MPT International 1/2018 (Feb)

Metallurgical Plant and Technology G 25074

1

ISSN 0935-7254

Giant continuous bloom caster at Taewoong, South Korea

February 2018

Deployment of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel complex in Vietnam

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EDITORIAL

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A quantum leap forward for the Vietnamese steel industry According to the OECD Steel Committee, conditions in the world steel industry have improved over the past years. Growth in steel demand has been fastest in economies located in Southeast Asia. Most economies in this region posted double-digit steel demand growth, but Vietnam had the highest growth at 20% in 2016. Domestic demand for steel remained high thanks to infrastructure projects and rapid urbanization. However, local steel production only satisfied about 40% of the domestic steel demand. Vietnam has being faced with huge steel importation from China. Against this background, two new integrated iron and steel works have been erected as Greenfield projects in Vietnam: Formosa Ha Thin Steel and Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel. Both these projects are featured in this issue.

Formosa Ha Tinh Steel with an annual capacity 7.5 million t reached milestones of the project in 2017, when the first blast furnace started hot commissioning and for the first time produced hot metal. At the same time the steelmaking plant started operations and the first slabs, blooms and billets were produced by the middle of last year.

Dipl.-Ing. Arnt Hannewald

The second Greenfield project, Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel, with an annual capacity of approx. 4.5 million t, is still under construction. Once completed, this new iron and steel complex will also produce both long steel products and hot rolled coils. The company expects to commence production in 2019. The general design figures of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat integrated iron and steel complex are illustrated in this issue.

Both projects are included in the prospects of the Vietnam Steel Association for a significant growth in steel production over the long term, as local producers try to meet steel demand for infrastructure and to support economic development more broadly. By the way, these new steel mills are the only steel companies with the capability to produce hot rolled coils in the country. Before, Vietnam enterprises were not able to manufacture hot-rolled steel sheet – the essential input material to produce cold-rolled steel, galvanized steel and steel pipe. Moreover, hot-rolled steel sheet is vital to shipbuilding and mechanical engineering. To satisfy the great demand for hot-rolled steel sheet products (about 10 million t per year), Vietnam has to import these products from other countries.

MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› CONTENTS

Interview 20

20 years of lifting innovation: Combilift on its impressive growth The leading provider of long load handling solutions has invested Euro 46 million in a new factory building which will be officially inaugurated in the spring.

MPT talked with Combilift co-founder and managing director Martin McVicar about the company’s growth since it produced its first truck 20 years ago

Ironmaking – Steelmaking 24

Coverphoto: Bend continuous casting machine to produce ø 1,000 mm blooms on an industrial scale SMS Concast AG - a company of SMS group, Zßrich, Switzerland Contact: www.sms-concast.ch E-mail: concast.info@sms-group.com

Deployment of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat integrated iron and steel complex, Vietnam Hoa Phat Group is erecting a new 4 million t/year integrated iron and steel works at a greenfield site in central Vietnam. Once completed, the new steel mill will produce bar and wire products for demanding applications in the construction sector and also high-quality hot rolled coils

Continuous casting

Tube making

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Formosa Ha Tinh Steel starts up production of billets, blooms and slabs at the new site Two slab casters and one bloom caster were commissioned within just three days in mid 2017. The billet caster also entered service as soon as the liquid steel production was fully up to speed two months later.

The casting plants belong to one of the largest greenfield projects worldwide in recent years.

With the exception of the crisis year 2009, global steel pipe production has only developed in one direction over the past ten years: upwards. This trend seems to have stopped for the time being. However, European steel pipe producers did significantly better

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Europe’s steel pipe mills increase output against global trend

Giant continuous bloom steel caster starts production at Taewoong, South Korea

Vallourec uses digital measuring device for optimization of the tube sizing mill Vallourec has integrated the new inline measuring system CaliView into the line of a plug mill. The system helps to facilitate any corrections of the passes.

At the same time, the system will make maintenance more efficient

Taewoong successfully produces dia. 1,000 mm round blooms on a new continuous casting machine. This marks a milestone in the history of continuous casting, as it is the first plant producing dia. 1,000 mm blooms in a bend continuous casting process on an industrial scale

Cold rolling – Automation

Strip processing

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A newly developed quality data solution combined with an advanced flatness control system enables up to 40% improvement of strip flatness

MPT International 1 / 2018

Tosyali-Toyo starts strip production at new cold rolling complex in Turkey The new cold strip mill enables the company to produce cold rolled products with various surface coatings: tin-plated, hot-dip galvanized and painted strip.

It marks the expansion of Tosyali-Toyo into the flat product sector

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Columns 8

International industry news

53

Literature service

40

Technical innovations

53

In the next issue

52

Cartoon

54

Imprint

Advertisers’ index ABB AB 45 AIC Automazioni Industriali Capitano Srl 19 AIST Association for Iron & Steel 15 BWG Bergwerk- und WalzwerkMaschinenbau GmbH 35 CIEC China Int. Exhibition 51 Combilift Ltd. 10 Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA 4, 5 F.I.M.I. S.p.A 23

Fabris Inc. Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co. KG Guild International Inc. IMS Messsysteme GmbH Keytroller, LLC MORGARDSHAMMAR AB Polytec GmbH Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH Prowelt Consulting

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Siempelkamp Maschinenund Anlagenbau GmbH SMS group GmbH Verlag Stahleisen GmbH Vishay Precision Group WOKO Magnetund Anlagenbau GmbH Zumbach Electronic AG

33 2 40 46 13 11

MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

Africa South Africa ArcelorMittal Saldanha upgrades rolling mill automation.

At ArcelorMittal Saldanha, Danieli Automation has recently performed the switchover from an obsolete control system to a new HiPAC controller pertaining to roughing mill stand No. 1.

The new system was seamlessly integrated into the existing automation system during normal production, without any dedicated shutdown time. The ArcelorMittal Saldanha works was commissioned in 1998 and currently produces 1.2 million t/year of hot rolled coil.

The Americas Chile CAP Acero to reline blast furnace. Danieli Corus has received an order from CAP Acero for engineering and supplies for the reline of their blast furnace No. 2 in Talcahuano. CAP Acero has selected the same furnace cooling and lining technology with copper plate coolers and graphite refractories as used for the reline of blast furnace No. 1, which was also performed

by Danieli Corus. Relining of blast furnace No. 2 will take place in late 2018/ early 2019.

Mexico Steel Technologies to build multi-blanking line. Andritz Herr-Voss Stamco Inc. has received an order from Steel Technologies, headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, to supply a new multi-blanking line for their facility in Pesquería, Nuevo León. The line will process 3,810 mm x 1,880 mm material with an incoming coil capacity of 27 t. The backbone of the line is Andritz Herr-Voss Stamco’s roller leveller technology. The line will include two Precision Levelers® engineered to meet Steel Technologies’ specific product requirements. The multi-blanking line MPT International 1 / 2018

will come with a quick-change injector-slitter head system. The line will also incorporate Andritz Herr-Voss Stamco’s proprietary EDT (electro-discharge texturing) precision roll feed system, coupled with a high-speed shear.

USA Commercial Metals Company to invest in spooled rebar production. Commercial Metals Company is going to invest in a second spooler to produce hot-rolled, spooled rebar at its Danieli-supplied micro mill in Mesa, Arizona. This investment is in addition to the January 2017 announcement of the first spooler in the United States, which will be located at the company’s new micro mill in Durant, Oklahoma, likewise built by Danieli. The company expects to begin shipping spooled rebar from the Oklahoma mill in the spring of 2018 and from the Arizona mill about one year later.

USA Nucor Steel Gallatin places order for production planning system. Nucor Steel Gallatin in Ghent, Kentucky, has commissioned SMS group to supply an X-Pact® MES 4.0 production planning system for the recently ordered pickling and galvanizing line. The MES (Manufacturing Execution System) from SMS group features a state-of-the-art software architecture and modular, extendable structures. The X-Pact® MES 4.0 can be seamlessly integrated in the X-Pact® automation solution already ordered for the strip processing line. In addition to the basic system for recording and storing the production data, the scope of supply includes the connection to the automation systems and to the customer’s ERP system.

USA Nucor to build 2 new bar mills in Illinois and Missouri. Nucor Corporation is going to build a full-range

News in brief Aktobe Rail and Section Works, Kazakhstan, has granted Primetals the plant acceptance certificate for the supplied rail and section mill. The new rolling mill is the first and only rail manufacturing plant in Kazakhstan.

Aktobe is able to produce around 200,000 t/year of rails in lengths of up to 120 m as well as 230,000 t of angles, U and I-sections.

Tenaris, USA, has unveiled the seamless pipe mill in Bay City, Texas. The mill has the capacity to produce 600,000 t/year of OCTG. TimkenSteel, USA, has placed an order for Tenova’s proprietary off-gas based technology package to be installed at its Faircrest plant, Canton, OH. The package includes an off-gas analysis system, dynamic EAF process control technology and a water detection system. voestalpine Tubulars, Austria, has successfully commissioned a new heat treatment line and a hot tube straightening machine supplied by SMS group. The line is designed for seamless tubes with outside diameters between 60.3 and 273.0 mm.

Aperam, France, has successfully completed the revamp of its stainless steel mill at its production site in Gueugnon. Fives had been entrusted with the project which covered the complete modernization of the DMS 20Hi cold rolling mill, including design, manufacturing, trial assembly in Fives’ workshop, site erection and commissioning.

Tata Steel, the Netherlands, has launched the fifth and final test run of the HIsarna plant to further prove many of the new technologies being used to ensure emissions from this new iron making process can be minimized.

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››› INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

merchant bar quality (MBQ) mill at its existing Kankakee site located in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The MBQ mill will have an annual capacity of 500,000 t. The project will take approximately two years to complete. The new MBQ mill will further enhance Nucor’s product offerings of merchant bar, light shapes and structural angle and channel in markets in the central U.S. This project will allow Nucor to fully utilize the company’s existing bar mill by optimizing its melt capacity and infrastructure that is already in place.

In Sedalia, Missouri, east of Kansas City, Nucor is going to build a new rebar mill. Rebar supply to the Kansas City, upper Midwestern and Plains markets currently travels long distances, giving the micro mill in Sedalia a logistical advantage. This location will also allow the company to take advantage of the abundant scrap supply in the immediate area provided by Nucor’s scrap business. Nucor has decided for Danieli’s MI.DA® Micromill technology. The plant will be designed to produce in excess of 350,000 short tons

per year of straight rebar products. The mill is scheduled to be in operation by the third quarter of 2019.

Asia

ing and pickling line with an in-line skin pass mill, the 20-high rolling mill, the coil grinding line, and the slitting and cut-to-length lines. One of the key measures was the upgrade of the pickling line to a more eco-friendly process and improved strip steering. Several enhancements were also made to the automation system and to the annealing furnace.

Bahrain USCO Stainless Steel complex back to production. The stainless steel complex operated by USCO United Stainless Steel Company and originally supplied by Danieli in 2007, was stopped in 2011. It is now back to operation. Following a recent agreement between USCO and Chromiumtrade SA, a Swiss company that will procure black coils, manage operations and market the end products, the decision to restart operations was taken. Danieli Service was contracted to restore the plant to full production providing new spare parts, technical support, refurbishment and the upgrade of key equipment. The upgrade covered the combined anneal-

Bahrain SULB renews steel plant services contract. Harsco Metals & Minerals has successfully renewed a multi-year services contract with SULB, a manufacturer of multi-sized angles and beams in the Gulf Cooperation Council. Under this contract, Harsco will provide slag management, raw material and finished product handling, and other services to SULB’s fully integrated Al-Hidd plant. Harsco has provided onsite steel plant services to SULB in Bahrain since 2012 for its direct reduced iron plant, melt shop and rolling mills.

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INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

China Shougang Jingtang orders continuous galvanizing line. Shougang Jingtang United Iron & Steel has contracted SMS group to supply a continuous hot-dip galvanizing line for high-strength steel grades. In addition to designing all mechanical equipment and manufacturing high-quality core components, the supply package of SMS group will comprise the supervision of parts made in local workshops and of erection and commissioning. SMS group will also supply all electrical and automation systems.

The furnace and inductors for the new galvanizing line will be designed and supplied by Fives. The Stein Digiflex® furnace will be equipped with a FlashCooling® system operating at 75% hydrogen to reach excellent cooling performance. Fives‘ proprietary combustion system AdvanTek® WRT 2.1 provides energy efficiency, fuel flexibility and ultra-low NOx emissions.

Fives has engineered a selective oxidation system to accurately control the

oxidation process and ensure a perfect coating as required for automotive steel grades. The new line is scheduled to start producing in 2019. It will be designed for a capacity of 360,000 t/year of hot-dip galvanized steel strip, including grades with tensile strengths of up to 1,350 MPa.

China HBIS Laoting Steel to install two continuous slab casters. HBIS Laoting Steel Co. Ltd. has ordered two new, twin-strand continuous slab casters from Primetals Technologies. The casting plants will have a combined capacity of 4.2 million t/years of slabs and will form part of a new production facility for high-quality steels being built in the Laoting district in the south east of the autonomous city of Tangshan. The two twin-strand continuous slab casters will cast slabs with a thickness of 230 mm in widths ranging from 900 to 1,900 mm. The range

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News in brief ArcelorMittal Shelby, USA, has installed a newly designed conveyor at the outlet of No. 6 furnace.

Designed by an employee, it was a 100% in-house project. The unique part of this project is the use of airbags instead of screw jacks to lift the table above the rolls and discharge the tubes into the outlet buck.

NLMK has commissioned four more high-pressure grinding roll units, boosting productivity of its Stoilensky beneficiation plant by 0.8 million t of iron ore concentrate to 17.4 million t/year. As a result, Stoilensky now covers 100% of the group’s blast furnace needs in iron ore concentrate with a Fe content of over 65%.

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››› INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

News in brief Nam Kim Steel, Vietnam, has rolled the first coil on the new reversing cold mill installed by SMS group. This successful commissioning, which took place ahead of schedule, completes the third full-line supply of a cold rolling mill to Nam Kim Steel by Esmech Equipment together with SMS India, both companies of SMS group.

NLMK Lipetsk, Russia, has completed guarantee testing of pulverized coal injection (PCI) technology at blast furnaces No. 6 and No. 7. Tests confirmed that the equipment, supplied by Paul Wurth, has reached design capacity.

Johnson Controls Power Solutions has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of three tandem cold mills for lead rolling and has presented SMS group with the “Asia Supplier Excellence Award”. The manufacture, pre-assembly and testing of the three cold rolling mills will take place in China, according to the specifications drawn up by Johnson Controls. The mills will be designed to roll lead strip that is going to be used to make high-performance automotive batteries.

Bhushan Power & Steel, India, has commenced operations of No.2 blast furnace at Rengali, Odisha. Design and engineering for this completely new ironmaking unit were provided by Paul Wurth. The furnace is designed for a daily hot metal output of 4,450 t.

Zenith Steel, China, has awarded the final acceptance certificate for a continuous bloom casting machine modernized by Primetals Technologies. One objective of the modernization was to enable the caster, in operation in the integrated steel mill in Changzhou, to cast a rectangular cross-section in addition to round and square blooms. Annual production is around 1.3 million t/year.

MPT International 1 / 2018

of products covers ultra-low carbon and low carbon steels, deep drawn, structural peritectic alloyed steels, and pipe grades. Primetals Technologies is responsible for the detail engineering of the casting platform and the strand-guiding system, the basic and detail engineering of the maintenance area, as well as the engineering of the automation and the software for the new continuous slab casters. The scope of supply also includes the complete electrical installations and automation. A LiquiRob system will manipulate the hydraulic cylinder of the ladle slide gate and the media connection in the ladle area. Another LiquiRob system on the casting platform will manipulate the ladle shrouds, measure the temperatures, and control the firing of the ladles. The two continuous slab casters are scheduled for commissioning in February and March 2019.

floor. This design provides the advantages that the gaskets and guides of the main cylinder are exposed to less heat and dirt and easier to access. The oil lines for the main drive do not need to be laid above ground. A high guide ratio, which results in high rigidity and robustness, and an extremely low centre of gravity are further hallmarks of this design. The press achieves press speeds of up to 215 mm/s and 110 strokes per minute. CHW Forge uses the press for forging of large rings up to 2.4 m in diameter and 3.5 m long. The workpieces weigh up to 50 t. Wepuko Pahnke provided the planning and design of the system, the manufacture of the pumps in Germany through to installation and commissioning of the entire system on site in India.

Japan India JSW Steel places order for continuous slab casters and hot rolling mill. Primetals Technologies has won an order from JSW Steel Ltd. to supply two continuous slab casters to the Dolvi plant in Maharashtra. Together, the two-strand casters will have an initial annual capacity of around 4.5 million t of slabs with future capacity potential for 6 million t. A number of technology packages will ensure that the slabs have high internal and surface quality. The casters are scheduled to come on stream in the middle of 2019. Primetals Technologies has also received an order to supply a 5 million t/year hot rolling mill for the Dolvi site.

India CHW Forge commissions new open-die forging press. CHW Forge, a leading Indian forging company, has commissioned the new opendie forging press supplied by Wepuko Pahnke. The press is a 2-in-1 cylinder press with 31.5 MN pressing force and 38 MN upsetting force. Being a pulldown/underfloor design, the main press cylinders are arranged under the

JFE Steel to build new sinter plant. Primetals Technologies has received an order from Japanese steel producer JFE Steel to supply a new sinter plant for the Fukuyama production site. The new plant will replace the existing sinter plant No. 3. The order includes the 4.8 million t/year sinter plant, the sinter cooler and the product handling system, engineering and on-site supervision. Latest waste gas recirculation technology will reduce the environmental impact. The new plant is expected to be started up in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Japan Tokyo Steel to install off-gas technology system on EAF. Tokyo Steel has placed an order with Tenova for a NextGen® hybrid/extractive offgas technology system. The system will be installed in Tokyo Steel’s Tahara Works on the existing 420 DC EAF furnace and Consteel® system. The scope of supply includes proprietary NextGen® system hardware, inclusive of two sampling stations, one central multi-point analyzer and optical velocity measurement for downstream analysis, a key component to understanding the carbon evolution. The sale was a result of joint collaboration

INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

by Tenova Goodfellow Inc. and Sumitomo Shoji Machinex Corp. Commissioning of the system is expected to take place in the summer of 2018.

will allow high-strength grades to be produced. Downstream of the 90-meter-long cooling bed, a multi-roller straightener will be arranged. The new rolling mill line will be supplied with fully integrated automation.

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Saudi Arabia Global Pipe Company invests in pipe production plants. Global Pipe Company (GPC) has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of a mechanical expander and a hydrostatic pipe tester for its new manufacturing line that will double the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual production capacity from 200,000 to 400,000 t. The new 10 MN mechanical expander will be installed in the finishing area of the new line. In addition to stress-relieving the welded pipes, the expander will give GPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products their final shape, ensuring that the final dimensions are within the required range according to the applicable specifications. The machine will initially cover the diameter range between 610 and 1,420 mm, and optimize GPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s output in large-diameter pipes. The hydrostatic pipe tester will be designed for a maximum test pressure of 650 bars making it suitable for testing small-diameter, thickwalled pipes. The new line is expected to be ready for production in the third quarter of 2018.

Vietnam Hoa Phat orders hot strip mill.

Hoa Phat Steel has selected Danieli thin slab technology for the hot strip mill at its new Dung Quat works. The new plant is designed to produce 3.5 million t/year of hot rolled coil with strip thicknesses ranging from 1.5 to 12.0 mm and widths from 900 to 1,500 mm. The design foresees optional expanding production to 4.0 million t/year by adding two segments to the slab caster and a downcoiler (phase II of the project). Danieli QSP technology (Quality Strip Production) offers the possibility to produce both commercial and special steels, including API grades. A Danieli Centro Combustion twin-strand shuttle furnace will connect the casters to the mill. Danieli Automation will provide the complete electrical and automation package. Plant startup is expected by 2019.

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Australia The Philippines SteelAsia places order for small section mill. SteelAsia Manufacturing has placed an order with SMS group for the supply of a new small section mill. The mill, to be designed for an annual capacity of 500,000 t, will be built at the Phoenix Petroterminal Industrial Park in the Municipality of Calaca, Province of Batangas. It is scheduled to go into operation in 2018. The mill will be laid out for a production rate of 100 t/h of a very wide range of products. In addition to I-beams, H-beams, equal-sided angles and U-beams, it will also be possible to produce various bars, flats and squares. This flexibility is achieved by 18 housingless stands in horizontal, vertical, convertible and universal configuration. An in-line quenching and tempering line

GFG Alliance announces final concept plan for transformation of Whyalla operations. The GFG Alliance has announced the final concept plan for the transformation of the Whyalla operations. This follows significant and detailed work undertaken by GFG following the successful acquisition of the former Arrium Australia businesses in September 2017. The transformation is expected to structurally improve the operational and financial performance of the Whyalla steelworks, thereby securing its long-term sustainability. These include reduction of ferrous feed costs for the steel works through investments in feed preconditioning, utilizing latest technology; improvements in energy efficiency at the steelworks through investments in co-generation and the

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MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

capture of process off-gases; targeted modernization and capacity upgrade investments across the steelworks and the rolling mill; and investments to increase production at the steelworks by approximately 50% to 1.5 million t/ year. The transformation will also require support from the South Australian and Federal Governments. Other investments are targeted for the mining operations, including investments to increase iron ore reserves and looking to further unlock large-scale magnetite potential.

Europe Finland SSAB to use liquefied natural gas. SSAB plans to start using liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Raahe steel mill. Liquefied natural gas will be used to replace liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the walking beam furnace of the strip mill and as a support and additional fuel for the boiler in the Raahe Voima power plant. Work on building the LNG storage facility is under way.

The facility will be ready for use in 2018. LNG will replace roughly 90% of the LPG used earlier at the mill. However, LPG will still be required for certain processes, such as flame cutting.

The switch to using natural gas is part of SSAB’s strategy to make the energy system more sustainable, more cost efficient and to spread the risk by using several different types of fuel.

Germany ArcelorMittal Hamburg generates wind energy on steelmaking site. In partnership with ArcelorMittal Hamburg, green electricity supplier Hamburg Energie has set up three new wind turbines on the steelmaker’s site. The turbines, each with a capacity of 3 MW, increase the amount of renewable energy generated in Hamburg. With a rotor diameter of about 117 m, each turbine produces a good 23 GWh a year, equalling the electricity requirements of more than 8,000 households.

MPT International 1 / 2018

Italy

Sweden

Ferriera Valsabbia orders billet welding system. Ferriera Valsabbia S.p.A. has placed an order with Primetals Technologies to supply ERT-EBROS endless rolling technology for the company’s existing bar rolling mill in Odolo, Brescia province. The system welds together billets intended for rolling, thus enabling a continuous rolling process with a consistently high product quality. Primetals Technologies is responsible for the project engineering as well as for assembly and commissioning supervision of the new equipment, and will be supplying the ERT-EBROS billet welding system, including a deburring station, extraction system and complementary equipment such as pinch roll, shear and roller table. The ERT-EBROS system will be designed for an annual production capacity of 900,000 t.

The scope of supply also includes the fluid systems, the electrical equipment and automation system, and technology packages for controlling the welding. An induction furnace installed before the rolling train will make up for temperature losses.The new ERT-EBROS plant is scheduled to commence operation in September 2018.

Ovako invests in metallurgical facilities. Ovako has decided to invest in a new vacuum degassing pump system at its Imatra production site to improve the production process and the site’s overall capabilities. The investment replaces the previous degassing system, and will also help reduce water usage and the site‘s carbon footprint. Ovako’s production site in Imatra produces low-alloy round bars for demanding applications such as bearings, rock processing and mining tools, fasteners and hydraulic components.

Spain Acerinox to modernize cold strip processing line. Andritz has received an order from Acerinox Europe for renewal of cold strip line No. 3 at the Palmones plant. The scope of supply and services includes engineering and delivery of a new chemical processing section, major modifications to the mechanical equipment (e.g. welding machine), new rotary roller stands for the furnace, as well as the electrical equipment, dismantling of existing parts of the plant, and commissioning of the upgraded line. The modernization work is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2018. The modernization of line No. 3 is aimed at reaching the quality level of Acerinox’ new cold strip processing line No. 5, also supplied by Andritz and currently in the commissioning phase.

Switzerland Swiss Steel to install quality management system. Swiss Steel has awarded MET/Con, a company of SMS group, the order to supply a PQA® Product Quality Analyzer for quality management along the complete production chain at the Emmenbrücke works. Swiss Steel, member of the Schmolz + Bickenbach Group, produces about 600,000 t/year of engineering steel at Emmenbrücke. The new PQA® Product Quality Analyzer from MET/Con is going to be implemented at Emmenbrücke as a pilot for a group-wide Industry 4.0 initiative.

With this quality management system, Swiss Steel aims to further enhance the quality level along the entire production chain, achieve more stability in the production process and further improve on-time delivery performance. The system to be supplied is an integrated IT solution operating on knowledge-based expert rules. Use will be made of an advanced software and database solution from SMS group company QuinLogic.

Switzerland Swiss Steel orders walking beam furnace for wire mill. Andritz has received an order from Swiss Steel for the supply, installation and start-up of a new walking beam furnace with an output of 150 t/h for heating the continuous-cast billets at the Emmenbrücke plant. The turnkey furnace plant

INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS to be delivered by Andritz Maerz, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, essentially comprises the refractory lining, the transport system, the inlet and discharge machinery, the combustion plant and the mathematical furnace model to optimize the various thermal furnace operating modes. Upstream of the furnace will be a buffer bed with separating system as well as a feed conveyor with automatic billet identification and the capability to remove faulty billets. The feed conveyor between the furnace and the wire rolling mill will also be part of the scope of supply. Start-up of the equipment is scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of 2019.

ers (Nos. 2 and 3). The new plants will be installed next to the existing caster No. 1 at Kryvyi Rih. With the new process route in place, more construction steel billets will be continuously cast at this site, gradually replacing ingot casting. By changing the process route to continuous casting, the plant will be in a position to produce higher-quality billets at a lower cost. It is planned to produce 2.8 million t/year of quality billets. The scope of supply of SMS group S.p.A. will include two twin-ladle furnaces with a capacity of 160 t each, a water treatment plant, a material handling system and a fume treatment plant. SMS Concast will supply two six-strand continuous billet casting plants. Commissioning is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.

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action to acquire 100% of the shares of Lysva Metallurgical Company (LMC Group), which includes Lysva Metallurgical Company, Lysva Metallurgical Plant and the Insajur-Autotrade-TL trading company. LMC is Russia’s only producer of electrogalvanized coated rolled products. LMC has a capacity of 350,000 t/year.

Companies

VDMA merges specialist associations. VDMA, network organization for mechanical engineering in Europe, has formed a new joint association. VDMA Metallurgy is the name of the specialist association resulting from the merger of the previous specialist associations Foundry Machinery, Metallurgical Plants and Rolling Mills, and Thermo Process Technology, which are now specialist sections within the new body.

MMK acquires Lysva Metallurgical Company. Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works has completed a trans-

CMC acquires assets of MMFX. Commercial Metals Company (CMC)

Ukraine ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih orders secondary metallurgy plants and continuous billet casters. PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih has awarded SMS group the contract to supply two secondary metallurgy plants and two six-strand continuous billet cast-

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MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, CMC Steel Fabricators, Inc., has acquired substantially all of the assets of MMFX Technologies Corporation. MMFX markets, sells and licenses the production of proprietary specialty steel products, including its Chr mX line of high strength, corrosion-resistant rebar. MMFX operates out of Irvine, California, and its products are sold throughout the United States and Canada.

Fives acquires intellectual property from Imec. Fives has acquired the intellectual property and knowhow of the tube and pipe division of Italy‘s Imec Engineering. The acquired portfolio covers the technological expertise in four segments of Imec Engineering: polishing, finishing, packaging and handling in the steel and energy sectors.

Tenova joins anti-corruption collective action initiative. The Metals Technology Industry (MTI) Anti-Corruption Collective Action Initiative has recently expanded its membership. Tenova S.p.A. has joined the three founding members of the Initiative, Danieli & C Meccaniche S.p.A., Primetals Technologies Limit-

ed and SMS GmbH, in their anti-corruption collective action efforts. The MTI Collective Action Initiative provides a forum for the members to develop anti-corruption compliance best practices to ensure fair competition in the metals technology industry in the countries in which they operate. The Collective Action Initiative is facilitated by the International Centre for Collective Action ICCA, a Swiss-based non-profit anti-corruption competency centre within the Basel Institute on Governance.

Schmolz + Bickenbach takes over parts of Asco Industries.

Schmolz + Bickenbach has received permission to takeover of substantial assets of Asco Industries, France. The acquisition of Asco Industries assets is in accordance with the strategy of Schmolz + Bickenbach to play an active role in the consolidation of the European special long steel industry.

The successful acquisition creates one of the leading European companies in high value long steel products.

NLMK Engineering and WISDRI sign cooperation agreement.

NLMK Engineering, one of the leading design institutes in the Russian steel

sector, and the Chinese state engineering company WISDRI Engineering & Research Incorporation, have signed a master cooperation agreement. The term of the agreement is three years. It covers collaboration on investment projects by NLMK Group and other steel companies. The companies are planning to collaborate on developing basic engineering, design and work documentation for projects to upgrade and develop steelmaking operations in Russia.

Reorganization and executive appointments at BlueScope. BlueScope’s incoming managing director and chief executive officer, Mark Vasella, has announced his new management team. After 10 years as chief financial officer, Charlie Elias, will become chief executive of NS Bluescope, a joint venture with NSSMC, and have responsibility for BlueScope China.

The current BlueScope Australia and New Zealand, which had been led by Mark Vasella, will be split into two separate businesses: Australian Steel Products and New Zealand & Pacific Islands.

Cooperation between Japan Engineering Network and SMS group. Japan Engineering Network,

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MPT International 1 / 2018

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INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS Co. (JEN) and SMS group K.K., based in Tokyo, Japan, have signed a business partnership agreement on repair services for continuous casting moulds.

JEN will perform after-sales activities in close cooperation with SMS group for the new fibre-optics-based condition monitoring system HD moldFO. SMS group’s service offer will also include mould coating with the UniGuard™ coating technology.

RHI Magnesita completes merger control divestments. As previously disclosed, the European Commission approved the combination of RHI AG and Magnesita Refratarios S.A. subject to the divestment of RHI AG’s entire dolomite business and Magnesita’s production, sale, and related activities of magnesia-carbon bricks in the European Economic Area. In September 2017, RHI AG and Magnesita agreed to sell these plants to Intocast Aktiengesellschaft Feuerfest-Produkte und Gießhilfsmittel. The disposal was subject to, among other conditions, buyer approval by the European Commission, which has meanwhile been obtained. RHI Magnesita has completed its merger control divestments for a consideration of 42.6 million euros.

Wuppermann sells group companies. The Wuppermann Group has signed the sales contract for five of its companies, specifically at the locations Thalgau in Austria, Holýšov in the Czech Republic, and Herbolzheim and Burgbernheim, both in Germany. The buyer is the German Lafayette Mittelstand Capital, a privately backed investment firm, with a focus on midsized companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The new businesses, though run by Lafayette, will initially keep the name Wuppermann.

Additive Industries and SMS group team up for industrial additive manufacturing. Additive Industries and SMS group have agreed to develop and jointly market a production system for additive manufacturing on an industrial scale. In joining

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forces, the two companies bring with them specialist expertise in both core additive manufacturing technologies: the manufacture of metal powder and 3D printing. The production concept will not just encompass powder manufacturing and 3D printing but other stages, too, right up to delivery of the finished component. The first visible sign of this collaboration will be the Democenter, which is to be set up at SMS’s facility in Mönchengladbach in the next few months.

Alacero delegates expect strengthening of economic activity and steel demand. After four years of deceleration and crisis, prominent analysts and industry representatives at the Latin American Steel Conference – Alacero-58, see a reversal of the situation, in part due to Argentina and Brazil, best world trade conditions, the recovery of commodities and global growth. Also according to the latest International Monetary Fund forecast, the region growth will be 1.9% for 2018. Likewise, steel drivers in the region, such as industrial production, will be in line with economic expectations, averaging positive values for the first time since 2013. Another issue mentioned during Alacero-58 was Chinese exports to Latin America.

Here an increase of 11% (8.5 million t) is expected for 2018.

EUROFER criticizes agreement on emissions trading system reform. Negotiations on the reform of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) have been concluded after a more than two year legislative process.

While the agreement improves on the initial proposal in some places, it falls short of securing a global level playing field for the EU steel industry, exposed as it is to fierce global competition. According to Axel Eggert, director general of EUROFER, the final agreement adjusts some elements in the initial proposal, but it would have been possible to have developed a better package, one that could have balanced climate protection whilst limiting the impact upon industrial competitiveness. In particular, the recognition of the full MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS

carbon content of unavoidable waste gases used in power plants – which is vital if realistic steel benchmarks are to be set – has not been reflected in the final text.

alongside Robert Gruss, managing director for sales, service, technology and R&D, and Franz-W. Aumund, president. Jens Müller has taken over from Andreas Klottka, who had carried out this role on an interim basis in addition to his responsibilities as managing director of Aumund Holding B.V.

Events ›

16 – 20 April 2018 Düsseldorf, Germany Organizers: Messe Düsseldorf www.tube-tradefair.com

RHI Magnesita acquires Agellis Group. RHI Magnesita has acquired 100% of the shares of Agellis Group AB, located in Lund, Sweden. Agellis Group specializes in advanced electromagnetic detection systems as well as infra-red technology. The purchase of Agellis Group is a part of RHI Magnesita’s “Ladle to Mould” strategy to extend the product range with advanced measurement technology for both steel and non-ferrous plants. Agellis Group’s products help optimize the molten metal production processes.

Commercial Metals Company names board chairman. Barbara Smith, the president and chief executive officer of Commercial Metals Company, will also become the chairwoman of the board, as Joseph Alvarado, CMC’s current chairman, is retiring from the board.

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Personalities

Outokumpu appoints president. Maciej (Mac) Gwozdz has been appointed president of Outokumpu’s Business Area Europe. Maciej Gwozdz joined Outokumpu in 2016 as executive vice president for Operations, Europe.

Eurocoke Summit 2018. Conference for key decision makers from the coke, coal and steel industries to network and get up-to-speed on the latest technologies, processes and global market forecasts

SunCoke Energy Partners fills executive positions. Frederick A. Henderson has decided to retire as chairman, chief executive officer and president of SunCoke Energy Partners GP LLC. Michael G. Rippey has been appointed as his successor. Rippey, who is currently serving as a senior advisor to Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation and was previously chairman of ArcelorMittal USA, also has been appointed as chief executive officer, president and a director of SunCoke Energy, Inc.

New managing director at Aumund. Aumund Fördertechnik GmbH has a new managing director, Jens Müller, who is responsible for finance, controlling, IT, HR, general admin, purchasing and production, Andreas Klottka, Franz-W. Aumund and Jens Müller (from left)

MPT International 1 / 2018

Tube 2018 – wire 2018. Two international exhibitions for machinery, plant and equipment: Tube 2018, trade fair for the tube and tube processing industry – wire 2018, wire and cable trade fair

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24 – 26 April 2018 Düsseldorf, Germany Organizers: Smithers Apex www.metcokemarkets.com

29 April – 2 May 2018 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Organizers: AGEX (Arabian German Exhibitions) www.arabian-german.com

Maciej (Mac) Gwozdz

Klöckner & Co appoints new chief operating officer. The supervisory board of Klöckner & Co SE has appointed Jens Michael Wegmann as a member of the management board. He takes the newly created position of chief operating officer of the group.

EUROFER re-elects president.

The board of the European Steel Association (EUROFER) has re-elected Geert Van Poelvoorde as president of the organization. Geert Van Poelvoorde is CEO of ArcelorMittal – Flat Carbon Europe, and has nearly 30 years of experience in various positions in the steel sector.

Metal & Steel Saudi Arabia and FABEX Saudi Arabia 2018 . Concurrently held, this international metal, steel manufacturing and metallurgy industry trade fair and the international exhibition for steel structures, tube and pipe, sheet metal, metal forming and steel fabrication will be key events for the steel, metal working, machine tool and related industries in the region.

›

7 – 10 May 2018 Philadelphia, Pa., USA Organizers: Association for Iron & Steel Technology AIST www.AISTech.org

AISTech 2018. AISTech conference and exposition provides a global perspective on the technology and engineering expertise necessary to power a

INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS sustainable steel industry. A key event to demonstrate products and services to the world’s leading steel producers, suppliers, consultants and academics.

›

16 – 19 May 2018 Beijing, China Organizers: CIEC Exhibition Co., Ltd. www.mm-china.com

SEAISI 2018. The Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the South East Asia Iron and Steel Institute (SEAISI) will focus on the theme: ASEAN steel industry – next leap of transformation

›

8 – 13 July 2018 Paris, France Organizers: Mines ParisTech

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www.thermec2018.minesparistech.fr Thermec 2018. The 10th edition of this conference series will cover all aspects of processing, fabrication, applications of both ferrous and non-ferrous materials, composites including biomaterials, fuel cells/hydrogen storage technologies, batteries, supercapacitors, nanomaterials for energy and structural applications, aerospace structural metallic materials, etc.

Metall + Metallurgy China. Largest exhibition in the equipment manufacturing industry in Asia and the second largest in the world.

›

29 May – 1 June 2018 Moscow, Russia Organizers: Messe Düsseldorf Moscow www.tube-tradefair.com

Metallurgy – Litmash.

Two international exhibitions in parallel: Metallurgy: international trade fair for metallurgy technology, processes and metal products – Litmash: international trade fair for foundry technology, supplies and castings

›

13 – 15 June 2018 Venice, Italy Organizers: Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia (AIM) www.aimnet.it

ICS 2018. The 7th International Congress on Science and Technology of Steelmaking will incorporate a conference on heat treatment and surface engineering

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25 – 28 June 2018 Jakarta, Indonesia Organizers: SEAISI (Arabian German Exhibitions) www.seaisi.org

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››› INTERVIEW

Combilift will inaugurate the new factory building in spring 2018

20 years of lifting innovation: Combilift on its impressive growth Combilift – the leading provider of long load handling solutions – celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The company has invested Euro 46 million in a new 46,500 square PHWUH IDFWRU\ EXLOGLQJ ZKLFK ZLOO EH RIƂFLDOO\ LQDXJXUDWHG LQ WKH VSULQJ 037 WDONHG ZLWK &RPELOLIW FR IRXQGHU DQG PDQDJLQJ GLUHFWRU 0DUWLQ 0F9LFDU DERXW WKH FRPSDQ\ŒV JURZWK VLQFH LW SURGXFHG LWV ƂUVW WUXFN \HDUV DJR is now 20 years old. What › Combilift are the milestones in your history?

Martin McVicar: Our growth in the forklift sector has been unparalleled since we produced our first truck 20 years ago. We started as a small manufacturer of what was then seen as a niche product (the multidirectional Combilift) but

Martin McVicar, Combilift, Gallinagh, Co Monaghan, Ireland Contact: www.combilift.com E-mail: martin@combilift.com

MPT International 1 / 2018

this had a massive influence on materials handling procedures across a wide range of industries and is now acknowledged as the safe standard for moving long loads.

So as well as achieving great success for our business we have been able to alter the conventional thinking on materials handling to enable businesses to profit from enhanced safety, lower costs and more streamlined operation.

Our continual investment in R&D – 7% of turnover – will ensure that we remain the main innovators in our sector and to maintain our level of introducing new models into the marketplace.

We aimed to be a major exporter from day one (one of our first machines was exported to Norway) and we have manufactured over 38,000 units to date. We now export to over 75 countries around the world and have played our part in boosting the local and national economy.

is moving to a new lo› Combilift cation. What is the rationale behind this investment?

Martin McVicar: Since the company was established in 1998 we have ex-

INTERVIEW

‹‹‹

Martin McVicar presenting one of the latest Combilift

Equipped with a unique 4-way steering system the Combilift

4-way units

can travel sideways with long loads

perienced exceptional growth over the years so needed to move to a much larger facility to increase the capacity of our production lines to enable us to keep pace with orders. We manufactured 5,000 units in 2017, but demand for our products is such that we need to substantially increase this in the next few years.

This will be our third “home” in Co. Monaghan; we started out in quite a small factory in the rural village of Clontibret, we moved onto a larger site in 2006 but outgrew this fairly quickly too. So we decided to invest €46m in a new global headquarters on 40 hectare green field site on the edge of Monaghan Town, which will be the largest single manufacturing unit under one roof in Ireland. The company’s roots and expertise are in Monaghan and we would never move away from this area, so we chose the industrial zoned piece of land on the edge of the town which is close to major roads links.

are you expanding your pro› Why duction capacities?

Martin McVicar: We originally made our name when we invented the world’s first multidirectional all-wheel drive IC engine powered forklift – the Combilift, which was designed as a niche product for handling long loads in confined spaces. But since then we have developed on average two new models a year and we are now equally well known for our wide range of solutions which encompass pedestrian stacker trucks, straddle carriers, 2-way and 4-way sideloaders and VNA articulated forklifts.

This is one of the reasons why we needed to expand production: as our range of products has expanded, so has the number of industry sectors that want to use them. We are also branching out into new geographical markets such as South America and Asia, so demand has never been greater. The steel and metal sectors make up a large proportion of our customers, but the range of industries that use our products is pretty much endless – from A – Z almost. In the steel and metal sectors customers range from producers

21

e.g Gerdau in Brazil, fabricators e.g Canam Steel in North America, stockholders e.g. AJN Steel in England and steel service centres e.g. BSS in England.

› What’s your recent innovation?

Martin McVicar: Of particular interest for the steel sector is the growing range of Straddle Carriers we offer for very heavy loads. These are able to lift and transport full truck-loads of steel

About Combilift If someone is interested in improving handling and storage procedures it is worth visiting Combilift, maybe at a trade show where the staff always impress visitors with their enthusiasm for innovations in handling operations. Combilift is the global market leader in the long load handling sector and manufactures a wide range of 4-way forklifts. It has also become known for its range of other innovative handling solutions such as Straddle Carriers and pedestrian models.

Combilift was established in 1998 by Martin McVicar and Robert Moffett in Monaghan, Ireland who used their combined decades of engineering expertise to create the ultimate long-load material handling solution – the Combilift.

Combilift has since grown to become the global leader in its sector and its products can be found in over 75 markets worldwide. There are more than 38,000 units in operation around the world and the company’s global growth is supported by a widespread network of international distributors.

Martin McVicar started his career in engineering with a summer job at truck-mounted forklift manufacturers Moffett Engineering, where he quickly moved on to become Moffett’s Chief Engineer before he was 20.

When the company was sold in 1997, Martin set up Combilift together with Robert Moffett. Martin’s business acumen was recognised early on in the company’s history when he was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the age of just 29. Martin continues to develop new additions to the Combilift range of products and to travel widely to explore new markets and applications for this ingenious product.

MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› INTERVIEW Straddle carriers are able to lift and transport full truck-loads of steel and ensure safe and productive handling

Wholesale distributor to the shipbuilding industry De Boer Staal (based near Amsterdam) for example can unload ten loads from one trailer a day with its 35t capacity Combi-SC (a remote controlled model) compared with five using a crane. The machine’s small turning circle and manoeuvrability has also enabled the company to accommodate 50% more stock.

Safety is of crucial importance too and UK based structural steelwork fabricator Frank H. Dale has significantly reduced the number of forklift movements by thousands a year by replacing old side loaders with a Combi-SC - resulting in safer working practices and a reduced environmental impact.

Combilift 4-way handling solutions Combilift 4-way forklifts are designed for the safe, space saving and productive handling of the large and bulky loads typically handled in the metals sector. By eliminating the need to travel with elevated long loads, they provide greater stability and the integrated platform with low center of gravity also ensures a more stable base. The unique 4-way steering system allows the units to travel sideways with long loads, giving the user multi-directional capability and substantial space savings compared with using conventional forklifts.

The trucks work as counterbalance, sideloader, and narrow-aisle forklifts enabling users to maximise available storage in and around the warehouse. Sideways travel with loads resting on the platform enables Combilifts to work in aisle widths of just 2 metres, avoiding the need for hazardous high level transportation of long loads and significantly improving safety procedures. With fully synchronised 4-way steering guaranteeing excellent manoeuvrability and versatility, Combilifts can be deployed from the initial stages of offloading raw materials, during the manufacturing process, through to the handling, storage and dispatch of finished product. Capacities in the 4-way series range from 2.5t to 25t, with a choice of diesel, LPG and AC electric power options to suit customers’ specific applications. With the Combi-SC straddle carrier range, lift capacities of over 80t can be achieved for handling extremely heavy and oversized loads.

of 30/35tonnes and are a much safer and more productive alternative than using other methods for handling such products. Any heavy duty forklifts powerful enough to lift 35t are extremely large, very expensive and have MPT International 1 / 2018

a high unladen weight. Fixed overhead cranes are by nature limited to use in one specific area. The light own weight of the Combi-SC is also an advantage as customers do not have to worry about extra ground reinforcement.

We are also extending the scope and lift capacities of electric powered models in accordance with some customer requirements, particularly in countries where electric is the preferred power option.

are your ambitions for the › What years to come? What’s next for Combilift?

Martin McVicar: In the last five years alone for example our business has more than doubled. This makes us one of the fastest growing forklift manufacturers worldwide. We aim to double output and therefore turnover in the next five years and the capacity of the new factory will enable us to achieve this target.

We are very keen on investing in training and apprenticeship schemes and will focusing on this to develop a locally based skilled work force. We work with the local education board and run the OEM Traineeship in Engineering & Manufacturing Technology. This traineeship involves a mix of work-based learning placements at Combilift and theoretical and practical training at the local College.

you very much for the in› Thank terview

24

â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş IRONMAKING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; STEELMAKING

Deployment of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat integrated iron and steel complex in Vietnam Hoa Phat Group is erecting a new 4 million t/year integrated iron and steel works at D JUHHQĆ&#x201A;HOG VLWH LQ FHQWUDO 9LHWQDP 2QFH FRPSOHWHG WKH QHZ VWHHO PLOO ZLOO SURGXFH bar and wire products for demanding applications in the construction sector and also KLJK TXDOLW\ KRW UROOHG FRLOV +RD 3KDW 'XQJ 4XDW ,URQ 6WHHO &RPSOH[ LV VFKHGXOHG WR FRPPHQFH SURGXFWLRQ LQ

Contract signing ceremony for the hot strip mill; front left: Mai Van Ha, director Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel JSC, front right: Giacomo Mareschi Danieli, Co-CEO at Danieli & C. (Picture: Danieli)

Hoa Phat Group is one of the leading steel manufacturers in Vietnam.

Hoa Phat Steel JSC, founded by the group, started steel production in De-

Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel JSC, a subsidiary of Hoa Phat Group, Hanoi, Vietnam Contact: www.hoaphat.com.vn Danieli & C. S.p.A., Buttrio, Italy Contact: www.danieli.com E-mail: info@danieli.it

MPT International 1 / 2018

cember 2009 at a 2 million t/year integrated iron and steel works in the Kinh Mon district in the Hai Duong province to the east of Hanoi in Northern Vietnam.

For some years, Hoa Phat Group has been developing an ambitious expansion project. The group is building a second large-scale integrated iron and steel works in the Dung Quat economic zone in the Quang Ngai province in central Vietnam (to the south of Da Nang city).

This completely new steel complex will add another 4.5 million t to the

groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual steelmaking capacity: 2 million t/year of long steel products (for construction, drawing steel) and 2.5 million t/year of hot rolled coils.

The new Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel Complex is a milestone for both the Hoa Phat Group and the Vietnamese steel industry.

In March 2017, Hoa Phat Group started the deployment phase 1 of the Dung Quat project. The company placed the orders for some main production equipment with leading international plant suppliers: Danieli group, SMS group, WISDRI E. & R. and others.

IRONMAKING – STEELMAKING Four high-capacity blast furnaces Danieli Corus has been awarded the contract for the design, supply and supervision of installation of four greenfield blast furnaces. The scope of the project also includes the hot blast mains, bustle mains, tuyere assemblies, Level 2 automation systems and pulverized coal injection systems.

Each of the four blast furnaces will have a 1,080 m³ working volume and be designed for an annual production of 1 million t of hot metal. The furnaces will be equipped with the Danieli Corus high conductivity cooling and lining design based on copper plate coolers combined with graphite and silicon carbide refractories. The four blast furnaces will be completed and commissioned in sequence, with the fourth one being scheduled for delivering the first hot metal in 2019.

The ironmaking base will be supported by an advanced and environmentally friendly coke plant. Coke production will implement heat recovery cokemaking and dry quenching technologies. The coke oven gas will fuel industrial furnaces and an adjacent power plant.

parts of the dust collecting system will be manufactured in the SMS group workshop. Furthermore, the SMS group scope of supply will also include the engineering, supervision of the erection and commissioning activities and training of the customer staff. The converter shop will be equipped with X-Pact® electrical and automation systems.

Commissioning of the first two converters (meltshop No. 1) is scheduled for 2018, while converters three and four are planned to be commissioned in 2019. In total, the steelmaking plant is designed for the production of 4 million t/year of liquid steel.

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25

Long products casting and rolling plant equipment Hoa Phat Group selected Danieli as technological supplier for the long products casting and rolling plants and for the plant automation. Danieli will provide three 6-strand continuous casters, which will produce billets in a range of 130 to 165 mm. The continuous casting machines will be equipped with Fast Cast Cube® moulds and Hy-Power® oscillation drive systems that will guarantee high performance and low operational costs.

Two new rolling mills from Danieli will be directly connected to the billet

Two converter shops with state-of-the-art steelmaking equipment Hoa Phat Group has placed the order for the supply of the steelmaking plant equipment with a consortium consisting of SMS group GmbH andWISDRI Engineering & Research Incorporation Ltd. The steelmaking facilities will comprise two converter shops with a total of four basic oxygen furnaces (BOF / converters), i.e. two converters per shop.

The SMS group scope of supply will comprise the four converters, with a capacity of 120 t each, including oxygen lance systems, converter lining facilities, converter tilt drives and the maintenance-free lamella suspension developed by SMS group. All converters will be equipped with dry electrostatic precipitator (ESP) primary dust collecting systems from SMS group. The converters, trunnion rings, converter tilt drives and

Charging of a BOF converter (Picture: SMS group)

The plant will comprise three 6-strand billet conticasters to produce 130 to 165 mm square billets (Picture: Danieli) MPT International 1 / 2018

26

››› IRONMAKING – STEELMAKING perform dual step rolling. The hot strip mill will come with a laminar cooling system, including power and normal units, pinch rolls, downcoilers and a coil handling system.

Danieli Automation is going to provide the complete electrical and automation package, including instrumentation and drives. The QSP control system will be based on the HI-PAC industrial platform. Danieli Construction will handle the erection of all technological equipment supplied.

The QSP rolling mill will be designed and configured to allow future installation of a crop shear and an additional rolling stand F5 at the finishing mill, for further expansion of the product mix.

Single process-control pulpit of a hot strip mill (Picture: Danieli)

Hoa Phat Steel to enter hot strip market by 2019

Wire rod from dia. 5.5 mm to 16 mm to be produced in coils weighing up to 3 t (Picture: Danieli)

casters in order to operate in hot charging mode. The rolling mills will provide a high production capacity even when producing small diameters of bars and wire rod. Danieli Automation will also deliver the complete electrical and automation systems featuring user-friendly interfaces. The Danieli Automation Q-HEAT on-line induction heating system will enable efficient, uniform and flexible temperature control of the billets. Rolling mill No. 1 will be designed for an annual production capacity of 600,000 t of wire rod and bar. Rolling mill No. 2 will be made for an annual production capacity of 1.4 million t of bar.

MPT International 1 / 2018

Hoa Phat Steel is also erecting a production line for hot rolled coils (HRC) with strip thicknesses ranging from 1.5 to 12.0 mm and widths from 900 to 1,500 mm. The hot strip mill will be designed for flexible production of quality and commercial grades, with excellent geometrical and mechanical strip properties. Startup of the hot strip mill is expected by 2019.

Hoa Phat Steel relies on Danieli QSP technology (thin slab casting and rolling) to enter the HRC sector. The plant design concept foresees expanding production by adding two segments to the slab casters and an additional downcoiler to the rolling mill at a later stage (Phase II).

The configuration of the QSP technology provides the possibility to produce both commercial and special steels, including API grades. Two vertical-curved thin-slab casters will produce 70- to 85-mm-thin slabs. The continuous casting machines will be designed for dynamic soft reduction, covering the whole product mix with a single mould.

The twin-strand shuttle furnace provided by Danieli Centro Combustion will connect the slab casters to the rolling mill. The QSP rolling mill will have a 2 + 4-stand configuration, i.e. separation into two high-reduction stands and four finishing stands, in order to

Conclusion and outlook The Hoa Phat Dung Quat Iron & Steel Complex has a total investment volume of VND 52,000 billion (approx.

US$ 2.3 billion). Once completed, the new iron and steel works will have a capacity of 4 million t/year. The project is divided into two phases and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

The Dung Quat Iron and Steel Complex will create jobs for 8,000 employees. The project will contribute to a significant increase in industrial output and services for both, Hoa Phat Group and the central Vietnam region.

As a future expansion project Hoa Phat Group will build a new production line for high-strength steel products for the construction sector, i.e. PC strand, PC bar and PC wire. The management board of the Hoa Phat Group has recently approved a total investment budget of more than VND 1,000 billion (approx. US$ 44 million) for this additional project. The new rolling mill will be designed for an annual capacity of 160,000 t. It will be the first production plant for PC strand, PC bar and PC wire in Vietnam and significantly substitute imports. This is also an important step towards extending the value chain and exploiting the advanced steelmaking potential at the Dung Quat Integrated Iron & Steel Complex.

The new PC products will perfectly meet the demand of the construction sector for domestic infrastructure projects, contributing to Vietnam’s initiative for developing investments and reducing dependence on imports.

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28

››› CONTINUOUS CASTING

Formosa Ha Tinh Steel starts up production of slabs, billets and DNQQOU CV VJG PGY ITGGPƂGNF UKVG Two slab casters and one bloom caster were commissioned within just three days in mid 2017. The billet caster also entered service as soon as the liquid steel production was fully up to speed two months later. The casting plants belong to one of the largest JUHHQƂHOG SURMHFWV ZRUOGZLGH LQ UHFHQW \HDUV

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With the successful commissioning of the continuous casters supplied

by Primetals Technologies the new Ha Tinh Steelworks in Vietnam started operations. The new steel mill is operated by the Vietnamese Formosa Ha Tinh Steel Corporation, a subsidiary of the Taiwanese Formosa Plastic Group. The Group has built the new steelworks complex in Vung Anh Economic Zone, Central Vietnam, one of

Primetals Technologies, Ltd. – a joint venture of Siemens, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Partners, London, UK Contact: www.primetals.com E-mail: rainer.schulze@primetals.com

MPT International 1 / 2018

the largest greenfield projects worldwide in recent years.

Within a period of only three days in early June 2017, Primetals Technologies commissioned three continuous casters for the Ha Tinh Steelworks. All three casters started in fully automated mode with an automatic start of casting and Level 2 functions. The project comprises ▪ two slab casters (5.4 million t/year), ▪ one six-strand bloom caster (1.5 million t/year), ▪ one eight-strand billet caster (1.2 million t/year) Formosa Heavy Industries awarded the order for these plants to Primetals Technologies at the end of 2012. Concluding the project, Formosa Ha Thin Steel issued the final acceptance cer-

tificates for all four continuous casting plants in October and November 2017.

Slabs made from low, medium and high carbon grades as well as peritectic steels Primetals Technologies supplied a pair of two-strand continuous slab casters for the new steelworks. The two 2-strand slab casters are each designed for the production of 2.7 million metric tons of slabs per year, made from low, medium and high carbon grades as well as peritectic steels. Slabs of between 900 and 1,880 mm in width and with thicknesses of between 210 and 270 mm can be produced. The bow-type casters with straight mould and segmented strand

CONTINUOUS CASTING containment have a radius of ten meters.

They are equipped with a SmartMould and Dynaflex mould oscillation device.

To optimize the casting process and ensure high internal and surface slab quality, Primetals Technologies installed a series of technology packages, including the LevCon mould-level control system, the MouldExpert breakout detection system, DynaWidth for adjustment of the slab width and Smart Segments for rapid changes in slab thicknesses. A combination of the Dynacs 3D cooling model, the DynaJet spray cooling system and internally cooled I-Star rolls provide maximum flexibility in secondary cooling, which is an essential prerequisite to the high slab surface quality. The use of DynaGap Soft Reduction makes it possible to precisely determine the point of final strand solidification.

This permits precise regulation of the roll gap and results in high internal

slab quality. The project also included the entire basic and process automation systems of both slab casters.

Bloom caster and billet caster for a broad product range The bloom caster has an annual production capacity of 1.5 million t of blooms with dimensions of 260 mm x 300 mm and 360 mm x 450 mm. A number of different carbon and alloy steels can be cast, e.g. for spring, forging, wire, tire cord and bearing application. The bloom caster has been designed as bow-type caster with a radius of 14 meters and is equipped with a plate mould with a Dynaflex hydraulic oscillating device, a mould electro-magnetic stirrer (M-EMS) and DynaGap soft reduction technology.

The billet caster has an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tons of billets

‹‹‹

29

with square cross sections ranging between 130 mm and 180 mm and lengths of up to twelve meters. It is designed for the casting of a wide variety of different steel grades. Emphasis has been placed on low-carbon and medium-carbon grades as well as on alloyed steels. The bow-type caster has a radius of nine meters and is equipped with a Diamould tube mould including a Dynaflex hydraulic oscillating device, an M-EMS and a final electromagnetic stirrer (F-EMS).

At both plants, the billet caster and the bloom caster, the strand guide and straightening zones are equipped with internally cooled rollers, while secondary cooling is realized by means of water and air nozzles. The Primetals Technologies scope of supply encompassed engineering and supply, including the basic and process automation systems as well as the supervisory service for installation and start up.

World crude steel output increases by 5.3% in 2017 STEEL STATISTICS According to worldsteel, global crude steel production reached 1,691.2 million t for the year 2017, up by 5.3% compared to 2016. Crude steel production increased in all regions in 2017 except in the CIS, which has remained stable (subject to current estimates).

Annual production for Asia was 1,162.5 million t of crude steel in 2017, an increase of 5.4% compared to 2016. China’s crude steel production in 2017 reached 831.7 million t, up by 5.7% on 2016. China’s share of world crude steel production increased from 49.0% in 2016 to 49.2% in 2017. Japan produced 104.7 million t in 2017, down by -0.1% compared to 2016. India’s crude steel production for 2017 was 101.4 million t, up by 6.2% on 2016. South Korea produced 71.1 million t of crude steel in 2017, an increase of 3.7% compared to 2016.

In 2017, the EU (28) produced 168.7 million t of crude steel, an increase of 4.1% compared to 2016. Italy produced 24.0 million t in 2017, up by 2.9% on 2016. Spain produced 14.5 million t of crude steel in 2017, an increase of 6.2% compared to 2016.

Crude steel production in North America was 116.0 million t, 4.8% higher than in 2016. The US produced 81.6 million t of crude steel, up by 4.0% on 2016. worldsteel’s estimation of 2017 crude steel production in the CIS based on available data was 102.1 million t, the same amount as in 2016. Russia expects 71.3 million t of crude steel produced in 2017, up by 1.3% on 2016. Ukraine expects

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a decrease of -6.4% with a year-end figure of 22.7 million t.

(Since December production figures for Russia and Ukraine have not been confirmed, thus their annual production figures are estimates.)

Annual crude steel production for South America was 43.7 million t in 2017, an increase of 8.7% on 2016. Brazil produced 34.4 million t in 2017, up by 9.9% compared to 2016.

YYY YQTFUVGGN QTI MPT International 1 / 2018

30

â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş CONTINUOUS CASTING

Giant continuous bloom steel caster starts production at Taewoong, South Korea Taewoong successfully produces dia. 1,000 mm round blooms on a new continuous casting machine from SMS Concast, a company of SMS group. With a casting radius of 18 m the machine is able to cast round blooms with diameters from 310 mm up to PP 7KLV PDUNV D PLOHVWRQH LQ WKH KLVWRU\ RI FRQWLQXRXV FDVWLQJ DV LW LV WKH Ć&#x201A;UVW plant producing dia. 1,000 mm blooms in a bend continuous casting process on an industrial scale.

Taewoong Co., Ltd. in Busan, South Korea has expanded its product portfolio and its value chain with the threestrand bloom caster delivered by SMS Concast, a company of SMS group.

With the commissioning of the new continuous caster, Taewoong no longer

the production is further processed in Taewoongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own forge shops, however around 10% is to be exported worldwide as high-quality starting material for the forging industry. Taewoongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customers also include European manufacturers of anti-friction bearings for

right up to tool steels and stainless steels (including both ferritic and austenitic). The most important criterion when designing the continuous casting plant was achieving the maximum bloom section size of dia. 1,000 mm.

In order to maintain low levels of elon-

Taewoong is able to produce ø 1,000 mm blooms in a bend continuous casting process on an industrial scale

depends on qualified suppliers, and instead uses its own blooms as high-quality starting material for its forged products, for example seamless rolled rings.

On a related note, Taewoong has also awarded SMS the order for two new ring rolling machines.

The new continuous caster has an annual capacity of 800,000 t. Part of

SMS Concast AG, ZĂźrich, Switzerland Contact: www.sms-concast.ch E-mail: concast.info@sms-group.com

MPT International 1 / 2018

heavy industrial machinery and special-purpose applications. Taewoong ranks as one of the few companies in the world to supply blooms made from high-end steel grades within this dimensional range.

Design concept of the casting machine Taewoongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s product range encompasses a vast array of different steel families. From simple carbon steels with higher purity requirements, through various engineering steels

gation on the strand surface and solidification front, a casting radius of 18 m was chosen. Here SMS Concast was able to draw on its extensive experience with plants for section sizes up to 800 mm round. Using a casting radius that has been increased from 16.5 m to 18 m ensures the elongation within the straightening zone remains below permissible values, even in the case of grades which are susceptible to cracking. The result is that 100% of the blooms can be produced without cracks.

In addition to the challenge of designing a plant for large dia. 800 and 1,000

CONTINUOUS CASTING mm rounds, the requirements of “smaller” sizes, i.e. dia. 300 to 600 mm rounds, also had to be taken into consideration to ensure these could be produced efficiently. For this purpose the three-strand caster is equipped with two outer strands that cover the entire product range, and a middle strand that is used for smaller sizes only. This way the caster throughput always perfectly matches the liquid steel supply of the melt shop. Also blooms of different sizes can be cast simultaneously on the three strands (up to three different formats at the same time!).

The casting platform features stateof-the-art equipment. A newly developed drive concept for the tundish cars enables perfect positioning of the tundish in the casting position.

The well-established CONFLOW stopper mechanism is used for mould level control and provides excellent mould level stability. For large blooms an eddy current mould level sensor is used for measuring the mould level, while a radiometric mould level sensor is used for smaller blooms.

All formats are cast using CONVEX moulds. Its special inner shape ensures excellent guidance of the strand shell in the mould and perfectly even shell growth without surface defects such as longitudinal or transversal depressions or cracks. The oscillation system is spring-guided and the hydraulic oscillation drive allows the stroke and frequency to be adjusted continuously during operation.

‹‹‹

31

Withdrawal straightening unit of the new continuous casting machine

Caster segments and withdrawal section The round formats are self-supporting and do not require a long segment with containment rolls. This means space is available for ideal secondary spray cooling of the strand. Due to the very low specific cooling volumes for certain steels, the entire secondary cooling section is equipped with airmist nozzles that allow the cooling intensity to be adjusted particularly well over a wide range depending on the requirements of the various steel grades.

The metallurgists are able to optimize the cooling system with the aid of an online solidification model.

As a result of the low casting speed of the big 800 mm and 1,000 mm rounds, there is a risk that the strand surface cools down to a temperature range

Yong-do Huh, chairman and founder of Taewoong (left), and Luis Hernandez, CEO of SMS Concast, with a 1,000-mm round bloom, cast at Taewoong, South Korea.

within the secondary ductility minimum for certain steel grades. In this case there is a high risk of transversal straightening cracks forming on the inner radius of the strand surface. To prevent this, the continuous caster is equipped with flameless heaters. This ensures the surface temperature of the strand remains safely above the critical temperature and all steel grades are produced without any cracks.

The withdrawal straightening modules are designed for dynamic, mechanical soft reduction and supplied as dual modules.

The dummy bar is removed after separation from the hot strand and fed into the mould from the top to ensure a fast sequence change. This means the time for restranding is reduced by around 70% compared to a dummy bar that is fed into the mould from below.

MPT International 1 / 2018

32

››› CONTINUOUS CASTING

To guarantee a secure connection between the dummy bar and hot strand during restranding, SMS Concast refined the patented CONSEAL system for sealing the dummy bar head and has adapted it for use with the largest blooms. This drastically reduces the time needed to seal the dummy bar head, while further enhancing the safety and reliability of the restranding process at the same time.

The plant is equipped with CONSTIR mould, strand and final stirrers.

The different steel grades and section sizes result in very different tertiary cooling requirements. Therefore a flexible concept was needed for the discharge and controlled cooling of the blooms. Depending on the format and steel grade, the blooms can ▪ be directly hot charged from the continuous caster into the forge shop, ▪ be cooled in the open air, ▪ be slow cooled in a controlled manner in cooling pits.

It goes without saying that the plant is equipped with state-of-the-art Level 1 and Level 2 automation systems. The Level 2 system allows detailed tracking of the strand quality. For this purpose the quality-related casting parameters are recorded relative to the strand length and allocated to the relevant strand slices. By comparing these with the quality models stored, any deviations from the setpoints input for the bloom can be picked up early on in the production process. These data can also be used for downstream production processes.

Excellent bloom quality since the early beginning The continuous caster went into operation in late autumn 2016. By January 2017 it was casting all the required formats and steel grades, including austenitic stainless steels. The quality results obtained to date show that all steel grades were produced virtually crack-free. The blooms show high values for the equiaxed centre zone of 45 to 65%. Also the values for centre porosity are very low and are negligible for a large number of blooms.

Blooms are processed at new ring rolling plants Taewoong, which was founded in 1981, has established itself as a manMPT International 1 / 2018

ø 1,000-mm round blooms at the torch cutting machine

Exit section of the three-strand continuous bloom caster at Taewoong

ufacturer of quality products, thanks in particular to its high-precision, large-scale forged products of up to 150 t, which it supplies to both the domestic market and export markets that include Canada, the USA, Japan, and Europe. Taewoong has six opendie forging presses with press forces of 15,000, 8,000, 5,000, 3,500, 2,000 and 1,500 t. Material grades range from carbon steels through low-alloy steel grades right up to tool steels, stainless steels, alloyed steels, and aluminium alloys. Depending on the customer’s requirements the products can be delivered as finish-machined, semi-finished or heat-treated products, or forged only. One of Taewoong’s par-

ticular strengths is that it is able to manufacture seamless rolled rings with large diameters, which is why Taewoong is now Asia’s largest ring producer and, thanks to its extensive expertise and plant equipment, is capable of producing a variety of large-diameter rings and special-purpose products for which there is worldwide demand.

In terms of seamless rolled ring production, Taewoong has been placing its trust for decades in the plant solutions offered by SMS group. Past orders delivered by SMS group include both piercing presses and ring rolling machines.

As early as 2002 Taewoong took delivery of an RAW 630(800)/500(630)9500/2500, a machine for rings with

www.vip-kommunikation.de

www.siempelkamp.com

Precise rings – even from very demanding materials – can be rolled utilizing Siempelkamp’s latest process control along with our innovative machine design.

Our quick change tooling system enables customers to react quickly and meet the demands of even small batch sizes.”

Jim Kravec Global Sales Manager Ring Rolling

34

››› CONTINUOUS CASTING

a record-breaking diameter of 9,000 mm and a height of up to 2,500 mm.

The rolling capability of this machine is characterized by the following parameters: ▪ radial rolling force: 630 t (max. 800 t) ▪ axial rolling force: 500 t (max. 630 t) As a result of its positive experience and the long-standing partnership, Taewoong has expanded its ring plant and production portfolio with SMS group. A further ring rolling plant is currently being built, and for this Taewoong is going to install two SMS group ring rolling lines, one of type RiWa 8000/400 and the other RiWa 5000/160. The rings will primarily be used for wind power, chemical and petrochemical plants, shipbuilding, marine propulsion and power plant applications.

Fast commissioning despite special size requirements The starting material for the new ring rolling machines is supplied by the new three-strand continuous caster. For Taewoong this is an important and logical step that allows it to produce the starting material itself, particularly the one required for large forged products, in accordance with its own high quality standards. Viewed in this light, the world record diameter of 1,000 mm is a means to an end. Nevertheless, both plant owner and machine builder are proud that, in terms of process engineering, they were able to break this new ground together without any hitches, a fact underlined

by Taewoong’s founder and chairman Yong-do Huh: “The investment in our first continuous caster - a machine which is quite unique - is a strong sign that we are achieving our ambitions and goals. SMS Concast was and is a reliable partner throughout the whole development and implementation of this project. I am impressed not only by the production quality and robustness of the equipment supplied, but by the expertise of the technical team that collaborated very closely with my own project team. Together we have written a success story - and perhaps set a new standard in the world of continuous casting.”

Thanks to the successful collaboration of the teams involved, the new plant was already casting the entire MPT International 1 / 2018

Number of strands

3

Dia. range of strands 1 and 3

Ø300 – 1,000 mm

Dia. range of strand 2

Ø300 – 600 mm

Mould dimensions

Ø310, Ø410, Ø600, Ø800, Ø1,000 mm

Casting speed

0.1 to 1.2 m/min

Metallurgical length

~47 m

Ladle support

Butterfly ladle turret with lifting/lowering and weighing facilities, heat size 120t

Tundish transport

Overhead tundish car with lifting/lowering, argon rinsing and weighing facilities

Flow control

Electromechanical stopper mechanism with actuation feedback

Mould level control

Eddy current system for large blooms; Co60 radiometric system for small blooms

Electromagnetic stirrers

M-EMS + F-EMS for the sections Ø300 mm – Ø600mm, Sub M-EMS for section Ø700 – Ø1,000 mm

Mould oscillation

Tandem resonance oscillation, hydraulic drive, frequency and stroke remotely adjustable, any type of oscillation curve is possible within the operation window

Secondary cooling

Air-mist cooling for very low cooling intensities (0.05 - 0.30 l/kg)

Surface heating system

Flameless surface heater to avoid surface cracks during unbending of the large blooms

Withdrawal straightening

6 double WSU modules for position-controlled mechanical soft reduction

Dummy bar system

Chain dummy bar for top feeding

Bloom cutting

Automatic torch cutting machines

Tertiary cooling

Pile cooling and slow cooling pits

Automation

Level 1, Level 2

Main design characteristics of the new continuous bloom caster

product range, including the new record-breaking section size, in no time.

Not only that, the quality was high enough to enable Taewoong to export its blooms to demanding markets such as Germany.

“This steel mill project is one of the ambitious goals our company has been pursuing for the last 20 years,” explains Yong-do Huh, chairman and founder of Taewoong Co., Ltd. “We are proud to be the first to produce 1,000mm round blooms on a curved continuous caster.”

Luis Hernandez, CEO of SMS Concast, confirms this: “We have seen the future and it works! The Taewoong and SMS Concast teams were faced with a real challenge by having to think in new dimensions, but were driven by their passion to build and commission a machine that the world has never seen before. With its new continuous caster Taewoong has taken a significant technological step towards

the continued consolidation of its market position as one of the world’s leading, innovative open-die forging companies.”

(KPCN CEEGRVCPEG EGTVKƂGF HQT the bloom caster In October 2016 Taewoong and SMS Concast successfully commissioned the new three-strand continuous casting machine in Busan, South Korea, designed for an annual capacity of 800,000 t/year of blooms. In January 2017 a world record in continuous casting history was achieved: the first bend-type continuous caster producing dia. 1,000 mm round blooms on an industrial scale. After a short and demanding ramp-up that included the fine tuning and testing of all sections sizes and steel grades at the new caster, Taewoong granted the Final Acceptance Certificate of the new installation in August 2017.

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Over 70,000 trade visitors from all over the world are expected to attend the “wire

wire 2018 and Tube 2018 are

2018” and “Tube 2018” trade fairs in Düsseldorf, Germany

impressively demonstrating their number one positions in the world

Europe’s steel pipe mills increase output against global trend With the exception of the crisis year 2009, global steel pipe production has only developed in one direction over the past ten years: upwards. This trend seems to have stopped for the time being. After only marginal growth in 2015, 2016 saw the global output go down by 3% to 164 million tons worldwide. However, European steel pipe SURGXFHUV GLG VLJQLƂFDQWO\ EHWWHU The reason for the recent dip in global steel pipe production was the markedly lower steel pipe production in North America, the CIS and China against the previous year. However, European steel pipe producers managed to increase their output by 4% to 14 million tons, particularly in the EU. In Germany output even rose as much MPT International 1 / 2018

as 5% over the previous year to 2.6 million tons.

The worldwide decrease in production is mainly attributable to the lower quantities of seamless steel pipes and welded large-diameter pipes with an outer diameter exceeding 16” (406 mm). In contrast to this, steel pipe producers on a global scale manufac-

tured approximately the same amount of welded steel pipes with an outer diameter of up to 16” in 2016 as in 2015.

Whereas the EU producers succeeded in slightly increasing output in this segment for the third consecutive time, output in the USA lagged significantly behind the previous year’s figures.

TUBE MAKING The German Steel Tube Association (Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahlrohre) sees the energy industry’s sustained reticence to invest as the reason for the decrease in output observed for seamless steel pipes in all regions of the world. The drop against 2015 was particularly pronounced in the USA with 20%. Compared to this, output of EU producers was only 5% lower than in 2015. Producers of large-diameter pipes posted an 8% decline worldwide. Particularly affected in this segment were the plants in North America and the CIS, while EU producers succeeded in increasing their production by 6% in 2016 after a very weak 2015.

China continues consolidating its dominant position China’s constantly growing dominance on the steel pipe market is hard to overlook. The global record output of 168.8 million tons in 2015 can therefore be attributed exclusively to the 11% production increase posted

by Chinese manufacturers. With this, China’s share in global steel pipe production rose to 58%. This increase resulted especially from the marked increase in the production of “small” welded steel pipes with an outer diameter of up to 16” (406 mm) in China.

It is true that EU producers were also able to expand their production in this market segment. Global large diameter pipe production also went up in 2015 although not only production increases in China contributed to this growth but also increases in the CIS and the USA. 2015 proved a particularly bad year for fracking companies in North America, many of which had to discontinue production. The reason for this were the falling crude oil prices which even dropped below the values in the crisis year 2008 towards the end of the year. Due to the crude oil oversupply on world markets the energy industry largely stopped investing. The fact that natural gas prices also continued to

Tube 2018 – International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair, Messe Düsseldorf, Germany Contact: www.tube.de

drop did not help upstream suppliers in this situation – their sales dropped by over 50% in part.

A positive trend in the companies’ view were the raw materials prices which consolidated on a low level on world markets. The prices for crude oil caused exploration activities to at least stabilise. The Rig Count (an indicator for the number of new oil and gas wells to be commissioned) in North America continued to go up slightly – but a noticeable counter movement for the massive investment slump in the energy sector is not on the horizon yet.

In contrast to this, the classic sectors of industry continued to show robust demand.

Improved perspectives According to estimates of the German Steel Tube Association, the outlook for the steel pipe industry have improved again in the meantime. They say that “the investment activities of the energy sector, which had practically reached a complete standstill after the crude oil price collapse in 2015 are starting to return to normal.” In addition to the resulting backlog demand, the cyclical upswing in raw material and steel prices should be benefiting the sector just as much as the continued robust economic situation in industrialised countries. Playing an important role here are the relatively favourable energy prices, the expansive fiscal policy and the favourable Euro-Dollar exchange rate. On top of this, the German association expects North America’s foreseeably more expansive economic policy and energy policy with a stronger focus on fossil energy carriers to produce positive effects for the steel pipe industry.

Düsseldorf metal trade fairs Tube 2018 and wire 2018 – bigger than ever All types of steel pipes as well as plants and machines to produce and finish pipes are a central theme at the international tube and pipe trade fair “Tube 2018” that will be held from 16 to 20 April 2018 at the Düsseldorf exhibition centre in Germany. The next edition of the leading international tube and pipe trade fair will – as always – be held together with the

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37

world’s biggest wire and cable trade fair “wire 2018”.

A few weeks before the start of the metal trade fair summit in Düsseldorf the exhibition centre has received better bookings than ever before in the successful history of the metal trade fair couple. Exhibitors reserved a record number of exhibition space. The number of exhibitors who have so far registered for wire 2018 is currently 1,180, representing 50 countries. The occupancy level for Tube 2018 is 965 exhibitors from 53 countries (by January 2018).

As before, the two Düsseldorf events are impressively demonstrating their number one positions as the world’s leading trade fairs in their industries. Innovative technologies, new machinery and equipment as well as products and services from the wire, cable and tube industries will be presented on five days. “We’ll be welcoming over 70,000 trade visitors on those five days, and we’re expecting to see the entire professional world coming to Düsseldorf again”, says Friedrich-Georg Kehrer, global portfolio director for metals and flow technologies at Messe Düsseldorf. “As before, the Tube 2018 and wire 2018 trade fairs will occupy 16 exhibition halls, mapping the entire spectrum. They will cover wire manufacturing and finishing, process automation, measurement and control engineering, cable technologies, tube manufacturing and processing, raw materials, the raw material trade, pipelines, OCTG technology, profiles, pre-used machinery and plastic tubes. But there will also be enough space for further specifications and applied technologies, and of course Industry 4.0 will definitely continue to determine the course of the two leading trade fairs in 2018”, Friedrich-Georg Kehrer says.

Despite various global crises in recent years, the entire industry is currently experiencing a global boom. It is an economic climate that encourages investment, not just in Europe.

Considerable sums of money are being invested in infrastructural projects, construction and the automotive industry in South-East Asia, in some South American countries and in parts of Africa. The wire, cable, pipe and tube industries are playing major roles in all this.

MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› TUBE MAKING

CaliView system at the sizing mill of Vallourec Germany

Vallourec uses digital measuring device for optimization of the tube sizing mill At its Düsseldorf-Rath mill, Vallourec has integrated the new inline measuring system CaliView into the line of the plug mill. There the system will regularly check the rolling mill and the passes. Such measurements will facilitate any corrections of the passes, guaranteeing constantly high product quality. At the same time, the system will make PDLQWHQDQFH PRUH HIƂFLHQW DV WKH GDWD LW SURYLGHV FDQ EH HDVLO\ HYDOXDWHG Vallourec is a market leader for premium tube and pipe solutions for the energy markets and industrial applications.

The products and services are employed in challenging oil and gas drilling operations, in the latest power stations, in extravagant architectural projects and in high-performance machines and plants. At its Rath site in the north of

Frank d’Hone, SMS group, Mönchengladbach, Germany Contact: www.sms-group.com E-mail: frank.dhone@sms-group.com

MPT International 1 / 2018

Düsseldorf, Vallourec produces seamless tubes on two hot rolling mills. In order to be able to guarantee a consistently high quality for the demanding applications, the passes in the stands of the cross-roll piercer, the plug mill, the reeler and the sizing mill of the plug mill line have to be perfectly aligned at all times. Vallourec is now using Cali– View for checking the pass settings in the sizing mill. The inline measuring system developed by the plant engineering company, SMS group, checks the contour and position of the passes both with the rolls installed in the mill and in the stand workshop.

CaliView is a mobile system that consists of a light source, a camera and a computer with which the results of the measurement can be immediately evaluated.

If pass settings have to be corrected, a further measurement directly after the correction indicates whether the correction has had the desired effect. The system thus helps to ensure quick and optimum alignment of both pass and mill with the pass line. Compared with conventional methods, this means reduced production losses and greater precision because it is no longer necessary to wait for the finished product before conclusions can be drawn as to changes in the passes.

TUBE MAKING

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39

Arrangement during test measurements

ument the condition of the mill very precisely. CaliView saves the results so that a comprehensive history is created and statistics on the causes of faults can be drawn up. A further benefit is that the measurement results can be realistically compared, as the same parameters are always used. The check of stands and passes before installation in the mill ensures that only stands found to be good are employed in production. Faulty stands can be dressed on the basis of the measurement protocol and the result can be quickly and easily checked using the measuring system.

Regular measurements of the passes allow the condition of used stands to be documented so that the service life of the individual passes can be prolonged thanks to a more accurate determination of the maximum permitted wear.

Tests show technically correct results

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Cut costs, save material In the sizing mill of the plug mill line at the Rath tube works, shells are rolled out to produce tubes and pipes of the desired sizes. A flexible process is employed here: A large number of stands with different passes for the various pipe diameters are kept in stock. A complete stand can be changed very quickly with minimum impact on the production. CaliView now offers Vallourec the potential for optimizing both the adjustment of the rolls in the stands and the alignment of the roll stands and passes in the mill. The quick check of the mill using a reference stand allows changes in the mill to be identified and faults to be immediately rectified. Furthermore, regular measurements allow possible changes in the mill to be easily documented and evaluated via the central data

storage system. The sizing mill is still in a good condition even ten years after its overhaul. The goal was to find ways of optimizing the maintenance costs and service intervals.

Optimized service intervals Vallourec is investing in CaliView in order to allow maintenance of the plug mill line to be better planned and the costs to be reduced. “Regular overhauls and maintenance are key features of our corporate policy,” says Dr. Ulrich Menne, Chairman of the Board of Vallourec Deutschland GmbH. “We are increasingly employing digital systems here to make our production more efficient. These allow us to accelerate our processes without sacrificing reliability.”

Thanks to the regular measurements, Vallourec is in a position to doc-

In order to test the advantages of CaliView in practice, Vallourec had first mandated the SMS group to check the alignment of the passes in the three-roll stands of the sizing mill using CaliView. For this, Vallourec provided two newly dressed and one used stand with sizes between 231.4 and 231.5 mm that were to be measured at various positions in the mill.

SMS group equipped CaliView with a suitable camera lens for the sizing mill and configured the system for the mill. For the measurement, the camera was installed at a distance of 22 m from the centre of the mill and the light source was mounted on the descaling unit on the mill inlet side using aluminium profiles.

For determination of the mill centreline, the system is oriented to references that are surveyed with a MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› TUBE MAKING

fixed relationship to the mill centreline. The deviation is determined using a geodetic measuring instrument using reference points in the mill. At Vallourec, the references were mounted in two holders upline of the first and downline of the last stand. The deviations resulting from the fact that it is not possible to install the middle of the holders exactly on the mill centreline were entered during configuration of the measuring instrument. These were a misalignment of x = –7.2 mm; y = +2.2 mm on the inlet side and of x = –1.1 mm; y = +3.2 mm on the run-out side.

The system takes these deviations from the pass line into consideration during the measurement.

After the preparatory work, the three stands were installed in various positions in the mill and measured a total of seven times. The first four measurements served to check the mill. For this, the three different stands were checked in various positions in order to detect any deviations.

The results were comparable with the different stands in all the stand positions. Measurements 5-1 to 5-3 were carried out to confirm the measurement accuracy by measuring a stand in various positions in one stand location. During measurement 5-1, stand 27 was positioned normally, during measurement 5-2 with a lateral misalignment of 3 mm and during measurement 5-3 with a vertical misalignment of 2 mm. Both misalignments were exactly detected by the measur-

Measurement

Roll stand

Position

1

27

2 – 10

(even position)

2

130

1–9

(odd position)

3

67

2 – 10

(even position)

4

27

1–9

(odd position)

5-1

27

7

(normal position)

5-2

27

7

(lateral misalignment)

5-3

27

7

(vertical misalignment)

Sequence of the measurements in the sizing mill

ing system. As a result, the system identified a general vertical misalignment of the mill frame: The pass line of the sizing mill deviates by +5 mm from the optimum pass line.

The Vallourec representatives were impressed by the simple and quick measurement of mill and stands using CaliView. The data supplied by the digital system help to make processes more efficient and can be easily exported for further use. After the first test measurement in the sizing mill of the plug mill line, Vallourec decided to buy the system. In addition to the regular measurements of the mill frame, the stands are now also checked in the workshop after maintenance and repairs. This allows service intervals to be redefined and tool lives to be extended. The relationship between pass and product allows technological conclusions to be drawn – a great advantage for flexible production at Vallourec Germany. And not only there: Representatives of other Vallourec sites have already indicated an interest in CaliView, too.

CaliView camera

Conclusion At its Düsseldorf-Rath mill, Vallourec is using the new inline measuring system CaliView for regularly checking of the tube mill and the passes. Such measurements facilitate any corrections of the passes, guaranteeing that the tubes produced are of a constantly high quality. At the same time, the system will make maintenance more efficient as the data it provides can be easily evaluated.

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MPT International 1 / 2018

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42

â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş COLD ROLLING â&#x20AC;&#x201C; AUTOMATION

%NQWF DCUGF UVTKR Ć&#x192;CVPGUU KPHQTOCVKQP CPF EQPVTQN A newly developed cloud-based quality data solution combined with an advanced Ć&#x192;DWQHVV FRQWURO V\VWHP KDV EHHQ LPSOHPHQWHG DW *UÂŚQJHV 6ZHGHQ D OHDGLQJ PDQXIDFWXUHU RI UROOHG SURGXFWV VWULSV IRU KHDW H[FKDQJHUV 7KH V\VWHP HQDEOHV XS WR LPSURYHPHQW RI VWULS Ć&#x192;DWQHVV data, is used to calculate a flatness target correction for the rolling mill that will cancel out post rolling effects on strip flatness. Considerable savings are achieved through safer rolling, higher speed, less scrap, less strip breaks, optimized process flow and less rejects from customers.

Gränges factory to become OQTG GHĆ&#x201A;EKGPV

Operatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desk at the Gränges rolling mill in FinspĂĽng, Sweden

High-performing flatness measurement and control are critical success factors for flat rolling mills. Building on 50 years of experience in flatness control, ABB now applies the latest technology in electronics, computing, modeling and cloud technology to create a holistic approach to strip flatness control in rolling mills. This approach includes measurement and control of process variables in the actual rolling mill and in the up-stream and downsteam processes. A new patented Stressometer technology for Controlled Post Rolling Flatness (CPRF) is now combined with ABB Ability cloud-based solutions.

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MPT International 1 / 2018

ABB Ability connects customers to the power of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and, through services and expertise, turns data insights into direct action.

ABB Stressometer flatness control systems are currently used in more than 1,200 rolling mills worldwide for on-line measurement and control of strip flatness. The first version of the system was introduced in 1967 and since then Stressometer has been the leader in both measurement and control of flatness. A Stressometer will guarantee that the strip flatness out of the mill is according to target.

However, post rolling processes also have an influence on strip flatness and tend to impair the flatness from the mill. The CPRF function adds flatness measurement at the end of the production process. Information from this additional measurement, in combination with other process

Gränges is a leading global supplier of rolled aluminium products for heat exchanger applications and other niche markets. In materials for brazed heat exchangers Gränges is the global leader with a market share of approximately 20%. The company develops, produces and markets advanced materials that enhance efficiency in the customer manufacturing process and the performance of the final products, namely, brazed heat exchangers. Geographically, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s markets are Europe, Asia and the Americas. Its production facilities are located in Sweden, China and the United States, and have a combined annual capacity of 420,000 t.

Flatness quality of rolled strip at Gränges is very important for both the rolling processes and the post rolling processes. The use of the Stressometer CPRF function simplifies follow-up and visualization of the actual strip flatness in the different processes. It also makes it easy to design flexible quality reports on demand with analysis of production issues. Optimized flatness target maps are prepared and updated when needed for all used products and alloys.

ABB Ability cloud-based solutions combined with the ABB Stressometer Flatness Control Systems has enabled up to 40% improvement in strip flatness at Gränges. World class strip flatness is now achieved in the post rolling processes.

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44

â&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;şâ&#x20AC;ş STRIP PROCESSING

Tosyali-Toyo starts strip production at new cold rolling complex in Turkey The new cold strip complex at Tosyali-Toyo enables the company to produce cold rolled products with various surface coatings: tin-plated, hot-dip galvanized and painted strip. ,W PDUNV WKH H[SDQVLRQ RI 7RV\DOL LQWR WKH Ć&#x192;DW SURGXFW VHFWRU 0RUHRYHU LW LV WKH Ć&#x201A;UVW DSSOLFDWLRQ RI WKH SDWHQWHG L%R[ SLFNOLQJ SURFHVV LQ WKH (XURSH 0(1$ UHJLRQ A cold rolling complex supplied

by Primetals Technologies has commenced operations at the production site of Turkish steel producer Tosyali-Toyo Celik A.§. in the city of Osmaniye. For the new cold rolling complex Primetals Technologies supplied main strip processing lines, i.e.: â&#x2013;Ş a coupled pickling line-tandem cold mill (PL-TCM), â&#x2013;Ş a tin-plated strip continuous annealing line (Tin-CAL) and â&#x2013;Ş a temper double-cold-reduction mill (Temper/DCR).

It is designed to produce cold rolled steel products with various surface coatings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tin-plated, hot-dip galvanized and painted sheets, mainly for export markets as well as for the domestic market. This marks the expansion of Tosyali into the flat product sector. The PL-TCM features the first application of the patented iBox pickling process in the Europe/MENA region. Primetals Technologies had received the order in late 2014.

Tosyali-Toyo was established in April, 2012. It is a 51% / 49% joint venture of Turkish flats, longs and pipe producer Tosyali Holdings and the Japanese steel producer Toyo Kohan. For the new production complex in Osmaniye, Primetals Technologies was selected as the main contractor for the supply of the plants (PL-TCM, TinCAL and Temper/DCR), including the technological mechanical equipment, the electrical equipment and automa-

Primetals Technologies, Ltd. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a joint venture of Siemens, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Partners, London, UK Contact: www.primetals.com E-mail: rainer.schulze@primetals.com

MPT International 1 / 2018

JKIJ 7PKXGTUCN %TQYP %QPVTQN /KNN CV VJG EQNF UVTKR EQORNGZ 6QU[CNK 6Q[Q %GNKM # Ä´ in the city of Osmaniye, Turkey

tion systems, as well as the field engineering, supervision of installation and commissioning, and training for operating personnel.

The pickling line-tandem cold mill (PL-TCM) features the patented iBox pickling process and a 5-stand 6-high Universal Crown Control Mill (UCM) for all stands. The rolling stands are driven by an all-digital AC drive system and the high-response hydraulic gauge control (HGC) system Hyrop-F. A new state-of-the-art automatic gauge control (AGC) system is installed to ensure highly precise rolled strip thicknesses. With this equipment, the PLTCM is designed to roll one million metric tons of high-quality, cold-rolled steel strip and black plate per year.

Furthermore, the technology increases production efficiency and improves production yield and quality, and thereby obtains a higher return

on investment. The PL-TCM processes strip with an entry gauge of 1.6 mm to 4.0 mm. Exit strip gauge is between 0.16 mm and 2.0 mm at widths ranging from 700 mm to 1,300 mm. Maximum line speed at the mill exit reaches 1,440 m/min. Grades processed include ULC (IF), HSLA and DD11-DD14 (DIN EN 10111). The maximum coil weight is 30 metric tons.

The tin-plated strip continuous annealing line (Tin-CAL) has an annual production capacity of 240,000 metric tons. The line processes strip produced by the PL-TCM with a maximum strip thickness of 0.8 mm. The vertical-type annealing furnace consists of pre-heating section, heating section, soaking section and three subsequent cooling sections, all developed by Primetals Technologies. The annealing furnace is designed to flexibly produce T1 through T5 grades. A compact-type

STRIP PROCESSING tension leveller is installed after the cleaning section in order to correct material strip-shape deviations. This is important to ensure smooth and reliable operation in the annealing furnace, even at a maximum line speed of 500 m/min.

The temper double-cold-reduction mill (Temper/DCR) has an annual production capacity of 303,000 metric tons at a maximum line speed of 1,500 m/min. It consists of a two-stand universal crown control mill and is de-

signed to perform double-cold reduction as well as two-stand temper rolling.

In the DCR process, the annealed strip is reduce rolled on the No. 1 stand and temper rolled on the No. 2 stand.

This process imparts the strip with its prescribed mechanical strength.

In two-stand temper rolling, the strip is temper rolled in both stands 1 and 2 to the prescribed elongation ratios to obtain the desired mechanical characteristics.

‹‹‹

45

Like the Tin-CAL, the Temper/DCR line processes strip produced by the PLTCM. Entry strip gauges of 0.16 mm to 1.2 mm are used for temper-rolling, gauges from 0.18 mm to 0.4 mm for DCR-processed strip. DCR strip exit gauges range between 0.12 mm to 0.3 mm. Steel grades include T1 to T5 and DR6 to DR10.

With capability to produce high-value cold strip products Tosyali-Toyo is well prepared for entering the export markets as well as to supply the domestic industry in Turkey.

— Stressometer® Systems Extended actuator teamwork

The long standing problem with flatness control in multi actuator mills is now solved

by ABB. To optimally make all mill actuators work together as a team is a complex task.

Different actuator combinations will in these mills give the same flatness effect.

The problem is to select the one actuator combination with the minimum actuator movement. The ABB patented method of Extended Singular Value Decomposition (ESVD) will optimally make this selection and make your actuators work together as a genuine team. Stressometer Systems. abb.com/stressometer

MPT International 1 / 2018

46

››› TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

IIoT platform visualizes status of orders DIGITALIZATION thyssenkrupp connects the machinery of the materials division via a new digital platform. The IIoT platform “toii” is an in-house development that connects machines of different makes and generations. Thanks to toii all machines can communicate with each other.

The communicating machines perform a wide range of tasks. toii makes it possible to connect bandsaws and bending machines, mobile objects like cranes and forklifts and even complex production facilities such as slitting and cut-to-length lines and sophisticated processing solutions through milling machines and laser systems digitally in line with the Industrial Internet of Things. The digital platform allows the machines to share data and communicate with one another and with the IT systems. Processes can be planned and coordinated optimally and flexibly – across locations, worldwide. As a further major benefit, the platform simplifies data analysis. It is also supposed to forecast the necessity of machine services in the future. toii transfers work orders directly and in real time from the SAP system to the machine and controls its settings from sizes and weights to volumes. The platform also automatically retrieves the machine information required by SAP. As a result, the status of production and the finished products can be viewed at any time. Other machines have also already been digitally connected and automated using toii,

NEW ACCUSPEED LASER ASDC VELOCIMETERR

Structure of the communication platform

for example measuring the thickness of metal strips for effective quality control and automatic blanking.

The platform is an in-house development, highly scalable, and can integrate up to several hundred machines a year. Alongside various projects in Germany, there are already plans to deploy the system in the UK and the USA. All data are currently hosted on a central server in Germany. But to be able to comply with all data protection law requirements, local servers will also be created in the UK and USA as part of the further roll-out.

Contact: www.thyssenkrupp.com

Online store for steel products

For Cold Mills and Processing Lines Separate, small optics probe connected by fiber optic cable Can be installed in small, crowded places Optics probe operates at temperatures up to 70°C without cooling Used for: Mass flow automatic gage control Length measurement for quality verification Elongation control Surface inspection flaw tracking

For details call +1-416-445-5850, or kelk.sales@vpgsensors.com

kelk.com

DISTRIBUTION As a digital channel for interaction with consumers, Severstal has created an online store to improve the quality of servicing the company’s customers.

The online store was created on the platform of SAP Hybris. Many innovative solutions based on SAP Hybris are applied by Severstal for the first time in the metallurgical industry of Russia. During the first eight months of the project the share of Internet shop users was about 50% of the total number of the company’s customers on the domestic market. The volume of orders placed monthly through the store was about 2,200. The development of the online store will go both by expanding the range, including hardware and related products, and by providing additional service opportunities. Finally, it is planned to add export sales of rolled metal and to connect all branches of Severstal Distribution to the online store.

©2018 Vishay Precision Group, Inc.

Contact: www.severstal.com MPT International 1 / 2018

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

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47

Infrared loop scanner MEASURING EQUIPMENT A new infrared loop scanner for installation in hot rolling mills has been launched by Delta. The sensor, Rota-Sonde TS5500, measures the position of hot products and is used for horizontal and vertical loop control, as well as edge centreline position control. It includes a built-in smart control panel allowing for easy setup and diagnostics of the sensor. The display indicates position of hot product within the field of view, the signal amplitude with detection margin and the status of the sensor. Delta Rota-Sonde TS5500 is configurable: users can select the scanning angle and the sensitivity range down to 250°C/480°F. Compared to the previous model TS2000, the design has been improved: quick access to the window glass by draw latch, smaller housing design and less weight, etched toggle joint for easy alignment, spring loaded cover for protection of the smart control panel. Optional accessories include a stainless steel heat shield, to protect the sensor from direct radiation, and a junction box for remote diagnostics and sensitivity adjustment for applications where the sensor is not readily accessible.

Contact: www.deltasensor.eu

Sensor for measuring the position of hot products

Infrared drying furnace for silicon steel line FURNACE TECHNOLOGY Bekaert Solaronics has supplied a magnesium infrared drying furnace to a major steel manufacturer in China. The customer uses the new furnace in a silicon steel production line. The unit consists of insulated casing equipped with 18 burners producing infrared and hot air energy. This unique combination ensures

a fast heat-up and a high evaporation rate. Consequently, the properties of the strip are improved and the line productivity is significantly increased. The furnace power is automatically finetuned according to the main parameters line speed, strip thickness, MgO coating weight, etc. As a result, the gas consumption can be reduced by up to

30% compared to other technologies.

The Bekaert Solaronics gas infrared furnace features Gem12E emitters, high efficiency ceramic infrared emitters designed for very demanding industrial processes. They have a proven lifetime of up to seven years at nominal power.

Contact: www.drying.bekaert.com

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MPT International 1 / 2018

48

››› TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

Marking of metals products SPECIAL EQUIPMENT For effective coding and marking of products in the metal working industry, REA JET has introduced several new products, e. g. the new DOD 2.0 large character inkjet printer, which operates at a speed of 600 m/min. Thanks to new high-tech material, wear and tear

is also considerably reduced. The sturdy printing system with IP-65 protection class has been further improved for harsh impacts. High-contrast pigment inks complement the portfolio. REA provides fast-drying, excellently adhering, coloured MEK inks. Moreover there are special inks that can, for example, infiltrate an oil film on metal sheets and produce an easily legible marking.

Especially for captive marking of metallic surfaces, REA JET provides the FL Fiber Laser which is virtually maintenance-free. The applied codes, logos and human readable text are permanently legible and almost indestructible. The high beam quality and energy density guarantee excellent legibility of even smallest signs. That allows for a perfect direct part marking (dpm) of metallic components. The FL Fiber Laser is available in three power classes (20W, 30W and 50W).

REA JET ink and laser systems are comfortably controlled via the uniform REA JET TITAN platform. In harsh industrial environments, REA JET systems can be operated via the robust push-turn jog-dial input terminal – even with gloves.

Large-character marking of steel pipe

Contact: www.rea-jet.de

Plant concept for industrial additive manufacturing serial production

Serial production in industrial 3D printing ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING 3D printing technology for metallic materials has made huge strides forward in recent years. Additive Industries and SMS group have agreed to develop and jointly market a production system for additive manufacturing on an industrial scale. The two companies bring with them specialist expertise in both core additive manufacturing technologies: the manufacture of metal powder and 3D printing. The industrial-scale, serial production of parts of high reproducible quality by the additive manufacturing method is possible only if both crucial process stages are closely aligned. The production concept will not just encompass powder manufacturing and 3D printing but other stages, too, right up to delivery of the finished component. The first visible sign of this collaboration will be the demo center, which is to be set up at SMS’s facility in Mönchengladbach, Germany. Additive Industries will supply a MetalFAB1 printer, on which the powder produced by the plant is processed, and this will be installed right next to the pilot unit to work fully integrated.

MPT International 1 / 2018

SMS group is transferring its extensive design know-how and process engineering expertise in the field of vacuum melting plants to powder production plants. The process starting point is the manufacture of powder. To ensure maximum purity, the alloys are induction-melted under vacuum in the crucible. The liquid metal is atomized using pure argon in an oxygen-free atmosphere. The powder manufacturing process is followed directly by 3D printing. In the integrated MetalFAB1 system, the metal powder bed fusion process is applied to melt the powder in a reproducible and efficient way. After additively manufacturing the parts, the build plate with parts is automatically transported to the heat treatment furnace for a stress relief cycle before storage by a robot. The MetalFAB1 system is designed to run autonomously 24/7 without the need for multiple shifts, substantially reducing cost. SMS group is also responsible for the heat treatment of the printed components for setting of improved material characteristics.

Contact: www.sms-group.com

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

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Modernization of mixing systems PROCESSING EQUIPMENT In response to competitive pressure, manufacturing companies must take action periodically to boost productivity. This includes needs-based modernization of existing material preparation and mixing systems. Here Eirich offers two approaches to modernization. Retrofit sets made up of pre-engineered components are available as kits with short lead times. The alternative is customized modification and engineering, including the mechanical and electrical/control subsystems and the software. The two approaches can be combined. In many cases, modernization is accompanied by process optimization. Modernization may be an attractive option whenever the product has changed, when the product must meet new requirements or if there is a need

to increase production volumes. Another reason could be to enhance operational safety. Experience shows that even small improvements can have a big effect. Whatever the size of the modernization project, Eirich always remains focused on producing the greatest benefit for the customer. This includes not only enhancing production efficiency, but also making the machines easier to operate e.g. by replacing the control systems with more modern versions. The added functionality might include remote service, condition monitoring and electronic documentation.

Contact: www.eirich.de

Advances in rapid RNKHCHÖB@SHNM MATERIALS Vacuumschmelze (VAC), a German manufacturer in rapid solidification, is opening a new Centre of Excellence focused on the advancement of casting technology. The centre’s mission is to optimize and develop new alloys and process technologies in order to accelerate the introduction of new and high-performance products in growing markets. VAC’s technology makes it possible to produce amorphous metal strips with precise foil thickness requirements ranging from 0.02 to 0.05 mm. In this process, molten metal is pressed onto a fast-rotating copper wheel on which the alloy is transformed into a solidified strip.

This method facilitates high cooling speeds of approximately one million degrees per second and forms a thin amorphous metal strip ranging in width from 0.5 to 125 mm. In a unique process amorphous alloys are transformed into a nanocrystalline condition using a specialized thermal treatment process. Amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys play a pivotal role in a range of demanding, high-performance products including magnetic cores, inductive components, current transformers, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) chokes, RCCBs (residual current circuit breakers), shielding foils, as well as brazing foils that are resistant to high temperatures and that are used in EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) coolers.

Through the implementation of new process technologies, as well as an optimized sensor technology for improved control of processes, VAC will introduce new products that will serve new and growing markets. For instance, through the new Centre of Excellence, VAC plans to almost double the current foil width to more than 200 mm with significantly thinner foils for higher saturation inductions of up to 1.8 T.

Contact: www.vacuumschmelze.com MPT International 1 / 2018

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››› TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

Online material property measurements HOT-DIP GALVANIZING Today’s advances in flat steel production are predominantly driven by the significant increase in the demand for highstrength steels, such as AHSS advanced high strength steels. In 2013 EMG had started collaborating with SMS group, Drever and Tata Steel on a development project with the EMG IMPOC system in the Segal hot-dip galvanizing line in Liege, Belgium. The objective of this project is to improve (homogenize) the material qualities of higher-strength materials, such as dual-phase steels, while increasing productivity and reducing energy costs.

An IMPOC system has been installed near the outlet of the continuous annealing furnace of the Segal hotdip galvanizing line since 2014. SMS group and Drever, the manufacturers of the continuous annealing furnace, have continuously adapted the parameters of the mathematical furnace model by using the measuring results from the IMPOC system. The resulting adjustments made to the operation of the furnace in terms of temperatures, cooling rates and speeds in the various sections of the furnace, not only led to an increase in the quality of the material produced but also to an over-

Continuous measurement of material properties in a hot-dip galvanizing line

all increase in production throughput by 15%.

Another IMPOC system is currently being tested at a location upstream of the continuous furnace. The objective here is to achieve faster and more favourable parameter settings for the mathematical model and thus for the continuous annealing process. Due to the upstream manufacturing process, the structures in the material are rather irregular. If these inhomogeneities are known, the mathematical furnace models can take these into account.

Therefore the IMPOC system is installed upstream of the furnace. The continuous online measurement of

material properties by EMG’s IMPOC system, combined with the physical and mathematical models for the annealing process and furnace operation (iFurnace approach), provides high production throughput while simultaneously ensuring high product quality.

The coupling of the microstructure model for the annealing process (SMS group), the furnace model (Drever) and the IMPOC system was also implemented in the spring of 2017 for the universal hot-dip galvanizing and annealing line at Big River Steel in the USA. Contact: www.emg-automation.com

High-speed shear for wire rod line LONG PRODUCT MILLS Automatic wire rod head and tail cropping available with the Danieli HSS High-Speed Shear improves coil quality and reduces transformation costs. The shear design permits trimming and chopping to be performed by blades mounted on a single blade holder, through a single driving group, at line speeds of up to 130 m/s. The control system allows repeatable trimming of out-of-tolerance or uncooled head and tail portions of the rolled stock.

Danieli is gong to supply a new high-speed shear for automatic head and tail cropping of 5.0 to 20 mm wire rod to Societé Aciers Armature Pour Beton at Neuves Maisons in France. The supply package will include servo-assisted active pinch rolls to be installed in front of the high-speed shear to control the speed and eliminate vibrations. An upgrade to the existing rolling mill control system will guarantee constant rolling speed and better size accuracy on final products, with a limited investment.

Contact: www.danieli.com MPT International 1 / 2018

High-speed shear unit

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

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51

Innovative steel family combines properties MATERIALS Ovako has introduced a new innovative steel family that challenges traditional steel categorizations – Hybrid Steel. It offers properties of tool steel, maraging steel and stainless steel, combined with the production economy of engineering steel. It is set to enable customers to achieve exceptional performance and help reduce production costs. The new steel has three times the yield and tensile strength of conventional steel at temperatures up to 500°C. These properties are ideal for a wide variety of highly-stressed applications such as engine components, bearings, and tools for various purposes.

Because Hybrid Steel develops its full properties through heat treatment at temperatures that cause a very low distortion,

manufacturers will be able to adopt new, more efficient processes that eliminate a number of stages. For example, a component might be machined to its final dimensions in a softer condition and then heat treated to achieve its full strength, a route that could offer a significant reduction in manufacturing cost and complexity. Hybrid Steel takes its name from the simultaneous hardening by both carbides and intermetallic precipitations. The material maintains its very good properties at elevated temperatures. Prototype test programs are already underway with a number of component manufacturers.

Contact: www.ovako.com

Order management along the supply chain DIGITALIZATION ArcelorMittal has taken various steps towards the digitalization of supply chains. Projects include automated and digitalized order processing from the offer to the customer up to completion of the purchase, followed by online order tracking. Key steps taken include e.g. SteelUser.com, the internet-enabled supply chain from product guide, to order intake and online order tracking up to warehouse management, delivery and invoicing. And the digital twin, the coil in the cloud, which enables the exchange of quality-related data with the customers.

Another feature is inventory management with drones. Autonomous drones with GPS navigation scan inventories and capture inventory levels and availability via video captures in real time. The SteelAdvisor app provides up-to-date product data for customers. Shipment tracking for logistical optimization is provided by the Track & Trace app. ArcelorMittal is working with its customers to develop the existing opportunities of the digital supply chain to create individual solutions.

Contact: www.arcelormittal.com

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››› TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

Predictive maintenance and optimal use of resources CONDITION MONITORING NORD Drivesystems is developing cost-efficient and reliable virtual sensor functions for condition monitoring. Virtual sensors use, for example, the oil lifespan to empower drive technology to schedule maintenance dates solely based on calculations, with no expense for hardware sensors. The onboard PLC evaluates extensive operational datasets on current, voltage, and speed. From this data available in the inverter, the drive is always able to indirectly infer the current oil temperature. Taking product-specific characteristics of the lubricant into account, oil aging can be determined, allowing for optimal utilization of the lubricant. NORD has validated through

The drive PLC determines the best oil change interval without costly sensors

testing that the calculated oil temperature curve is nearly congruent with the real, measured temperature curve.

NORD is currently validating temperature curves under various load conditions. Predictive maintenance functions are expected to be commercially

available in all NORD drive electronics units with an onboard PLC from late 2018.

Contact: www.nord.com

© Utz Peter Greis, Düsseldorf

Cartoon

MPT International 1 / 2018

LITERATURE SERVICE

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53

Dry ice technology 6 pages, English This brochure presents dry ice technology engineered by Cold Jet. The company provides dry ice blasting solutions for cleaning, surface preparation and parts finishing, cleaning systems integrated with a pelletizer and dry ice production solutions.

Contact: www.coldjet.com E-mail: service@coldjet.com

Inteco company newsletter 28 pages, English In its latest annual newsletter, INTECO is providing an overview of the company’s activities and orders received during 2017. It is also announcing a symposium hosted in celebration of the company’s 45th anniversary in July this year.

Contact: www.inteco.at E-mail: inteco.austria@inteco.at

Air-cushioned wipers 4 pages, English, German This brochure features a lifting element and pneumatic cushion developed by hose technology specialists Lippmann. Equipped with a special grooved PU hose profile, these unit make up highly efficient air-cushioned wipers producing dry and clean coils.

Contact: www.lippmann-gmbh.com E-mail: info@lippmann-gmbh.com

Practical data for metallurgists Cloud-based application TimkenSteel has launched a new, mobile application to complement its Practical Data for Metallurgists printed guide. Features of the new app include an interactive theoretical foot weight calculator, hardening abilities and tolerances and a glossary tab with terms and definitions.

Contact: www.timkensteelpd.com E-mail: communications@timkensteel.com

Coil felt

FOR STEEL INDUSTRY

COILFILZ

COIL FELT

BREMS- UND ABSTREIFFILZE FÜR ALLE FÄLLE BRAKE AND WIPER FELT FOR EVERY APPLICATION

6 pages, English, German A brochure setting out the range and material properties of coil felt products supplied by VFG, a member of FFF group. Information is provided about felt types and their respective areas of application, such as scaled, galvanized or coated sheet metal, stainless steel or soft sheet metal.

Contact: www.vfg.de E-mail: info@vfg.de

NEVER FELT BETTER

MPT International 1 / 2018

54

››› IN THE NEXT ISSUE…

Ironmaking – Steelmaking Sweden gears up for fossil-free steel production Nordic steel company SSAB has developed a road map for transition the business to fossil-free steel production. The transition in SSAB’s business is a consequence of the Swedish initiative to find a solution for fossil-free steel production, HYBRIT. The initiative is going to build a globally unique pilot plant for fossil-free steel in Luleå, Northern Sweden.

Continuous casting voestalpine to upgrade bloom casting mill in Austria voestalpine Group has decided to invest more than EUR 100 million in future-oriented projects at its Donawitz site in Austria. One of the projects is to set up a new continuous casting line for producing extremely pure steels as a sophisticated pre-material for premium rails, quality rolled wire, and high-tech seamless tubes. The highly automated production line with an annual capacity of up to 950,000 t is scheduled to start up operation in 2019.

Raw materials handling Newly developed hybrid feeder for spherical materials Nickel mattes is a raw material for crude nickel metal production extremely difficult to handle as it consists of particles which are almost perfectly spherical, creating challenges for the operator, in its reception, interim storage and onward transportation. Aumund together with a French refinery have come up with a new hybrid feeder for this application.

Strip processing Fully automatic strapping and sampling line for steel coils of up to ultra-high-strength grades Steel grades for welded tube and pipe cover a broad range from soft low-strength to ultra-high-strength steels, with strip thicknesses of over 25 mm. It is particularly challenging for the steel producers to deliver coils to the end customers safely. A fully automatic strapping and sampling system has been developed that meets the technical requirements particularly for ultra-high-strength grades.

This preview may be subject to change.

Metallurgical Plant and Technology

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MPT International 1 / 2018

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Оптимизация формы, прибыльной части и теплоизоляции слитков (с. 10)

North America’s latest steel complex inaugurated at Big River Steel

Повышение эффект эффективности работы станов для произво производства длинномерного проката (с. 16)

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