Search Documents

By Shanti Arangala

Several improvements were made to the single strand rod mill at Laverton to increase production, reduce maintenance and improve several aspects of product quality. With changes to the water cooling line and control system, cobbles could be significantly reduced, more consistent properties obtained and yield improved. An upgrade of the laying head enabled vibrations to be reduced and thus allowed for higher speeds on small sizes. With potential for dramatically increased pipe life, a new pipe support and laying pipe system provided for improved laying pattern on small sizes and thus more uniform cooling on the conveyor and better coil package. This paper discusses details of these equipment and control system upgrades and the resulting benefits that have been realized from the project.

Aug 16, 2017

By Hiago Antunes Amador de Oliveira, William Pratt Rogers, Aaron Young

Monitoring systems are highly critical components in the safety of tailings storage facilities (TSF). Internet of things (IoT) platforms present a unique way to improve TSF monitoring systems. Since there are so many available IoT technologies, this conference paper aims to create a focused list of IoT options for improving TSF safety. To achieve this aim, a brief qualitative review of available literature and state of the art technologies is presented in Section 2. The article further assists this aim by summarizing the benefits of IoT platforms which have been found in the literature. With respect to findings, literature suggests that while sensor technologies have existed as solutions for tailings dams for many years, IoT greatly reduces the cost of deploying, monitoring, maintaining, and gaining insight from these sensors. Additionally, IoT removes the need for manual data collection from sensors, enabling the monitoring of tailings dams from miles away and the use of new sensor technologies. Therefore, as a conclusion, this article recommends that IoT capable monitoring systems be considered for use in TSF monitoring.

Oct 3, 2019

By Hongshuang Di, Tianyu Zhang, Huiqiang Huang

A CMnSiAl transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) steel was used to study the effect of retained austenite on room-temperature mechanical properties. The steel plates with retained austenite were obtained by hot rolling, cold rolling and subsequent continuous annealing. The starting and finishing temperature of hot rolling are between Ac1 and Ac3. Reduction ratio of cold rolling is 75%. The continuous annealing is carried out at different intercritical temperatures. The relationship between work hardening exponent and retained austenite was discussed. The results show that, the Ac1 and Ac3 were much high because of the alloy elements, and the temperature range between them was wide. Due to the high hot rolling temperature, the grains was hereditarily refined as a result of dynamic recrystallization. Annealing at intercritical temperature of 930 ºC, retained austenite with relatively high stability reached a maximum volume fraction of 25%, a maximum total elongation of 30.2% and a best ultimate tensile strength × total elongation of 20.1 GPa·%. Instantaneous work hardening exponent reflects strengthening mechanisms at different strain stages. The TRIP effect of retained austenite is the main mechanism during deformation. With retained austenite of sufficient amount and high stability, continuous work hardening was observed in the tensile specimen of 930 ºC.

Oct 1, 2019

By Oliver Schulz

This paper presents the latest references of the Siemens VAI slab casting technology. Following the connect & cast philosophy Siemens VAI has developed technological packages suitable for installation in existing casters of any original supplier, as well as for complete new machines. A major demand on new machines is to adapt quickly to different market demands. This requirement for flexibility can be divided into two actual trends. Firstly into casting a broad range of steel grades, thicknesses and width on the same machine and secondly having installed slab, bloom and billet caster in one steel plant to deliver all different types of needs on the market. Depending on the condition of the existing machine the focus of modernization ranges from the substitution of single components featuring state-ofthe-art technology to complete caster revamping projects. In this paper concepts and references for short machine outages and fast caster ramp-ups at moderate investment costs are presented.

Jul 30, 2018

By Evan Thomas

It has been shown before that liquids can slip at a solid boundary, which prompted the idea that parallel-surface bearings can be obtained by the use of alternating slip and non-slip regions in the direction of fluid flow. The amount of slip at the wall depends upon the surface tension at the liquid - solid interface, which in turn depends on the chemical composition of the surface and its roughness. In the present study a heterogeneous surface was created by coating half of a circular glass disc with a coating repellent to glycerol. A rotating glass disc was placed at a known distance above the coated stationary surface and the gap was filled with glycerol. With the top surface moving in the direction of slip to non-slip region, a pressure build up can be theoretically predicted. The pressure gradient in the two regions is constant, similar to that in a Rayleigh step bearing, with the maximum pressure at the boundary. In order to accurately measure the force generated by the pressure increase, a load cell was attached to the heterogeneous disc. Experiments were conducted by varying both sliding speed and distance, and the resultant load carrying capacity was measured and compared with theoretical calculations. This allowed the slip coefficient of the coated surface to be evaluated.

Jul 31, 2018

By Johan PEERS, François DUMORTIER

Today, solutions to optimize Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) & Operational Expenditure (OPEX) for small capacity Cold Rolling Mills (CRM) as well as for high capacity CRM are available, as extensively described by various Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) & steel makers. A suitable solution for small capacity CRM is to start with a single stand reversing mill (up to 400 ktpy, depending on product mix), which can then be expanded into a twin stand mill (up to 900 ktpy, depending on product mix). The main drawbacks in conventional practice are the off-gauge length in single stand set-up and the long downtime of the mill during the erection of the second stand. For higher productions CRM, it is common practice to directly select a new Pickling Line Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM), with a high CAPEX. Is there an in-between solution that would allow to start with limited output and CAPEX, without jeopardizing the ultimate expansion goal (1.2 to 2 mtpy), for which PLTCM is the best techno-economical choice? In the absence of a solution, JOHN COCKERILL developed an integrated solution that limits the CAPEX in the first phase of development, without crippling affecting future endeavors through an easy and economically sustainable expansion into a PLTCM, without long production downtime. The solution consists of first installing a twin stand mill, expandable into a tandem mill thanks to a smart design of the line. It is therefore possible to limit the production to 900 ktpy in the first phase of the project and then convert the mill into PLTCM in the second phase to increase the production from 1.2 to 2 mtpy, depending on the market trends and financial capabilities. In summary, JOHN COCKERILL has developed a smart new layout in reversing phase combined with a brand new rolling strategy to optimize productivity and limit off-gauge, compared to conventional solutions (patents pending). In addition the layout enables an easy conversion to tandem mill without high over investments, which is more sustainable financially than the initial purchase of a PLTCM. Long downtimes to allow for capacity extension, detrimental to this phase-by-phase approach, are also avoided. Technical and process description of the new layouts and rolling strategies, together with CAPEX & OPEX descriptions of the phases are detailed in this paper.

Oct 1, 2019

By Bimal Nathwani

This paper presents an overview of bearings failures with focus on steel mill applications such as continuous casting, rolling mills, multi-roll cluster mills and wire and rod mills. This paper will also provide countermeasures for prevention of these modes of failures.

Jul 30, 2018

By François DUMORTIER

Due to the increasingly stringent requirements and the needs of the automotive industry, galvanizing lines for automotive products have to be modernized and improved. Beginning of 2017, SEGAL, a Tata Steel CGL located in BELGIUM and fully dedicated to automotive market, placed an order to increase the line capacity from 550kt/year to 600kt/year to process a wider range of steel grades and improve the product quality according to automotive requirements. To improve quality, a major revamping of the skin pass was necessary. The objectives were first to increase the work roll diameter from Φ560mm to Φ650mm to be able to transfer the required roughness with low elongation on soft material and second to increase the rolling force and tension to reach higher elongation on high strength steels. The result was the adaptation of the whole skin pass mechanics. Old mechanical elongation system has been replaced by a completely new single AC motor with helical gearbox at each bridle roll. John Cockerill achieved such complicated revamping in a very short time since the shutdown started only 6 month after the contract signature. The shutdown down schedule has been optimized with pre-erection works and the teams working 24/7 to implement all the changes. The complete project (skin pass, furnace, loopers) have been adapted during the three weeks shutdown. Today the customer can use both 560mm and 650mm work roll diameters. Thanks to the use of the new 650mm work roll diameter, the customer is able to make the same elongation using a bigger roll force (average 20% more), which has strongly improved the roughness transfer to the strip and the removal of the defects. SEGAL is really satisfied able to produce and supply higher quality automotive products to his customers.

Oct 1, 2019

By Leszek Maldzinski

The present concept assumes carrying out the process of controlled nitriding with NH3 alone. This is a simpler process than that using two-component mixes of ammonia diluted with N2 or NH3diss. The regulation of the chemical composition of the atmosphere in the retort, and therefore the regulation of the nitriding potential KN, is obtained through the variation of the inflow rate of NH3 into the retort. What is a completely new things in a relevant process, the inflow of NH3 into the furnace is at times reduced to zero, which widens the range of the gas composition in the retort (and by the same token, of KN). The amount of NH3 introduced into the furnace is regulated (controlled) with the aid of a gas analyzer (for example an infrared analyzer). The gas analyzer opens and closes periodically the NH3 inlet valve with a frequency maintaining a desired gas composition (a desired KN) in the retort. The concept was based on experimental and theoretical investigations in term of thermodynamic and kinetic of gas nitriding. Investigations were carried out in a laboratory furnace with a quartz tube and also in an industrial furnace with a steel retort and a circulating fan. Nitriding was performed using NH3, NH3+H2, NH3+NH3diss. mixtures. In an industrial furnace the supply of NH3 into the retort was periodically closed, though with an operating circulation fan. The studies demonstrated that the growth rate of nitrided layer depends only on the composition of the atmosphere, (or KN), in the retort. It depends neither on a type of atmosphere introduced into furnace (NH3, NH3+NH3diss. or NH3+H2) nor a type of furnace (laboratory with a quartz tube or industrial with steel retort and fan). The results proved also that entirely closing of NH3 supply to the retort does not affect the growth rate of nitrided layer. A detailed analyses of the results was performed in a paper.

Aug 16, 2017

By Norbert Asamer, Stefan Purrer

Depending on the product or the material grade, conventional deburring machines, such as e.g. with rotating hammers, are in many cases not capable to reliably or completely remove burrs from the edges of a continuously cast product. Burr, however, is generated at the front and/or tail ends of a slab, bloom or billet as a result from torch cutting. Likewise, traversal grinding of the slab’s rolling surfaces can also cause burr at the long side edges of the slab whereby such burr can even be more difficult to remove. Based on their experience and know-how with abrasive machining processes (abrasive cutting, high-pressure grinding) over a period of more than 50 years up to now, BRAUN has developed a highly flexible deburring grinding machine for applications which are too difficult for conventional deburring techniques. BRAUN’s deburring grinding machines were successfully introduced to the steel industry and have proven their worth under normal production conditions already. The subject paper describes the key features and advantages of BRAUN’s machine design and the operational results from the first already completed projects.

Oct 1, 2019

By Satish V. Kailas

For product sustainability “closing the cycle” is the first requirement. If the materials used in making the product is not replenished at the rate at which it is being extracted, the cycle is open and the product would not be sustainable. This includes the materials used in generating the energy used to make the product, the transportation, use and disposal. If the materials used in a product, that includes lubricants, is one that cannot be replenished, it has to be recycled for the product to be sustainable. The other basic condition for sustainability is the eco-friendliness of the product. It is argued that the present lubricants do not fall in this category. Using the example of cutting oil emulsions we have shown that it is possible to meet the conditions of sustainability in terms of both the material extraction-replenishment cycle and eco-toxicity. Cutting oil emulsions made from coconut oil and natural additives are shown to have superior cutting properties and are completely eco-friendly. It is concluded that products made using these conditions are possible and is a necessity for man to lead a sustainable life. Closing the cycle, with respect to the energy used in the cycle will make the product completely eco-friendly.

Jul 31, 2018

By Jürgen Schanderl

Cold rolling mills by SMS Siemag are well known for their reliability and long-life cycle. They are an investment in the future. Nowadays mill owners are under considerable competitive pressure and are asked to organize production in a more and more efficient and flexible way. Doing so, a number of elevating screws have to be turned. These are: cutting of operation costs, especially by more efficient equipment and processes as well as transition to more process flexibility to fulfil future product requirements. To support owners in their effort, SMS Siemag offers convincing solutions in cold rolling technology under the brand X-Roll 2.0. Examples to be presented are: Sieflex®-HT drive technology; Redesigned DS system; New reel design: Twin Reel; Emulsion compact unit ECU Compact; TRC® threading assistance system; ECOMode and Energy ADVISOR monitoring system.

Jul 30, 2018

By Laurent Dorel, Sebastien Maillard, Afchine Nasserian, Jean-Paul Faure

Surface quality monitoring is primarily implemented in the last steps of steel manufacturing before shipment to the end user. However, an increasing trend for also addressing this topic in the upstream stages, such as hot rolling plant, is tackled by Primetals Technologies to give steel producers the key to a global optimized yield management, and efficient “lessons learned” processes. After the last developments of SIAS Next Gen platform, including High Resolution and Near Infra-Red, some site results will be exposed on the very specific high constraints lines such as ESP Endless Strip Production and Plate Mills, and highlights the related most interesting aspects for our customers.

Oct 1, 2019

By Danilo Gonçalves de Oliveira, Rogério Martins Pereira

Chatter is a widely studied vibration phenomenon that affects most cold mills around the world and its impact on these lines are tremendous: from productivity and quality losses to mechanical equipment damage. The investigation of its origins and how to minimize the occurrences and their impact on the equipment require special instrumentation and algorithms in order to have a detection of the vibrations as soon as they start. This paper presents three methods of identification of chatter on a Tandem Cold Mill and the actions to leave the vibration frequency range before its amplitude achieve catastrophic values.

Oct 1, 2019

By Alisson Paulo de Oliveira, Altair Lucio de Souza, Jacson Morais Borges, Cleiton Arlindo Martins

A customized version of the Microsim-PM software for one Steckel rolling mill was built and adapted for specific mill parameters. The focus of this study is to use this model, which predicts the austenite grain size distribution evolution during rolling, to understand and quantify metallurgical issues happening during hot rolling. This will allow the steel mill to optimize the rolling process and chemical composition before the first industrial trial. Materials rolled for final thicknesses of 4.75, 6.30 and 12.5 mm of a carbon manganese steel and a microalloyed steel were selected to tailor the equations used by the model and to accurately reproduce the reality of the Steckel mill. This paper analyses the results from the customized model and compares them to mill data and final microstructure. Measured and predicted Mean Flow Stress (MFS) values are compared. After rolling, the material is subjected to accelerated cooling using laminar cooling. These cooling curves obtained from mill data are also considered to analyze the final microstructure characterized for all the cases using EBSD. The quantification of the microstructure allows for a better understanding of the relationship between chemical composition, process parameters and mechanical properties.

Oct 1, 2019

By Jari Larkiola, Aarne Pohjonen, Juha Jokisaari, Oskari Seppälä, Joonas Ilmola

Finite element method (FEM) is widely used to model the hot strip rolling process. Flatness defects e.g. front-end bending in multipass hot strip rolling is studied by authors using a finite element (FE) model with interactively operating automated controlling logic (ACL) [1]. However, industrial corresponding grade of accuracy in strip thickness subsequent to the rolling pass is not easily accessible in FE-model without separate calculation of significant rolling parameters and integrated roll gap control. In order to study flatness defects and optimize pass schedules the controlling and physics of the FE-model must correspond to the industrial process. For this need the automated controlling logic is upgraded by setup calculations to predicting roll force and work roll flattening. These predictions are utilized in setup positioning of a work rolls. Reliable setup calculation enables smooth multi stand rolling process without significant additional adjustment of roll gap clearance. State of art rolling technology requires above-mentioned setup controlling for the FE simulations to simulate different pass schedules without time consuming preparations. Operational setup calculations together with automated controlling logic of hot strip rolling enable simulation of new pass schedules and efficient problem solving.

Oct 1, 2019

By Andreas Cestonaro

Roll grade evolution in plate mill applications is traditionally following the development in hot strip mills. New grades normally find their way into service only after being successfully implemented in hot strip production. The majority of the plate mills worldwide are using work roll grades that have been invented before the 1980’s. But today the demands in the mills are pushed by sophisticated product mixes and longer rolling campaigns. The result of this development is a higher wear rate on the work rolls and as a consequence roll hardness is increased and advanced roll materials are used. The backup rolls are also affected by this. The wear rate is higher and the mechanical impact in terms of contact pressure and work hardening is increasing. This paper outlines the results of the roll grade development at Gontermann-Peipers and introduces new materials for work and backup rolls for plate mills.

Jul 30, 2018

By Samuel Filgueiras Rodrigues, Clodualdo Aranas Jr., Gedeon Silva Reis, Eden Santos Silva, Fulvio Siciliano

When austenite is deformed above the Ae3 temperature, partial amount of it transforms dynamically into ferrite by a displacive mechanism. After unloading, it retransforms back into the stable austenite by a diffusional process. This influences the rolling load which decreases under isothermal condition or does not increase with decreasing temperature as rapidly as expected under cooling. Plate rolling simulations under isothermal and continuous cooling conditions were carried out on a 0.09 wt.% Nb X-70 steel. Pass strains of 0.2 were employed together with interpass times of 10 s, and 30 s for the cooling conditions and 0.3 with interval of 10 s at 900 °C for the isothermal experiments; strain rate of 1 s-1 was used during the simulations. The mean-flow-stress (MFS`s) behavior of both conditions indicates that dynamic transformation and dynamic recrystallization were taking place during straining. The critical strains for the initiation of dynamic transformation fell around 0.06 while the critical strain for DRX was 0.12. It has been shown that ferrite is formed due to the applied deformation of roughing passes and increases its volume fraction throughout the finishing rolling stage. Under cooling conditions, the ferrite formation is also favored as the temperature approaches the Ae3 line. Such ferrite forms when the driving force for dynamic transformation is higher than the total free energy barrier preventing its formation. This obstacle consists of the free energy difference between austenite and ferrite as well as the lattice dilatation work and shear accommodation work. The addition of Nb retards the retransformation of the ferrite into austenite. Moreover, holding times after rolling increases the amount of austenite available for microstructure control on subsequent stages. The dynamic transformation (DT) mechanism can be used to design improved rolling schedules

Oct 1, 2019

By Rodrigo Sanchotene Silva

Currently the industries of paint have directed their efforts on cleaner production of products that provide effective performance in corrosion protection of metallic materials. This work search introduce a new alternative of organic coating, without the presence of hazardous metals and replace equipments commercials used method of anodic protection for protection of oxidized metals. From this it, was produced Smart Paint (SP), consisting of Paint Acrylic Commercial (PAC) mixed the 1 % of binder, compound by the conducting polymer, Polyaniline Emeraldine Base (PAni EB) and plasticizer 4-chloro-3-methylphenol. The SP and PAC were applied to plates of carbon steel AISI 1010, with the aid of dip coat technique and then were subjected to drying for 48 h. The SP was characterized by thermals and physicochemical analyzes in order to verify possible changes in chemical properties of the ink produced, beyond perform electrochemical tests of Open Circuit Potential and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, employing equipment Potentiostat/Galvanostat Autolab PGSTAT302 Ecochemie, and aqueous 2 mol.L-1 of H2SO4. The results obtained allow us to state that the plasticizer does not alter the electrochemical properties of PAni and application of binder PAni EB to PAC does not alter the physicochemical properties of commercial coating. The binder PAni EB adds to PAC the capacity to induce the formation or maintenance of protective oxides in oxidizable metals submitted to harsh environments, method known as anodic corrosion protection.

Aug 8, 2018

By Vinícius da Silva Madruga

Os processos de lingotamento contínuo e de lingotamento convencional apresentam diferenças na solidificação dos aços, esse fato tem impacto na distribuição, quantidade e forma de inclusões de óxidos e sulfetos. O objetivo desse trabalho é verificar de que maneira tais diferenças influenciam na distribuição dos sulfetos ao longo do aço solidificado de qualidade SAE 1050. Para isso, 20 amostras foram retiradas de eixos forjados e barras laminadas, produtos conformados de origem do lingotamento convencional e do lingotamento contínuo, respectivamente. As amostras foram analisadas em microscópio ótico e microscópio eletrônico de varredura no modo de análise automatizada de partículas. Através das imagens e de dados numéricos obtidos, foi visto que nas amostras de barra laminada há grande quantidade de sulfetos, se analisada na seção longitudinal, em relação às amostras de eixo forjado. Analisando na seção transversal, foram detectados menos sulfetos devido ao alinhamento dos mesmos. Entre as amostras de eixo forjado, a área ocupada pelos sulfetos é maior no pé do lingote, reduzindo em direção à cabeça, apesar de a cabeça apresentar mais sulfetos. Tais diferenças foram atribuídas à taxa de resfriamento, à seção transversal do produto e ao processo, que variam entre os dois tipos de lingotamento.

Oct 30, 2017