch the Video to Learn More.

INNOVATIONS

Solaronics makes important acquisition Swedish, family-owned Solaronics SAS, part of the Argynnis Group and a global leader in gas-driven infrared drying and air technology systems for a wide range of industries, including metals, has acquired Selas Heat Technology’s high intensity infrared burners assets, according to a recent press announcement. According to Solaronics SAS, Selas Heat Technology’s proven approach to combustion blends robust products with the best technologies to provide clean, safe, and efficient heat for a wide range of industrial processing applications. The extensive variety of Selas burners and combustion devices provides optimized solutions, energy savings and reliable operations to help make thermal processes more profitable and successful, it is claimed. The company also provides customer

processing and other markets where it is active. “This acquisition perfectly fits our long-term strategy to extensively offer the best possible non-contact drying solutions to generate value for our existing and future customers. Combining Solaronics’ and Selas’ high intensity infrared technologies will create new opportunities for future growth” says Yannick Lescanne, general manager of Solaronics SAS. “This acquisition is perfectly in line with our strategy to be the technology leader in all our business units and will also give us the strength for the next level of growth” says Leif Gustavsson, CEO of the Argynnis Group. service and start-up assistance. With this acquisition, Solaronics SAS augments its portfolio of gas infrared emitters for metal

For further information, log on to www.argynnisgroup.com

First slab from highest capacity reheating furnace Fives, a global industrial engineering group, and JSW Dolvi Works, part of India’s leading steel producer JSW Steel, successfully discharged the first hot slab from the reheating furnace on 31 March 2021. JSW Steel contracted Fives to design and supply two reheating furnaces – Stein Digit@l Furnace® – for their new hot strip mill at Dolvi works in the state of Maharashtra. The furnaces have the highest capacity installed in India to date – each 450 tonnes/hr – and feature high environmental performance and low fuel consumption.

The first furnace was ignited in January 2021. “It required a lot of dedication and continuous efforts from our team to work on site during the challenging period, but we were very determined,” says Chandrajit Sinha, project manager at Fives Stein India Projects, a Fives’ subsidiary in India. “Our strength was our local manufacturing capabilities and the dedication of our team to work through these difficult times. We achieved more than 85% localization and discharged thefirst slab in very good conditions without skewness or skid marks,” commented Asis Das,

head of project management at Fives Stein India Projects. “We appreciate Fives’ team determination to commission the first furnace in the extreme conditions due to the national lockdown. It’s an important milestone in our co-operation by definition,” says Ashutosh Sharma, project head – hot strip mill at JSW Steel.

For further information, log on to www.fivesgroup.com

INNOVATIONS

FOCUS ON SANDVIK

Sandvik award for Sanicro 35

Sandvik, a developer and producer of advanced stainless steels, special alloys, titanium and other high-performance materials, has received a major industry award for its new alloy Sanicro 35, a grade that bridges the performance gap between stainless steels and nickel alloys. The company won the materials design category in the MP Corrosion Innovation of the Year Awards 2021. Launched in August last year, Sanicro® 35 is the latest addition to Sandvik’s growing Sanicro® portfolio of nickel alloys and austenitic stainless steels. It offers exceptionally high-performance, strength and corrosion resistance at a wide range of temperatures. Designed for extremely corrosive environments and seawater applications, it is ideal for heat exchangers and hydraulic and instrumentation tubing. Its features include high mechanical yield strength, superior corrosion-resistance and excellent structural stability. Because of its versatile properties, Sanicro® 35 can potentially streamline inventories by replacing special grades, including 6Mo, Alloy 825 and Alloy 625. Receiving the MP award, Ulf Kivisäkk, a senior expert on corrosion resistant alloys at Sandvik Materials Technology, said: “On behalf of Sandvik globally, I would like to thank the panel of judges for selecting Sanicro® 35 for this prestigious award. We are pleased with this unique material and it is gratifying to see our peers in the industry Digital Edition - June 2021

recognizing its benefits too. “Sanicro® 35 is the result of us identifying a market opportunity for customers, then innovating an effective solution. “We saw the need for an alternative that would bridge the gap between standard stainless steels and higher cost nickel alloys; a material that could withstand extremely corrosive environments at a range of temperatures while delivering excellent performance across various applications. “Sanicro® 35 does all these things. It offers a cost-efficient choice for minimizing risk and extending production lifecycles when battling corrosion in demanding environments. “It bridges the gap to many new opportunities and possibilities for our customers.” Sanicro® 35 has undergone extensive laboratory testing as well as field testing. It is the latest material to be created from Sandvik’s long tradition in research and development for some of the most demanding industries and conditions around the world. The company is committed to discovering and innovating new material solutions. Sanicro® 35 is available globally to support your heat exchanger and hydraulic and instrumentation tubing needs. For further information, log on to: www.sandvik.com

Scandinavian steelmaker Sandvik and part subsidiary BEAMIT group have announced what they are calling a ‘unique capability’ to ‘additively manufacture’ components in super duplex stainless steel. The components are printed in Osprey® 2507 metal powder – known and trusted for its excellent corrosion resistance and durability – and are near fully dense (>99.9%) and crack-free, even before post processing, Sandvik claims. The use of iron-based and highly corrosion-resistant materials in additive manufacturing (AM) have seen significant growth in interest in recent years. This is largely due to the needs of demanding industries such as the offshore and marine sectors where challenging environments call not only for advanced materials, but also for on-demand production of spare parts, to minimize stock while also decreasing material waste. In terms of withstanding harsh elements, there is one material family that, it is claimed, stands out. Produced and optimized for additive manufacturing in-house by the leading materials experts at Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, Osprey® 2507 is a super duplex alloy that has excellent corrosion resistance and outstanding mechanical strength. For decades, Sandvik has been leading the materials evolution for duplex stainless steels www.steeltimesint.com

INNOVATIONS

Sandvik’s‘unique capability’ – continuously launching new duplex and super duplex materials that, with their improved properties, are an undisputable part of Sandvik’s DNA. Sandvik’s super-duplex stainless steels are already successfully used in highly corrosive environments such as the seawater exposed offshore energy sector, and in demanding chemical processing. Predominantly used in the shape of seamless tubes, plates, and bars, super-duplex steel has proved a challenge in additive manufacturing – up until now. “By leveraging nearly two centuries of materials expertise and industry leading know-how along the additive value chain, we are proud to say Sandvik is the first to offer 3D printed super duplex components to the market”, says Mikael Schuisky, VP and business unit manager at Sandvik Additive Manufacturing. “While many have tried and failed, we are very pleased to have seen components printed to a standard that doesn’t just meet, but outperform that of several conventionally manufactured counterparts.” Since 2019, Sandvik has owned a significant stake in the BEAMIT Group – Europe’s leading AM service provider that supports the most demanding industries with high-end metal components. Adding the capabilities of the BEAMIT Group – including one of the most extensive AM www.steeltimesint.com

machine parks in the industry – makes for an even stronger offering, specifically for customers looking to produce larger scale components. “We are very excited to co-launch this potent combination of a superior material and the disruptive benefits of additive manufacturing to the market”, says Michele Antolotti, engineering and R&D manager at the BEAMIT Group. “Having already developed print parameters for single-laser machines, we are now progressing to expand our joint offering to include even larger applications. With the profound materials expertise within Sandvik, and BEAMIT Group’s market-leading abilities throughout the additive value chain, we are truly in a unique position to supply the offshore industries with an array of business-critical benefits, in terms of component performance and timely production alike.” Sandvik already presented an ‘impeller reinvented’ – a lighter, faster, and more efficiently manufactured offshore essential, developed in collaboration with energy giant Equinor and Norwegian Eureka Pumps. Now projects across various marine segments – where super-duplex stainless steel is the material of choice – are on-going, all according to Sandvik’s ‘Plan it, Print it, Perfect it’ approach, stating that printing is just one of the seven steps you need to master to

succeed with the industrialization of AM. Johan Wallin, product manager for super duplex at Sandvik Additive Manufacturing, comments: “Sandvik has been driving the materials evolution since 1862, with duplex stainless steels – including super duplex and hyper duplex – being one of our flagship material families. By our joint forces with BEAMIT, and by combining the inherited applicational benefits of additive manufacturing with the superior characteristics of Osprey® 2507 – we are set up to drive the implementation of AM across a number of industries where the impact of optimized, corrosion-resistant components, as well as on-demand production of spare parts is potentially enormous.” On 18 May 2021, Sandvik aired the latest episode of its interactive webinar series Additive By Sandvik: Material Matters. Guided by the steelmaker’s leading experts in metal powder and additive manufacturing, the latest episode offers a deep-dive into the game-changing combination of super duplex stainless steel and 3D printing. Participants are invited to actively help shape the session agenda through pre-registering questions and topics of particular interest. For further information, log on to www.sandvik.com Digital Edition - June 2021

Delivering Innovative Solutions. Your Success Is Our Goal.

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When it comes to building equipment to process ferrous and non-ferrous metals, nobody does it better than Butech Bliss. At Butech Bliss, we’ve been building things better for a long time. For 130 years, steel producers and steel service centers have counted on us to deliver the design, engineering and technological advantages necessary to help them succeed. From entry to exit end we build it all. Our product lines include roller and stretch leveling technology, a full line of shears, material handling equipment and complete coil processing lines. We are more than a scrap chopper manufacturer. Learn more about our world-renowned coil processing technology. Call +1 (330) 337-0000, visit ButechBliss.com or email sales@butech.com. If our name is on the machine, it’s built better.

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INNOVATIONS

US service centre contract for Butech Bliss Butech Bliss has been selected by Feralloy Processing Company and Acero Prime, S. de R.L. de C.V to design, manufacture and install a state-ofthe-art, stretch levelling cut-to-length line, and a slitting line for a planned 300,000 square foot steel service centre. The facility, strategically located in Sinton, Texas, where Steel Dynamics will open a greenfield flat-roll mill later this year, will significantly increase Feralloy/Acero Prime’s presence in the Gulf Coast region, it is claimed, and will be operational by Q3 2021. The new stretch levelling cut-to-length line is rated up to 1 inch thick by 84 inches wide and can produce sheets 40 feet long inside the stacker. The line features a patented Synergy® hydraulic roller leveller capable of handling the entire product range in a single leveller and is complete with a quick change roll cartridge system to minimize maintenance downtime. The Butech Bliss stretch leveller features a 50 foot stretch bed and 2,800 tons of stretching force. The new slitting line is rated up to 0.315 inches thick by 84 inches wide and can operate up to 600 fpm. The line will include several exclusive features including the patented Butech Bliss Scrap Chopper. For further information, log on to www.butechbliss.com www.steeltimesint.com

Digital Edition - June 2021

Incorporating the BIFCA Standards Seminar

The future is now when it comes to furnace technology Manufacturing industries are already seeing the results of the ‘Furnace of the Future’ in reducing CO2 emissions and producing cleaner, more sustainable materials. But how can energy-intensive manufacturers work towards making this future a reality? Are we already seeing the benefits of adopting smarter and more sustainable technologies within furnaces? Could we be doing more? This online event will unite the glass, aluminium and steel sectors to discuss overcoming heat treatment challenges and present a collaborative approach to bring the Furnace of the Future to life.

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF

Topics will focus on: Industry 4.0 (the Furnace of the Future) Furnace Maintenance Heat Treatment Energy Efficiency Testing & Measurement Retrofitting Emerging Technologies Operations & Productivity

ONLINE EVENT 14-15 SEPTEMBER REGISTER TODAY

Alongside the two-day virtual conference, participants will also be invited to join live discussions and will have the opportunity to network with new industry contacts, arrange video meetings and exchange resources and information. IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ASSOCIATION PARTNER

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www.furnaces-international.com

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INNOVATIONS

Special steels company chooses VERSCON

The Petersburg-based NPO Laboratory of Special Steels and Alloys has chosen SMS group's vertical semi-continuous caster (VERSCON) technology to produce special alloys and stainless steel to service the automotive, aerospace, agricultural and engineering industries. According to SMS group, the one-strand VERSCON vertical semi-continuous caster for NPO will produce round and square sections ranging from 350mm to 550mm in lengths of up to eight metres. The caster has an annual production of 31kt and will be designed to match the melt shop capacities, including an electric arc furnace, a ladle furnace and a VOD degasser. A tundish heating system from IAS GmbH, part of SMS group, will form part of the equipment and will enable low superheating in the roundish for a stable casting process, it is claimed. An SMS

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Concast-patented hot-top heating system will compensate top-shrinking cavities for maximum yield. According to NPO’s CEO, A Potanin, the resulting high bloom quality means that they can be transferred directly to forging or tertiary metallurgy facilities without any additional conditioning. He said the technology enables NPO to produce highly demanding steel grades in top quality and with maximum yield. SMS group claims that with ingot casting there are no restrictions in terms of steel grades, meaning that bloom sizes and weights can be chosen more flexibly. For smaller productions, however, VERSON semi-continuous casting technology (for volumes less than 200kt/yr) is a viable alternative to ingot casting. According to SMS group, "The driving idea

behind the VERSCON design concept is to cast one or two ladles on one or more vertical strands into long blooms." The VERSCON process consists of two steps: First, a long bloom is cast by means of a conventional mould and oscillation table. When the strand has reached its final length, the casting process stops and the strand is held in position until final solidification is achieved, which can take several hours depending upon the section size. The bloom is then removed from the machine and cut to length; tertiary cooling facilities complete the process. Commissioning is scheduled for H2 2021.

For further information, log on to www.sms-group.com

Digital Edition - June 2021

INNOVATIONS

New upgrades for Konecranes Lift Trucks

When Konecranes Lifetime Advantage was launched in 2019, its first upgrade package focused on safety. In 2020, the second upgrade was centred on productivity. Now, as part of the company’s long-term commitment to improving lift truck performance, Konecranes is introducing one more safety and two more productivity enhancements. According to Konecranes, all the upgrades are specific solutions that can be retrofitted to Konecranes lift trucks on customer sites. They are not service packages, but are intended to improve equipment performance with the latest available technology. “Safety is our highest priority, but we have excellent productivity upgrades available at the same time,” says Johan Kårhammer, global spare parts operations manager at Konecranes Lift Trucks. “So, we’ve decided to release our next three upgrades simultaneously, to give our customers the best choice of what package to install on anything from an individual truck to their whole fleet.” The first of the three new upgrades is Cabin Movement Auxiliary Control, which enhances Digital Edition - June 2021

safety. Some trucks are already fitted with a cabin sliding movement option to enable easier maintenance access, but it can only be operated from inside the cabin. Konecranes’ external cabin control allows personnel to operate the sliding movement from a control panel on the outside of the cabin, attached to the chassis. This reduces the risk of unexpected movement and gives more flexibility to equipment servicing. It also offers an additional control option in the unlikely event of an emergency. Konecranes claims that productivity can be improved with the two other new upgrades. An automatic greasing system is said to ‘greatly reduce the time required for maintenance with a direct line lubrication system that can be installed on a wide range of Konecranes lift trucks’. It also eliminates the risk that a lack of grease might result in blocked joints or other mechanical faults. TRUCONNECT® Premium+, the second upgrade, is a remote monitoring solution that gives Smart Connected Lift Trucks customers the ability to track their lift trucks in real time, and take those insights to optimize operational efficiency and increase productivity. Using SMS and email

notifications for instant, up-to-date monitoring, the system makes asset maintenance forecasting easier, helps maintain safety in operations, and by seeing how the trucks are used, identifies driver training needs. In addition, the oil monitoring function saves costs and waste by reducing the frequency of hydraulic oil replacement, which can be substantial across an entire fleet. Konecranes’ global distributor network will play an important role in bringing the new Lifetime Advantage options to a constantly changing world. “After the successful launch of our previous upgrades, I’m very excited to see the new range coming on to the market,” says Patrik Lundbäck, director and head of sales and distribution at Konecranes Lift Trucks. “The Konecranes Lifetime Advantage is full of initiatives to support our customers in their daily challenges and help build their current operations to their fullest potential. Ultimately, it aims to maximize their uptime and extend the lifecycle of their lift trucks.” For further information, log on to www.konecranes.com

INNOVATIONS

SMS sole owner of Paul Wurth

German plant builder SMS group has acquired the remaining 40.8% of Paul Wurth SA and has become the sole owner of the company's plant engineering business. The 40.8% of shares were owned by the Luxembourg state and state-owned banking organisations, but now the German plant builder is in charge. The Luxembourg site will now be expanded to become the R&D centre for decarbonisation and recycling within the SMS group, with both companies (SMS and Paul Wurth) pooling their R&D activities with the aim of setting technological standards 'in these forward-thinking fields'. The future range of services includes all technologies for reducing CO2 emissions in existing steel mills; hydrogen-based, CO2-free direct reduction of iron ore; and Power-To-X technologies

for producing synthetic fuels and downstream products. In addition, the international teams of experts from SMS and Paul Wurth will continue to work on expanding the product and service offering across the entire metals industry process chain. As part of the transaction, a strategic partnership was also agreed with the University of Luxembourg to strengthen scientific research and development of hydrogen technologies at the Luxembourg site. With financial support from Paul Wurth, the university has already established a chair for energy process technology. Paul Wurth's real estate activities in Luxembourg will be transferred to a new company in which the Luxembourg public shareholders and SMS will each hold stakes. Edwin Eichler, chairman of SMS group, com-

mented: “In the coming decades, decarbonizing technologies will replace the traditional blast furnaces and coking plants in integrated steel plants. Therefore, the energy balance at the steel plant will have to be reconsidered and reorganized. Our customers will require fully integrated solutions to bring about this change. Alongside the decarbonization roadmap, efforts will continue in developing digital solutions to establish self-learning processes. This disruption in the global steelmaking market means the time is right for Paul Wurth and SMS Metallurgy to form a single solution provider.”

For further information, log on to www.paulwurth.com

Integrated mill orders KOCKS RSB® 5.0 An integrated steel plant located in Tadipatri, Andhra Pradesh, India, has placed an order with Friedrich KOCKS GmbH of Germany for the supply of a reducing and sizing Block (RSB®) 300++/4 in 5.0 design. The integrated steel plant, which is owned by Arjas Steel Private Ltd (formerly Gerdau Steel India) has an annual capacity of 300kt of special steel – long products, which find their way into

the automotive and railways industries. As part of the rolling mill’s modernization project, the RSB® will produce straight round bars within a size range of Ø 16.0 mm to 65.0 mm, as well as hexagonal bars from Ø 18.5 mm to 40.5 mm, onto the cooling bed. In a future stage the KOCKS block will also finish round sections down to Ø 13 mm on a new BIC-line. The modernization project offers Arjas Steel

Private Ltd the chance to strengthen its market position and become a leading automotive special steel producer in India. Commissioning is scheduled for the mid-2022.

For further information, log on to www.kocks.de

INNOVATIONS

RHI Magnesita partners with Microsoft RHI Magnesita, a leading company active in the supply of high-grade refractories, systems and solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft. The collaboration centres around the digital transformation of the refractories company. RHI Magnesita claims it will be able to respond more effectively and faster to customer requests as well as changing market requirements. Stefan Borgas, CEO RHI Magnesita, commented: "Together with Microsoft, we are setting new standards and affirming our position as innovative technology leader in the refractory industry. Our goal is to transform RHI Magnesita to be the first 360-degree digital solution supplier for heat management for our customers around the globe. I am convinced that Microsoft's software development and cloud technology capabilities are the perfect choice for RHI Magnesita. With this co-operation, we ensure our success in a digitalized world.” Hermann Erlach, general manager of Microsoft Austria, further explained: "RHI Magnesita drives innovation, and this has a major impact on the global steel, cement, glass and chemical industries, and eventually on everyone. The company substantially contributes to sustainably improving the quality of life of individuals, while driving industrial efficiency. It thus sets a strong example of what it means to be in a leading role in the digital age. We are proud to be a partner in RHI Magnesita’s digital transformation. Together we will define and accelerate the next wave of innovation in the refractory industry." In developing digital solutions, RHI Magnesita

Digital Edition - June 2021

INNOVATIONS

is relying on the strength of Microsoft's cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) services. Inventories and supply chains will be optimized, on-site services facilitated and decisions on highly sensitive maintenance will be supported through artificial intelligence. The basis for all these developments will be Microsoft Azure. It enables RHI Magnesita to closely connect with customers and exchange sensitive data. Guaranteeing them the highest standards of security, data protection and resilience is the top priority. The recently announced Microsoft Cloud Region Austria East and the global datacentre network of more than 200 DCs worldwide provide the perfect foundation for this. RHI Magnesita and Microsoft are accelerating strategically selected digital initiatives of the refractories group. Machinery Connection optimizes the customer's machine maintenance and stock control. Connected machines can independently trigger material orders and maintenance cycles. Subsequently, RFID traceability can be applied to seamlessly record all material movements. The data will also be used in production, where RHI Magnesita’s Smart Factories will be able to adapt and increase production exactly according to the customers' needs through Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). For customers' high-temperature processes, RHI Magnesita offers Quick Check (QCK) and Broadband Spectral Thermometer (BST), which are claimed to be ‘innovative measurement methods’ that share detailed measuring data with Automated Process Optimization (APO) – a digital solution that uses artificial intelligence to predict the service life of refractory products and thus reduce maintenance times. Service technicians at the customer's site can access the know-how of experts via remote assistance, no matter where they are located in the world. The use of mixed reality and smart glass reduces travelling needs and allows for service challenges to be dealt with quickly. The data obtained is incorporated into the customer relationship management system of RHI Magnesita, guaranteeing that all customer needs are mapped and responded to in the best possible way. Through a Modern Workplace project, RHI Magnesita complements the Office 365 offering with MS Teams and thus further improves solutions for communication and global collaboration. This ensures that state-of-the-art technology is available to all employees and that the advantages of digitalization can be leveraged in daily collaboration. For further information, log on to www.rhimagnesita.com

INTRODUCING

They thrive on the punishing temperature ranges encountered throughout the metal manufacturing process. From furnace through delivery of completed goods to customers, they take the heat every step of the way.

Learn More 603.352.1415 info@polyonics.com

Personal Chemistry

Digital Edition - June 2021

INNOVATIONS

Process validation test site planned

Digital Edition - June 2021

www.steeltimesint.com

INNOVATIONS

Italiana Coke and Paul Wurth, part of the SMS group, have signed an agreement to install a test facility for assessing a newly developed CO2 reducing technology at Italiana Coke’s production site in Cairo Montenotte (Savona), Italy. For over 100 years, Italiana Coke has been working alongside numerous companies in various industrial sectors as suppliers of coke, reaching international markets by means of an integrated logistics system. Since taking over Eni’s coke production and bulk logistics operations in 1994, the company has focused on the growth and continuous improvement of its operational activities and customer satisfaction. Continuous technological advancements at the plants have given Italiana Coke the opportunity to team up with a number of major companies around the world.

www.steeltimesint.com

“I am convinced this is the right direction to achieve significant results in terms of emission abatement. This co-operation is a further important step towards carbon neutral ironmaking for which Paul Wurth and SMS group aim to be the technological front runners”, said Thomas Hansmann, chief technology and operations officer of Paul Wurth. The project is all about validating the feasibility of a process developed by Paul Wurth to generate CO2neutral hot syngas from coke plant by-products by dry reforming. The subsequent utilisation of syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) in the blast furnace decreases the portion of fossil reductants and thus reduces CO2 emissions in the hot metal production process by 15-20%, with competitive operating costs and no CO2 taxation incurred.

“Italiana Coke and Paul Wurth have a long history of co-operation and research. In the frame of our efforts to improve and search for better environmental performances, Italiana Coke is proud to help Paul Wurth pilot an innovative project and test a revolutionary technology, aimed at reducing steel production cycle emissions worldwide,” said Paolo Cervetti, managing director, Italiana Coke Srl. Luxembourg-based Paul Wurth was established in 1870 and is currently focusing on the development of solutions for leading the transformation of the steel industry towards carbon-free steel production.

For further information, log on to www.paulwurth.com

Digital Edition - June 2021

Making our world more productive

Supporting decarbonization Through increased efficiency and use of Hydrogen

Linde supplies world-leading innovative and sustainable solutions that create long-lasting value and a route to zero carbon. For more than 100 years, Linde has supported the steel industry with gases and energy-efficient technologies. Moreover, Linde successfully covers every part of the hydrogen value-chain, including its use to decarbonize steel production.

linde-gas.com/hydrogensteel

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Making our world more productive

Supporting decarbonization Through increased efficiency and use of Hydrogen

linde-gas.com/hydrogensteel

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ANALYSIS AND TESTING

Quality control for wire rods Steel wire is used in safety-critical, demanding applications. In this article, Michael Molderings* explains how OES technology is developing to ensure tough wire specifications are met.

Wire rod coils

* Business development manager for OES at Hitachi High-Tech Digital Edition - June 2021

www.steeltimesint.com

ANALYSIS AND TESTING

AT first glance steel wire looks pretty ordinary. And many of the applications for it are ordinary too, such as chain-link fencing, springs and the humble nail. But take a closer look and steel wire is anything but run-of-the-mill. Much of it is used for demanding, safety-critical aerospace and automotive applications, such as valves in engines or within headrests. A very common application that we’re all familiar with is for wire reinforcement in car tyres. The wire used must meet a very exact specification; chosen to be strong, yet support the specification of the tyre with respect to driving performance and fuel economy. Verifying the material properties and composition of the wire is an important part of the production process. Steel wire production Before we discuss the analysis of the wire prior to shipping, it’s helpful to put the process in context, by taking a quick look of how steel wire is made. We’ll break the process down into three steps: rolling, treatments and analysis. Rolling Much of the raw material used for making wire is from recycled scrap. This is smelted to form a square billet. The first process in transforming this billet to something resembling wire is to roll the billet in a blooming mill to reduce the cross section. Rolling then continues within an intermediate mill until the steel wire reaches the specified size. For tyres, this is typically 5.5 mm in diameter. The wire is cooled under controlled conditions before going to

OES Explained Optical system

Fig 1. Diagram of basic components in Hitachi High-Tech OE750 Spark Spectrometer

the next phase of production. Treatment The next stage in production are treatments, such as annealing and pickling. The wire is spindled into rings – which can weigh up to one ton – and these rings are processed to meet the final specification. Annealing is heating and cooling of the wire following a specific temperature versus time profile. This changes the physical characteristics of the wire, mainly increasing ductility and reducing hardness; an essential step as the wire will be subject to further processes, such as shaping and even machining. Pickling is a chemical treatment where unwanted surface oxide is removed by dissolution in acid. Whether the steel wire receives these treatments, and the types of treatment, is dependent

upon the specification of wire for the final application. Analysis It’s at this point that the wire is tested to check that it will perform as expected. The wire must meet the specified criteria before shipping. From each ring, a piece is cut off and sent to the lab for testing. Typically, tests are made for surface quality, size and shape, tensile strength, decarburisation and chemical composition. Chemical composition has a huge bearing on the performance of the wire in the final application, and optical emission spectroscopy is the industry standard method for checking the grade and chemistry of the wire.

jet-stream

Fig 2. Argon laminar flow on Hitachi High-Tech OE750 spark stand

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Digital Edition - June 2021

ANALYSIS AND TESTING

Why OES spark analysis? Determining the chemical composition of steel gives you the basic steel grade and critical information on other elements present that may affect the performance of the wire over its lifetime. For example, analysis of wire intended for use in tyres would need to show that it is indeed high carbon steel, and verify exact amounts of other elements, such as: silicon, manganese, phosphorus and sulfur. Not all analysis methods can detect carbon, phosphorus or sulfur at very low levels, and it is essential that the analysis method

used gives the exact composition, even if the elements you’re testing for are only present in tiny amounts. This is why optical emission spectroscopy (OES) is the industry standard. OES can measure a wide range of elements and concentrations in many different types of materials, including carbon, sulfur, boron, phosphorous and nitrogen. It’s extremely accurate when measuring low levels of tramp and trace elements and is excellent at giving reliable stainless steel L-grade information. It’s the only technology that can measure the

nitrogen content in duplex and austenitic stainless steels. On a more practical level, OES is fast and modern equipment that is relatively inexpensive to operate and is easy to use. Sample preparation is simple, and many different components can be tested, including wires, tubes, bolts, and plates. How does OES work? OES is a spectroscopy technique, which means that it works by detecting the specific spectrum radiation emitted by a material when that material has energy

Wire rod storage

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ANALYSIS AND TESTING

applied to it. The resulting spectrum tells you (through the instrument’s software) what material is present. OES involves heating a tiny area of the sample up to thousands of degrees Celsius, vaporising the material. This huge influx of energy into the material affects the atoms of the material, which then emit light of a very specific wavelength. Each element emits a specific pattern of radiation (its radiation spectrum) and detection technology in the instrument can ‘read’ the spectrum to identify which elements are present.

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In a real-world metallic sample, many elements will be emitting radiation and each element has a complex spectrum of many wavelengths of light, giving rise to a hugely complicated set of emitted spectra. There are three critical components of the optical emission spectroscopy instrument that work to deliver accurate results: Fig 1 • Spark generator that houses an electrode connected to a high-voltage source within an argon atmosphere. Application of the spark stand to the metal sample produces a high-voltage electrical

discharge that vaporises the metal. • Optical system that houses the spectrometer. Light emitted from the atoms within the sample is spilt up into individual wavelengths (using a diffraction grating), which then pass through to the detector. This detector measures the intensity of light for each wavelength. • Instrument software interprets the thousands of signals from the detector to identify which elements are present in the tested sample. Further comparison of detection limits with calibrated reference levels allows the software to tell you how

Digital Edition - June 2021

ANALYSIS AND TESTING

much of each element is present. Now we understand how OES works and the components in the instrument, we can discuss the challenges of the technique for steel wire analysis and how they are being overcome by advances in OES technology. Why is OES wire analysis so tricky? Despite the somewhat complicated technology involved in OES analysis, and the detailed specification of the steel wire, the issue with getting accurate readings from steel wire is ludicrously simple: the steel wire diameter is smaller than the spark gap opening. In an ideal measurement scenario, the opening at the end of the spark stand that houses the spark electrode is completely covered by the metal surface to be measured. This ensures that air does not enter the argon-filled spark stand chamber. You don’t want air in the chamber for two main reasons: 1. You’ll get oxidation of the metal surface as soon as it is vaporised, which means you’ll be analysing the oxide, rather than the basic metal, which will adversely affect your results. 2. Remember how the detector picks up the wavelengths of light emitted by the vaporised sample? Some of the most critical elements for wire analysis, such as carbon, phosphorous, sulfur and boron, emit light in the UV range. Air absorbs UV light, so if you have air within your spark chamber, emitted UV radiation from your sample is re-absorbed before it has a chance to be picked up by the detector. This means that your composition analysis will fail to pick up these elements, or at least show their concentrations to be far too low. This will either cause you to reject perfectly good wire or, even worse, pass wire that doesn’t meet the spec. Getting accurate OES results for thin steel wire Modern OES instruments like the FOUNDRYMASTER range and the OE750 from Hitachi High-Tech are overcoming this widespread issue with thin wire analysis in two ways. Firstly, the spark chamber opening is made smaller with the use of special adaptors that are chosen to fit the specific diameter of the wire. This certainly does help, but it’s still a tricky job placing the small analyser head in exactly the right place on the wire. And the fact that the wire is round makes it difficult Digital Edition - June 2021

Feralpi - Italy - AIC project - wire rod rolling mill automation

to get a perfect seal between the spark head and the wire surface. So, the second measure is to prevent air from entering the spark chamber, even if the spark head is exposed to the atmosphere. This is achieved with special laminar flow technology that directs a smooth flow of argon around the electrode. Fig 2 This laminar flow of argon shields the plasma from the negative effects of air instreaming into the spark stand chamber. This makes analysing wire, even down to 5.5mm tyre specifications, a straightforward exercise. Firstly, a piece of wire from a new batch is cut from the annealed ring and the surface is ground to ensure a clean, non-contaminated surface for analysis. The correct adaptor for the wire diameter is fitted to the spark head and the wire is clamped into place onto the adaptor. The

corresponding programme for the correct wire diameter must also be selected on the instrument’s software to ensure accuracy. If the analysis is within the tolerances of the specification, then the other rings of the batch can then be measured. 100% quality control OES is the best method for analysing steel wires that are destined for safetycritical applications. With the right measurement methods and use of the right spark technology, you can overcome the challenge of thin wire measurements and get accurate results for every ring of steel wire you ship. �

For further information, log on to www.hitachi-hightech.com/hha www.steeltimesint.com

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STAINLESS STEEL

Kindred Spirits in stainless steel

Almost 200 years ago, two tragedies on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean gave way to an unforgettable act of kindness. A stainless steel sculpture in Midleton, Ireland, now pays homage to that kindness. Nine eagle feathers, reaching over six metres high, celebrate a gift from the Choctaw Nation of the southeastern United States to the Irish during the Great Potato Famine. The sculpture is a reminder that compassion flourishes in even the darkest hours of history. The corrosion resistance of molybdenum-containing stainless steel helps the sculpture and the legacy it represents endure. By Karlee Williston* FOLLOWING the 1830 Indian Removal Act, several Native American groups living in the southeastern United States were relocated forcibly to make way for agricultural production. In 1831 the Choctaw, native residents of Mississippi, became the first people to walk to designated lands in Oklahoma, over 800 kilometres away. Thousands died along this harrowing march, known as the “Trail of Tears”. Nevertheless, when the Choctaw learned that a potato blight hit Ireland during the 1840s, causing one million people to die of Digital Edition - June 2021

famine and another 600,000 to emigrate, they decided to help. Though poverty stricken and fleeing persecution, the Choctaw collected approximately US$170, the equivalent of around US$5,000 today, and donated it to starving Irish families. At a time when rail travel and telegraphs were bewildering new technologies, these suffering peoples, divided by language, culture, and thousands of kilometres, made a contact that continues to inspire generosity in the 21st century.

Solidarity in stainless steel A sculpture of eagle feathers in Bailic Park, Midleton, Ireland, celebrates that gift from the Choctaw to the Irish people. Created by artist Alex Pentek, the feathers form a ring representing an empty food bowl, calling to mind the souls lost in the famine. Molybdenum-containing Type 316L stainless steel provides the corrosion resistance necessary for this demanding coastal environment. The stainless steel also provides the structural strength required for the complex high wind-loads associated www.steeltimesint.com

STAINLESS STEEL

The artist formed over 2700 feather veins individually from 10mm square Type 316L stainless steel bar. Using a lever to grip the bar, he cold-bent each vein by hand. The veins were then cut to measure and welded to each feather’s central stem, a piece of 150mm diameter stainless steel pipe. The artist gradually removed sections of the pipe and welded them shut while adding the vein to create the tapered effect of a real eagle’s feather. Up close, it is apparent that the feathers are creased, imperfect, and organic. Each feather has over 300 veins. Their close 10mm spacing prevents climbing from street level, and the 50% permeability of the sculpture’s surface reduces wind loading. In total, there are more than 20,000 welds.

Artist Alex Pentek posing with the nearly-complete sculpture in his studio at the National Sculpture Factory, Cork, Ireland.

* Managing Editor, MolyReview

with its location and Kindred Spirits’ delicate design. Ireland has one of the highest coastal sea salt deposition rates in Europe, with salts traveling far inland and high sulfur deposition levels. Both factors affect corrosion rates. Bailic park adjoins the brackish marsh section of the River Ballynacorra, about six kilometres from Cork Harbour and 12 kilometres from the coast, so at least moderate sea salt exposure must be assumed. Sea salts and higher sulfur levels can lead to corrosion, www.steeltimesint.com

frequent maintenance, structural failure, and premature replacement of many construction materials. But the two percent molybdenum content in Type 316L stainless steel gives it the necessary corrosion resistance, making it an ideal choice for this location, which, although not subjected to salt spray, is corrosive but receives regular rain-cleaning. Stainless steel and feathers might seem like total opposites. But the sculpture achieves a delicate effect without compromising durability. The individual veins of the feathers are so thin, they look light enough to keep a bird in flight. The hand-applied, brushed matte surface finish gives the stainless steel a soft glow that contributes to the airiness of the feathers, while avoiding glare and enhancing corrosion resistance by facilitating natural rain-cleaning. With this graceful design, the sculpture has an almost quantum effect; like a ghost that appears only when observed. And as such, Kindred Spirits serves as a modest, though poignant reminder of past losses and overcoming those losses. Formidable feathers Although it feels weightless, Kindred Spirits was actually assembled on site because it was too large to put together in the studio.

Almost one year to complete Working at this meticulous level of detail, Kindred Spirits took nearly a year to complete. Once the veins and stems were finished, each feather was cut into three pieces, rolled into shape, and then the sections were welded back together. Finally, the feathers were transported to their final location, bolted down, and concrete was poured over their foundation. In high winds, locals note that the sculpture makes a gentle keening sound, which seems appropriate for this memorial, but the high energy absorption characteristics of stainless steel and its welds help ensure that it will safely weather any storm. Repaying the favour Almost two centuries later, the Irish have returned the Choctaw’s kindness in several ways. In 2018, the Irish Taoiseach created a scholarship programme for Choctaw students to study in Ireland. More recently, the Irish people donated more than US$1.8 million to aid two Native American tribes, the Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservations, providing access to healthcare and essential supplies for the Covid-19 pandemic. During the spring of 2020, the Navajo Nation had one of the most severe outbreaks of Covid-19 in the United States. Choctaw tribe leadership expressed gratitude that the Irish have expanded their circle of friendship to others in need. Considering this recent interchange, the Kindred Spirits sculpture nods at enduring and expanding bonds, formed in the face of adversity. These cross-Atlantic ties, like the stunning eagle feathers near the Irish coast, won’t be carried away with the wind. � Digital Edition - June 2021

MAINTENANCE

Rising above downtime Three ways suspended platforms increase efficiency for vertical vessel maintenance. By Jeff Mirisola*

IT’S time to upgrade maintenance practices for vertical vessels. Like any routine maintenance, inspecting, removing and replacing refractory in pre-calciners, cyclones, lime kilns, ISAMELT furnaces and other vertical vessels places a costly burden

on facilities in terms of downtime and lost productivity. One of the main reasons for this is that the traditional solution for accessing vertical surfaces – scaffolding – severely limits efficiency. It also increases safety risks for employees.

Cement and processing facilities are taking action to reclaim maintenance productivity and safety by investing in custom-manufactured suspended platforms for vertical vessel operations. These systems feature a lightweight, heavy-duty metal

* Bricking Solutions technical sales manager Digital Edition - June 2021

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MAINTENANCE

Left: Jeff Mirisola, technical sales manager, Bricking Solutions Above: Suspended platform systems feature a lightweight, heavy-duty metal platform that is erected inside the vessel and raised or lowered using manual or electric hoists for hassle-free maintenance and relining applications.

platform that is erected inside the vessel and raised or lowered using manual or electric hoists for hassle-free maintenance and relining applications. Suspended platforms offer a number of benefits over scaffolding systems, starting with effectively eliminating the protracted set-up times that dominate scaffoldingbased maintenance schedules. Here’s how these customized systems can boost productivity and safety throughout the maintenance process.

Above: Cement and processing facilities are reclaiming maintenance productivity and safety with custom-manufactured suspended platforms for vertical vessel operations

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Speedy set-up The amount of time scaffolding systems take to erect is their biggest deterrent and the greatest drain on maintenance productivity. This is due in part to the sheer complexity of the operation, which includes juggling a variety of pipes, hardware, boards and other materials to create the structure. Erection times vary based on vessel size and configuration, but even with

an experienced crew, scaffolding can take several shifts all the way up to an entire week to construct – putting significant stress on maintenance budgets and timelines. To simplify the process and decrease setup times, suspended platforms implement a modular design and pin-together construction. This greatly reduces the number of components and tools required for erection, and allows crews to complete set-up in as little as two hours. Modular components manufactured from high-strength 6061-T6 aluminium provide the same strength as steel at a third of the weight. And because vertical vessels often feature small access points, manufacturers limit the size of modular components. The resulting pieces are easy to manoeuvre, weighing 18 kilograms (40 pounds) or less, and fit through a 560-millimetre (22-inch) diameter access hole. This provides a lighter, more easily manoeuvrable solution than scaffolding’s heavy wooden planks and steel pipes, some of which are up to 4.3 metres (14 feet) long. Additionally, pin connections allow for fast assembly and improve platform strength over welded connections by allowing for some flexibility while the Digital Edition - June 2021

MAINTENANCE

Suspended platforms implement a modular design and pin-together construction that allows crews to complete set-up in as little as two hours.

platform is being raised or lowered. Welded joints are rigid, which increases stress on risers at platform joints. Pin-together joints are a better solution to help maintain safety and stability when dealing with varying speeds from the climbing hoists. It is worth noting that suspended platforms require some initial site preparations. This can increase set-up times the first go-round – sometimes up to a full shift for complicated systems. But in the long run, a suspended platform can save facilities significant time and effort with each use, leading to significant ROI potential – while scaffolding remains cumbersome every time. A cement facility, for example, was able to eliminate five days of double shifts when installing a drip tube in a cyclone with the suspended platform, saving an estimated $15,000 an hour in downtime. Initial commission for the platform took eight Digital Edition - June 2021

hours, but subsequent productivity meant the facility saw ROI after using the platform twice. In another example, a copper plant replaced the scaffold system for its smelter with a suspended platform. This increased not only productivity, but safety as well. Overall, the plant was able to save 320 man-hours per shutdown with the new system. Room to move Even after the platform is assembled, the productivity benefits continue to add up. In terms of surface area, ease of use and access to the work area, suspended platforms rise head and shoulders above scaffolding. With scaffolding, tools and materials need to be hoisted up to working height a little at a time, often manually. This is a slow process with a heavy physical toll. It

also limits productivity by restricting supply lines for materials, such as refractory brick, gunning equipment or other necessities. A suspended platform, on the other hand, can easily transport up to 2,722 kg (6,000 pounds) up and down, and the open design provides ample space for personnel, tools and materials. This allows several workers to operate in the same area comfortably, as well as have everything they need close at hand for efficient maintenance. Crews simply load all necessary materials at the start of the shift while the platform is positioned at the vessel’s access point. When more brick or other supplies are required, the crew lowers the platform, loads the necessary materials, then easily returns to height. This saves considerable time and energy and can increase productivity by limiting the number of trips up and down. The platform also provides more room www.steeltimesint.com

MAINTENANCE

A cement facility eliminated five days of double shifts installing a drip tube in a cyclone with the suspended platform, saving an estimated $15,000 an hour in downtime.

and easier positioning for equipment such as gunning machines for shotcrete applications. Crews simply set up the machine directly on the platform and manoeuvre the entire system up and down, eliminating downtime from repositioning while maintaining an ideal distance from the vessel surface for proper adhesion. Using a suspended platform for this application also eliminates the physical toll and risk to crews from heavy hoses hanging from the scaffolding. Additionally, the open platform and electric hoist system allow for infinitely variable height, resulting in unrivaled access for inspection, removal and replacement of refractory materials. Scaffolding is inherently rigid. It has to be to create a sturdy base of operations. However, this rigidity restricts crew access to the burn surface. Pipes inhibit visual inspection and make it difficult to work www.steeltimesint.com

on the area directly behind them. The scaffolding structure can also obstruct small flaws, causing them to be overlooked. Additionally, crews must squat down or reach up high when working on surfaces in between eight-foot scaffolding stories. Suspended platforms provide crews with 360-degree access at a comfortable working height, regardless of the task at hand. To optimize accessibility and productivity for a particular facility, industryleading manufacturers also customize designs to fit vessels up to 6.7 metres (22 feet) in diameter, so crews can get directly against the burn surface without risk of falling. This allows crews to inspect every inch, catching even the small flaws that could lead to bigger problems down the line if overlooked, for more thorough inspection and more productive maintenance. Additionally, some suspended platforms allow crews to adjust the size

of the platform by up to one metre while suspended by changing the outer panels. This results in better accessibility and easy transition between different widths of a vessel such as a cyclone. Ergonomics for better economics It goes without saying that having a platform, rather than a narrow scaffold, increases worker safety. Falls continue to rank number one in workplace injury reports, and refractory repair is not immune to tragic accidents. Recent US Bureau of Labour Statistics data identified 338 fatal falls to the lower level among 1,038 total construction fatalities for the year. That same year, falls on the same level or to lower levels amounted to $17.1 billion – 29.2% – of the nearly $60 billion spent by employers on serious, nonfatal workplace injuries. A suspended platform replaces narrow Digital Edition - June 2021

QSPACE1 DIGITAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT Augmented, Mixed and Virtual Reality for a quick and efficient Remote Support and Extended Collaboration with metals producers and on-field technicians.

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MAINTENANCE

With a suspended platform, crews enjoy 360-degree access at a comfortable working height, regardless of the task at hand

wooden catwalks with an aluminium surface that spans the entire vessel, eliminating the risk of falls or dropped objects. It also eliminates the need for workers to climb up and down carrying small tools and the need to haul materials and larger equipment up to height, handover-hand, resulting in a much safer jobsite. There are long-term safety benefits that go beyond this, as well. From setup through all aspects of refractory maintenance, a suspended platform puts less physical strain on employees. The lightweight, modular components are less cumbersome than long poles and heavy www.steeltimesint.com

wooden planks. Easy access to materials and tools reduces the risk of repetitive motion injuries as well as minor cuts, bruises or scrapes that come with manually moving refractory materials. Being able to position the platform at the ideal working height for the job at hand limits bending or reaching, providing an ergonomic solution instead. All of these small but significant safety benefits lead to long-term savings in the form of workman’s compensation claims and insurance premiums.

requires some initial planning, but positive returns are almost immediate. Facilities that have made the switch save tens of thousands of dollars with each maintenance cycle, providing a return on investment in one or two uses. The key is working with a reputable manufacturer who can provide a customized platform that fits a facility’s needs and vessels perfectly. Working together, these partners can revolutionize refractory maintenance in vertical vessels. �

View from the top Making the switch to a suspended platform

For further information, log on to www.brickingsolutions.com Digital Edition - June 2021

WORKFORCE

The human in tomorrow’s steel industry It is predicted that up to 30% of today’s human workforce will be replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) by the mid-2030s, but that’s not to say it’s a bad thing. By Patrick Henz1, Piotr Czupryna2 and Guillermo Gonzalez3.

CONSULTING companies, such as PwC, predict that up to 30% of today’s human workforce will be replaced by Artificial Intelligence and robotics by the mid2030s.1 By far, this is no revolution but a continuous evolution. As former finance professor Noah Smith analyzed: “Since 1990, production of metals in the USA has held roughly constant, but the number of people employed in the industry has fallen steadily.” To be precise, the number dropped from 690,000 employees in 1990 to 376,500 in 2018, a doubling of productivity enabled this development.2 Today, the steel industry includes repetitive and standardized tasks, but also highly individual and creative ones. With this situation, a completely robotized mill is highly unlikely, even if the trend to further automation, including the usage of autonomous systems, digital twins and cobots, continues.3 To create a positive utopia, it is imperative to discuss today what tomorrow’s workplaces and requirements should look like. The approach of the MIT-professor W. Edwards Deming (1900 – 1993) to understand a company as one holistic

system was influenced by Japanese culture, based on group-thinking as opposed to focusing on the individual. This leads to efficient interlinking of employees with their colleagues, but also with processes, regulations, machines, sensors, and intelligent algorithms on up to external stakeholders such as clients and suppliers. The steelmaking process is complex and sensitive to the smallest changes. Sophisticated Primetals Technologies’ solutions for sensors and digitalization, such as optical cameras, acoustic, magnetic and soft sensors (as are aligned in different Primetals Technologies intelligent systems like condition monitoring system ALEX (Asset Life Expert) or TPO (ThroughProcess Optimization) are a base for decision-making, independent of whether done by human and/or machine. Even if human sensors are unable to compete with precise industrial ones, mathematical models cannot completely define the sophisticated steel mill anytime soon, so the knowledgeable and responsible human employee remains relevant. System-thinking is not only a requirement from employers, it suits the future

workforce, as new work-realities meet changed socialization. Generation Z (born from 1997 onward)4 interacts with a reduced number of online friends, where they not only continuously feed the group with information (texts, videos, voice messages), but also receive it from their trusted circles. A continuous interaction is created, comparable to a hive intelligence acting as a connected system. For Generation Z (but also members of earlier generations) only one reality exists today, jointly formed by the physical and digital worlds. To design an efficient system, Deming defined his “System of Profound Knowledge” using four key pillars: appreciation for a system, knowledge about variation, theory of knowledge, and psychology.5 This approach is based on his diverse background as an engineer, statistician and management consultant. The first two pillars are mathematically based and could be interpreted as a dehumanization of the work environment. To avoid such an effect, Deming added theory of knowledge (leading to continuous learning) and psychology as third and

* 1. Primetals Technologies USA Head GRC, IEEE Digital Reality Initiative Steering Board. 2. CEO, Primetals Techologies Poland. 3. CEO, Primetals Technologies Mexico. Digital Edition - June 2021

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WORKFORCE

“… the knowledgeable and responsible human employee remains relevant.” fourth pillars. This not only underlines the essential importance of the human factor, but he also defines all four pillars as having the same importance and only their holistic connection ensuring sustainable success. “They interact with each other. A change in one part cause changes in other parts.” 6 One of Deming’s famous quotes is: “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.” He also added: “Even the simplest plan … requires prediction …” Information is important, but this data must be combined with intelligent algorithms (based on theory) and human experts to elaborate not only a statistical, but also a logical prediction (“There is no substitute for knowledge”). Connecting with the numerous sensors (“Internet of Things”), based on theory and statistics, a holistic system converts Big into powerful and understandable Smart Data. First ensuring accurate and stable control of all process parameters, and second satisfying the requirements of the human experts to get quick and complete access to quality- and process-relevant data, a deep understanding of how a change in process parameters will affect the properties of their products, and the know-how to develop products quickly and successfully. To meet these requirements, www.steeltimesint.com

Primetals Technologies has developed and introduced the TPO solution. Combining an IT system for quality and process control (Through-Process Quality Control – TPCQ) with knowledge and expertise (ThroughProcess Know-How – TPKH) it enables the smart, digital interconnection and through process optimization of various process units. This is achieved by accumulation of data, information and knowledge along the entire steel-production chain and by digitally supported decisions and even automatic actions and adaptions. Both modules complete each other, as the TPQC gains information via sophisticated sensors, while TPKH provides digitalized human knowledge which is implemented as rules and algorithms. Both together ensure a high level of automated quality control as a basis for real Through Process Optimization. As a third component Primetals experts – but also the steel mill’s experts – can enrich this system with tailor-made consulting and Know-How services.7 Microsoft’s head of consulting and services, Fabio Moioli, defines creativity as ‘the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions. Creativity involves two processes: thinking,

then producing.”8 Sensors create Big Data. To achieve knowledge out of information (‘Smart Data’), the numerous dots must be connected. Sophisticated algorithms identify hidden patterns (‘straights’) in n-dimensional spaces. By comparing the past and present, human creativity can envision new relationships and assume notyet-connected patterns, as data-dots might be required to be connected with ‘curves’ instead of ‘straights.’ Mike Harris, global head of research at Gartner IT concludes: “Leaders apply technology and information in unique and creative ways to out-perform their peers.” 9 Like a four-eyes principle, human and algorithms work together, but keep their independence so that both sides decide on the action, while the human retains the responsibility. Tomorrow’s steel mills will work with a lower headcount and employees will become more relevant and share higher responsibilities. Edward Tenner concluded in his book The Efficiency Paradox: “It is so easy just to accept what a program is proposing to you and to shut your eyes to other things that might be a little more unusual.”10 Artificial Intelligence tempts the employees to stay in their personal comfort zones. Companies must ensure that their workforce keep up their skills of critical thinking, to avoid an overDigital Edition - June 2021

Incorporating the BIFCA Standards Seminar

ONLINE EVENT 14-15 SEPTEMBER REGISTER TODAY

The future is now when it comes to furnace technology

Manufacturing industries are already seeing the results of the ‘Furnace of the Future’ in reducing CO2 emissions and producing cleaner, more sustainable materials. But how can energy-intensive manufacturers work towards making this future a reality? Are we already seeing the benefits of adopting smarter and more sustainable technologies within furnaces? Could we be doing more? This online event will unite the glass, aluminium and steel sectors to discuss overcoming heat treatment challenges and present a collaborative approach to bring the Furnace of the Future to life.

FROM THE PRODUCERS OF

Topics will focus on: r Industry 4.0 (the Furnace of the Future) r Furnace Maintenance r Heat Treatment r Energy Efficiency r Testing & Measurement r Retrofitting r Emerging Technologies r Operations & Productivity Alongside the two-day virtual conference, participants will also be invited to join live discussions and will have the opportunity to network with new industry contacts, arrange video meetings and exchange resources and information. IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ASSOCIATION PARTNER

ORGANISED BY

www.furnaces-international.com

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WORKFORCE

“Since the human employee is as needed today as tomorrow, management must ensure that employees are able to develop their human skills.” trust of technology. 11 Future experts will need a high level of knowledge and they will also need to develop empathy and holistic understanding. Today we distinguish between more than 3,500 different grades of steel, all with different physical, chemical, and environmental properties.12 Future steel mills will have the flexibility to switch among different grades, but this requires an elastic supply chain. To develop the abovementioned skills, employees must be moved out of their personal comfort zones to connect with different topics, environments and people. Continuous learning is necessary. Education is no longer a one-time investment and such emerging technologies as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Micro-learnings, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and even personal digital twins can keep costs down.13 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) reduce www.steeltimesint.com

standardized white-collar tasks, while robots and cobots (shorts for: collaborative robots) do the same on the blue-collar side. On the other hand, both groups evolve into ‘new collar.’14 Skilled employees are used to working together with technology, but focus on such human skills as empathy, creativity and ingenuity. As this reduces the continuous need of the work location, this environment must change to foster the development of human skills. Here the design aligns with Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge.15 The trend to more home offices accelerates this development, as Despina Katsikakis, Cushman & Wakefield’s head of occupier business performance explains: “We don’t have to go to work to work. I’ll go to the office when I want to support my sense of belonging to community.”16 An efficient system such as the TPO supports and enables automatic and optimized production, as it does not require having steelmaking experts in all

related plants and at each time of the day. Nevertheless, it aims to collaborate with experts at the various levels, independent of their geographical location, who develop new and ever improved Know-How based rules and algorithms as well as data and AI-based algorithms for the system. So, the system gets increasingly powerful. TPO continuously executes Deming wheels based on ‘Plan-Do-Check-Act’ (PDCA) and “Plan-Do-Study-Act” (PDSA). The first is an automated part of quality control (including computerized root-cause analysis and automatic corrective actions), while for the second, data and finally valuable information get delivered to human employees for studying, planning and even building up additional know-how by generating full insights and transparency across the entire production route. So, the system not only digitalizes human know-how but also provides a source of ever-increasing know-how of experts for the entire metallurgical and technological chain.17 Since the human employee is as needed today as tomorrow, management must ensure that employees are able to develop their human skills. Adequate processes foster human creativity and ingenuity. Primetals Technologies reiterated this in its claim: “Pioneers at Heart,” in which the human emotions of curiosity and passion lead to high-quality solutions. Addressing all five senses is needed to foster these values, as, for example, with office space and work environment. Primetals Technologies stands for a positive corporate culture. Its Mexican entity created a head-office, round like a Deming wheel; no straight walls, only curves, including meeting rooms and tables. While sometimes uncomfortable, most of the time employees enjoy it, and in all cases, it supports them to leave their personal comfort zones to be creative and open to learning, aligned with the third pillar of the System of Profound Knowledge. Steel companies compete with organizations from various industries to attract and keep talent, so they need to understand their motivators. As a result of their advanced position inside Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, in which needs intensity shifted from physiological needs over safety, esteem, love and belonging into the direction of self-actualization, a certain level of salary is a basic requirement. Yet life-balance and self-realization are Digital Edition - June 2021

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