MPT International 4/2020 (September)

No. 4 | September 2020

In focus: Working with the Virus

Facing challenges & taking measures | 14

DRI for the Future – Part II

Plans for new mills in Germany and Russia | 16

Digitalisation of technical plant documentation How mobile devices replace pen&paper | 53

Materials on the Move New tools for steel mills, for raw material transports, and for ports | 21

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www.sms-group.com

EDITORIAL

Dear Readers,

Our lives and industrial activities continue to be dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many important events such as trade fairs and conferences have been called off.

However, organisers have been inventive in mitigating the loss by setting up alternative online events, such as virtual fairs and webinars. One such example is the sheet technology show Euroblech, normally staged at the Hanover Fairground. We are dedicating a comprehensive special to the now-virtual event, with lots of news from the flat products industry.

Direct-reduced ironmaking has been gaining new advocates this year, including in regions where it has only played a minor role so far. This issue will feature several recently-launched DRI projects.

We have dedicated another section to the logistics at various levels of the steel production chain.

We will examine how apps can improve the operation of works railways and river barges, and how drones can be a useful tool for monitoring mills. Also, in cooperation with a partner, SMS group has come up with an example of how port operators can learn from coil storage systems at mills.

Of course, we have also talked to companies and associations about COVID-19—how they are dealing with the repercussions and implications, what measures they are taking, and which new, positive ideas the crisis has brought forward.

Best wishes & stay healthy,

Christian KĂśhl Editor in Chief, MPT International

MPT International / September 2020

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CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2020

Special

2020

27

This year, the Euroblech trade fair will be replaced by an online webinar / networking event scheduled from 27 to 30 October.

36

Wuppermann has compared galvanizing of hot-rolled versus cold-rolled strip considering the CO2 footprint

NEWS

SPECIAL: LOGISTICS

6 International Industry

21 Careful Unloading of Iron Ore Pellets with Schade Wagon Tippler At the Baltic Port of Ust-Luga, export capacity is being expanded by port logistics company Ultramar

Tenova Goodfellow, AM/NS Calvert, SMS group, and more

9 Equipment: Orders & Commissionings Al Ezz Dekheila Steel Company, Yongfeng Group, Gerdau Brazil, Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel, Voestalpineand and more

13 Calendar of Events

BUSINESS & POLITICS 14 The steelmakers, the Plantbuilders and

the Virus Companies have continuously reassessed and updated their policies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some recent views on the challenges and measures taken.

22 ThyssenKrupp: Digital Logistics on Water, in the Air and by Rail The company is testing a digital logistics tracking system which enables river barges to use the Internet of Things, as well as drones for on-plant transportation, and apps for train drivers.

24 Boxbay: From Coil Logistics to Port Storage A technology that was originally developed for fully automated processes in the field of steel product logistics might massively improve the handling of containers at ports.

16 DRI for the Future, Part II: ThyssenKrupp, Salzgitter ThyssenKrupp has come up with a timetable for a direct reduction plant, Salzgitter is launching a feasibility study.

19 World DRI Production Surpasses 108m tonnes The latest statistics on DRI production, compiled by Midrex

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September 2020 / MPT International

40

In-plant transportation of coils made easy

56

COVER STORY: Logistics – Taking a look at digital tools for barges and trains, at equipment for the handling of iron ore pellets, and a novel container stacking system for ports

ABB Advanced Process Control employed at pellet plant dryers and related facilities

Source: Shutterstock

SPECIAL: AUTUMN CAMPAIGN

OPINION / A THOUGHT FOR THE ROAD

27 Euroblech Digital Innovation Summit 2020

57 How hydrogen is gaining momentum in the Chinese steel industry

by Frank Zhong, representative of steel association Worldsteel at its Beijing Office

Replacing this year’s Euroblech trade fair in Hannover, the “Euroblech Digital Innovation Summit” for the global flat products working community will be presenting a broad programme for trade professionals including virtual product presentations and expert webinars. Featuring product news from ArcelorMittal France, Heinrich Georg Maschinenfabrik, Trumpf, Miory Steel, Schäferwerke, Wuppermann, Tenova

40 Coil Logistics Made Simple The Modular Coil Shuttle System from Primetals Technologies was designed to meet requirements of almost any coldor hot-rolling facility due to a modular design.

COLUMNS 3 Editorial 58 In the next issue / Advertisers’ index / Imprint

INDUSTRY 4.0 / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 53 Digital documentation for metallurgical plants A key element on the way to the “Learning Steel Plant”, is the software LiveDOK NG by Rösberg GmbH.

56 ABB: digital offering for metals ABB has introduced its process control solution to the metals industry. It offers metals producers a customisable toolbox that can be applied to a variety of process applications.

MPT International / September 2020

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NEWS

INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY

panding its market presence in Latin America. Part of the transaction is the merger of these two Brazilian companies to create a competency center for industrial digitalization, with emphasis on efficiency and sustainability technologies. The new business will operate under the name Vetta in conjunction with SMS digital, SMS group subsidiary specialized in digital solutions. The combination with the Vetta and Viridis merger aims to add the energy and sustainability business to the portfolio of SMS digital. These areas are of key importance for the entire steel and metals industry, with decisive influence on the cost-efficiency of the companies and acting as a lever in reducing their carbon footprint.

The blast furnaces at ArcelorMittal Cleveland will soon change owners

ArcelorMittal has entered into a definitive agreement with Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. , which will acquire 100% of the shares of ArcelorMittal USA for a combination of cash and stock. The deal includes the ArcelorMittal’s six steelmaking sites in Burns Harbor, Cleveland, Coatesville, Indiana Harbor, Riverdale and Steelton. Under the terms of the agreement, ArcelorMittal expects to receive an aggregate equity value consideration of $1.4 billion. The transaction will make Cleveland-Cliffs the largest flat-rolled steel producer in North America, with combined shipments of approximately 17 million net tons in 2019. The company will also be the largest iron ore pellet producer in North America, with 28 million long tons of annual capacity. ArcelorMittal will keep its assets in Canada, Mexico and AM/NS Calvert in the USA. It will retain its R&D programme and innovation centres to maintain its product and process development. In 2019, ArcelorMittal USA had revenues of $9.9 billion and total steel shipments of 12.5 million short tons.

of steel slabs for the hot strip mill and producing steel grades “required for Calvert’s end user markets”. Construction is expected to take 24 months and the new facility is anticipated to create 300 additional jobs in the community.

The plant in Calvert was acquired by ArcelorMittal and NSC as a 50:50 participation in 2014, after it was originally built by Thyssenkrupp. Since then the joint venture has already invested more than $200 million in strategic projects.

Industrial Digitalization: SMS group establishes Competence Center in Brazil German SMS group is investing in the acquisition of shares in two Brazil-based companies, Viridis and Vetta, thus ex-

ThyssenKrupp brings hydrogen production to the electricity market ThyssenKrupp’s proprietary water electrolysis technology for the production of green hydrogen meets the requirements for participation in the primary control reserve market. In the future the company’s electrolysis plants will be able to act as large-scale buffers to stabilize the power grid and compensate fluctuations.

Operators can now link their plants to the German electricity market via a virtual power plant of German energy supplier E.ON. “With this we have achieved a further important goal. Earlier tests already demonstrated that our electrolysis plants can produce green hydrogen highly efficiently and with sufficient response speed and flexibility to partici-

ArcelorMittal intends to build EAF at AM/NS Calvert ArcelorMittal announced its intention to build an electric arc furnace (EAF) steel making facility at AM/NS Calvert. Once completed the planned facility will be capable of producing 1.5 million tonnes

6

With its water electrolysis technology ThyssenKrupp now can participate in the primary control reserve market.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: ArcelorMittal; ThyssenKrupp

ArcelorMittal sells US plants to Cleveland-Cliffs

pate in the energy balancing market,” says Christoph Noeres, Head of Energy Storage & Hydrogen unit at ThyssenKrupp. Both partners conducted the necessary tests jointly in an existing water electrolysis plant operating as part of the Carbon2Chem project in Duisburg.

It was shown that ThyssenKrupp’s electrolisers can increase and decrease their production at the speed required to participate in the premium primary reserve market. Prerequisites include being able to provide full supply within max. 30 seconds and maintain it for at least 15 minutes.

Kobe Steel, Vale and Mitsui to collaborate in low CO2 ironmaking solutions Kobe Steel, the parent company of Midrex Technologies, has reached a non-binding agreement with Vale and Mitsui to collaborate in providing low CO2 metallics and ironmaking solutions to the global steel industry. “We are excited to provide Midrex Technology using both natural gas and hydrogen to help steelmakers mitigate CO2 emissions and transition from aging blast furnace technology,” commented Stephen C. Montague, President and CEO of Midrex Technologies. Generally, the Midrex process intends to fit the need of steelmakers seeking a dependable and clean source of iron. Each year, plants using this technology produce more than 60 % of the world’s direct reduced iron (DRI) in its three forms: cold DRI, hot DRI and hot briquetted iron (HBI).

Machineseeker Group takes over competitors from Benelux The Machineseeker Group has acquired Werktuigen.nl, a leading marketplace for used machinery in Benelux. According to the German software developer, this has increased the reach of its platform to seven million buyers of used machines per month. “It is to be expected, in ten years’ time, there will only be around four to five relevant marketplaces for used machines, similar to other industries,” says Thorsten Muschler, founder and CEO of the company. For the Machineseeker Group this is the third acquisition in

the last three years. The aim is “to be the No. 1 in every European country for used machines with and without wheels,” says Muschler. For this reason, the group took over Truckscout24 from the listed Scout24 AG last year.

Tenova participates in Canadian manufacturing supercluster Tenova Goodfellow continues to push the envelope of R&D innovation through a collaborative new project titled “digital transformation of secondary metallurgy facility at ArcelorMittal Defasco”. As this suggests,

this project is focused on the steelmakers secondary metallurgy facility that includes a ladle furnace, a degassing tank, their auxiliaries and transfer cars. The goal is to demonstrate how digitalisation technologies can improve production by: minimising manual intervention, reducing process variation and improving final steel properties. The new sensors will be based on an array of Tenova’s proprietary technologies, including two pioneering technologies not previously used in ladle furnace operations plus one optical technology never previously used in Vacuum Degassing.

Tenova will adapt Tenova’s Advanced Sensor Technology for use on other oxygen and electric steelmaking fur-

NEWS

INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY

changeovers, jumps in the thickness or width, or changes in the process conditions.

Nexa Resources appoints ABB as partner for digital transformation journey

naces. In addition, Tenova will develop a technologically advanced sensing network capable of providing critical real-time process measurements.

Noodle.ai and SMS digital offer new production line sequencing app Noodle.ai and SMS digital have launched their second jointly-developed application following the announcement of their collaborative partnership in June 2019. The new

scheduling application for production planning and scheduling includes three modular applications that are also available individually.

The three consist of a demand planning application, one for pre grouping and another for line sequencing.

These modules are a respond to the growing demand for smart production planning and are aimed not only at improving traditional performance indicators such as order due date compliance, but also at minimising transitional losses, which inevitably occur with steel grade

ABB Ability MineOptimize connects and optimizes all stages in the lifecycle of any open pit or underground mine.

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September 2020 / MPT International

Source: ArcelorMittal; ABB

ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s mill in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

ABB has been selected to partner with Nexa Resources in an ambitious digital transformation programme in Latin America. The first step will be the modernisation of existing mining and smelting process installations in Brazil and Peru, which will form the foundation of digitalised and cost-effective operations, ABB says. The supplier will install ABB Ability System 800xA as part of a five-year agreement. This technology is the basis for the digital transformation and will serve as a common operations platform to support all technology upgrades as the plants evolve into digital mines of the future.The Aripuanã project is a polymetallic extraction of zinc, lead and copper, located near the city of Aripuanã in the State of Mato Grosso in Brazil.

The scope includes a comprehensive automation platform, and equipped with ABB Ability MineOptimize solutions such as the Minerals Process Control Library, Power Control Library and camera connection.

NEWS

EQUIPMENT: ORDERS & COMMISSIONINGS

Post production of EZDK’s wire mill in Alexandria, Egypt.

Africa EGYPT

Sources: ABB; SMS group

Al Ezz Dekheila Steel Company (EZDK) has approved the completion of a full ABB modernisation at its flagship wire rod manufacturing facility in Alexandria, Egypt, with commissioning to achieve rated speed and optimum productivity for all sizes rolled finalized in a record two weeks. Legacy ABB automation and control systems were completely overhauled with the project including engineering, design and fabrication of a new level-1 automation technologies solution, based on the latest ABB Ability System 800xA, together with other networking systems and new DCS800 drives. In addition, ABB commissioned DSC800-R01/R02 rebuild kits and DSC800-R00 upgrade kit for 19

DC stands drives and provided the latest ACS880 drives for the mill’s Stelmore Conveyor application, along with interfacing with existing LCI Tyrac drives.

Americas USA

Stupp Corporation has awarded SMS group the contract to extend the spiral pipe mill at its site in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the United States.

The contract consists of two projects: a partial revamp of the spiral pipe machine to increase pipe production capacity, and a new submerged arc re-welding stand to complement the existing three welding stands. The plant’s modifications will go into operation end of 2020. It is then equipped with the latest control and drive systems and

More Precision

Hot mill laser thickness measurement C-frame laser gauges now also for hot mill applications: Thickness up to 15.75 inches (400 mm) Temperature up to 2192 °F (1200 °C) Accuracy ±5 microns Patented Blue Laser Technology

Micro-Epsilon laser gauges established in hot mills, cold mills and processing lines Spiral pipe mill at Stupp Corporation in Baton Rouge, LA, USA.

Contact our application engineers: Phone +49 8542 1680 micro-epsilon.com/metal 9

EQUIPMENT: ORDERS & COMMISSIONINGS

components. The automation systems feature drives and sensors that use network technology throughout, thus allowing all machine parameters to be accessed and recorded. Data analytics are available to help monitor the quality of the pipes and supply the machine’s production parameters in order to enable the specific optimization of production processes and cycle times, as well as to forecast maintenance intervals for equipment units.

Automazioni Industriali Capitanio (AIC) has passed the remote finale acceptance test for the rolling mill upgrade at CHS Chicago Heights Steel in Chicago Heights, Illinois, USA. This project includes the automation equipment for the revamping of the rolling mill, starting rougher group and going through the takeout of the bar on the cooling beds. Amongst others, the scope of supply consists of new main and auxiliary drives, an HMI control system and sensors. AIC will be also involved in installation supervision and commissioning phases witin the project schedule.

BRAZIL

Primetals Technologies has received an order for the installation of a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) for Gerdau’s integrated plant melt shop in Ouro Branco, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The new solution will replace an existing system, which offers only limited upgrade options after several years of operation. The project will be executed by Primetals Technologies in cooperation with PSI Metals, thus combining automation, metallurgical and software know-how in the steel industry. The new melt shop MES offers a deep integration

with the existing level 1 and level 2 systems of Primetals Technologies based on standard interfaces. The solution makes use of the standard software product PSI Metals, which offers regular updates and upgrades, and which is already used in the plate mill and hot strip mill lines at Ouro Branco. This project is one of the results of the strategic cooperation between Gerdau and Primetals Technologies, which was signed during METEC 2019, and of an Industry 4.0 study conducted by Primetals Technologies for Gerdau in 2018.

Asia CHINA

Following the recent order for two fivestrand billet casters to be installed at its Dezhou location, Yongfeng Group has again chosen SMS Concast as supplier of high-speed billet casting technology. The ordered casters will be installed in the new Yongfeng Lingang Co., Ltd facility in Linyi City, China. SMS Concast will supply the two eight-strand billet casters for the newly built basic oxygen furnace (BOF) steelmaking plant in Linyi City in the Shandong Province. The two casters will have a combined production capacity of approximately 2.6 million tons per year of steel bars. Both casters will have a radius of 10.25 meters. While the first one will produce on eight strands right from the beginning, the second one will initially be equipped with seven strands, but prepared for the addition of an eighth strand in the future. Both machines will cast billets of 165 millimeters square. Starting with a range of low-carbon and cold-heading steels, it is planned to expand the production range to also in-

clude SBQ grades (Special Bar Quality), such as spring and bearing steels, in the future. For this extension of steel grades cast, the casting machines will be prepared for the retrofitting of electromagnetic mold stirrers (Constir-Mems), powder feeding systems and submerged casting technology.

Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel has selected ABB to supply and install a new, fully integrated, mechanical and electrical control system at its cold rolling stainless steel mill in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, northern China. Delivery of the new control solution for the company’s 1320 mm, two-high cold rolling reversible skinpass stainless steel mill, will begin in October 2020. It will help to improve mechanical performance and increase processing capabilities for Shanxi Taigang’s stainless-steel products, as well as improve strip surface quality and strip shape. The order includes ABB’s Level 1 and Level 2 automation control solutions – based on its flagship Ability System 800xA digital platform – to provide precise automation control, increased operational performance and higher stability for the skin-pass mill, where stainless steel strips undergo final processing. Additionally, ABB’s low voltage ACS880 drives will help boost system stability and safety, while ensuring maximum efficiency and availability.

JAPAN

Japanese steel producer Tokyo Steel placed an order with Primetals Technologies to revamp a continuous pickling line of hot rolled strip at the company´s production plant in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. The project includes the addition of a tension leveler type scale breaker and the installation of an iBox pickling tank with acid concentration control.

The revamp will increase productivity for difficult-to-descale materials while reducing energy and acid consumption.

The modernization project is expected to be finished in October 2021.

SOUTH KOREA

High-speed casting in eight strands on an SMS Concast casting machine

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Posco contracted Fives for its reversible cold rolling mill DMS 20Hi EcoMill to process GIGA steel – Ultra Advance High Strength Steel (U-AHSS) and TWIP – for automotive applications. Since 2016, Posco has been developing its GIGA steel for the automotive

September 2020 / MPT International

Sources: SMS group (2); Primetals Technologies

NEWS

GUNNING ROBOTS

FOR IMPROVED

HOT REPAIR iBox pickling tank from Primetals Technologies

of EAF, Ladle, RH

application due to its unparalleled properties. This steel is stronger than aluminium and therefore meets the most stringent safety standards. It has high formability to produce complex auto parts without any special processing. It leads the industry with the lightest weight which reduces emissions. Lighter vehicle body weight and significant reduction of CO2 emissions have been major drivers for carmakers.

THAILAND

Siam Construction Steel Company has commissioned the 80-ton electric arc furnace (EAF) at its site in Rayong after an upgrade by SMS group within only ten months. SMS group’s scope of supply included a new Condoor slag door (enhanced automatic slag door) and a new advanced electrode regulator, known as AEREG. The aim of the upgrade was to improve the furnace seal and thus to in-

Condoor slag door from SMS group

crease productivity. The installation of the Condoor slag door improves safety for the operating personnel as direct working in this area is no longer required. The new electrode regulator is capable of automatically regulating the injection of carbon with less energy and, at the same time, significantly lower electrode consumption.

Europe AUSTRIA

Voestalpine’s Metal Engineering division has commissioned a new, fully automated continuous caster, with an annual production capacity of 1 million tonnes, supplied by Primetals. The division at Voestalpine’s Donawitz site produces high-grade steels for processing into special rails for railway infrastructure, premium wires for the automotive industry, and high-quality seamless tubes for oil & gas exploration. It spent around €90 million on the new caster, which it says

VELCO GmbH Haberstraße 40 42551 Velbert (Germany) info@velco.de • www.velco.de Tel +49 (20 51) 20 87-0

EQUIPMENT: ORDERS & COMMISSIONINGS

will allow the group to make even higher-purity steels with optimal surface properties. For example, cracks caused by extreme stresses on rail surfaces can be prevented through the use of homogenous material structures, it says. The

Voestalpine’s plant in Donawitz, Austria

CC4, as it is called, replaces a caster that had been in operation for 40 years, and fully complies with all Industry 4.0 standards, Voestalpine emphasises. The facility was can produce round blooms with a diameter of 230mm and rectangular blooms with a cross-section of 270x360mm. It is designed so that it can also produce a format of 440x330mm. It will be able to process rail steels, case-hardening steels, machining steels, feedstock for seamless steel tubes, heat-treated steels, spring steels, and various other sorts.

GERMANY

Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesman (HKM) has chosen Paul Wurth for engineering and construction of a coke oven gas (COG) compression and injection system for its two blast furnaces A and B. The new sys-

Tuyere COG injection concept at HKM

12

tem will complement the already existing natural gas (NG) injection system, which was taken into operation in 2003 respectively in 2005 as well as the existing pulverised coal injection (PCI) system, which was commissioned in 2009. The new COG injection system will provide of up 30 000 Nm3/h of COG per blast furnace. Injection of mixed COG and NG of up to 60 000 Nm3/h per blast furnace will be possible. The corresponding plant will be installed in a brownfield area in the existing steelworks. Aside of all engineering, the order foresees supply, erection and commissioning of two compressors of geared turbo type, an appropriate noise insulated housing for the compressor station and all process piping for the supply of the COG up to the (2 x 30) hot blast tuyeres of the blast furnaces. Civil works will be executed by HKM. Start of commissioning activities is envisaged for the last quarter of 2022.

ITALY

Primetals Technologies has received the final acceptance certificates (FAC) from Acciaierie Valbruna for the mechanical and electrical revamping of the AOD converter at its production facility in Bolzano, Italy. One of the main reasons for the revamping was the modernisation of the converter trunnion ring and tilting drive including a new shrink fit connection. Further on a new process optimisation system (level 2) was installed by Primetals Technologies, and the process control system (level 1) as completion of replacement of mechanical and electrical parts for the trunnion ring and tilting drive.

The level 2 system was adjusted and aligned to Valbruna’s production requirements via remote connection by the experts of Primetals Technologies from their offices in Austria. Additionally, the whole existing level-1-system was aligned and updated in cooperation with Valbruna. The revamping has improved the process stability, the

production flexibility, and reduced the maintenance efforts for the AOD converter.

SPAIN

Spanish technology manufacturer Fagor Arrasate will supply Swedish steel producer SSAB with a new fully automated longitudinal cutting line for Ultra High Strength Steel (UHSS). According to the Spanish supplier, the high-performance line will allow SSAB to reach high levels of productivity and profitability. With a speed of 150 m/minute, the line is able to process the most resistant steels, with a high yield strength of 1500 N/mm2, in coils up to 6 mm thick and 1,550 mm wide.

“The quick change of the cutting tools and the position of the separators is carried out automatically,” Fagor explains.

“This shortens machine set-up times and reduces manual operations, improving ergonomics and safety for operators.”

At ArcelorMittal Asturias, Avilés, Spain, SMS group has successfully put back into service the two-strand slab caster No. 2, after completion of a comprehensive revamp. The continuous caster is now able to produce slabs with thicknesses of 235, 300 and 365 millim-

Casting of the first slabs at ArcelorMittal Asturias’ revamped two-strand slab caster No. 2

eters (235 and 280 mm before the modification) and widths of 800 up to 2,200 millimeters (up to 1,600 millimeters before the modification). The caster is designed for an annual production capacity of up to 2.9 million tons of steel slabs. One month after the 14-week revamp period, the continuous caster was producing over 100,000 tons of steel slab without a hitch. From the curved mold down to the runout section, the facility has been completely rebuilt. Its metallurgical length has been increased from 33.2 to 36.7 meters. The modernized caster is designed for a maximum casting speed of 1.6 meters per minute.

September 2020 / MPT International

Sources: Voestalpine; Paul Wurth; SMS group

NEWS

NEWS

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

This year, it seems that more trade fairs, conferences and events are cancelled or postponed than actually taking place as scheduled. Please check the websites of the respective event for updates. A valuable alternative are conferences and seminars offered online, some of which you will find here.

Euroblech Digital Innovation Summit

Wire & Tube 2020

27 – 30 October 2020 Virtual event

Düsseldorf, Germany

A virtual alternative to the original Euroblech trade fair date is being held in form of the Digital Innovation Summit. Check out our special section page 27 where we have compiled some important news from the industry in advance. https://www.euroblech. com/2020/english/event/ digitalsummit/

7 – 11 December 2020 For its two leading trade fair for the wire and tube industry, Messe Düsseldorf recently announced that it creates all the requirements for holding successful and hygiene-conforming trade fairs and thus intends to stick to the date for Wire and Tube. https://www.wire-tradefair.com/ https://www.tube-tradefair.com/

WEBINARS

Metal-Expo 2020 10 – 13 November 2020 Moscow, Russia Metal Expo is considered a significant event for the Russian and global steel industries for it affects the correlation of forces in the market, helps find marketing channels, established business relations and tests new product lines. The organisers currently expect a total more than 570 companies from 34 world countries to exhibit at the event, as well as 30,000 professional visitors. https://www.metal-expo.ru/en

Future Steel Forum 24 – 25 November Prague, Czech Republic Future Steel Forum is about the application of industry 4.0 to the steelmaking process with contributions from top steelmakers including ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel India, Big River Steel and Liberty Steel Group. https://futuresteelforum.com/

“iMeltShop” - production capacity enhanced by digital power 13 October 2020, 3 PM iMelt Shop is a suite of digital technologies applicable to EAF melt shop operations route. With this presentation Tenova wants to explain how it is possible, using digital and innovative tools, to increase production capacity, reduce production costs, improve training of operators, and more. https://bit.ly/2RSv8Tl

ACTIVATED LIGNITE AT ITS BEST When it comes to efficient waste gas and water treatment, HOK® Activated Lignite is the ideal fresh sorbent.

SMS group: Partners stay connected 16 October 2020, 3 – 6 PM Within its service webinar, SMS group has put several topics on the agenda including smart maintenance solutions, smart alarm, Genius CM (condition monitoring system) and IMMS (integrated maintenance management system). https://bit.ly/2RTgUSv

Thanks to our own raw materials base, we are one of the world’s largest producers of activated lignite.

This guarantees security of supply. The constant high quality of HOK® ensures a reliable separation of harmful substances.

HOK® Activated Lignite.

Good for the environment, good for business. www.hok.de

BUSINESS

POLITICS

The Steelmakers, the Plantbuilders and the Virus It feels a lot longer, but COVID-19 has ruled our lives for less than one year, so far.

In the months since the outbreak in China, and the consequent spread to all corners of the globe, industrial companies have continuously reassessed and updated their attitude and the measures to take amidst the pandemic. Let’s hear some recent views on the challenges and measures taken.

Nest-In, Tata Steel’s construction solutions business venture, has developed a COVID-19 testing booth for a swab collection procedure that is hassle-free and safe for both healthcare professionals and patients.

The Nest-In design & development team spent days interacting with medical professionals and studying the existing units in the market to identify pain points and derive insights. They developed an innovative unit which enables a contactless exchange of test tubes and is equipped with a two-way mic and speaker system that facilitates clear communication between the healthcare professional and the patient. The unit is spacious and constructed with insulated sandwich panels to provide a pleasant and comfortable environment inside the unit.

The unit is also equipped with a builtin disinfectant spray that eliminates the need for an additional resource to sanitise the unit after each sample collection, further reducing the risk of infection. The hardened glass ensures clear visibility and safety for healthcare professionals and patients.

Tata adjusts working hours to avoid heavy traffic The 12-hour work shift trialled at Tata Steel Jamshedpur’s new bar mill, sinter plant and the Industrial By-product Management Division (IBMD) to contain the spread of COVID-19, has been successful.

“The trial’s success gives us the confidence to roll out the 12-hour work shift in other departments in Jamshedpur works as per the business requirement and assessing the COVID-19 situation,” a press communiqué issued by the steel giant stated. The primary objective of the re-

14

Tata’s swab collection unit can be also used by hospitals, testing labs and industrial firms

quest was to reduce employee traffic on the shop floor and reduce employees’ exposure to an out-of-home environment.

The Jharkhand Government exempted the company from various provisions relating to weekly hours, daily hours, intervals for rest, etc. for adult workers, and allowed the workforce at Tata Steel Jamshedpur to work up to twelve hours a day.

Midrex: Learning from the Buffalo “What we considered normal a few months ago might seem appealing right now, but the status quo is overrated.

Change happens when it becomes dissatisfying enough and unacceptable to stay where we are, so we try something new,” says Stephen Montague, president and CEO of Midrex Technologies. “Change produces innovation, and innovation drives progress. We certainly did not choose this path for change, but we can control how

we respond. Now is not the time to wish everything would go back to the way it was. It is time to acknowledge that we have the opportunity to create something better. My Midrex teammates have Stephen heard the story Montague, about how buffalo president and and cattle react CEO of Midrex when a storm apTechnologies. proaches. Cattle try to escape by turning away from the storm and heading in the opposite direction. But cows cannot outrun storms; instead of running away, buffalo turn into the storm and meet it headon. Both of them will have to endure the storm’s fury, but the buffalo will spend less time in the storm, thereby reducing the pain and suffering. At Midrex, we choose to address our challenges like the buffalo.” Among other things, Montague highlights that no one has the answers; it is vital to understand the general trends of change and get moving. “It is easy to become paralysed by the lack of information needed to make accurate forecasts. It is better to be nimble and frequently adjust the course than to put faith and time into pinpoint forecasting,” he says.

Tenova Shares Information in Digital Space “It goes without saying that safeguarding people’s health and safety remains our number one priority. Business continuity has been the other major priority since day one: with all means at our disposal, we strive to guarantee proximity to our customers,” Tenova says in a statement sent to MPT International. “Our digitals solutions already in place, specifically

September 2020 / MPT International

Sources: Tata Steel, Midrex

Tata Steel develops Swab Collection Unit to minimise contamination risk

We Need to Share Experiences

monitored and recorded daily at the entrance of the ArcelorMittal Ghent site and the construction site. The company also carries out random checks during the working hours. “Thanks to effective internal contact tracing, we can quickly identify with whom, for how long and at how close a distance an infected employee in the workplace has been in contact with,” it says.

No matter where in the world you are located: your voice matters. If you have anything to say about measures to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our industry that you feel other steel professionals should know about, please write to mpt-international@maenken.com

Latin America concerned about the redirection of steel trade flows

Tenova adVISOR and Tenova EDGE, played an important role in supporting our customers despite the imposed distancing and the impossibility to travel.

Additionally, we opened a direct, interactive channel to communicate with our external stakeholders: between July and August, we launched Tenova WebArena, a virtual space where our experts shared their knowledge and hands-on experience through webinars. The initiative was highly appreciated, so we have decided to continue with a new series of events.”

… and observes renewed interest in Green Technologies “This tsunami has heavily affected the metals sector. However, we have recently noticed a strong, renewed attention to advanced technologies that enable the implementation of a virtuous circular economy along the entire value chain, together with continuous efforts towards the decarbonisation of the production process. Over the last few months, we have opened the discussion and, in some cases, signed new contracts for green technologies, in steelmaking plants in general, and, more specifically, regarding DRI – Direct Iron Reduction.

This crisis will widen the gap between those who have invested in innovative and sustainable technologies and those who have not, favouring the former in a market outlook that promises to be incredibly competitive.”

The pandemic hit Tenova’s operations right at the start, when it spread in China, as the company has offices in Beijing and Tianjin—around 700 miles from Wuhan—and customers all around the country. “The experience gained from the Chinese crisis helped us appreciate the gravity of the events and move proactively when the unforeseen health emergency arose in Lombardy, Italy, where Tenova’s headquarters are located,” Matteo Colombo, Tenova QHSE Manager, stated earlier this summer. “I can say that we reacted promptly from day one, adopting drastic preventive measures, much stricter than the governmental ones.”

The WHO said it is particularly concerned about Central and South America, where “many countries are experiencing accelerating epidemics”, while the steel industry in Latin America has had one of the greatest impacts on declining production worldwide. The forecasted drop in the region’s GDP is more than 7%, the worst since reliable data emerged in 1901, according to the South American steel association Alacero.

Regional steel production registered a 19% drop in the first semester, and the region is receiving imports that represent 39% of the consumption, with roughly a third of that percentage coming from China. The country is generating an indirect impact on local industries by “diverting” its products to Latin American countries covered by incentives and subsidies that help them achieve lower prices. In this context, Alacero has renewed its request to regional governments to defend local industries from highly unequal competition.

Since more than 50 years!

Precaution while carrying out a reline ArcelorMittal Belgium The relining of blast furnace B at ArcelorMittal Ghent will take around four months, with many employees working at the same time on the construction site. The company stresses the prevention measures taken on site. Three ground rules must be strictly adhered to: good hand hygiene, adherence to a social distance of 1.5 metres and the obligation to wear a face mask.

In collaboration with an external prevention agency, a test module has been set up to make on-site coronavirus sampling easily accessible. Accredited test laboratories carry out the sample analysis. This is all executed in consultation with the Care and Health Agency, the Province of East Flanders, the City of Ghent, the Ghent hospital network and the General Practitioners Association Ghent. The temperature of all employees is

CRANEFRIGOR™ – AC-unit for severe duty conditions works.

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02.04.19 11:22

BUSINESS

DRI

ThyssenKrupp’s concept of a direct reduction plant with a melting unit

DRI for the Future, Part II: ThyssenKrupp, Salzgitter

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he green transformation of ThyssenKrupp Steel, Germany’s largest steel producer, is taking shape with a concept for the construction of the first direct reduction plant with an integrated melting unit (blast furnace 2.0) at the group’s mill complex in Duisburg. Above all, ThyssenKrupp is focusing on hydrogen: tests are currently being conducted to use hydrogen in conventional blast furnace operation to reduce the CO2 footprint of steel production in the short term and produce the first batches of CO2-neutral steel. The next milestone will be the construction of a novel integrated direct reduction plant, allowing significant reductions in emissions.

The development of direct reduction plants (DR plants) represents a key change. DR plants operate using gases.

If hydrogen is used, they release no emissions. Since carbon-neutral hydro-

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gen will not be available in sufficient quantities in the foreseeable future, natural gas can also be used temporarily.

This will lead to a significant reduction of emissions as compared to the coalbased blast furnace route. ThyssenKrupp Steel will commission the first largescale DR plant in 2024.

melting units produce a liquid product.

As a result, the new plants can be seamlessly integrated into existing metallurgical plants. The great advantage is that the existing and proven processes in the Duisburg-based BOF melt shops can be maintained. The liquid product is processed into the proven steel grades there.

Integration of DR plants into the existing steel mill

Electrical hot metal from blast furnace 2.0

In contrast to the blast furnace, DR plants do not produce hot metal, but solid sponge iron (“Direct Reduced Iron”, DRI).

It must be melted down into a hot metal product for further processing into high-quality steel. Together with manufacturers, ThyssenKrupp Steel claims that it is developing a completely new plant to optimise the hot metal system. It is a power-operated melting unit, which is combined with the DR plant. Like a blast furnace, direct reduction plants with

This currently unique concept offers several advantages. It is largely based on the existing structures of Europe’s largest integrated steel production site, which means that considerably less investment and operating costs are involved. Another important advantage for customers is the maintenance of the complete product portfolio, as the existing steel mills and processes can still be used. One innovation, in particular, enables this path towards climate-neutral-

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: ThyssenKrupp

In case you haven’t noticed, there is no question mark to the headline ‘DRI for the Future?’ anymore. Things seem to be happening fast in this respect, both in Germany and beyond. In August alone, ThyssenKrupp came up with a timetable for a direct reduction plant, Salzgitter announced a feasibility study.

ity: the solid material produced in the direct reduction plant is liquefied in an integrated melting unit. This blast furnace 2.0 produces “electrical hot metal”, which is processed in the existing metallurgical plant in an energy-efficient manner. The integrated direct reduction plant is to be operated with green hydrogen and green power in future. It is an important step towards the achievement of the climate goals of the company and those defined by the Paris Agreement.

ThyssenKrupp has set itself the target to reduce its CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 and plans to complete the main part of the plant by 2025 and produce 400,000 tonnes of green steel. For 2030, the company aims at 3 million tonnes of climate-neutral steel.

Another important advantage of the concept is the relatively fast ramp-up of climate-neutral steel production. The first direct reduction plant with melting unit will have an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tonnes. As long as hydrogen is not available in sufficient quantities, the plant can be operated with natural gas. This will already allow significant CO2 emission reductions and the production of significant amounts of green steel without compromising the quality of the products.

In late August, Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier and North Rhine-Westphalia’s State Premier Armin Laschet visited ThyssenKrupp’s steel complex in Duisburg. On that occasion, ThyssenKrupp AG CEO Martina Merz and ThyssenKrupp Steel CEO Bernhard Osburg revealed the timeline the group has developed for its transformation towards DRI. In his speech to the ministers, Osburg emphasised that ThyssenK-

rupp is pursuing a very own path. Here is a summary: “Our project is called “tkH2Steel”.

This means nothing other than “ThyssenKrupp produces carBernhard Osburg, bon-neutral steel with ThyssenKrupp hydrogen and green Steel CEO electricity”. However, our blast furnace 2.0 concept is unique and differs from classic electric steel routes in three key advantages.

Our concept offers the most cost-effective transformation of an integrated steel mill network - such as the one we have here covering an area of over 10 square kilometres. We need up to 30% less investment than the steel industry concepts we are familiar with today on the road to climate neutrality. How can this be achieved?

To neutralise the steel industry’s CO2 emissions, we have to look at primary steel production, which today accounts for over 90% of global steel production.

In order to decarbonise this pig iron route, most concepts— and we have followed this path for a long time—rely on a direct reduction plant and then on the so-called EAF electric arc furnace route. However, this transformation path has some disadvantages for us: the process requires considerable intervention in the steelworks and secondary metallurgy, is highly energy-intensive and offers us only a limited product portfolio.

ThyssenKrupp Steel recognised these problems early on and therefore developed Blast Furnace 2.0 as an alternative technological approach: we have integrated a conventional direct reduction plant with an innovative melting unit to create a “hydrogen-powered electric blast furnace”.

tkH2Steel transforms a complete green product portfolio In blast furnace 2.0, green hydrogen does the reduction work, and in the lower part of the melter, green electricity takes over the liquefaction of the directly reduced iron to “electric pig iron”. This basic principle is as simple as it is efficient. With the climate-neutral pig iron produced in this way, we then enter our infrastructure, which has been optimised and available for many decades. This path is minimally disruptive and therefore requires significantly less investment: We only change the first part of the liquid phase to the pig iron. The coking plant, the sinter plants and the blast furnaces with the large CO2 emissions are gradually being eliminated. But we will continue to use the existing steel plants unchanged, saving billions of euros in investment.

And not only is the investment required lower; future operating costs are also much lower compared to the electric arc route. This is due to significant efficiency advantages along our process chain, such as the so-called hot link to the steel mill: the liquid electric pig iron from Blast Furnace 2.0 can be processed without energy loss, just as it is today directly in our existing steel plants. The lower operating costs will also make our green steel products very competitive.

By continuing the processes from the steel mill onwards which determine the product properties unchanged, we can offer our customers our high-quality flat steel portfolio as a green portfolio without restrictions. This is not a matter of course from a metallurgical point of view, especially in the case of highly specialised steels such as e.g. for electric mobility or in packaging steel. This is unique in Europe.”

The state premier of North Rhine Westphalia, Armin Laschet; German economy minister Peter Altmaier; ThyssenKrupp CEO Martina Merz; ThyssenKrupp Steel CEO Bernhard Osburg

MPT International / September 2020

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BUSINESS

DRI

Salzgitter AG projects DRI plant on the North Sea coast Salzgitter AG, Germany’s second-largest steelmaker, is launching a feasibility study for the construction of a direct reduced iron (DRI) plant with an upstream hydrogen electrolyser at the deepwater port of Wilhelmshaven in the federal state of Lower Saxony. To that end, it has signed an agreement with the state government of Lower Saxony, the City of Wilhelmshaven and the industrial partners Rhenus—a logistics company—and utility company Uniper.

T

he study includes potentially building a DRI plant and developing the necessary infrastructure for supplying it with raw materials, natural gas and hydrogen. The results are expected to be available by 31 March 2021 at the latest, Salzgitter says.

“This is another concrete step in our process of evolving toward low CO2, hydrogen-based steel production underpinned by our prestigious SALCOS (SAlzgitter Low CO2 Steelmaking) technology concept. Once this step has been realised, we will be making a decisive contribution to achieving the climate targets,” says CEO Heinz Jörg Fuhrmann.

If the findings of the feasibility study are successful, follow-up activities in the form of joint implementation of the project have been planned. The envisaged target is to produce two million tonnes of directly reduced iron per year, which will be transported to the city of Salzgitter by rail and processed into high-grade,

environmentally compatible strip steel products in Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH’s integrated strip steelworks.

Direct reduction From a technological standpoint, there are options to expand the existing steelworks—in line with our endeavours to reduce emissions—and integrate new facilities. Iron ore could initially be reduced to iron using natural gas and a higher volume of hydrogen in a direct reduction reactor. The reaction takes place at 950°, producing sponge iron.

This method can achieve a reduction of iron of up to 85%. The facilities in question also use an integrated process. Gas is introduced in a circular pattern and, after separation of the water produced by the reduction, cleansed of any remaining CO2 and reused.

The challenge inherent to direct reduction consists of integrating the new facilities into the existing steelworks. Through

the gradual implementation of a reactor of this kind, initial CO2 savings of up to 50% are theoretically possible. If in the future, the entire production can be switched to a direct reduction plant, this figure could be further increased—up to 85%.

Future opportunities for direct reduction This undertaking cannot be directly implemented from a technical and financial standpoint. The SALCOS team and collaborators from the Fraunhofer Institute are working on a concept for a staged conversion. Current calculations show that CO2 emissions could be reduced even more substantially by 2050 than originally estimated by politicians.

Along with technological considerations, whether CO2-reduced steel production under SALCOS is a promising project or just a desirable vision ultimately hinges on political framework conditions and economic efficiency criteria, Salzgitter notes.

In August, Sunfire delivered what it says is the world’s most powerful high-temperature electrolyser (HTE) for highly energy-efficient hydrogen production to Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH. Within the GrInHy2.0 project, the HTE system with a rated electrical output of 720 kilowatts will be deployed in an industrial environment for the first time. GrInHy2.0 is another step by Salzgitter AG towards low An illustration of the GrInHy 2.0 system at Salzgitter AG CO2 steel production within the framework of the SALCOS innovation project. The electrolyser is expected to be in operation for at least 13,000 hours by the end of 2022, producing at least 100 tonnes of green hydrogen with renewable electricity.

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September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Salzgitter AG

GrInHy2.0: Sunfire supplies the world’s largest High-Temperature Electrolyser to Salzgitter Flachstahl

World DRI production surpasses 108m tonnes Annual global DRI production reached another record in 2019 with 108.1 million tonnes produced. DRI output was up 7.3% from 2018, the fourth consecutive record year. Since 2015, worldwide DRI output has increased by 35.5m tonnes, or nearly 49%. For 2019, the growth was primarily driven by the increase in coal-based DRI in India, the high capacity utilisation of existing and new gas-based plants in Iran, and the ramp up of Tosyali’s Midrex plant in Algeria. Once more, the combination of India and Iran produced more than half of the global DRI.

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he production of hot DRI (HDRI), which is fed directly to a nearby meltshop for energy savings, slightly increased to 11.3m tonnes, a 1% gain from 2019. Hot briquetted iron (HBI), which is a compacted form of DRI suitable for shipping, jumped to 9.7m tonnes, a 7.1% increase year-on-year. The Midrex process accounted for 65.4m tonnes, or 60.5% of all DRI produced globally, and 79.8% of all gas-based DRI. The production from Midrex plants increased by 5.3% year-on-year, whereas the productionfrom other gasbased processes decreased by 8.5%

Behind the numbers The year 2019 was marked by high volatility in iron ore pricing and availability, following the dam breach in Brazil, inclement weather in Australia, and other events. The 62% Fe iron ore sinter fine index started at $70/t in January, peaked near $120/t in July, and settled around $80-90/t for most of the second half of the year. Pellet premiums also experienced volatility during the year.

On the other hand, the price for steel products decreased during the same period.

MPT International / September 2020

Overall, plants with a captive iron ore source fared better than plants relying on market pellets, which saw diminishing margins between higher ore price and decreasing steel price. In the latter case, some plants elected to take outages or increased their scrap usage, as it was more available internationally than in previous years.

India continued its streak as the number one DRI producer worldwide. This past year, the substantial growth was due to increased

demand for steel products and the productivity gains of the rotary kilns, which were able to use higher quality coal imported from South Africa and Indonesia, according to the Sponge Iron Manufacturers Association (SIMA). Rotary kilns saw a 27.9% jump from 2018, which was already a 35% increase from 2017. Gas-based DRI plants benefited from lower natural gas pricing, as the global price of LNG decreased and the country invested in LNG infrastructure.

Production of DRI in Iran was a record 28.5m t, all from natural gas-based processes. This was a 10.9% increase over 2018. The Midrex process accounts for nearly 92% of DRI production in Iran. Several Midrex modules that either started production or ramped up during 2019 were responsible for the bulk of the growth. Most of the plants using the Midrex process operated at or very near full capacity utilisation. Another six Midrex Modules are under construction. The four PERED modules produced slightly less tonnage than in 2018.

Russia maintained its 3rd place as a producing nation with another record of 8.0m t produced after establishing the mark of

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DRI

7.9m in 2018. Almost all Russian DRI plants experienced record-breaking productivity in 2019, benefiting from captive iron ore, low natural gas price, and an increased demand for HBI. Mexico regained its 4th place from Saudi Arabia and posted virtually the same production numbers as in 2018: 5.97m t . Saudi Arabia’s production declined from 6.0m to 5.79m due to market pressures. Most countries in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) saw similar declines; Egypt suffered the most with a drop of nearly 29%. One notable exception was Oman, where production increased by 17% over 2018. Both Libya and Algeria posted positive gains from 2018; Algerian DRI production jumped almost 15-fold due to ramp up of Tosyali Algérie, which started production of its Midrex HDRI/ CDRI combo plant, rated at 2.5m tonnes per year, in late 2018. In South America, Argentinian production of DRI suffered from poor local market conditions and natural gas curtailment. Venezuela continued to produce at less than 15% of the rated capacity, due to limited availability of iron ore and spare parts; Venezuela is only making HBI for export.

New Capacity and plants under construction No new large scale direct reduction capacity was contracted in 2019. The start-up of Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS) in Algeria and Cleveland-Cliffs in the USA will add 4.4 million t of capacity in 2021. In Iran, Pasargad reported starting up a 1.5Mt/y Midrex plant in 2019; Eight other projects, including 6 in Iran, with a total capacity of 7.55m t are at various phases of execution.

Midrex Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS) Construction of a 2.5m t per year Midrex Combination DRI Plant for Algerian Qatari Steel (AQS) continued throughout 2019. AQS is a joint venture between Qatar Steel International, the Algerian investment group SIDER, and the National Investment Fund of Algeria. The plant, located in Bellara, Algeria, 375km east of Algiers, will provide HDRI and CDRI to a nearby EAF melt shop, which will produce 2.0m t per year of rebar and wire rod.

Construction was impacted by COVID-19 in the spring of 2020; the plant will be ready to start-up in the near future.

Cleveland-Cliffs Construction of a 1.6m t per year Midrex HBI plant for Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. con-

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The Midrex plant under construction at Akgerian Qatari Steel

tinued in 2019 and is on target to start in the last quarter of 2020. Cleveland-Cliffs announced plans to build the plant on a brownfield site at the Port of Toledo (Ohio, USA) in June of 2017.

Groundbreaking for the plant was in April of 2018. The Toledo location was chosen due to its proximity to several future customers, as well as its logistics advantages including affordable gas availability and access by multiple rail carriers. It will provide a domestic source of HBI for electric arc furnace steelmakers in the Great Lakes region when it begins operation. The construction of the plant was temporarily shut down in March 2020 due to mandatory

COVID-19 related measures. The workforce was remobilized in June to complete the project.

HYL / Energiron: In January 2019, China’s Sinosteel Equipment and Engineering contracted Tenova HYL to supply a micro-module for “Empresa Siderúrgica del Mutún” (ESM) at Puerto Suárez in Bolivia. The cold DRI plant has a capacity of 0.25M t/y.

PERED Construction of the 0.3m t/y DRI module fed by coke oven gas for Shanxi Taihang Mining, contracted in 2013, is in progress.

OMK contracts Danieli for new 2.5-Mtpy DR plant Russia’s OMK has contracted Danieli for the construction of a direct reduced ironbased steelmaking plant at its flagship Vyksa works. As part of the new complex for the production of slabs, seamless pipe and rail wheels, it will produce 2.5 million tpy of direct reduced iron (DRI)—virgin iron units used in EAF to produce the most demanding steel grades, Danieli says. The company claims that the selected process route—Energiron DRI technology plus Danieli EAF—will be a benchmark for energy efficiency and environmental compliance (green steel production). Energiron is an innovative direct reduction technology jointly developed by Danieli and Tenova. With a productivity of 2.5 million tonnes per year, the DRI plant of OMK will be the largest single-module direct reduction plant in Russia, according to Danieli. Energiron DRI plants allow the processing of a wide range of iron-oxide pellet qualities, which results in a strong advantage for the steelmaker’s sourcing strategy. Featuring ultra-low NOx burners and CO2 removal, Energiron DRI plants minimise environmental emissions. Compared to a traditional integrated steel mill (BF+BOF) carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 64%, while other pollutants such as dioxin, PAH, etc. are almost negligible. The plant will be ready for “Carbon Capture Storage and Use” and, as with all the modern Energiron DRI plants, it allows the use of hydrogen instead of natural gas. Energy savings and performance will also be boosted at the steelmaking plant thanks to the HYTEMP hot-charge system, the most reliable and effective way to continuously feed the EAF with hot DRI at 600 °C. The order follows a recent order received by Danieli for the delivery of a complete melt shop with a 180-tonne EAF and caster for the same complex. According to unofficial sources, the total investment will amount to around RUB 150 billion ($2 billion), with commissioning scheduled in the second half of 2024. The new complex will produce thick slab wheels and round billet for OMK’s Vyksa plant. The slab will be used in the production of heavy plate products at its own mill-5000 and for the production of large-diameter pipe. The round billet will be used in the production of railway wheels and seamless pipe.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Midrex Technologies, Inc. (2); Algerian Qatari Steel

BUSINESS

SPECIAL

LOGISTICS

Careful unloading of iron ore pellets with Schade wagon tippler At the Baltic Port of Ust-Luga, around 100 km west of St. Petersburg in Russia, export capacity is being expanded further by the port logistics company Ultramar.

This first-time customer of Schade Lagertechnik GmbH has ordered equipment for the outdoor stockyard of a new iron ore terminal.

B

ack in the sales phase Schade supplied fundamental technical solutions for the outdoor stockyard design. The order comprises a Portal Reclaimer with a capacity of 2,500 tph and a rail span of 46 m, a rotating Stacker at a capacity of 1,800 tph and boom length of 37 m, and a Wagon Tippler with a capacity of up to 1,800 tph. The Schade supply package also includes two Hybrid Apron Feeders with a capacity of over 850 tph each which are being delivered by Aumund Fördertechnik.

The machines are to stack and reclaim iron ore pellets for Lebedinsky GOK, which describes itself as operating the largest plant in Russia and the CIS for the mining and processing of iron ore, and has been a customer of Aumund many years. The specialised Schade technology guarantees that the iron ore pellets are not damaged during handling. This is for example achieved by defining a 32-degree tilt for unloading material from the wagons into the bunkers. The boom of the Stacker is structured to tip the fragile

Schade Wagon Tippler in Peru

Schade Semi-Portal Reclaimer in operation at Ha Tinh Steel, Vietnam

pellets with a drop of less than 1 m.

Commissioning of the equipment at Ultramar is planned for the end of 2020 / beginning of 2021.

chinery Corporation four Semi-Portal Reclaimers with rail spans of over 52 m for enclosed stockyards, and China Dragon Steel, which also belongs to CSC, will take delivery of two further Semi-Portal Reclaimers with rail spans of around 67 m.

Schade Semi-Portal Reclaimers for Taiwan Mills Environmental concerns have become the top priority for the largest steel producer in Taiwan, CSC (China Steel Corporation), as it currently completes a project in its Kaohsiung plant, in the planning since 2012, to reduce environmental impact by enclosing stockyards. Schade Lagertechnik GmbH is going to supply via China Steel Ma-

Source: Schade

Aumund keeps afterservice going During the current coronavirus pandemic, Schade’s parent group Aumund emphasises its after sales service, as many customers, from cement, steel and other industries, have taken the opportunity to order spare and wear parts for their Aumund machinery earlier than planned, in order to be prepared for the time after the coronavirus crisis, when production capacities will be increased again. To make sure that spare and wear parts are readily available, Aumund has organised its spare parts logistics over five locations. Customers in more than 120 countries of the world are sure to receive their required spare parts either from Rheinberg in Germany, Atlanta in the USA, São Paulo in Brazil, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, or from Hong Kong.

MPT International / September 2020

China Steel Corporation Two of the four Schade Reclaimers have a reclaim capacity with a peak performance of over 3,000 tph of iron ore, which puts them among the highest performing Schade Semi-Portal Reclaimers for applications in iron ore.

These Reclaimers are also equipped with special two-way chutes to load two conveyors. The two other Semi-Portal Reclaimers are designed for a reclaim capacity of over 1,200 tph of coal.

China Dragon Steel China Dragon Steel also operates a steel plant in Taiwan. This CSC Group company ordered two Semi-Portal Reclaimers each with a rail span of almost 67 m and a reclaim capacity of over 1,200 tph coal from Schade. Back in 2019 China Dragon Steel had commissioned two Tripper Cars and two Semi-Portal Reclaimers from Schade.

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LOGISTICS

ThyssenKrupp: digital logistics on water, in the air and by rail ThyssenKrupp Steel, Germany’s largest steelmaker, is testing a digital logistics tracking system which enables every barge it uses for waterway transport to use the Internet of Things and equips it with a GPS sensor. The design minimises disruptions to raw material deliveries. The company is also testing drones for on-plant transportation and has introduced apps for train drivers.

I

ThyssenKrupp receives íts coal and iron ore from Rotterdam via the Rhine river

raw materials. The result is sudden changes in barge traffic.

“There are disruptive factors that we have to take into account,” says Christoph Pohl from the handling and storage logistics team responsible for raw material handling at the mill’s ports. “They can all be overcome, but for that to happen, we need to exchange the necessary information flexibly and quickly.”

It is a complex operation due to the numerous functions that need to be notified of changes: from port planning to the blast furnace, from barge skippers to

ThyssenKrupp’s on-plant drone DelivAIRy, nicknamed „The Steel Bee“

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crane operators at the ports, from Rotterdam to Duisburg. A lot of communication is required for everything to run smoothly.

Overview at all times “Our goal was to implement a smart digital solution giving everyone access to a live map of the supply chain,” explains Walter Scheider from handling and storage logistics at ThyssenKrupp Steel. “The idea was to reduce coordination requirements and make it possible to synchronise processes better.”

The most important tools for coordinating the more than 100 barges and various push boats along the Rhine and in the ports are large amounts of operating data, cameras and telephones. The logisticians wanted to simplify this. Together with IT, handling and storage logistics and raw materials coordination, they sought a solution that would give everyone involved an overview at all times. They came up with a system whereby every barge is now IoT-capable (“Internet of Things”) and equipped with a solar-powered GPS sensor.

By combining GPS data with information on orders and cargo, the team developed a digital map allowing all parties to keep track of every barge at all times—including information on tonnage, raw material car-

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: ThyssenKrupp

t is around 240 kilometres by ship down the Rhine from Europoort Rotterdam to ThyssenKrupp Steel’s iron and steel mill complex in Duisburg. The river plays an important part in the supply of raw materials to the mill, and the direct route is a key locational advantage: up to 10,000 push barges supply the mill’s ports with iron ore, coal and other raw materials every year. Each of these over-75-metre-long, floating containers is capable of transporting up to 2,700 tonnes of raw materials. This volume of traffic needs to be well-coordinated because space at the ThyssenKrupp ports of Walsum and Schwelgern is finite: only a limited number of barges can be parked or unloaded at the same time. As part of its digital logistics strategy, ThyssenKrupp Steel is optimising barge coordination with state-of-the-art sensor technology.

Logistics can sometimes only be planned with short lead times. Storms or poor visibility due to fog can cause delays, as can low Rhine water levels.

Maintenance work on the blast furnaces can also temporarily reduce demand for

go and port arrival time calculated using artificial intelligence. As a result, time and costs can be saved—e.g., by sending a signal to shipmasters on their way to Duisburg telling them to reduce their speed— and fuel consumption— when it is clear they would have to wait outside the port anyway.

“Live tracking allows us to plan much better in advance,” explains Christoph Pohl. “At the same time, the data we collect can help us analyse and optimise processes. For example, we can track precisely where and when which barges face waiting times and then look for ways to reduce them.”

Communication between train drivers and schedulers is now mostly by app

An aerial “pilot” project: The Steel Bee delivery drone Most recently, the steelmaker started using a drone to deliver samples across the plant. Nicknamed “the steel bee”, its official project name is the delivAIRy delivery drone. It regularly takes off to deliver samples across the Duisburg steelworks site to the lab for further processing. It is part of a joint project

by Kassel-based start-up Doks. innovation GmbH and ThyssenKrupp Steel to test drone delivery processes on the plant site.

The two partners have just been awarded the Regulatory Sandboxes Innovation Prize by the Federal Ministry for Economics for this ongoing project.

“ThyssenKrupp offers an application far from last-mile-delivery that can already be implemented today,” says Benjamin Federmann, founder and managing director of Doks. innovation GmbH. “Thanks to the good cooperation with ThyssenKrupp and the local authorities, we can already test and establish forward-looking technologies under real conditions today.”

“The transport drone flying reliably and automatically over our works site is a concrete and visible example of digitalisation in everyday industrial life. This project not only makes transportation modern and digital but also sustainable, more efficient and safer,” says Bernhard Osburg, CEO of ThyssenKrupp Steel.

Airborne at the push of a button Project manager Dr Thomas Lostak, team leader of Innovation at ThyssenKrupp Steel, is optimistic about the future. “If the automated flying robot proves successful for the transportation of lab samples, it could also be used in other areas of internal logistics in the future. The drone can be called

MPT International / September 2020

individually via an app. Time-critical deliveries on our plant site in Duisburg can now be fully automated and digitalised.” According to Lostak, the project has also been well-received by employees. The use of the drone gives form to the abstract concept of digitalisation and provides fresh momentum for other digitalisation projects.

The automated drone (no pilot required) delivers samples across the plant site, flying over main roads and railway lines in the process. As soon as the transport box is attached to the drone by a patented gripper mechanism, it can be sent to its destination at the push of a button. Unlike the cars normally used for this, the drone reaches its destination in just 10 minutes, saving time and benefiting the environment. The drone also incorporates the highest safety standards and can land at an emergency landing point if needed.

The start-up Doks. innovation was founded near the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund in 2017 and relocated to Kassel in 2018. The company develops solutions for automated data capture and processing in logistics, combining innovative carrier technologies, such as drones, highly sensitive sensors and intelligent software with machine-learning algorithms to form a powerful ecosystem for efficient logistics processes.

Digitalising order scheduling in rail operations A rail network of around 300 kilometres covers the ThyssenKrupp Steel site in the north of Duisburg. Rail is the key means of transport for raw materials and products around the site and beyond its boundaries. ThyssenKrupp

Steel recently introduced an app to facilitate communication between order schedulers and engine drivers.

The previous system had reached its limits In the past, communication was primarily via radio. The scheduler would generate an order in the system, inform the engine driver, wait for confirmation and then confirm the order in the system—a complicated and time-consuming process for everyone involved. “To change this, we set up a multidisciplinary team,” says Michael Heise, Senior Engineer from Logistics at ThyssenKrupp Steel. “Our goal was to create a digital record of work orders without the need for communication between scheduler and engine driver.”

After only four weeks, the prototype was ready for field testing, including built-in feedback from train drivers and dispatchers. The team also helped develop the underlying cloud-based system architecture. As a result, the exchange between schedulers and train drivers now takes place almost exclusively via a newly developed app.

All in all, a lot of radio communication become superfluous. Also, future apps can use the new cloud environment, which is one of the reasons why Michael Heise’s team was among the winners of the company’s internal “Steel Tomorrow” innovation competition in December 2019. Another piece of the puzzle of the ThyssenKrupp Steel digitalisation roadmap. The new app is representative of many initiatives with which ThyssenKrupp Steel is systematically driving the digital transformation forward..

23

SPECIAL

LOGISTICS

Most major seaports have grown historically and are situated next to port cities. Their topology restricts how far they can be expanded.

Boxbay: From Coil Logistics to Port Storage A technology that was originally developed for fully automated processes in the field of steel product logistics might massively improve the handling of containers at ports. Boxbay is a joint venture of SMS group and DP World in Dubai, one of the world’s largest container port operators, with the idea to create a fully automated container terminal based on high-bay storage systems. The world’s first Boxbay system has been built at Jebel Ali Port in Dubai and is currently ramping up operation.

Shuffling’n’Stacking Up to now, containers in ports were just piled on top of each other using either manual or automatic stacker cranes.

Due to a lack of space, many ports have

24

to stack up to six boxes on top of one another. The higher you stack, the more difficult it is to access a specific container. So, when the goods are picked up by truck, several containers first have to be reshuffled until the desired container can be freely accessed, then lifted up and off the pile and loaded on to the truck. That is why some container terminals are non-productive for up to 65% of all container

movements. The technical term for this unwanted procedure is “shuffling”.

With the Boxbay high-bay storage system, every container is directly accessible. Instead of stacking containers directly on top of each other, the system places each container in an individual rack compartment. Containers are stored in an eleven-story rack, creating 200% more capacity than a conventional container terminal, or creat-

TEU Twenty-foot equivalent (TEU) is the common unit to describe the capacity of container ships and terminals. It is based on the volume of a 20-foot-long (6.1 m) intermodal container.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: SMS group

T

he worldwide turnover of traded goods in sea ports has been rising continuously. Much bigger than aircraft carriers, modern container vessels carry nowadays 24,000 or more standard 20-foot containers. The problem resulting from this is that most of the existing sea ports cannot keep up with this growth, as in many cases the available space behind the quay wall and the overall capacity of container terminals are limited.

ing the same capacity in less than a third of the space, according to SMS group.

The containers will continue to be unloaded from the ships by means of gantry cranes. They will be taken over by driver-operated or driver-less vehicles (terminal trucks, AGVs, straddle carriers) and transported to the Boxbay store.

There, the containers are picked up by stacker cranes, which take the containers along aisles to their respective compartments in the Boxbay racks.

Boxbay employs the proven twistlock practice used in spreaders. While the stacker crane is travelling down the aisle of the HBS, the container is simultaneously being lifted up to the level of the designated rack compartment. The stacker cranes feature telescopic jibs at both sides so that the containers can be placed into or retrieved from the racks on either side of the aisle. By extending towards the rack, the telescopic jibs

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Chairman and CEO of DP World Group

We believe that this new system is a game-changing development for the global port industry.

Computer graphics of the Boxbay system at a port location

position the containers with ultimate precision on carrying frames arranged in the container compartment. As the containers are self-supporting, the racks do not have to be fitted with rack floors. This, consequently, reduces the weight of the rack structure without having any negative effect on its statics.

Boxbay uses the same digital tracking system as the high bay stores built for steel coils in rolling mills. This assures that Boxbay always knows the position of each and every container within the store. The same stacker cranes are used to retrieve the containers from their rack compartments. The retrieved containers are positioned on underfloor pallets, which belong to a

MPT International / September 2020

circulating system of pallets running on tracks in the basement of the rack structure. The pallet movements are controlled by the master control system. It ensures that the correct pallet is exactly at the right place at the right moment to accept or release a container. The pallets’ constant availability assures that the containers can be instantly transferred using the tracks arranged along the long sides of the rack structure. At the landside interface, the containers are accepted by commercial-type, fully automatic container cranes which load the containers on trucks or trains.

800 container movements per hour What’s more, transfer positions can be connected on all four sides of the storage system. This full decoupling of the material flows is what gives the system its high degree of flexibility and ensures previously unattainable throughput levels per storage surface area.

With a storage system that is 700 metres long and has 50 stacker cranes, over 500 water-side and 300 land-side container movements can be completed every hour.

For the world’s major ports, in particular, these could well be important parameters as cargo ships are getting bigger and bigger. At the turn of the millennium, conventional container ships were designed for around 8,000 twenty-foot containers, or 8,000 TEU. Nowadays, the biggest ships have capacities of up to around 24,000 TEU. The discharge and stowage of cargo in the ports can take several days. Every hour saved translates into cash for the

The construction site at the Jebel Ali Port in progress earlier this year

25

SPECIAL

LOGISTICS

shipping companies and port operators and shortens goods delivery times.

Boxbay is designed to be fully electrified and will be the only container yard that can be powered by solar panels on its roof. It is suitable for all standard-size containers – 20 foot, 40 foot and 45 foot. It can be up to eleven stories high. The throughput and storage capacity is scalable by increasing the number of aisles and/or the number of stacker cranes used. Being a modular system, it can be expanded step by step as required. This makes it suitable especially for brownfield projects “We are not talking about capacity boosts in the 10 to 15% range – which, of course, would be remarkable in itself,” says Mathias Dobner, CEO of Boxbay, summarising the key advantages.

Rather, the system “increases storage capacities by a factor of three, compared with capacities achieved with common storage systems using Rubber Tyred Gantry Cranes (RTGCs). Additionally, the maximum hourly number of containers handled at the quay will increase by about 20%.”

“New Horizons” at SMS group Under its innovation strategy “New Horizon”, SMS group has entered new markets by diversifying its core technological competences. Boxbay, too, is a “New Horizon” product – developed by SMS group subsidiary Amova. For 65 years, Amova has been a specialist supplier of logistics systems for steel and aluminium mills. These systems are designed to transport coils weighing up to 50 tonnes at very high cycle rates within rolling mills and place these coils in high bay coil stores. All these transport and han-

300 land-side container movements

We are not talking about capacity boosts in the 10 to 15% range – which, of course, would be remarkable in itself. dling activities are performed driverless while being seamlessly tracked by latest digital tracking systems.

Bernd Klein, CEO of Amova: “In 2013, we had set up a think tank made up of a large group of young employees who were to develop ideas about how our technologies could be successfully transferred to other sectors. When we started to analyse potential fields of application, we soon found that there were two highly promising areas: freight logistics at airports and container logistics at sea ports.” Before officially launching the Boxbay system,

the company had to convince the port industry that the system would be working as expected.

It was rewarded by a lucky coincident: DP World, one of the world’s leading container terminal operators, issued a request for tenders for a new-generation logistics system.

“We had come up with a solution that the logistics industry had been working on for more than 40 years,” says Klein. „Backed up by our parent company SMS group and our joint venture partner DP World, we have the necessary resources and the support to make our idea become reality. I believe that without such strong assets and economic power you shouldn’t tackle a project like this.”

“Most major seaports have grown historically and are situated next to port cities,” says CEO Dobner. “Their topology restricts how far these ports can be expanded. On top of that, environmental regulations are getting stricter and stricter – especially when it comes to land reclamation.”

For this purpose, the company has developed a stepwise approach. To start the first step, only a small area at the terminal site needs to be set aside.

The initial Boxbay system can be erected without interfering with the regular port activities.

The first Boxbay system was completed at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port in summer, and projected to enter its pilot phase of operation in September. This was originally to coincide with the start of the Dubai World, which, like so many events, has been postponed to 2021. Local authorities are expected to grant the technical approval in October.

Boxbay has provided a video animation that shows how the system works in operation: https://www.box-bay.com/#about

Source: SMS group

can be completed every hour

Mathias Dobner , CEO of Boxbay

26

September 2020 / MPT International

Special

2020

SPECIAL

INNOVATIONS

This year Blechexpo dedicates a “Digital Innovation Summit” to the world of the sheet metal industry – and so offers a virtual platform for presentations, webinars and matchmaking.

Upcoming: Euroblech Digital Innovation Summit 2020 Euroblech is one of two major German industry exhibitions on the coil and sheet working industries. It takes turns annually with the Stuttgart Blechexpo. This year, it will not not take place on the Hanover trade fair ground as it does usually, but will be replaced by an online webinar / networking event scheduled from 27 to 30 October.

28

ity, and this includes the knowledge and ability to find the right balance between just-in-time, lean inventory, and resilience”, explains Evelyn Warwick, Exhibition Director of Euroblech. “The industry will recover, but companies who want to survive and ultimately thrive really need to use the coming months to adapt and strengthen for the future.

Warwick further says, this crisis is a big moment for innovation, “as barriers that once took years to overcome will become irrelevant within a matter of weeks, opening up new opportunities for those

willing to adapt and meet shifting customer needs”.

Filling the gap until Euroblech 2021 The Euroblech Digital Innovation Summit therefore provides a dedicated virtual market place for innovative manufacturing solutions, knowledge transfer and global business contacts in a new online format. At the same time, it aims to bridge the long wait for the physical Euroblech event, which has been postponed to March 2021. “When the deci-

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Shutterstock

T

he “Euroblech Digital Innovation Summit” for the global sheet metal working community will be presenting a broad programme for trade professionals including virtual product presentations and expert webinars. Visitors can participate for free and register online from the beginning of October.

The organiser of Euroblech, Mack Brook Exhibitions, has announced the new online event in order to help the industry pave and shape the way back to recovery from the COVID-19-pandemic. “The key for post-crisis growth is agil-

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By Order of VALLOUREC we offer for Sale a large range of Heavy-Duty Turning and Deep-Hole Drilling Machines, as well as Forging, Drawing and Heat-Treatment Equipment

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- IRLE TLB 1100, 2004, dia 1.100 / 1.250 x 11.000 mm, Siemens 840D - Schiess – Froriep BT 800 x 10.000, 1972/excellent, dia 1.050 / 1.600 x 10.450 mm - Froriep / Hellwig 900 x 9000, 1937 / 2006, dia 900 / 1.000 x 8.850 mm, Siemens 840D - Froriep 42-922, 1941 / 2005, dia 1.600 / 1.300 x 10.100 mm - Wohlenberg B 10 SB, 1966/excellent, dia 560 / 1.025 x 10.500 mm

- Waldrich WSD 100 I, 1960/2018, dia 2.000/1.600 x 15.000 mm - Waldrich WSD 80 III, 1942/2010, dia 1.280 / 1.600 x 12.000 mm - Heyligenstaedt EN-630/8000, 1960/2014, dia 1.250 / 870 x 8.300 mm - DMG NEF 400, 2008, dia 270 / 400 x 650 mm, X/Z 220/700 mm, Siemens 840D - Herkules WD 500 es, 1970/2012, dia 1.800 / 1.400 x 9.000 mm - Wohlenberg PT1S-1250 IV, 1989, 1.310 / 980 x 10.400 mm, Siemens 3 - Wagner D 800-8IV-40, 1954/2008, dia 1.560 / 1.300 x 8.000 mm, Siemens 840D - Waldrich WSD 55 I, 1957/excellent, dia 845 / 1.100 x 10.400 mm - Wagner DW 630-5-III-22, 1959/excellent, dia 1.300 / 1.000 x 9.300 mm - Wohlenberg PT1-1250 IV, 1992, dia 1.300 / 980 x 6.000 mm, Siemens 880T - Wohlenberg M-1600, 1961 / 2009, dia 1.700 / 1.050 x 8.000 mm, Siemens 840 D - Herkules HDK 300, 1971/mod., dia 920 / 600 x 12.000 mm

FORGING EQUIPMENT, PIERCING- / DRAWING-PRESS AND HEAT-TREATMENT: - Forging Manipulator Dango & Dienenthal SSM 300 S, 2009, max capacity 18to - 1.500 to Tube Drawing Press Siempelkamp, 1969 / mod., 1.500 to capacity tube drawing press, part dia/length 300-1.650 mm / 3 - 10m, max part weight, 27 to, LxWxH 100x30x30m, new HAUHINCO water hydraulic system - 4000 to Piercing Press ZDAS Schirmer & Plate CKL 4000, 1968 - 2000 to Forging Press, 1915/excellent - 2500t Straightening Press for Tubes + Profiles, 1980/2009, horizontal straightening press - 4 of Pre-Heating Pit Furnaces Italipianti, 2006, 600 - 850 Deg C - Pit Furnaces Siderforni / Mioba, 2002, 5,2 MW, 1.320 Deg C - Pit Furnace Tenova Italimpianti, 2009, 8 MW, 1.320 Deg C - Walking Hearth Furnace Maerz-Gautschi, 2002, 11,2 MW, 1.300 Deg C

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SPECIAL

INNOVATIONS

sion was taken to postpone Euroblech, we were determined to fill the gap and put all our energies into developing a powerful and focused online event that can offer a similarly high level of attraction to buyers”, Warwick says.

In concrete terms, the upcoming summit is a four-day online trading, networking and webinar event for professionals from the entire sheet and metal working technology chain. Visitors can virtually meet relevant technology suppliers, watch informative product presentations, follow talks and webinars on current industry issues, and ultimately source the best technical solutions for their manufacturing processes. Here you can find out more about the exact programme that the organiser has put together.

rience and allow visitors to explore new products and services in more detail. The Exhibitor Directory offers an easy starting point to browse the full Euroblech exhibitor list by name. A simple click leads to further exhibitor information, including product showcases, product videos, contact information, and more.

A new matchmaking system powered by AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology intends to help suppliers and buyers make smart networking decisions by suggesting relevant people to meet. Participants can tailor their networking activities by requesting and pre-scheduling their meetings before the event. “Arranging for a meeting is

Extensive online opportunities available

very easy and intuitive, with no third-party software required”, Mack Brook assures. A daily programme of webinars by industry experts provides an opportunity to gain useful insights into the latest market developments as well as technical expertise concerning new industry applications and solutions. A special series with focus on the sheet metal working industry in key geographical areas offers an in-depth analysis on the current challenges and strategies to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. All webinars feature short presentations, followed by a live Q&A session. Further details on topics and speakers will be published soon, the organiser says.

Autumn Campaign

The Virtual Presentation Theatre, also known as the Innovation Theatre, features 15-minutes exhibitor presentations on their latest product innovations and technologies, followed by a live Q&A session. Virtual Product Showcases create a virtual stand expe-

In the following section, the editorial staff of MPT International has compiled innovations and news the sheet metal industry is currently coming up with. For example, find out about the patch line for tailored blanks at ArcelorMittal Liège, or how two new start-ups from German Trumpf want to optimise sheet metal production.

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New AHSS samples and material cards for automakers

A

rcelorMittal’s Global R&D centre in Maizières-lès-Metz, France, has established a new service to provide automakers with around 70 unique samples of automotive steel products. “Our samples are primarily designed to give the customer an initial ‘feel’ for the product”, says David Cottens, director of Advanced Automotive Engineering for ArcelorMittal Global R&D. He further explains, the sample coupons can also be used by automakers to perform welding or forming tests in order to “identify the correct steel and coating for their particular challenge”.

ArcelorMittal can also provide carmakers with informative material cards which allow OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to virtually stimulate the steel’s behaviour in a range of situations. A new generation specifically designed for advanced high strength steels (AHSS) has just been launched.

It contains additional data which can be used to predict the fracture behaviour of these steels during a crash simulation.

“With the emergence of AHSS, that is, steels with mechanical strength above 900 megapascal, we incorporated paramaters which enable us to predict fractures into these cards”, explains Yves Drouadaine, a research engineer in ArcelorMittal’s Steel Solutions Design team. “Our aim is to offer customers data that remains compatible with the modelling rules they use for full vehicle crash simulations.”

Drouadaine adds, ArcelorMittal has taken a pragmatic approach to ensure the material cards are accurate. “For ex-

ArcelorMittal has launched a new generation of material cards that can be used to predict the fracture behaviour of high strength steels during a crash simulation.

ample, if the calibration of parameters is carried out on a small specimen, the material card is validated on typical automotive structures. Those structures are modelled in accordance with the rules applied with different carmakers”, he says.

ArcelorMittal has also used this data to contribute to the improvement of crash simulation software. Drouadaine: “We have provided the software editor with ideas they can use to modify their computation methods. This has reduced the level of discrepancies between simulations and the behaviour of the steel in real life.

Both services, sample coupons as well as material cards, are available to customers based in Europe, ArcelorMittal says.

Heinrich Georg Maschinenfabrik: Two processing lines boost performance at Schütz steel service center

Source: Shutterstock; Heinrich Georg Maschinenfabrik

H

einrich Georg Maschinenfabrik has recently commissioned a slitting line and a cut-to-length line for highstrength steel strips at the steel service center of Schütz GmbH in Selters, Germany.

The new slitting line – a replacement of an older one and a key asset of the facility – slits high-grade strips which have to comply with extremely exacting surface quality specifications. The line is also used to produce slit strip that is processed into protective sheets and boxes for packaging solutions manufactured

by Schütz, for intermediate bulk containers (IBC), for example.

A central element of the line is Georg’s software solution which integrates the new slitting line into the higher-level production planning system.

The slitting line can produce a maximum of 40 slit coils from up to 1,840 mm wide and up to 4 mm thick strip. It can process strips with strengths of up to 1,400 N/mm². The scrap chopper features Georg’s Shimless Tooling technol-

MPT International / September 2020

Networked logistics and integration of processes are key factors for the high productivity of the facility.

ogy, which dispenses with the necessity to insert shims while the knives are being reground. The high-precision circu-

lar knife shear with automatic knife-set change and the automatic CNC-based knife positioning system, a Georg patent, guarantees minimum set-up times.

The cut-to-length line features a high-capacity leveler with automatic cartridge change system and an eccentric shear which cuts continuously, i.e. without a looping pit. The magnetic stacker of the cut-to-length line is equipped with a system for „flying“ switch-over between the two stacking positions at full line speed, minimising non-productive times. While a finished stack is being removed from one stacking position, stacking on the other position starts seamlessly.

The new cut-to-length line is designed to cut sheets between 500 and 6,000 mm length from strip between 0.4 and 3.0 mm thickness and between 400 and 1,650 mm width at a line speed of up to 80 m/min in automatic mode. It can handle strip strengths of up to 800 N/mm². www.georg.com

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SPECIAL

INNOVATIONS

Trumpf intends to drive forward the optimisation of sheet metal production with two new start-ups: Optimate and ScaleNC

Trumpf spins off two start-ups for optimised sheet metal production Both companies are located in German Stuttgart and offer digital solutions for sheet metal production. “Optimate“develops an AI-based software solution that enables sheet metal workers to improve their components and reduce costs while “ScaleNC” prepares design drawings and takes over the NC programming for sheet metal fabricators.

Optimate wants to cut manufacturing costs Optimate is an online platform that enables sheet metal components to be produced more cost-effectively. Here customers can upload the CAD data of their components and an AI then recognises if and how the components can be improved. For example, the start-up shows customers how they can manufacture using less material or where welding seams can be replaced by bends.

The aim is to reduce manufacturing costs in sheet metal process-

32

ing. “We want to transfer component design into the online age.

This will enable our customers to design more sustainably, reduce costs and manufacture more efficiently”, says Jonas Steiling, one of the three Optimate founders. Optimate also detects design errors, such as when a hole is too close to a bending edge.

Machine programming as a service in the cloud The start-Up ScaleNC uses a cloud platform to program the machine controls for sheet metal fabricators. Customers can upload raw CAD data, drawings or simple sketches and specify which NC programs they require. ScaleNC prepares the data for production and creates suitable machine programmes for laser, punching and bending machines, which customers can use directly in their production. “We offer our services at a fixed price without any contractual obligation. We provide support both in flexibly bridging bottlenecks in work preparation and as a long-term partner,” says Holger Röder, co-founder of ScaleNC. The start-up’s offer is aimed particularly at small and medium-sized companies.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Trumpf

T

he ideas for the start-ups were developed as part of Trumpf’s “Internehmertum” programme. Here employees can develop business ideas and start their own company within half of their working hours. “The offerings of the two companies are an excellent fit for us as a leading user and leading provider of digitally networked solutions in sheet metal processing. Through the spin-offs, we give the start-ups the entrepreneurial freedom they need, especially in the initial phase,” says Christof Siebert, Head of the Internehmertum programme at Trumpf.

OFENROLLEN FÜR DIE STAHL- UND AUTOMOBILINDUSTRIE KEIN PICKUP

WEITERE VORTEILE

Wer Ofenrollen mit Keramik- oder Graphitbeschichtung im Einsatz hat, kennt das Problem: Partikelablösung (pickup) oder Oxidation an der Walzenoberfläche führen zur Beschädigung des Bandes. Osborn hat Ofenrollen für Elektrobandstahl-Glühöfen für GO- oder NGO-Öfen (ACL und DCL) sowie Edelstahlglühlinien (CAPL und BAL) konzipiert, die dieses Phänomen nicht kennen.

• Die Konstruktion zeichnet sich durch eine optimierte Wellendurchbiegung sowie verbessertes Magnetund Wärmeleitverhalten aus.

• Längere Standzeiten • Bessere Stahlqualität (bezogen auf die mechanischen oder magnetischen Eigenschaften, gemäß der spezifischen Anwendung).

MIT UNSERER LÖSUNG Osborn Ofenrollen werden mit hochtemperaturbeständigen Stahldrähten hergestellt. Dabei wird auf eine größtmögliche Besatzdichte gefertigt.

Rückstände, die sich auf der Bandoberfläche befinden, werden durch die Ofenrollenoberfläche aufgenommen und durch die Rotation der Ofenrolle abgeführt.

FAZIT Osborn Ofenrollen hinterlassen keine Kratzer oder Rückstände an der Bandoberfläche. Sie sind hochtemperaturbeständig ausgelegt auf Temperaturen von bis zu 1.200° Celsius.

osborn.com

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SPECIAL

INNOVATIONS

M

iory Steel rolled its first coil on the new reversing cold rolling mill (RC) supplied by SMS group. The RCM is part of the completely new, integrated and expandable production complex for the manufacture of tinplate, which was built in Miory in the north of Belarus.

SMS group supplied the essential production equipment for the new facility, including the complete rolling and strip processing lines and the X-Pact electrical and automation systems. In the first stage of expansion, equipment for an annual capacity of 150,000 tonnes was implemented. It serves Miory Steel to produce tinplate grades T1, T2, T3, DR7 and DR8 as well as thin sheet grades CQ and DQ. In the course of further expansion, capacity is planned to be increased to 240,000 tonnes. With its rolled products, Miory Steel meets the needs of the packaging industry as well as the demand for cold rolled thin sheet. The

The new RCM at Miory Steel rolled its first cold strip to a final thickness of 0.45 millimeters in seven passes.

majority of the production is intended for export, especially to Russia and other CIS countries (Commonwealth of Independent States) and to the European Union. The RCM was built in six-high

design, provided with the proven CVCplus technology (Continuously Variable Crown) from SMS group. It was also configured in the new high-performance design. This means that the rolling mill can be operated with particularly slim work rolls with a minimum diameter of 260 millimeters. This enables high pass reductions to be achieved with comparatively low rolling forces. CVCplus in combination with work and intermediate roll bending, multi-zone cooling and the dry-strip system (DS system) ensure all requirements for strip quality in terms of thickness, flatness and surface are fulfilled. In order to enable later capacity increase, the flexible mill design allows conversion into a Compact Cold Mill (CCM).

Now that the first coil has been rolled on the RCM, the other plants will be put into operation step by step according to the production flow, SMS group says.

Source: SMS group

Miory Steel produced first cold strip coil

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SPECIAL

INNOVATIONS

The Heat-to-Coat galvanizing process has enabled Wuppermann Group to significantly reduce CO2 emissions at two production sites.

Wuppermann’s Heat-to-Coat galvanizing saves CO2 emissions

T

he result: Where the areas of application for galvanized hot strip and galvanized cold strip overlap, i.e. where it is technically possible to use both cold-rolled and hot-rolled steel for an application, the CO2 balance shows an advantage of the Wuppermann process. The galvanizing processes including after-treatment cause 0.126 kg CO2 eq/kg at the Moerdijk (NL) site and 0.105 kg CO2 eq/kg CO2 emissions at the Judenburg (AT) site. The reference process causes CO2 emissions of 0.183 kg CO2-eq/ kg. This results in a CO2 saving of 31 % at the Moerdijk site and 43 % at the Judenburg site. Included in here are the emissions from the production of the zinc and electricity consumed. Not in-

36

cluded in this so-called gate-to-gate consideration is the environmental impact of the input material hot strip.

With an annual galvanizing volume of approximately 600,000 tonnes, this results in CO2 savings of 34,200 tonnes at the Moerdijk site. In Judenburg, the savings amount to 4,680 tonnes with a galvanizing output of approximately 60,000 tonnes. “We are pleased with the verification that our special Heatto-Coat process emits less carbon dioxide than conventional galvanising processes on the market”, says Karsten Pronk, Technical Managing Director of Wuppermann Staal Nederland. According to him there are two main reasons for this: “Firstly, in contrast to the

standard process, we do not use fossil fuels but only electricity for heating.

Secondly, we are able to avoid the energy intensive annealing, whereby our maximum temperature is about 450°C, instead of 750°C,” explains Pronck.

This means that every improvement in the energy mix towards renewables leads directly to a reduction in the CO2 footprint of the Heat-to-Coat galvanizing process. The main contributor of CO 2 emissions of the Wuppermann process – and thus the most important lever for further emission reductions – is the electrical energy required for pickling and galvanizing. Additionally, the production and origin zinc are a major contributor.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Shutterstock

Wuppermann Group has commissioned the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (USICHT) to investigate the environmental impact of the group‘s Heat-to-Coat strip galvanizing process. For this purpose it has been compared with the conventional cold strip galvanizing process – with a pleasing result. To conduct a profound study, the Fraunhofer Institute prepared a life cycle assessment and evaluated the environmental effects as climate impact in kg CO2 equivalents per kg hot-dip galvanized steel strip (kg CO2-eq./kg).

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SPECIAL

INNOVATIONS

Cars of the Modular Coil Shuttle system, waiting to be loaded at the down-coiler section of a hot-rolling facility.

Coil Logistics Made Simple

AUTHORS: Fabian Schopf, Roland

Hofer, Lukas Pichler, Christoph Salzmann, Primetals Technologies Austria CONTACT: Primetals Technologies

Austria GmbH 4031 Linz, via Marketing: martin.reitbauer@primetals.com phone : +43 732 6592 6190

C

oil logistics tend to vary significantly between rolling plants, as no two plant layouts will ever be identical. The Modular Coil Shuttle System from Primetals Technologies was designed to meet the logistics requirements of almost any cold- or hot-¬rolling facility thanks to its modular design and

40

its smart and flexible components. The system was originally created for the transport of hot-rolled coils but can be easily adapted to move coils in cold-rolling facilities as well; in these cases, the heat-protection measures implemented in hot-rolling coil-logistics setups can be omitted.

The shuttle system at a glance At its core, the Modular Coil Shuttle System is a rail-based coil-transport system arranged in a loop design. There is a loaded track (coils are transported from the down-coiler area to the coil yard or the next processing facility) and an unloaded track (for empty cars making their way

back to the coiler). Both tracks are essentially identical and only differ in the cars’ direction of travel. At certain points of the tracks, the cars can be shifted, turned, lifted, or lowered. This is done through specialised stations that follow the system’s modular-design principle and can be flexibly positioned for the coil-logistics system to work perfectly in tandem with the pre-existing plant setup.

The Modular Coil Shuttle System is capable of incorporating many typical coil-logistics operations such as marking or strapping into the flow of shuttle cars. All modules can be arranged to accommodate a steel producer’s existing plant layout and therefore their equip-

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Primetals Technologies

Primetals Technologies has developed an innovative modular coil-logistics system that relies on self-driving, remote-controlled ¬shuttle cars travelling on dedicated rail tracks. Austrian specialists were responsible for all of the engineering, design, and manufacturing, as well as the associated electrics and automation. The cars have built-in motors and are orchestrated by an automation system that ties in perfectly with existing plant automation and enables streamlined interaction between the coil-transport setup, the plant’s cranes, and all involved coil-treatment stations.

Movable station - The movable station is used to shift loaded or empty Modular Coil Shuttle cars per-pendicularly to the cars’ main transport di¬rection, in order to facilitate lateral move¬ments if Two loaded shuttle cars moving along the

the transfer route is changed. A movable station is therefore typically placed at the end of the

tracks of the Modular Coil Shuttle system.

transport system to ensure that the loop is closed.

ment. The newest member in the family of modules is a lifting device designed to elevate or lower shuttle cars. Depending on the requirements the logistics solution has to meet in a plant, the lifting device can be operated either hydraulically or electrically.

The shuttle cars travel on simple rails that are mounted at floor level, thereby necessitating only minimal foundation work when the system is installed. The capacity of the coil-transport system can be flexibly adjusted to match changing operational requirements by simply var-

ying the number of active cars. The self-driven cars are equipped with onboard electronics and allow “plug & play” introduction into the system. The removal of superfluous shuttle cars is just as straightforward; this can become necessary at times of lower overall pro-

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INNOVATIONS

duction and a correspondingly reduced number of coils. The Modular Coil Shuttle System is also capable of buffering (temporarily storing) finished coils alongside the track without compromising production. Because the system features inherently high redundancy and uses particularly robust and durable components, its reliability is second to none.

Easy extensibility is another one of the system’s strong points and results from the use of standard-type rails for all tracks. If required, the logistics solution can be extended in several stages.

Should a steel producer’s product mix change after the installation of a Modular Coil Shuttle System, the coil-logistics system can compensate by accommodating any changes in coil dimension or weight.

Allegheny Technology, USA Allegheny Technology Inc. first installed the Modular Coil Shuttle System in 2014.

Allegheny’s system features two down coil-

Installation at a Mexican plant Coil storage1

Movable station

Coil storage2

Inspection station

Coil weighing and marking

Coiler 2 area Modular Coil Shuttle car

Shifting station

Movable station Turntable

Eye strapping

Circumference-strapping position

Coil storage3

Plant capacity (phase 1/2) Coil weight

Movable station

Project start

3.7/4.8 million tons/year

39 tons (max.)

Cars in circulation (phase 1/2)

15/17 2020

Primetals Technologies is currently implementing Modular Coil Shuttle systems at several customers' sites.

ers, both of which are equipped with a circumference strapping device. After strapping, the coils are loaded onto shuttle cars, which travel to the turntable where

Exploring the possibilities of a smart modular design Dr. Lukas Pichler of Primetals When you worked on the development of the Modular Coil Shuttle system, was there any aspect that proved particularly tricky?

Pichler: The development of the system had already been finalised and the first industrial installation completed (at ATI, see article) when I joined the product team in 2015. It was quite challenging to position the new technology—which is far better than other coil-transport systems—in a relatively conservative market.

What in your view is the greatest strength of the system?

Pichler: The system’s modular design—with a variable number of cars, moving and shifting stations, turntables and lifts, and custom-¬length rail tracks—is its main benefit. It is a solution that becomes even more economical as track length increases, thanks to the minimal foundation work. On top of this, the system ensures very gentle coil handling. There really is no comparable solution on the market.

What does the future hold for the system—more modules and further installations?

Pichler: We have received orders for several new projects scheduled for startup in 2020 still. Some of them might even be extended in terms of track length and possible outdoor operation. Overall, I see great potential for the system to be implemented in the scope of plant modernisation in multiple steps.

42

Coiler 1 area

they are rotated by 90 degrees. The cars then take the coils to the weighing and marking section. If a coil is selected for inspection, its car will make a stop at the shifting station and be removed from the main transport line. The shifting station can also be used to introduce additional cars to the transport system—or to temporarily retract them by moving them sideways and passing them on to a parking station located next to the main track.

Once a car has made it all the way to the two-bay coil-¬storage area, one of the automatic cranes unloads the coil from the car and takes it to the targeted storage location. The car is then free to travel back to the down coiler to receive the next coil.

Since the Modular Coil Shuttle System at Allegheny was designed as a loop, its overall setup is optimised for highly streamlined operation.

The shuttle cars can be operated in harsh conditions (e.g., hot and dusty environments) and are capable of handling coils with the highest surface and strip-edge requirements (i.e. free of dents, scratches, etc.). All cars are equipped with an electrical gear motor and can travel at a maximum speed of one metre per second when loaded and up to twice as fast when empty. The power is supplied via conductor rails and current collectors, which are mounted on a swiveling arm on each car. Attached to the arm is an antenna that enables communication with the central programmable logic controller via industrial Wi-Fi. The cars are equipped with a tracking system to monitor their exact position on the tracks. Tracking is accurate down to five millimetres and ena-

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Primetals Technologies

SPECIAL

Turntable - The turntable module allows for a direc¬tional change of the Modular Coil Shuttle car of up to 90° by creating “T”-, “L”-, and “+”-shaped rail-track connections. Depending

Shifting station - The shifting station is used to remove a Modular Coil Shuttle car from the main

on the respective layout of the coil-transport

track for coil inspection or maintenance, or to reintroduce a car to the main track after coil inspec-

area, the turntable can be equipped with either

tion or maintenance. Up to three segments can be shifted simulta¬neously (as one station), so that

one or two rail segments.

the main track remains uninterrupted when cars are removed.

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bles the precise control of all shuttle-car movement, which is especially important when loading coils onto shuttle cars in the down-coiler section via a coil-loading device. The cars are also equipped with coil detection for material-tracking purposes.

Easy addition and removal of cars

Weighing and marking - At this station, the coil is weighed and marked on its circumference (the wound side of the coil) and on its face side. The weight of the empty Modular Coil Shuttle car is derived from its calibration weight, which is assessed on a regular basis. The weight of the coil is determined by weigh¬ing the loaded car.

Another one of the Modular Coil Shuttle System’s benefits is its affordability. Both the initial investment and operational costs are comparably low. A crucial factor is that only very limited foundation work is required for the system to be introduced. This is particularly valid for any extensions to existing setups and for revamps. There is no need for hydraulics or

Benefits of the modular coil shuttle system • • • • • • • • • • • •

44

Highly customisable coil logistics Low investment and operational costs Fast erection and commissioning “Plug & Play” type installation and removal of shuttle cars High operational flexibility Outstanding reliability Low maintenance with close-to-zero wear on the tracks and extended spare-part service life Simple integration into existing automation systems Reliable tracking of all active shuttle cars even in the event of a power outage No deterioration of the coils’ surface and edges during transport Easy and low-cost system extension Smart and fully automated design (including crane handling).

piping installations, with the exception of the lifting station, which is available as both hydraulic or electric versions. As a result, the Modular Coil Shuttle System can be implemented, commissioned, and started up with full functionality in a short timeframe. Maintenance costs are also minimal thanks to the small number of wear parts. The rail tracks are particularly low maintenance, and this is further simplified by the fact that both hot- and cold-rolling setups use identical components.

Primetals praises its Modular Coil Shuttle System as very cost-efficient as well as flexible and reliable; it can be comprehensively automated, and requires only minimal maintenance. The system is particularly attractive as it helps steel producers manufacture coils of perfect surface quality with zero deformation on the edges, in line with current market demands, Primetals says.

Future installations Primetals Technologies is currently implementing Modular Coil Shuttle systems at several customers’ sites. One example from a Mexican plant shown above demonstrates the verstility of the system.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Primetals Technologies

Whenever a shuttle car needs to be removed from the track, its swiveling power arm is retracted from the tracks and fixed in a raised position. The car can then be picked up by crane. Adding a car to the transport system is just as easy; once it has been placed onto the rails, the swiveling arm is brought into position and locked.

The car is then ready for operation. If the car is in a position where it is not accessible by crane (crane shadow zones, tunnels), it can be towed into a better spot using another, operational car, irrespective of whether it is loaded or not.

To ensure highest-possible strip quality, it is best to manipulate the coils as little as possible between coiling and storage. Although coil-transport systems typically have to cover wide distances, they should ideally consist of only a very limited number of movable parts so as to minimise the associated maintenance effort. This necessitates the use of few, quickly replaceable, durable wear parts, as well as the implementation of a common spare-parts strategy. All of these factors are equally crucial in the context of hot- and cold-rolling mills. Conventional coil-transport solutions such as walking-beam, chain, and pallet-conveying systems cannot sufficiently fulfill these requirements, giving the Modular Coil Shuttle System a unique selling point.

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Twenty Danieli answers to be a step ahead

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Coil-to-coil, semi-endless and endless in a single line for maximum flexibility

Danieli QSP family answers for any product and production requirements with a flexible winning concept, made available in different plant configurations to meet different customer requirements and market demands.

QSP DUE®, Danieli Universal Endless patented technology makes possible coil-to-coil, semi-endless and endless rolling in a single plant, granting utmost flexibility for all production niches of the flat products market, applying the process that is best suited to each steel grade and product.

With QSP DUE®, thermo-mechanical and multi-phase, ultra-thin and thick products are all possible in a single production line, making both niche products with high value-added and the mass production commodities within reach. The layout and the optimized, effective combination of different energy sources make the QSP DUE® a truly “green” plant, and significantly reduce OpEx compared to current benchmark thin-slab plants.

The world’s first QSP DUE® plant is in full industrial operation at Shougang Jingtang in China and the second one is being supplied to Evraz in Russia.

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basic functions, ANDRITZ has developed the Metris Advanced XR Customer Service Application. The application leads the user during a remote call with a step by step automated animation through complex tasks by offering all necessary information right in front of the eyes. The mixed reality real-time support will bring our customers a big improvement for their industrial tasks. All information is

available within short time due to an advanced cloud-based service management. With these key features and a hotspot guided training we can distribute new customer content quickly and easy when needed. The Metris software solution and the Microsoft HoloLens 2 technology allows us successful cooperation with all our customers.

ArcelorMittal: New patch line in Liège

A

rcelorMittal has built a new patch line at its tailored blanks plant in Liège, Belgium, to make patch technology more widely available to the global automotive industry – including for press hardenable steels.

Managing energy absorption is one of the major challenges faced by automotive manufacturers. It is complicated by the continuous evolution of crash test requirements in different markets around the world. One of the best ways to address these requirements is to tailor the properties of the steel used by applying a ‘patch’. The patch is a piece of steel which is welded directly onto the blank before stamping. It reinforces a specific area of the final component, allowing OEMs to improve a vehicle’s crash performance cost-effectively. The enclosed QR-code leads directly to a video that shows how the new patch line works.

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Tool life increase: reliable use of carbide punches

I

n cooperation with the working group fine blanking (AKF), the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering WZL of the German RWTH Aachen University has succeeded in improving the performance of fine blanking. According to the participating researchers, high-strength steel (HSS) can be processed reliably and efficiently by using carbide punches.

Using scientifically developed methods, a fineblanking tool for the use of carbide punches was constructed and the process control was optimised. High-strength sheet metal was fine-blanked in a series of tests on the Feintool XFT 2500 speed fineblanking press with a thickness of six millimeters and a test series of 10,000 strokes was carried out. The carbide punch showed hardly any wear characteristics, while a conventional HSS punch as a reference was almost at the end of its service life. The economic efficiency of fine blanking was increased by a significant reduction in wear, WZL says. “With the Feintool XFT 2500 speed servo-mechanical fineblanking press, exact process control in terms of process forces and guiding accuracy is possible,“ WZL explains.

In order to ensure exact and rigid guidance of the punches, the tool has been completely redesigned. “On the occasion of the tool redesign, all process and tool-related influences that cause a bending moment in the punch were considered and eliminated,“ the institute continues. The result: a detailed list of requirements and design recommendations for fine blanking tools with carbide punches. On the basis of the requirements determined, the working group member Precision Resource Canada designed and manufactured a new type of test tool which is now in operation at the Rotter Bruch site of WZL.

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SPECIAL

INNOVATIONS

Perforated sheets pass salt spray test Schäfer Perforated Metal meets DIN EN ISO 9227 standard with steel sheet

N

eunkirchen, 16. September 2020. After CDC and powder coating, perforated sheets in DC01 - DC06 grade steel from Schäfer Perforated Metal withstand over 1008 hours of extreme conditions in the salt spray test, in accordance with EN ISO 9227-0 and the ASTM D1654-2008 procedure A. To fulfil this high-quality standard, high-grade primer and powder coating alone isn’t sufficient. The main prerequisite is the first-class manufacturing standard of the perforation patterns.

This requires the edges of the perforations to be rounded off in a separate process after initial perforation. This mechanical finishing is standard practice in perforated sheet production at Schäfer Perforated Metal.

The sheet perforation process involves metal stamps being mechanically pressed into the smooth surface of the sheets under great pressure, which then creates specific perforation patterns in the sheets. This process causes burrs to form on the underside of the sheets where the stamps puncture the metal.

At Schäfer Perforated Metal, the sheets are therefore de-burred in a further process, using abrasives. In technical jargon, this finishing process is referred to as rounding and is essential for all subsequent anti-corrosion measures.

Only after rounding can chemical or electro-chemical processes provide the

50

perforated sheets with permanent corrosion or oxidation protection. For this purpose, the sheets are given a solvent-free primer coat in a cathodic dip process (CDC), which makes them 90 % corrosion resistant. At this stage, the surface coating is not yet resistant to UV light. This can only be permanently achieved in the final powder coating process, which gives the sheets complete corrosion protection.

The main application fields for Schäfer perforated sheets are commercial vehicles, such as construction and

agricultural machines, which are used in corrosive conditions under regular exposure to chemicals, moisture and dirt. The perforated sheets can be produced with a great variety of perforation patterns and in any standard RAL colours, according to customer wishes. The salt spray tests guarantee permanent corrosion resistance. The sheets were tested and approved in the test laboratories of the Sauerland company AkzoNobel in Arnsberg and the paint manufacturers Gross & Perthun GmbH & Co. KG in Mannheim.

About Schäfer Perforated Metal Working with the slogan “Perforated metal made to measure – individual and fast”, Schäfer Perforated Metal in Neunkirchen supplies a wide and quickly available range of high-quality perforated metal sheets for all industries and applications. Using high-precision tools, the company can meet virtually any customer requirements regarding material, perforation pattern, dimensions, machining and delivery. Schäfer Perforated Metal is a division of Schäfer Werke.

This owner-led enterprise is headquartered in Neunkirchen in Germany´s Siegerland region and operates globally with diversified business areas: EMW Steel Service Centre, perforated sheets, expanded metal, standard and special containers in stainless steel and installations for data centres, workshops and factories, as well as data management systems for load carriers. The work of all these divisions is based on high-quality fine steel sheet. The processing of this material is one of the core competencies of this enterprise. www.schaefer-lochbleche.de/en

September 2020 / MPT International

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INDUSTRY 4.0

INNOVATION

When Software Fuels the Imagination Digital documentation for the commissioning and maintenance of metallurgical plants

E

ndless piles of paperwork are still a familiar sight to anyone operating or commissioning plants.

However, it is virtually impossible to administer or set up complex plants while relying solely on paper documentation. Redlining notes made under stress on the building site—e.g. on a printed circuit diagram—are supposed to be deciphered months later by an employee in the engineering department for inclusion in the final plant documentation. No one knows who made the note originally, so it is usually pretty much impossible to clear up any uncertainty of this kind. This is the type of scenario in which the advantages of digital documentation become fully apparent.

SMS group has set itself the task of repeatedly analysing processes in detail, optimising their structure and increasing their degree of automation. In this context, they address the question of how they could “digitalise” plant commissioning. The digitalisation of technical plant documentation offers new possibilities for increased efficiency. It is a key element on the way to the “Learning Steel Plant”, the enterprise’s vision for Industry 4.0 and digitalisation. They found suitable software in LiveDOK NG (Fig. 2) by Karlsruhe-based company Rösberg GmbH. Today, the software is used not only for commissioning at construction sites, but also internally for the group’s own maintenance.

Source: Rösberg Engineering

A straightforward approach to digital documentation SMS group previously developed its own Process Control Center for process structuring and automation. Now, they were looking for a redlining tool, i.e. a software programme that facilitates changes to documentation on a computer or mobile device similarly to making redlining alterations on paper—because, during commissioning, departures from the original planning have to be made repeatedly. Transparent documentation is essential here for future operational safety.

MPT International / September 2020

LiveDOK NG converts documents from more than 200 different trade-specific CAD, Office and multimedia file formats into PDFs and makes them available to the user as digital documentation.

For digital documentation, LiveDOK NG converts documents from more than 200 different trade-specific CAD, Office and multimedia file formats into PDFs. These PDFs are then used for all the subsequent work, so no special programmes or licenses are required to view or change the documentation. A clever indexing system allows the documentation to be searched quickly with a “Google”-like search syntax. The document structure and views can be adapted to suit individual needs. A broad palette of redlining functions is available

for making various changes directly in documents (Fig, 3).

Software improves understanding of the whole process Speaking of the introduction of the documentation software, Artur Schindler (Fig. 4), System Integrator at SMS group, says, “We looked at various solutions. Many of them were just too elaborate for us; they focused on maintenance or worked with virtual reality to simulate processes. We were looking for software that would enable us to arrive at a productive solution

53

INDUSTRY 4.0

INNOVATION

Redlining: Changes can be made digitally, just like using pen and paper. The system automatically records who made what changes, and when.

The use of digital input means an end to illegible, handwritten notes.

cation, the teams on construction sites are always changing, making a transparent transfer of information is difficult.

The digital solution automatically records who has made changes, and when, and all the information is available straight away. Schindler adds, “The software has also made our colleagues at the construction site aware that the information they enter has to be processed further. This understanding has made their annotations more thorough and detailed. Thanks to the fact that a keyboard can be used, illegible, handwritten notes are a thing of the past.”

Artur Schindler, System Integrator at

Christian Stolz, Account Manager Plant

SMS group

Solutions at Rösberg Engineering

54

Schindler has a background in electrical engineering, so his search for a solution was also concentrated in this area. He was impressed by the support LiveDOK provides when applying changes to circuit diagrams. To do this, the file from the construction site, with the documents it contains, is superimposed over the original EPLAN file. The user can then click through the navigator from one alteration to the next, checking each change and applying it.

Discovery as a side effect: maintenance of house technology While Schindler and his team were introducing the digital documentation software at the building site, his colleague at the Hilchenbach location responsible for the maintenance of house technology was making a start on digitising the existing documents relevant to that area. His dream was to assign QR codes to the individual trades and create an interface between the trades and the digital documentation. Here, too, LiveDOK proved to be an appropriate solution. The company now also uses the digital documentation system for the maintenance of its electrical switch control, heating and fire control systems. By scanning the code, maintenance workers can access the relevant documentation directly, and ideally can even access the necessary work orders.

When components are replaced, the maintenance team can note the changes in the digital documentation, directly on site.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: Rösberg Engineering; SMS group

quickly, without involving extensive time and resources. LiveDOK’s qualities convinced us that it was right for digital documentation at the construction site.”

Before LiveDOK’s introduction, only paper documentation was used at the construction site. After commissioning, these papers were handed over to the engineering department, where all the annotations on the documents had to be laboriously deciphered. There was no way to find out who had made the annotations, so any discrepancies that arose could not be cleared up with the original author. As an additional compli-

LiveDOK on mobile devices Selecting the right hardware requires some experience. Laptops are increasingly being used at the construction site. Depending on the application, the performance capability of tablets has not always proved sufficient, and the commissioning engineer does not necessarily wish to carry multiple electronic devices around with him. However, tablets are suitable wherever the documentation only needs to be viewed, or minor changes noted. Sometimes it is very practical to have the complete documentation available everywhere on a cell phone— an important argument for using LiveDOK.web with house technology systems. Of course, in all these situations, the security of highly sensitive data plays an important role. The webbased add-on for the LiveDOK NG documentation tool can be used on a variety of end devices and transmits document changes made on-site directly to a central online server. The latest information is then available to all users. Users do not have to install any software to use the web application—they only need a web browser on the relevant end device. LiveDOK.web has a responsive layout designed for touch control, and it functions independently of

About Rösberg Engineering GmbH Rösberg Engineering GmbH, founded in Karlsruhe in 1962, offers tailored automation solutions created by around 100 employees working at five locations in Germany and China for internationally active enterprises in the process industry. This extends to the implementation of safety-related controls, functional safety, and sector-specific software solutions in the area of information technology. Its I&C-CAE system ProDOK has enjoyed international success for more than 30 years. The new system generation ProDOK NG, the digital plant documentation system LiveDOK NG—and LiveDOK.web app—and the Plant Assist Manager (PAM) support production plants throughout their operational life.

any specific operating system, making it equally suitable for Windows, Android or iOS devices. Like the desktop solution, the mobile version supports redlining functions adapted to the browser.

The SMS group has now used the digital documentation system in 20 projects. The reception by users is incredibly positive. Schindler emphasises how intuitive the operation of the system is.

At the beginning of the project, three user groups were defined, of which two are now mainly relevant. “The group that receives the most comprehensive training learns all the functions that are important for them as generator man-

agers in one day,” says Schindler. “For redlining managers, we only need one hour of training, including answering their questions before they can start working productively. The training focuses more on understanding the process as a whole than on the use of the available redlining palette.”

Besides all these benefits, the digital solution has an additional advantage: plant builders obtain the final plant documentation—always a part of the project—much sooner, and therefore get paid sooner. As a result, the cost of the software is often recouped during the first project, Rösberg claims.

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23.09.20 12:28

INDUSTRY 4.0

INNOVATION

Pellet plant driven by ABB automation

ABB: digital offering for metals with modelling and optimisation toolbox solution

A

BB Ability Advanced Process Control for metals employs Model Predictive Control (MPC) to create digital twins of many key steel production processes, using process data to predict behaviour over time. Acting as an ‘autopilot’, the solution drives the process towards more profitable operation via modelling and optimization techniques. In addition to increased output, improved quality and reduced input costs, the solution also reduces the need for operators to continuously monitor and modify processes around the clock.

“The introduction of ABB Ability Advanced Process Control for metals is a momentous development for steel producers, but also a well-established solution demonstrating value for over 20 years in other process industries such as mining, cement, oil and gas,” says Tarun Mathur, global product manager, Metals Digital at ABB. “As one of the very few

56

companies currently providing MPCbased modelling and optimisation solutions to the steel industry, we look forward to bringing the benefits of improved resource efficiency, output and quality to our metals customers.”

Part of the ABB Ability digitalisation portfolio, Advanced Process Control for metals utilises real-time data from control systems such as ABB Ability System 800xA or third-party alternatives using open communications protocols such as OPC (OLE for Process Control).

The solution offers metals producers a customisable toolbox that can be applied to a variety of process applications, which can be developed in line with customer needs. At launch, three powerful APC applications are currently available for metals customers aimed at optimising performance of: • Pellet plant indurating machine burners

• Pellet plant dryer • Raw material grinding mills Two of these applications have already been deployed at a steel plant in India, demonstrating significant benefits. At the pellet plant indurating machine burner, the customer reports a 15% reduction in standard deviation for indurating machine temperature profile, resulting in improved pellet quality and reduced fuel consumption. At the pellet plant dryer, the customer is able to control the outlet temperature more precisely even with large process delays and disturbances in feed rate.

Customers using ABB’s APC solutions in other process industries such as mining and cement, report significant advantages, with data from more than 300 installations indicating typical benefits of 2-3% increased output; 1-2% decreased fuel consumption; 2-3% reduced electricity consumption and reduction in quality variability of between 10- and 20%.

September 2020 / MPT International

Source: ABB

ABB has introduced its ABB Ability Advanced Process Control solution to the metals industry, promising accurate modelling of process behaviours to achieve greater process stability, bringing improved product quality, output and cost savings.

The solution uses straightforward design and deployment of model predictive control (MPC) and analytics to enable a high level of automation and optimisation.

OPINION

A THOUGHT FOR THE ROAD

How hydrogen is gaining momentum in the Chinese steel industry Frank Zhong is the chief representative of global steel association Worldsteel at its Beijing Office. People often ask him what Chinese steel companies are doing to reduce the steel industry’s impact on the environment. This is a brief overview from him of the promising research and development projects Chinese steel companies have initiated since 2019 around the use of hydrogen as a replacement for coal.

Source: Worldsteel

A

t the end of 2019, China’s second-largest steelmaker HBIS Group announced its ambition to build a 1.2million tpy hydrogen-based steelmaking plant. This is a historic step forward for the decarbonisation of the Chinese steel industry, which represents more than half of global steel production and related carbon dioxide emissions.

Although it is not clear when the 1.2m tpy new plant will be put into operation, HBIS Group has begun working with Tenova on technical preparation for ground-breaking in 2020. This project is claiming to be the first and the largest real-life plant using hydrogen-based technology at an industrial production scale.

Baowu Group is also very active. In early 2019, it created a partnership with the China National Nuclear Corporation and Tsinghua University to develop a technology jointly to use nuclear power to generate hydrogen to replace fossil fuel in steelmaking. In September 2019, another medium-sized steelmaker Jiuquan Steel, situated in Northwest China, created a research institute to study a new hydrogen-based ironmaking technology mixing the roles of both hydrogen and coal. Following successful laboratory experiments, a pilot plant will be built.

The above three are all state-owned companies, however, a privately-owned steelmaker, Jianlong Group, the fifth-largest in China, has also taken its first steps towards developing hydrogen technology. In September 2019, Jianlong Group launched the construction work for a 0.30m tpy smelting reduction plant which uses a mixture of hydrogen and coal. Hydrogen will be extracted from the

MPT International / September 2020

coke oven gas and the project is scheduled for first production in October 2020.

The latest project was launched in early May 2020 by another private steelmaker, Rizhao Steel. The project will produce 0.5m tpy DRI using hydrogen, which is extracted from the co-products of a natural gas-based process to make vinyl acetate.

Challenges ahead for hydrogen’s widespread use According to some analysts reports, the global hydrogen-making capacity is about 70 Mt/a and China accounts for one-third of the total. So far, this hydrogen supply in China is mainly for the chemical industry with a fraction for transportation, e.g. HBIS Group’s pilot hydrogen station for refuelling of heavy trucks which was commenced on 28 August 2020.

Therefore, the existing hydrogen-making capacity in China is not sufficient to support the steel industry. In addition to availability, the cost of hydrogen is another challenge. With the current hydrogen market price in China at approximately RMB60,000/tonne (about $8,800), the energy cost of the hydrogen-based ironmaking technology would be more than five times costlier than the traditional blast furnace technology. Hydrogen production levels and its cost will therefore need to be resolved for it to become a viable solution. This will require engagement and funding.

China trading system supporting decarbonisation Decarbonisation is a core challenge ahead for the Chinese steel industry. In 2019, China produced 996m tonnes of

HBIS Group pilot hydrogen station for refuelling of heavy trucks

crude steel, of which approximately 780m t, or 78%, was produced from iron ore with coal as the primary source of energy, the remaining 22% was from recycled steel.

Since 2011, a few Chinese steelmakers have been involved in a pilot system for carbon emission trading established by the central government. In December 2017, the Chinese government officially launched its carbon emission trading system with power generation being the first sector covered. It was reported that the steel industry will also soon be covered by the carbon trading system, which will push the steelmakers to allocate more resources to look for low-carbon energy such as hydrogen.

All in all, this is looking very promising, and it only goes to confirm Worldsteel’s conviction that globally with the combined efforts of all the players in the industry, new carbon-neutral technologies will emerge. The question is when is this likely to happen.

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE

IMPRINT

Special: Wire + Tube

For mills that cannot fit a high speed shear or have doubts about its use, there is now an alternative solution that removes the need for operators to work within a congested, hazardous area. A case study by Primetals Technologies USA.

The Virus and the Furnaces COVID-19 has a deep impact on the considerations for the choice of steelmaking technology. Certainly in Europe, EAFs and DRI are winning support.

This preview might be subject to change. Photo: Nord Stream

Postponed from its traditional slot in April, one of the largest European steel processing fairs is scheduled for December, accompanied by an extensive section in MPT International on the latest trends in wire and tubes processing.

Intelligent Robotic Coil Trimming for Wire Rod Mills

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