Steel Times International Digital December 2018

INNOVATIONS

INDUSTRY NEWS & FACTS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

DIGITALISATION

A bumper edition of Innovations – 22 pages of the latest developments

Four pages of steel industry news and facts

Thomas J Gibson on tariffs, Trump and the US economy

Steel companies remain hesitant when it comes to digital technology

www.steeltimesint.com Digital Edition - November/December 2018 - No.10

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CONTENTS DIGITAL EDITION - NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

INNOVATIONS

INDUSTRY NEWS & FACTS

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

DIGITALISATION

A bumper edition of Innovations – 22 pages of the latest developments

Four pages of steel industry news and facts

Thomas J Gibson on tariffs, Trump and the US economy

Steel companies remain hesitant when it comes to digital technology

www.steeltimesint.com Digital Edition - November/December 2018 - No.10

1

Picture courtesy of: KOCKS RSB® 5.0 and 4D EAGLE® profile measurement system currently operating in China.

UNDERSTANDING CYBER THREATS

EDITORIAL Editor Matthew Moggridge Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855151 matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com Consultant Editor Dr. Tim Smith PhD, CEng, MIM Production Editor Annie Baker Advertisement Production Martin Lawrence SALES International Sales Manager Paul Rossage paulrossage@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855116 Sales Director Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855117 Managing Director Steve Diprose stevediprose@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855164 Chief Executive Officer Paul Michael SUBSCRIPTION Elizabeth Barford Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Steel Times International is published eight times a year and is available on subscription. Annual subscription: UK £178.00 Other countries: £254.00 2 years subscription: UK £320.00 Other countries: £457.00 )

2 Leader

by Matthew Moggridge, editor.

4 News/Astounding Facts & Figures The latest news, facts and figures.

48 Special steels Dillinger: Decoding steel’s DNA.

8 USA update Exclusive Interview with the AISI’s Thomas J Gibson.

54 Digitalisation Quintic: Why steel companies need to go digital.

13 Innovations The latest new products and contract news.

60 Environment Sustainability steel.

Single copy (inc postage): £40.00 Email: steel@quartzltd.com Published by: Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, England.

Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 www.steeltimesint.com Steel Times International (USPS No: 020-958) is published monthly except Feb, May, July, Dec by Quartz Business Media Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER send address changes to Steel Times International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437.

Printed in England by: Pensord, Tram Road, Pontlanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent NP12 2YA, UK ©Quartz Business Media Ltd 2018

40 Cyber security Understanding cyber threats.

64 History 250 Years of steam power by Harry Hodson.

ISSN0143-7798

www.steeltimesint.com

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

2

LEADER

2018: An interesting year for the steel industry

Matthew Moggridge Editor matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com

When it comes to scary movies, let’s face it, there’s not much that hasn’t already been done, but at the end of the day, you’re either scared or you’re not, and invariably I’m not.

Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs left me cold and not in the slightest bit frightened. In fact, I will admit now that the only recent (ish) movies that have made me feel a little apprehensive before switching off the lights at night were The Grudge and The Ring, two US re-makes of Japanese originals. That aside, I’ve given up on the genre.

Far worse than horror movies is the passing of time. I used to think that going back in time, there was a moment when the world turned from colour to black and white; but in reality the world has always been in full Technicolor, even back in the Stone Age. For some reason, that’s scary.

2018 has raced by and it’s been an interesting, challenging (and scary) year for the steel industry, dominated by President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs.

Tariffs have been great news for North American steelmakers, prompting Nucor Corporation’s John Ferriola to say there has never been a better time to be making steel.

It was also the year when we heard that ThyssenKrupp’s 20,000-strong workforce finally approved the merger with Tata Steel based on promises of no forced layoffs or plant closures, even if, as Wolfgang Eder, CEO of Austrian steelmaker Voestalpine, pointed out: There is a need for plant closures because 20% of Europe’s steelmaking capacity is surplus to requirements. TK and Tata argued that the merger would help tackle overcapacity in the European market without any forced lay-offs or plant closures.

It has also been a good year for bolstering steel’s green credentials.

Swedish steelmaker SSAB announced that the HYBRIT initiative is set to make fossilfree steelmaking a reality by 2035; and Voestalpine was optimistic for carbon-free steelmaking having gained approval for the construction of the world’s biggest pilot plant for CO2-free production of hydrogen.

And now, with Christmas clearly in everybody’s sights, there’s nothing more to say than I wish you all the joys of the season and, of course, a happy new year.

Here’s to a successful and possibly less scary 2019.

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4

NEWS ROUND-UP

• Steel production in China averaged a year-on-year growth rate of 6.3% over H1 2018. Net steel exports declined 15% yearon-year over the same period compared with 28.2% over the same period last year.

Source: Hellenic Shipping News, 26 November 2018.

• Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (NSSMC) is to completely overhaul its Osaka-based wheel mill, which is the rolling facility for the production of wheels at its Osaka Steel Works of the Railway, Automotive & Machinery Parts Unit.

NSSMC is Japan’s only manufacturer of railway wheels and sells high-end products to customers in Japan and overseas. The wheel mill is claimed to be the most important facility contributing to hot processing and forming of railway wheels.

Source: NSSMC, 21 November 2018.

• A report by the Washington Examiner claims that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is planning to investigate Donald Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs following requests by the European Union, China, Canada, Mexico, Norway and Russia. According to the newspaper, however, the Trump administration may use the WTO’s decision to challenge the legitimacy of the WTO. Source: Washington Examiner, 21 November 2018.

• Statistics from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology show that the country’s iron and steel industry has maintained solid growth over the period from January to September 2018. According to MIIT, the industry’s total main operating income surged 14% from the same period last year to 5.66 trillion yuan (US$816.7 billion).

Source: Global Times, 25 November 2018

• H1 2019 will be a strong period for the global steel industry, according to TV Narendran, managing director of India-based Tata Steel. While there was some concern on trade flows, the fundamentals are strong and growth in China, India, the USA and Europe is good.

Narendran said that Tata Steel was focused on its acquisition of wire rope manufacturer Usha Martin, which was recently approved by Usha Martin’s shareholders.

Source: Moneycontrol.com, 21 November 2016

• Around 4,000 steelworkers employed by Iran National Steel Industrial Group (INSIG) have been on strike since 10 November and are demanding payment for two months’ back wages, improvements in workplace safety, and fresh investment so that shuttered production lines can be re-opened.

The current strike is the third this year and attracted the attention of riot police who, it is claimed, ‘attacked the protest’.

Source: World Socialist Website, 26 November 2018.

Anil Chaudray, chairman of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) wants to increase the production capacity of the company’s Chandrapur Ferro-Alloy Plant (CFP), which currently meets around 40% of SAIL’s manganese ore-based ferro-alloy requirement. Mr Chaudray wants the plant to raise production to its rated capacity. He said he was committed to the Indian Ministry of Steel’s target of increasing overall steel production to 300Mt by 2030-31 and plans to augment SAIL’s production capacity to 50Mt. Source: Times of India, 26 November 2018.

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

5

• World crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 156.6Mt in October 2018, a 5.8% increase compared to October 2017.

Source: World Steel Association

• Diversification is key if Indian steelmakers JSW and Tata Steel Ltd are to compete successfully in India with ArcelorMittal, the world’s largest steelmaker. The latter recently entered the dynamic Indian steel industry following its acquisition of Essar Steel and plans to increase Essar’s annual plant capacity from 10Mt to 15Mt. It is generally believed there is enough room to accommodate a third major player like ArcelorMittal, although experts believe that the incumbents JSW and Tata Steel will be prompted to switch from capacity expansion to product and technology evolution.

Source: Livemint.com

• Indian steelmaker JSW is reportedly increasing the manufacturing capacity of its Vijayanagar plant. Deputy managing director Vinod Nowal said the plant was already hoping to up capacity from 12Mt/yr to 13Mt/yr (by August 2019) and believes it has the potential to grow up to 23 to 24Mt/yr. By 2030, the company is planning to increase overall capacity to 44-45Mt/yr.

Source: Business Today, 22 November 2018.

• The French car manufacturer Renault has reportedly asked South Korean steelmaker POSCO, to enter Morocco and supply automotive steel. POSCO says it has no immediate plans to set up shop in North Africa. There are also rumours that Maghreb Steel has made a similar request, but this has not been confirmed.

• Global iron ore production will grow modestly from 3.36 billion tonnes to 3.41 billion tonnes by 2027, according to Fitch Solutions’ Macro Research Unit. Supply growth will be primarily driven by India and Brazil. India’s iron ore output will grow from 209Mt this year to 221 Mt in 2027, and Brazil’s from 453Mt this year to 582Mt.

Source: Korea Bizwire, 22 November 2018.

Source: Hellenic Shipping News, 26 November 2018.

• By 2023, the Russian steelmaker Severstal will become the first company in Russia to design and produce electric-welded longitudinal steel pipes – or LDPs – and fittings for Gazprom.

According to Einnews. com, the products will have increased strength (K80 class) and will withstand pressures of up to 14.8 MPa (150 atm), a world record for onshore gas pipelines.

Source: Einnews.com, 20 November 2018

The European Steel Association (EUROFER) believes that the recently launched European Commission’s long-term EU greenhouse gas emissions reductions strategy, requires a more detailed assessment of its implications.

According to Axel Eggert, EUROFER’s director-general, “The document describes different scenarios, the implications of which will require in-depth assessment before any decisions can be taken”.

Source: EUROFER, 28 November 2018.

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

6

INDUSTRY NEWS

USA October steel imports up 44.2% 30% 28% 26%

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

24% 22%

2017

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

May

April

Feb

Jan

Dec

Nov

18%

March

20%

2018

Estimated finished steel import market share for the past 12 months

Finished

4.5

Semi-finished

Millions of net tons

4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0

18 17 18 17 18 17 18 17 18 17 18 17 18 17 18 17AUG 18 17SEP18 17 18 17NOV 18 17DEC FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL OCT JAN

Semi-finished 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.5 0.9 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.9 1.0 0.6 0.4 0.6 1.3 0.6 2.3 2.3 2.1 2.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.9 2.6 2.4 3.0 1.9 2.9 2.2 2.5 2.0 2.5 1.9 2.6 2.0 2.2 Finished

0.6 1.9

-

Monthly imports 2018 vs 2017 % change finished imports October 2018 versus October 2017 =-22.1%

Millions of net tons

The USA imported 3.26Mt (net tons) of steel in October, including 1.99Mt (net tons) of finished steel, according to figures released by the American Iron and Steel Institute. These figures represent an increase of 44.2% and 6.7% respectively when compared with September figures.

Year-to-date through 10 months of 2018, total and finished steel imports are 29.4Mt (net tons) and 22Mt (net tons) and these figures are down 10.6% and 13.4% respectively when compared with the same period in 2017.

Annualised total and finished steel imports in 2018 would be 35.3Mt and 26.5Mt (net tons), down 7.4% and 10.4%, respectively, versus figures for 2017. The finished steel import market share was an estimated 20% in October and is estimated at 21% year-todate.

Key finished steel products with a significant import increase in October compared to September were hot rolled bars (up 55%), line pipe (up 37%), mechanical tubing (up 23%), tin plate (up 13%) and wire drawn (up 13%). Major products with significant year-to-date increases versus the same period in 2017 include hot rolled sheets (up 23%) and plates in coils (up 19%).

In October, the largest volumes of finished steel imports from offshore were (all in net tons) from South Korea (183kt, down 3% from September final), Vietnam (115kt, up 53%), Germany (113kt, down 3%), Japan (105kt, up 17%) and The Netherlands (78kt, up 35%).

For the first 10 months of 2018, the largest offshore suppliers were: South Korea (2.47Mt, down 26% versus the same period in 2017); Japan (1.16Mt, down 11%), Germany (1.1Mt, down 5%); Turkey (1Mt, down 50%) and Taiwan (913kt, down 21%).

See charts on estimated steel import market share in recent months and on finished steel imports from offshore by country.

45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0.0

Semi-finished Finished

Finished

3 Mos. prior rolling avg.

0.645 2.161

3 Mos. rolling avg.

0.893 1.961

Semi-finished

2017 8.565 29.561

2018* 8.824 26.499

3 month rolling averages and 2018 vs 2017 % change finished imports 3 Mos rolling avg vs 3 mos prior = -9.3% % change semi-finished imports 2018 vs 2017 = +3.0% % change finished imports 2018 vs 2017 = -10.4%

www.steeltimesint.com

FACTS AND FIGURES

7

• There are more than 3,500 different grades of steel with many different physical, chemical and environmental properties.

Source: worldsteel

• In the last 20 years, the weight of steel cans has been reduced, on average, by 33%.

Source: worldsteel

• The US steel industry is currently recycling three-quarters of the steel coming from the packaging market, nearly 100% of the automobiles at end-of-life, and over 90% of steel from infrastructure, appliances and construction.

Source: AISI.

• Steel is as old as the hills, if not older. Way back in the 11th century, for example, ‘Damascus Blades’ were produced in Cyprus using quench-hardened steel – so say archaeologists who found evidence of the knives during a dig.

Source: worldsteel

• The US goods and services trade deficit with China was $335.4 billion in 2017, according to information supplied by the Office of the US Trade Representative. Exports were $187.5 billion, while imports were $522.9 billion. Because the US imported more than it exported, that creates a deficit.

Source: Springfield News-Sun

• In the year 2000, China produced 15.1% of all the steel produced in the world.

Back then Europe was responsible for 24.7% and North America 15.9%, roughly on a par with the Chinese.

By 2017 things had changed dramatically with China responsible for 49.2% of all steel produced, Europe down to 12.5% and the USA 6.9%.

Source: worldsteel

• More than 66Mt of scrap is processed in North America for recycling both domestically and overseas.

When multiplied across the millions of tons of steel recycled by the steel industry each year, this process conserves enough energy to electrically power one-fifth of all homes in America.

Source: AISI.

www.steeltimesint.com

ArcelorMittal Riverdale, a compact strip mill that produces hot-rolled coils, has celebrated its 100th anniversary. The company started as Acme Steel, then Interlake, ISG and now ArcelorMittal.

Source: ArcelorMittal.

• In the USA, more steel is recycled than paper, plastic, aluminium and glass combined.

Source: AISI.

• The US steel industry is currently recycling three-quarters of the steel coming from the packaging market, nearly 100% of the automobiles at end-of-life, and over 90% of steel from infrastructure, appliances and construction.

Source: AISI.

The USS Enterprise CVN-80 is the first American ‘supercarrier’ not to be named in honour of a person since USS America (CVA/CV-66) in 1966. The carrier is being constructed

by Huntingdon Ingalis Industries-Newport News (Virginia) Shipbuilding using recycled steel and steel produced by ArcelorMittal USA Eastern Plate. Construction began in 2018 and the carrier is scheduled to be in operation by 2027.

Source: ArcelorMittal.

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

8

USA UPDATE

Cautious optimism Thomas J Gibson, chief executive officer and president of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) is happy, but he’s not complacent.

While there are good things happening to the US economy, he knows that steel is not out of the woods just yet.

By Matthew Moggridge*

THOMAS J Gibson, chief executive officer and president of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) was in a pretty buoyant mood when Steel Times International caught up with him at the swanky Grand Hyatt Hotel in the Japanese capital of Tokyo where he was attending the World Steel General Assembly.

The event, which saw the great and the good of the global steel industry get together for their annual meeting – an event where the big issues are thrashed out and delegates can listen to a range of interesting presentations from around the world, is a magnet for the steel industry’s top brass. It’s the sort of event where you can find yourself on an escalator – or in an elevator – sharing space with ArcelorMittal boss Lakshmi Mittal or Nucor Corporation head honcho John Ferriola.

Gibson and I met outside the Hyatt’s Grand Ballroom and later at the General Assembly’s Welcome Reception held at the exclusive Roppongi Hills Club in downtown

* Editor, Steel Times International Digital Edition - November/December 2018

www.steeltimesint.com

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10

USA UPDATE

North American steel is greener than Chinese steel Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the production of Chinese steel are substantially greater than emissions from production of comparable steel in North America, according to a series of reports released by the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

Two peer-reviewed reports (North America and China) compare hot-dip galvanised (HDG) steel coils produced in North America, primarily used in the construction and automotive sectors, to the same product produced in China and shipped to the North American market.

The study found that hot-dip galvanised coil sourced from China results in nearly 50% higher GHG emissions.

“In the sustainable design of steelframed buildings, one of the most important decisions an owner or architect can make regarding environmental impact is to ensure the building’s steel is produced in North America,” said Mark Thimons, vice president of sustainability for SMDI. Thimons cited an example from another SMDI study involving the design of a four-story cold-formed steel office building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which showed that the building (core and shell only) includes about 100 tons of HDG for the structural framing, floor deck and roof deck. If steel from China is used for this building instead of North American-produced steel, the GHG emissions associated with the production of the steel used would increase by more than 100 tons (CO2 equivalent).

For this single four-storey structure, the difference is equivalent to the GHG emissions from consuming over 10,000 gallons of gasoline.

The study complements previouslyreleased information from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) documenting that hot-rolled structural sections produced in China result in three times the GHG emissions compared to the same product produced in North America.

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

Tokyo. He said that the economy of the United States was now strong with growth last year of 2.6% and the possibility of 2.9% GDP growth this year. “A lot of our sectors are doing well,” Gibson said, highlighting automotive as a case in point: he’s predicting 17.1 million units in North America. “There’s a lot to be optimistic about,” he added, but was careful not to sound too overjoyed. “I wouldn’t say that success has been achieved, though,” he continued, arguing that while import levels are down from historically high levels to ‘merely very high levels’, the US has now dropped back to the mid-20% range in terms of import market share.

“But it’s still elevated by historic levels and the underlying problem of the global overcapacity issue is still there.”

Figures just in from the AISI show that the USA imported 3.26Mt (net tons) of steel in October 2018, and this figure includes 1.99Mt (net tons) of finished steel, representing an increase of 44.2% and 6.7% respectively compared with September figures. However, year-to-date figures through 10 months of 2018, show that total and finished steel imports are 29.5Mt (net tons) and 22Mt (net tons) and that these figures are down 10.6% and 13.4% respectively when compared with the same period in 2017.

It is interesting to note that, for the first 10 months of 2018, the largest offshore supplier was South Korea, which exported 2.47Mt and that this figure was down 26% when compared with the same period in 2017. The figure for Japan was 1.16Mt, down 11%, and for Germany 1.1Mt, down 5%. Turkey supplied 1Mt, down 50% and Taiwan 913kt, down 21%.

According to Gibson, the US steel industry has recovered, in terms of capacity utilisation, to the high 70% range, but for the long-term health of the industry that percentage needs to be much higher, in the 80% range. There is, said Gibson, a lot of faith in the US economy and there’s strong growth in steel, but the country has yet to recover to pre-recession levels so the rationale behind Donald Trump’s Section 232 tariffs is still strong as the fundamental issue with steel – that of overcapacity – has yet to be addressed.

Gibson said that Section 232 tariffs for steel are seen as a broader remedy to tackle the wider overcapacity issue. He said that using trade remedy laws (countervailing duties and anti-dumping actions) was not

getting at the underlying issue. “Growth is up, but we haven’t grown our way out of the overcapacity crisis yet; there is not, on the horizon, another rise of China like we had last time, which caused such massive disruption of the steel trade,” he said, adding that growth alone won’t solve the problem. “We need to get at the root causes, and the countries that created the overcapacity crisis need to make the structural adjustments that are required,” argued Gibson.

Gibson praised President Trump’s progrowth agenda, which, he said, goes beyond Section 232 and US trade policy.

“We have had tax reform in the United States, which has had a very significant impact. We are taking a much more rational approach to regulation in the United States, environmental regulation, and the Administration needs to examine some of its policies there as that will have a positive effect on manufacturing,” he said.

While Donald Trump has always come in for a lot of criticism from many quarters since taking on the job of President of the United States – or POTUS if you’re a fan of Twitter – Gibson claims that his tariffs will improve conditions for US steelworkers.

“The industry has been recovering,” he said. “It lost a lot of jobs during the import surge, but has clawed some back, not all the way back to before the surge started, but steelworkers will benefit,” he said.

The question of how long Section 232 tariffs will be in place has been asked many times by those observing the steel industry, and the Trump Administration says they will be around until the US steel industry’s position has been restored – meaning the aforementioned capacity utilisation rate hitting the mid-80s percentage wise.

Gibson believes that day is not close, but that as the industry recovers from ‘the surge’ workers will be rewarded.

But is Gibson happy? “I’m happy with the economy and the progress achieved thus far,” he said. “But I’m not ready to declare success yet.”

The AISI, claims Gibson, is very active in the US tax reform debate and he sees a continual need for improvements in infrastructure spending. “When you look at the markets, automotive recovered fairly quickly out of recession, but the construction market has never reached pre-recession levels, public construction included, and we see a need for another round of funding here,” he said. � www.steeltimesint.com

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INNOVATIONS

13

Zumbach launches its latest Profilemaster ZUMBACH Electronics, a leading supplier of non-contact measuring technologies for the metal and steel industry, has introduced the latest PROFILEMASTER SPS 80 gauge for in-line measurement of any rebar type.

According to Zumbach, the latest machine offers ‘sophisticated capabilities’ that allow the measurement of rebar products in hot rolling processes.

It is claimed that the full contour of a rebar can be captured and the cross section extracted in such a way that core diameter, rib height, width and height among other characteristics can be measured and monitored.

Zumbach claims that the PROFILEMASTER SPS 80 is specially designed to measure the rebar in the

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rolling mill without having limitations in terms of rolling speed. “Since many rolling mills produce rebar in more than one strand, the PROFILMASTER SPS80 can handle up to three strands simultaneously with one single gauge,” said the company.

Every individual strand is measured and related statistics can be generated.

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angle and radius or other geometric quantities are computed to characterise the full cross-sectional picture. An operator-friendly graphic display of this data allows the monitoring of the product during the whole process. The nominal values for the profile can be directly imported from CAD design files, which, it is claimed, allow easy and problem-free configuration of the device.

Customer benefits include a reduction in start-up time, multi-strand measurement of rebar up to three strands in one measuring gauge, Industry 4.0-ready and reliable operation in harsh conditions.

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Digital Edition Edition -- November/December2018 November/December 2018 Digital

00 14

INNOVATIONS

INNOVATIONS

00

Heavy duty tractors for on-site logistics Imperial Logistics International has acquired three new heavy-duty tractor units and seven heavy-duty trailers to support its on-site logistics contract for a major steel producer at its Bochum plant in Germany. The contract involves moving 3Mt/yr of steel coil.

The vehicles carry up to five steel coils at a time, individually weighing up to 31 tonnes, within the giant plant, which occupies an area of approximately 1.3 sq km. The vehicles’ maximum operating speed when fully loaded is just 12km/hr.

The new tractors, Terberg RT223 models, on lease from the manufacturer and powered by 6-cylinder 160 kW Volvo engines, are a mass-produced replacement for the previous, custom-built units, which have come to the end of their life cycle. Two of the current vehicles will be retained as back-up units. Replacement of the tractors normally takes place every four to five years due to their intensive use.

Digital Edition - November/December2018

The four-wheel-drive tractors feature nine-speed gearboxes (six forward, three reverse), revolving driver’s seat and controls, power-elevating saddles and the latest-standard safety cabs.

With the service agent for the new tractor units located just 4km away, repairs and servicing, which caused downtime of up to 10 weeks with the old units, will now be effected much more quickly.

The 9.5 metre-long, 80-tonne payload trailers’ custom-built for Imperial Logistics by Seacom Trailer Systems’ are replacements for the current 18-year-old units, three of which will now be retained as back-up-systems.

The new trailers have been extensively re-designed from the previous units and now feature their own separate hydraulic systems for opening their roofs; as a result, contaminated oil can no longer enter other systems in the event of damage, potentially necessitating expensive repairs. The axle location

of the trailers has also been changed to achieve better weight distribution, so avoiding overloading of the tractors’ saddles.

Imperial Logistics’ project leader, Holger Hausmann, commented: “The new vehicle fleet is the result of lessons learned from our operations since 2000. The choice of standard production tractors over custom-built vehicles will dramatically reduce future downtime and improve customer service.

Meanwhile our new trailer design will also cut downtime and repair costs, and is expected to extend the lives of both tractors and trailers.”

The Imperial Logistics Bochum contract, which has run since 2000, involves storing, loading and shipping steel coil by road and rail. The company employs 40 staff on-site.

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

www.steeltimesint.com

Eradicate inclusion problems in steel The comprehensive OES inclusion analysis solution: ARL iSpark with Spark-DAT Software Suite For many steel grades, controlling non-metallic inclusions is crucial for the smooth running of production process, and to guarantee targeted steel properties. The Thermo Scientific™ ARL iSpark™ OES Metals Analyzer performs inclusion analysis simultaneously with elemental analysis, enabling real-time control of inclusions for hundreds of samples analyzed every day in a steel production.

ARL iSpark can be automated with ARL SMS-2500 system for unattended operation.

The Spark-DAT Software Suite includes all the on- and off-line software modules and features needed for inclusion analysis, analytical method development and set-up, as well as in-depth investigation, control and reporting of inclusions. The ARL iSpark with Spark-DAT Software Suite is the perfect solution to prevent cost and quality problems caused by inclusions.

Thermo Scientific™ ARL iSpark™ OES

Thermo Scientific™ ARL™ SMS-2500 automation

Discover more at thermofisher.com/ispark © 2018 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of Thermo Fisher Scientific and its subsidiaries unless otherwise specified.

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INNOVATIONS

Sintratec offers new 3D printing solution Sintratec, a leading Swiss developer and manufacturer of 3D printers for professional use, has introduced Formnext, a compact system for industrial additive manufacturing. Sintratec S2 “like its predecessors“ is based on selective laser sintering (SLS) technology.

According to Sintratec, the all-in-

Digital Edition - November/December2018

one integrated and semi-automated processes of laser sintering, de-powdering, material preparation and surface treatment are new and unique in the SLS field. The end-to-end solution means that users benefit from precise printed objects with an exceptionally high degree in freedom of form, as

well as an economic operation offering significantly reduced down times.

Tedious cleaning processes are no longer necessary, says the company.

To receive consistent and homogenous print results, the Sintratec laser sintering station is equipped with a cylindric printing area consisting of a

INNOVATIONS

new heating and ventilation concept.

An integrated 4K camera enables the user to control print jobs and evaluate the surface of every print layer in real time. Precise laser scanning ensures an enhanced process repeatability and a faster printing speed. The 3D printing system is operated intuitively through a modern touch screen.

The complete built chamber is situated in the Material Core Unit (MCU), which can easily be removed from the Laser Sintering Station. In addition, the MCU is equipped with an integrated powder mixing function that allows convenient powder handling, claims Sintratec. “If the user wants to process different materials, he easily expands his system with another Material Core

www.steeltimesint.com

Unit. The Sintratec material handling station collects used as well as excess printing material in a clean way and sieves it for reprocessing,” the company explained.

Sintratec says that if the SLS parts require improved surface qualities and need to be visually attractive, the Sintratec blasting station does the job.

Finally, the Sintratec polishing station, a magnetic tumbler, seals surface impurities and lends the printed components a smooth, stainless steel like finish.

Sintratec claims that its Sintratec S2 enables previously unimagined potential for professional prototyping to be unleashed. The company says that its smart System is suitable for developing and optimising “applications of

17

tomorrow”. The development of complex components can be improved by making designs suitable for 3D printing processes and this, says the company, leads to tangible benefits from a creative and an economic perspective.

The system is claimed to enable engineers to produce high-quality SLS prints in an affordable way. Modular design means that Sintratec S2 users can expand their production capacities as required by adding specific Sintratec S2 modules.

The Sintratec S2 was premiered at the Formnext exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany.

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

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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Laser Paul Wurth weld fixes Italian blast furnace

Following a hearth condition assessment, Italian steelmaker Acciaieria Arvedi awarded Paul Wurth an order for the urgent repair of its No. 3 blast furnace at its Trieste works in Italy.

The scope of Paul Wurth’s services covered the engineering and execution of the salamander tapping, engineering for hearth lining replenishment, supply of carbon-based material and site jobs

supervision. The preparation work commenced on 9 May so that salamander-tapping operations could be started on 29 May. Regular hot metal could be tapped from BF 3 on Sunday 1 July, after a furnace stop of 34 days.

This was in line with the originally scheduled shutdown duration and was achieved thanks to proactive co-operation between the customer, Acciaieria

Arvedi, and Paul Wurth.

The new refractory configuration selected by Paul Wurth was a tailor-made combination of a silicon carbide-based unshaped material as the hot face lining and a monolithic carbon block in the taphole area surrounded by small carbon bricks, all suitably shaped to ensure a proper connection with the remaining carbon lining.

Leybold introduces Leyspec – and there are six variants Leyspec is the name of a device recently introduced by vacuum specialist Leybold for residual gas analysis in vacuum systems. According to the company, there are six variants of the system available, meaning that there are models for basic and “extended residual gas analysis methods”.

Leybold claims that the device is designed for modern and sustainable process monitoring and combines ”unDigital Edition - November/December2018

complicated handling with maximum detection sensitivity”.

Leyspec units are equipped with an integrated display and are claimed to be easy and ergonomic to operate. “At the touch of a button, users can display the partial pressures of the relevant gases at any time,”said Leybold, adding that if the user is interested in an additional gas in his process, another channel can be individually assigned to it.

The software supporting the Leyspec system offers users various analysis options and, claims Leybold, is user friendly, enabling a wide range of applications from simple to complex analyses.

Additional test procedures and functionalities are pre-installed, such as a helium leak test or the setting of warnings and error limits for certain gases.

It is possible to perform simple gas

INNOVATIONS

19

Danieli and Ametek collaborate

Acciaieria Arvedi commented that the joint effort and the high level of co-operation achieved between Arvedi and Paul Wurth “greatly contributed to the proper execution of the planned activities in full compliance with the projected deadline.”

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

www.steeltimesint.com

AMETEK Land, a leading non-contact temperature measurement specialist, has collaborated with Italian plant builder Danieli on the development of an automatic tapping system to increase operation safety and improve process control for steel plants.

Danieli, established in 1914, designs plants and manufactures and installs machines for the metals industry covering the entire production cycle from raw materials to finished steel products.

With the Danieli Automatic Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) Tapping System, it is possible to execute a complete furnace tapping remotely from the main pulpit of a steel plant, it is claimed. The system starts furnace tilting in automatic mode, controlling the furnace position during the complete tapping process.

Embedded within the system are two thermal imaging systems from AMETEK Land: a slag detection system, branded as Danieli’s Q-Slag, and a near-infrared (NIR) fixed thermal imager that is an integral part of the ladle level detection (LLD) system. The thermal imaging systems are used in conjunction with Danieli software to control steel flow in real time.

Q-Slag makes use of an SDS-E imager to detect the transition between steel and slag. It also quantifies the amount of slag that may pass into the ladle. That information is useful for fine-tuning alloys and lime additions

for secondary metallurgy. In parallel with Q-Slag, the LLD system controls when steel inside the teeming ladle has reached pre-set level positions.

Back tilting can be done either in automatic mode (when the pre-conditions regarding steel level and weight are met) or by remote intervention of the EAF operator from the main pulpit.

Danieli’s decision to choose Ametek Land as development partner was based on the latter’s 75 years of steel industry application expertise, along with the demonstrated ability of its slag detection system to improve operator response times and steel consistency at the end of each tap. Those improvements typically result in up to a 25% reduction in slag depths, compared with traditional methods of stream monitoring.

Ben Wileman, division vice president, sales and marketing for AMETEK Land, said he was delighted that Danieli selected Ametek as a partner on its automated tapping system. “There are major benefits for steel producers of using this technology,” he said, adding that fast slag detection response allows plants to significantly reduce slag carryover, resulting in improved yields, higher quality steel, and a reduction in costly downstream processing.

analyses without connecting Leyspec to a computer, says Leybold.

Where residual gas analysis is concerned, the Leyspec range offers solutions for 100, 200 or 300 amu (atomic mass units) depending on process requirements. The Leyspec view version is said to be “particularly suitable for residual gas analyses in high-vacuum pumping stations, in R&D and development applications as well

as for environmental tracking and gas impurity analyses.

Leybold says that it’s Leyspec ultra variant is designed for sophisticated residual gas analyses with higher sensitivity, reliable detection of very low partial pressures and higher bake-out temperatures.

For further information, log on to www.ametek-land.com

For further information, log on to www.leybold.com Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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INNOVATIONS

SRA’s complete Chinese optical steelmaker inspection orders new CGL and CPL

Today, reject rates for all types of extruded aluminium profiles can be reduced: ISRA’s EXTRUSION MASTER automatically inspects the surface of extruded aluminium profiles on several sides.

German company ISRA is strengthening its position in the metals business with new management and product innovations for smart steel manufacturing.

The company offers a complete optical inspection portfolio covering the entire process chain of metal manufacturing, enabling the highest quality and maximum yield – for example, with inline 3D surface inspection and measurement. The company is expanding its management team in order to continue its successful development in the business segment and add further innovations to its product portfolio in future. The focus is on the software-based use of production data to optimise processes, as well as incorporating new process steps for quality inspection.Dr. Jens Magenheimer, who has played a key role in product development for many years, will now steer the growth of the business as a member of the executive management. According to Enis Ersü, ISRA’s CEO and founder, “Dr. Jens

Magenheimer has the management experience, technological expertise and years of experience of the customers’ markets required to shape innovations in line with customer needs and ideally position our products in the market”.

According to ISRA, Dr. Magenheimer will ensure that the metals business unit is consistently aligned to the vision of Industry 4.0: “We see ourselves as a partner for the industry on the path toward smart factories and will continue to focus on expanding the respective product and software solutions,” he explained.

“At the same time, we will continue to pursue our full portfolio strategy and establish automated 2D and 3D inspection and measurement technology for the entire metal production process.” In other projects, ISRA is addressing topics including deep learning and artificial intelligence during optical inspection in metal production.

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

Optical inspection throughout the entire metal production chain maximises quality and yield

Chinese steel maker Chengde Steel Vanadium Titanium Cold-Rolled Sheets Co, Ltd. (Chengde Steel) has placed an order with Primetals Technologies to supply a continuous pickling line (CPL) and a continuous galvanising line (CGL) for a new cold rolling and processing plant to be built in Chengde, Hebei Province.

The CPL – is designed to process 1Mt/yr of cold strip, while the CGL will handle 410kt/yr. Both lines can be operated with strip of high thicknesses.

The processed strip will be used for the building, construction and automotive markets. The production of the first galvanised coil and the first pickled coil is planned for the third quarter of 2019.

Chengde Steel is part of the HBIS Group, China’s largest steel producer with an annual production of over 46Mt/yr. The new cold rolling complex in Shuangluan District, Chengde City, is designed for an overall output of 2.1Mt/ yr, including cold-rolled coils, annealed coils, full hard coils as well as hot galvanised coils. Primetals Technologies is responsible for the engineering and supply of the mechanical and electrical equipment of the CGL and the CPL. The equipment for the CGL will include a skin pass mill with a roll force of up to 1,200 tons and a tension leveller. The line is able to process hot strip with thicknesses between one and 6mm as well as cold strip with thicknesses ranging from 0.5mm to 2.5mm at a maximum strip width of 1,630mm.

The CPL will come with a side trimmer, a scrap chopper and a skin pass mill with a maximum roll force of 1,500 tons. Strip thicknesses from 1mm to 8mm may be processed, also at widths of up to 1,630mm.

21

Primetals Technologies also is responsible for the engineering, supply, installation and commissioning supervision of the electrical and automation systems, including low voltage systems, motors, VVVR drives, motor control www.steeltimesint.com

centres (MCCs), measuring equipment as well as the basic (level 1) and process automation (level 2). An interface with a future level 3 system will also be prepared. Chengde Steel will provide the medium voltage systems, trans-

formers with switch gear, and will be responsible for the installation.

For further information, log on to www.primetals.com Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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Spanish steelmaker opts for SMS group Bornay SL, a Spanish welded steel tube specialist, has ordered an HF (high frequency) type RD40 tube welding line from the German plant builder SMS group.

The new equipment will be installed at Bornay’s Alicante works and will produce round tubes with diameters ranging in size from 10mm to 40mm and with wall thicknesses of 0.75mm to 4.5mm. It will also produce squares in dimensions from 10 x 10mm to 30 x 30mm and rectangulars in dimensions from 20 x 10mm

Digital Edition - November/December2018

to 40 x 20mm and wall thicknesses between 1mm and 4mm.

The tube welding line to be commissioned during Q1 2020 will achieve a maximum production speed of 120 metres per minute.

“Here, Bornay can produce high-quality tubes with round, square and rectangular cross-sections. They can be used, among others, as precision tubes for the automotive sector, but also for metallic furniture or in the agricultural sector,” said SMS group.

Juan Bornay, managing director of Bornay SL, commented: “Our requirements with regard to the new welded tube plant were very high since we produce tubes for mechanical applications that require a high level of precision in their finishing.

The engineers from SMS Group have designed a plant meeting our needs,” he said.

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

100 RSB速 REFERENCES WORLDWIDE

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RSB速, SCS速 and KOCKS rolled速 are German trademarks registered by KOCKS.

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00 24

INNOVATIONS

Hitachi’s smart solution

Hitachi HighTech Analytical Science Corporation has introduced a new entry-level handheld X-ray fluorescence (XRF) X-MET8000 Smart model that is claimed to offer users a more competitively priced package for the X-MET brand.

The new model allows users to pick up to three calibrations: Alloy FP, Aluminium FP and Precious FP. The instrument comes with a shield window as standard to protect the instrument from sharp objects, one battery that allows a full day’s operation (10-12 hours), and a power supply. Users can purchase additional accessories as needed.

The X-MET8000 Smart is claimed to deliver rapid and reliable analysis and alloy identification, with over Digital Edition - November/December2018

1,600 grades in its built-in library and the most comprehensive metals database as a post-purchase option.

Robust in design, the equipment is IP54 and MIL-STD-810G compliant, like all analysers in the X-MET8000 range.

Users gain access to advanced data management with ExTOPE Connect including mobile phone app, cloud service for instant data sharing and secure storage.

Mikko JÄRVIKIVI, product business development manager at Hitachi, commented: “Our latest X-MET8000 Smart allows us to offer a competitively priced entry-level product purpose-designed for scrap metal sorting and precious metal applications. We’ve been trusted for over 45 years to deliver best in class XRF analysers and our latest product introduction is part of us working in close collaboration with our customers to deliver the latest advances in analysis solutions that drive business success.”

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

Fives: quality through digitalisation EYERON™, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT TOOL

Fives has developed Eyeron™, a quality improvement tool that captures and analyzes data from all processing lines. The software functionality includes: — — — — —

P roducts tracking Summary of quality events and alarms Product qualification Data mining Performance monitoring

The data is crunched to give a clear view on process issues and decision making on products. Greater visualization of the process enables an improved understanding of where inefficiencies and problems are likely to occur, giving operators the chance to avoid them and benefit from a streamlined process.

MAIN FEATURES

roducts tracking: centralization of signals and P measures and product history tracking Summary of quality events and alarms: sum-up of events / alarms per product and SIS data treatment Product qualification: coil grading and product reallocation Data mining: filters & segmentation and data extraction & treatment Performance monitoring: statistical process control and reports

This data is used to suggest smart solutions to metallurgical problems, resulting in increased productivity and improved quality

www.fivesgroup.com fiveskeods@fivesgroup.com

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INNOVATIONS

Nothing’s out of scope, says Olympus IPLEX GX/GT videoscopes from Olympus offer interchangeable scopes and light sources with clear images and advanced software features to simplify remote visual inspection in many industries. Users in the manufacturing industry can rely on them to ensure quality and safety in every inspection, it is claimed.

The videoscopes can be used for quality control, routine maintenance or safety inspection and are claimed to be well-suited for a wide range of inspections as different light sources and scopes can be quickly reconfigured on-site. According to Olympus, scope articulation is more intuitive and comfortable to use as IPLEX GX/GT inherits TrueFeel fully electric articulation from high-end Olympus videoscopes.

A large 8in LCD touch screen, bright illumination and advanced image processing features – such as PulsarPic, WiDER, noise reduction, sharpness and saturation – will enhance the IPLEX GX/ Digital Edition - November/December2018

GT’s detection abilities, reduce inspection time and help generate better documentation, says Olympus.

Scopes of 6mm are available with lengths up to 10m for inspecting large complex structures; alternatively, 4mm scopes (up to 3.5m) improve accessibility through even smaller openings.

The bright white light source can be replaced by IR illumination for security applications and UV illumination for detecting otherwise invisible cracks or leakages.

IPLEX GX/GT videoscopes enable images to be captured at full resolution during video recording to reduce inspection time and simplify the documentation process. Sixty frames-persecond (FPS) video recording delivers clear images of moving targets. Inserting bookmarks during video capture reduces time to review. InHelp Inspection Assist software is included as standard in every videoscope to streamline inspection, image management and re-

port generation. Scalar measurement is included as standard to analyse defects using a known reference dimension; and a stereo measurement upgrade is available to size objects using precise 3D co-ordinates.

Inspection is claimed to be easier and more user-friendly because of modern real-time image and video sharing features. A wireless adapter enables live image streaming on tablets or smartphones. When working in oily environments, oil-clearing design on all standard direct-view tip adaptors uses capillary action to redirect oil from the lens surface – increasing visibility and reducing total inspection time.

The IPLEX GX/GT range has an IP65 rating and it is compliant with US military standards, allowing resistance to extremely harsh environments.

For further information, log on to www.olympus-ims.com www.steeltimesint.com

Optimized production, maximized savings Your process. Our priority.

Thermo Scientific™ coating weight sensors have a 65 year history of accurate, reliable measurements of zinc, tin and other metal coatings in production lines around the world. The sensor design delivers measurements that provide the opportunity for maximum savings from automatic control of the coating weight.

There are also proven solutions for hot dipped galvanization lines that allow installation above the air knives to provide the fastest measurement feedback possible. Experience counts and here it counts your savings.

Find out more at thermofisher.com/metals Š 2018 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of Thermo Fisher Scientific and its subsidiaries unless otherwise specified.

CD5085_Thermo_Coating_Advert_A4_2018_AW_f.indd 1

09/03/2018 18:07

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INNOVATIONS

Nucor and Danieli set new rolling benchmark North American steelmaker Nucor and Italian plant builder Danieli are setting a new benchmark in casting and rolling technology as they set about transforming the former Gallatin Steel Company plant in Ghent, Kentucky, USA, into an ‘ultra-modern quality strip production facility.

The plan is to advance the technological capabilities and competitiveness of the plant and to do so they have taken on Danieli for the supply of all equipment and automated systems, from raw materials through to hot-rolled coil.

Working as a team, Nucor and Danieli have agreed to re-engineer the plant, change the original concept and give the plant improved thermomechanical rolling capabilities and thereby enabling it to expand its production of AHSS grades, API line pipe steel grades and other added value grades.

According to Danieli, the plant’s stateof-the-art technology is a key aspect to optimising the transformation costs.

“The new meltshop will make use of the most recent process management tools, including Q-MELT, which is a key aspect to optimising the transformation costs,” said Danieli, adding that after the upgrade, the complete production will be delivered by a single strand vertical curved caster with a total capacity of up to 3Mt/yr (short tonnes).

Danieli says that the new caster represents the 5th generation of the company’s high production slab casting machines. Slab will be delivered to the rolling mill by a new tunnel furnace via a swivel-type ferry system. “The layout al-

lows for the installation of the new caster and the first portion of the tunnel furnace and swivel system without affecting the mill’s production,” Danieli explained.

Two new roughing mills will be added to expand the plant’s rolling capabilities.

A six-strand finishing mill will be retained, but widened and upgraded with new interstand guides, loopers and a new bending and shifting system, enabling rolling strips with a width of 1,870mm (73.5in). The first three rolling stands will be reinforced to withstand higher rolling forces, the company claims.

Two new powerful roughing stands and a vertical edger will be installed ahead of the finishing mill. The latter’s total draft of 100 mm allows for the full recrystallisation of slab edges and extends the capacity of the plant when producing narrow products. The separation of the roughing stands from the finishing stands and the use of a thicker slab is all part of Danieli’s QSP and the result of over 25 years R&D experience.

Independent high-speed roughing, intermediate transfer bar cooling and final finishing rolling, says Danieli, introduces the ability to perform a thermo-mechanical rolling process typical of conventional hot strip mills. “This leads to a complete replacement of the existing tunnel furnace, widening of the finishing mill equipment, a new run-out table with advanced combined intensive and laminar cooling, and two new downcoilers with coil handling,”Danieli explained.

The vertical curved caster will be equipped with the very latest technol-

ogy, including Danieli’s latest design of multi-mode electromagnetic brake (MM-EMB) ‘to ensure the control fluid dynamics within the mold, enabling high throughput of quality slabs’.

Danieli Centro Combustion will supply the tunnel furnace and the heated transfer table installed between the roughing and finishing stands.

Danieli says that a key challenge is the optimisation of the operation between the existing and the new meltshop while controlling the quality of the caster and the QSP. This will be achieved using a new automation system provided

by Danieli Automation, which will be designed with Industry 4.0 integration in mind.

Three planned mill shutdowns will accommodate the work that needs to be done, says Danieli, and the strategy will take maximum advantage of pre-planned annual maintenance outages, the last of which will see the complete roughing mill moved in line via a lift-shift system.

The foundation of the mills will be prepared under the existing tunnel furnace without interfering with production, it is claimed.

Gallatin Steel Company has a nameplate capacity of 1.6Mt/yr (short tonnes) of hot rolled coils with a thickness range of 1.4mm to 12.7mm, widths up to 1,625mm and a maximum coil weight of 35 short tonnes. The plant produces mostly structural steel, micro-alloyed grades and thin line pipe grades.

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

HigH TemperaTure BarCode Tags and LaBeLs

Westmoreland, nH 03431 usa / www.polyonics.com / +1.603.352.1415 / info@polyonics.com Digital Edition - November/December2018

www.steeltimesint.com

AIR KNIVES & BATH EQUIPMENT

FOR CONSISTENT STRIP QUALITY CMI INDUSTRY METALS provides unique expertise and know-how in steel processing. As a market leader for galvanizing technology, CMI supplies the benchmark for many of its robust, yet innovative equipment designs for processing lines.

While these lines are designed to apply different coatings, including the very latest AluSi coatings, with the highest surface uniformity, the modular design of CMI’s state-of-the-art AIR KNIVES & BATH EQUIPMENT stand for improved and homogenous strip quality and reduced zinc consumption through most effective strip stabilization and high-performance jet wiping.

www.cmigroupe.com

Re h e a t in g f u r n ace s § Pi c k l i ng § A c i d R eg enera ti o n § C o l d Rol l i ng St r ip Pr oce ssi n g (m e ch a ni c a l , c hem i c a l & ther m a l ) § A utom a ti on DESIGN

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ENGINEERING

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COMMISSIONING

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TECHNICAL

A S S I S TA N C E

&

TRAINING

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AFTER-SALES

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INNOVATIONS

New website for Amada Miyachi Europe

Amada Miyachi Europe, a leading manufacturer of equipment and systems for laser welding, laser marking, laser cutting, resistance welding, hermetic sealing and hot bar reflow soldering and bonding, has totally redesigned its website. The new offering, which is now online, features an extended search function, an intuitive interface that makes browsing simple, and access-to-all content in seven languages (Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, and Spanish).

The new site is claimed to offer improved navigation and easy access to a product overview of laser welding, laser marking, laser cutting, resistance welding, micro TIG welding, hermetic sealing and hot bar reflow soldering and bonding equipment and systems.

Visitors to the site can make contact with an extensive network of regional sales representatives who can provide assistance and answer customer questions. The new site provides visitors access to a vast Amada Miyachi Europe Digital Edition - November/December2018

knowledge base with detailed information on technology options.

The site links to a variety of technical support options; these include: technical consulting on component construction, production process development, production optimisation and system integration. Also added is a wealth of information on premium business solutions for a variety of industry applications. Users can learn about industry-specific solutions for aerospace, automotive, alternative energy, and battery markets, as well as electronic components, lighting, medical, motors/ coils, and tools.

The new site is claimed to be mobile-friendly, reflecting the company’s commitment to providing a full range of information on its products and solutions – whether accessed from a laptop, desktop, smart phone, tablet, or any other mobile device.

For further information, log on to www.amadamiyachi.eu

INNOVATIONS

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American and European orders for Fives North American steelmaker Steel Dynamics, one of the largest domestic producers and metals recyclers in the USA, has contracted Fives, an international engineering group, to upgrade its continuous galvanising line number two (CGL No2) at the Flat Roll Group (Columbus Division) located in Mississippi.

The aim of the project is to increase the production capacity of CGL No2 by increasing the maximum strip speed.

The basis for the capacity increase was developed using Fives’ speciality software, DMS OptiLine, which simulates the complete operation of a strip processing line. DMS OptiLine calculates the requested characteristics of each of the line’s motors in order to guarantee the required line tension during operation at the targeted increased speed, as well as during line acceleration and deceleration.

The line speed increase requires mechanical and cleaning equipment upgrades in order to achieve quality product output. A new entry section configuration was employed including new bridle rolls, deflector rolls and a burr masher. The cleaning section is to be upgraded with a high-pressure hot water system, additional spray degreasing capacity and a new rinsing brush machine.

Fives will supply a new DMS rotary shear at the exit section of the line to achieve fast cutting of the strip for an improved exit time cycle. The DMS rotary shear is a plug-and-play system

that cuts the strip while it is moving, and is synchronised with the line speed, thus guaranteeing higher production with optimum strip end quality.

The plan is to design and supply the equipment within 12 months in order to launch a revamped line by November 2019.

Fives will also be revamping steelmaking equipment for Lusosider Aços Planos of Portugal. The plan is to revamp the bridle rolls on the skin-pass section of a continuous galvanising line (CGL) which has already been upgraded

by the group.

The revamping project will increase operational reliability and facilitate maintenance. Fives will replace the existing combination of the entry gearbox and exit bridle rolls of the skin-pass with newly designed bridle rolls and will provide individual motorisation for each motorised roll. A new DMS burr masher will also be installed as part of the project, and an existing zinc bath gauge will be relocated to fit the new configuration.

Lusosider is part of the world integrated industrial complex CSN and has been a long-term partner of Fives.

In 2000, it contracted the group to revamp an existing CGL to increase line capacity in order to produce low carbon steel for construction. In 2016, to increase capacity further, Fives revamped the horizontal furnace of the line and installed an additional jet cooling unit.

The new equipment will be designed, delivered and commissioned by July 2019.

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

www.steeltimesint.com

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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INNOVATIONS

Tenova, part of the Techint Group, was recently awarded a new contract for a Flexible Modular Furnace (FMF) for the Pomina 3 steel plant, part of Pomina Steel Corporation in the Ba Ria, Vung Tau region of Vietnam.

The Vietnamese steelmaker decided to upgrade its 120 tons Consteel EAF – supplied by Tenova in 2013 – into a Tenova FMF. By adopting FMF technology, the Pomina 3 facility will be able to charge the furnace with hot metal coming from the plant’s new blast furnace.

This solution will allow them to adopt a hybrid electrical/integrated steelmaking technology minimising CAPEX and saving on production costs.

Start-up is scheduled for early 2019.

“This project is the first one of this kind in Vietnam, following a trend of steelmakers for advanced solutions to decrease production costs and look for more flexibility to use different input materials into an EAF. In the last three years, Tenova signed four contracts (relevant to six furnaces) linked to the FMF solution”, said Tenova’s global sales regional manager, Stefano Marelli, Tenova FMF is a modular concept of smelting furnace that can be developed

Tenova wins Pomina furnace contract from core equipment, called the base module, with specific add-ons and has the flexibility of converting a various charge mix of raw material (scrap, DRI, liquid hot metal, pig iron, etc.). Each module is designed with specific features in order to fit the requirements of the charge mix.

According to Tenova, the FMF solution is also suitable for those steelmakers looking for a transition from Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) to EAF-based steelmaking. Flexibility is the greater advantage of this solution for all the

Embedded position control from ABB Embedded position control in ABB ACS880 variable speed drives will reduce costs and simplify machine building, claims ABB. ABB is integrating positioning control within its ACS880 variable speed drives to allow operators to meet motion system demands without the need of an external controller. According to the company, the move will reduce costs and simplify machine building. Embedding position control inside the drive minimises machine engineering and installation work, removes the need for additional equipment and lowers costs.

Traditionally, separate devices are used for position control, speed and torque. Position control is implemented using a motion controller with specific Digital Edition - November/December2018

tools, user interfaces and programming languages. The power range of these separate controllers is typically limited to under 20kW depending on the manufacturer.

The ACS880 with embedded position control offers an alternative solution and a power range up to 5600 kW. It features several pre-programmed functions, including homing modes, absolute and relative positioning, profiled positioning, position synchronising and fast position latching. The ACS880 also offers ‘encoderless’ position capabilities and regenerative solutions.

The motion functions are available through a simple parameter interface.

Modification and extension of the functions are done by common IEC61131

programming using PLC Open motion blocks. The ACS880 supports almost any type of motor, feedback device and communication protocol.

The ACS880 drives are suitable for a variety of applications and engineered to perform in harsh environments. “These drives have been successfully tested in numerous motion control applications, including stacker cranes, metal presses, sorting and packag-

INNOVATIONS

markets developing lower environmental footprint steelmaking operations; however it also provides the possibility to smelt a full range of metallic

charges, which can reduce costs to a minimum level.

Pomina Group (formerly Thep Viet) started its collaboration with Tenova almost 15 years ago, with a contract for a Consteel EAF, ladle furnace and

33

continuous caster, followed by another Consteel EAF and, more recently, by a cold mill complex for pre-painted galvanised flat steel.

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

ing lines, rotary tables and cutting systems,” said Tuomo Tarula, global product management manager, drives, ABB. “These tests have proven the drives’ high performance and flexibility,” he added.

According to ABB, the ACS880 platform enables the same product family to be used across the whole production line regardless of whether there is a need for positioning, speed or torque control.

This means less training, tools and spare parts are required, the company claims.

For further information, log on to www.abb.com www.steeltimesint.com

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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INNOVATIONS

Focus on CMI Industry Metals Jindal (India)’s recently installed stateof-the art colour coating line (CCL) processes strip thicknesses of 0.15mm to 1mm and widths of 750mm to 1450mm, at a processing speed of 90mpm, with a total capacity of 0.135Mt/yr.

The CCL was supplied by CMI Industry Metals of Belgium along with a continuous galvanising line (CGL) with the sole aim of helping the customer meet rapid growth in demand for steel in India, claims CMI. The line is designed with operational efficiency and eco-friendliness in mind and features CMI’s latest generation of paint coaters to ensure accurate and high-quality surface coating.

Other important features of the CCL include: a fully indirect heating oven to ensure complete curing of the paint coatings, an incineration system for effective solvent abatement and a twostage heat exchanger, which transfers generated excess heat to the degreasing section of the line.

Jindal (India)’s first sellable coil on new CCL

New cold rolling complex for India’s leading India’s leading steelmaker Tata Steel has awarded CMI Industry Metals a contract for three state-of-the-art processing lines.

The contract involves the supply of two continuous galvanising lines (CGL) and one continuous annealing line (CAL). All three high-end lines are to be supplied to Tata’s Kalinganagar plant in

the Jajpur district of Orissa.

The order provides Tata Steel with the very latest technology, and will allow the Indian steelmaker to produce skin panels for car outer bodies, thereby helping it retain leadership among domestic suppliers to high-quality segments like the automotive and white goods sectors. All three lines are central

parts of a phase two expansion at Kalinganagar, and will increase annual galvanised steel production by 1Mt. The material grades produced at the plant will range from deep-drawing steels, hot-formed and high-strength steels, to dual-phase and complex-phase steels. Besides the traditional Gi coating, one of the new lines is

For further information, log Digital Edition - November/December2018

www.steeltimesint.com

35

Foshan grants final acceptance to CMI The new CAPL is processing austenitic stainless steel grades, such as 200 and 300 series Austenilic Ni-Cr stainless steel, all of which meets not only the domestic (GB), but also international industry specifications (ASTM, TIS, DIN, etc.). The line processes strip gauges between 0.3mm and 3.0mm, at a maximum process speed of 200 m/min in the pickling section, making it the world’s fastest line of this type.

Based in Guangdong Province, China, Foshan Chengde is a global technological process enterprise producing a large variety of stainless steel strips and

pipes.

The state-of-the-art chemical treatment equipment that has been provided by CMI Industry Metals, is one of the centerpieces of Foshan’s new CAPL. Foshan’s chief aim is to achieve the highest-quality end products and improve its competitive position, both in the domestic market and overseas.

The main reasons behind Foshan’s decision to choose CMI were the company’s extensive experience in the chemical treatment of stainless steel strip and the high process security of the plant concept, which incorporates a

fully automated pickling liquor analysis and acid dosing system to guarantee consistent pickling quality and cut acid consumption.

CMI supplied Foshan with the complete pickling section located downstream of the annealing furnace. Major treatment steps of the pickling section are: Electrolytic pickling with neutral electrolyte solution; double brush section; chemical high turbulence pickling with mixed acid; rinse section combining spray rinse and brush section; and stain-free drying including an edge blow device.

steelmaker in Kalinganagar designed to process aluminised (AluSi) coatings, while the second line will also apply ‘galvannealed’ (Ga) coatings.

The order covers the engineering, procurement and supply, as well as erection supervision and commissioning.

João Felix Da Silva, president of the CMI Industry Sector commented, “We are honoured to be part of the expan-

sion plans of a long-lasting business partner like Tata Steel.”

This is the third contract that Tata Steel has entrusted to CMI Industry Metals in the past six years and the second order placed by Tata in respect of its automotive steel production ambitions.

on to www.cmigroupe.com www.steeltimesint.com

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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INNOVATIONS

Fives in Russia to present latest technologies Russian steelmaker NLMK has invited international engineering group Fives to Russia to present its breakthrough technologies.

Fives and two other firms – energy companies Engie and Dalkia – were formally invited by the French embassy in Russia and together with Sylvie Bermann, the French ambassador to Russia, paid a visit to NLMK’s Lipetsk facility on 18 November where they were able to discuss future co-operation.

Top brass from NLMK and Fives were present at Lipetsk, including the for-

Digital Edition - November/December2018

mer’s president Grigory Fedorishin and managing director Sergey Filatov. On Fives’ side, Guillaume Mehlman, president of the steel and glass business lines, and Philippe Cruiziat, executive vice-president of the steel business line, were also in attendance along with Jean-Francois Legrain, country manager in Russia and CIS, and Marina Denissova, deputy country manager in Russia and CIS. Mehlman said he was greatly impressed by what he saw at Lipetsk and the fact that the facility delivered more

than 2.5Mt of iron per year.

During the meeting, Fives presented its latest technologies to NLMK’s top management, focusing on the growing demand for new grades and high-end products and providing an overview of its expertise in technological processes, breakthrough technologies and digital solutions, including real-time quality management software, Eyeron.

Fives was recently contracted by NLMK Europe Strip to provide consultancy services for quality improvement, defect analysis from upstream to

INNOVATIONS

downstream, surface inspection system fine tuning and technical support assistance.

In 2017, Fives participated in NLMK’s strategic development workshop where it shared process expertise and information on mechanical, thermal and induction technologies and how they can help steelmakers reduce operational costs.

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

www.steeltimesint.com

37

Tenova contracted by JSW Steel (USA) Italian plant builder Tenova has been contracted by JSW Steel (USA) Inc to supply melt shop technology for a melt-and-manufacture contigious plate and pipe facility in Baytown, Texas, USA. Because Baytown is in a non-attainment zone – an area considered to have air quality worse than the USA's National Ambient Air Quality Standards – strict environmental standards are envisaged for the plant. With this in mind, and in compliance with low pollution limits,Tenova will be providing JSW with two independent bag houses, one for hot and one for cold gasses.

The greenfield melting facility will include a Consteel Evolution electric arc furnace, two ladle metallurgy fur-

naces and a twin vacuum tank degasser for the production of high quality steel slabs feeding 'the plate mill of the future'. Tenova will also design and supply the entire melt shop's material handling system for the storage and handling of fluxes and ferro-alloys as well as DRI and HBI. The company claims that advanced Level 1 and Level 2 automation will increase the efficiency of the facility’s fume treatment plant and that Tenova’s ’Lownox Meltshop’ technology will give the plant 'incredibly low NOx and VOC emissions on a per ton of steel basis’.

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

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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INNOVATIONS

KOCKS unleashes the The KOCKS 4D PANTHER is claimed to offer the capability of a 100% inline detection of surface defects with a zero false positive rate. Extremely high scan rates of the optical system in combination with smart and fast software algorithms make the difference, claims the company. The system is fully operational with completion of commissioning and without time-consuming training.

Compared to non-destructive testing procedures in the finishing department, the 4D PANTHER is said to make defect detection during hot rolling a possibility. In addition, it grants an excellent basis for the development of a greater knowledge about impacts on quality originated from steelmaking and rolling mill practices. Thus, claims KOCKS, a successful working pattern can be learned and applied and this will help to improve product quality.

For generations, says KOCKS, the quality requirements of hot-rolled tube, wire rod and bar have been constantly growing. Narrow dimensional tolerances, well-defined mechanical properties as well as the know-how related to the evolution of defects are top priority for steel producers. Modern rolling mill practice is very often a compromise in order to meet these objectives most economically. The yield loss caused by Digital Edition - November/December2018

INNOVATIONS

39

Taylor-Winfield installs ‘Megalap’ welder

e Panther insufficient surface quality appears to be quite a cost factor.

Typically, common surface defects are individually recorded in each rolling mill. They are also partly described and published in defect catalogues. Surface cracks can be traced back to the steelmaking and continuous casting process. In contrast, laps and shells usually arise from the rolling process.

Furthermore, mechanical damages like scratches can easily occur at many points during the production process in a rolling mill.

The occurrence of surface defects does not necessarily mean that the product has to be scrapped. The acceptance of surface defects on tube, wire rod and bar products depends on the final application and on the specified limits in terms of depth, width, height and frequency.

In spite of the advancements in process technology the evolution of defects on the final product can never be entirely avoided. Inline detection of defects has neither been very reliable nor convenient with products known so far.

Taylor-Winfield Technologies (TWT) has installed and commissioned its ‘Megalap’ narrow lap seam welder on one of the largest continuous galvanising lines in North America.

The company’s heavy duty PrepLap Narrow Lap seam welder has been designed to weld the widest range of grades and gauges for galvanised strip processing than ever before. The first of its kind, the welder replaced a 56-yearold Taylor-Winfield vertical narrow lap seam welder for one of the world’s largest steel producers located in the American Midwest. While the original machine was fully operational, it struggled to meet the customer’s gauge, grade and weld over-thickness requirements based on modern materials.

The new heavy duty PrepLap, commonly referred to as the ‘Megalap’ by its designers and the end-user, is capable of joining material from .010” (.25mm) - .250” (6.35mm) with a

near ‘0’ joint over thickness. Included in the design is TWT’s pre- and postweld induction heat treatment system to help expand the grade and gauge range of materials capable of being joined by the welder. According to TWT, the robust ‘floating’ O-Frame and other modern machine design attributes enables the welder to push well beyond the limits of a traditional narrow lap seam welder and successfully join emerging AHSS steel grades in the industry. “With over a century of experience in seam welding and induction heating technologies, the birth of this impressive heavy-gauge strip welder with its seemingly infinite capabilities to manage the welding process creates dependable weld results customers have grown to expect from TWT”, the company said.

For further information, log on to www.taylor-winfield.com

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

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

40

CYBER SECURITY

Understanding cyber threats Automation systems and devices in manufacturing industry are vulnerable to a range of cyber threats when control system networks are integrated with business networks.

Cyber attacks have become an unsolvable problem across automation systems in all industries. In fact, no industrial automation system is completely protected from cyber threats. If cyber security features are not appropriately implemented, the hackers can easily discover the vulnerabilities in improperly secured automation and IT (Information Technology) infrastructure. By Shyamalesh Saha*

HACKERS rule the control system networks with malicious intent mostly through their successful attacks on business or corporate networks. They see prospects in compromised networks and move to all kinds of industries that yield a high return on their investment. Issues regarding cyber security challenges and vulnerabilities in an industrial control system (ICS) environment are discussed in this article.

Operational safety, security and reliability of ICS infrastructure are very much crucial in this era of cyber spying. State-of-theart IT security features must be in place for mitigating the various threats in an industrial control system environment.

The need for cyber security Industrial Control Systems (ICS) were originally built based on the proprietary technologies. These control systems were isolated islands completely separated from business networks and they primarily dealt with process control and issues related to industrial safety. Since they were isolated from other automation and IT infrastructure, the need for cyber security measures within these systems was not anticipated. When it was introduced, it was limited to securing physical access to the control network and the process operator consoles for authorised users only.[1] Furthermore, the protocols used in ICS were never planned for use on business or corporate networks. Most of the networks were initially designed for use only within process control networks.

The protocols mainly allowed low speed

serial communications between clients and servers. In order to communicate on an IP network, strong protection to secure communications was necessitated. [4] Due to technological development, it is now possible to access the data and systems positioned inside the ICS environment resulting in high availability, authenticity and integrity of data. Merging business and process control networks results in enhanced efficiency and visibility to field functions. Today, ICSs are mostly Ethernet or TCP/IP-based and connected with many other systems via Local Area Network, Wireless, Internet and so on. The networks have become multi-purposed and transmit various types of data including audio and video. It is now possible to access process, operational and production data from anywhere; and while this has resulted in lot of convenience, it has ushered in new cyber security challenges for users. Potential cyber vulnerabilities are opened up if adequate cyber security measures are not taken to mitigate the various threats. Automation systems that control vital infrastructure are vulnerable to failure through malicious codes caused by viruses, malformed packets, Trojans, worms, ransom wares and Denial of Services (DoS).

Potential cyber threats on ICS Cyber attacks are deliberate activities performed by hackers with malicious

intent – they are not accidental. Hackers use only a few open pathways or vectors to launch a cyber attack. The most evident ones are communication links or networks.

[14] The lack of access control and network segmentation within ICS also creates vulnerability to cyber attacks, which may be external or internal.[2] Some of the potential points of attack are: • Cyber attacks launched locally – if the hacker has physical access to the computer or system.

• An analyser or sub-system that comes

* R&D Centre for Iron and Steel (RDCIS), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Ranchi-834002, India Email: shyamalesh@sail-rdcis.com Digital Edition - November/December 2018

www.steeltimesint.com

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bundled with a supplied device so that the vendor can remotely monitor the device.

• Laptop PCs with integral Wi-fi and Bluetooth adapters, USB adapters that add Bluetooth or Wi-fi capabilities to computer, and cell phones that support ‘tethering’.

Potential attack vectors in ICS are shown in Fig. 1.

The consequences of cyber attacks Many ICS are often based on proprietary insecure legacy protocols, which may or may not use adequate access controls.

They are also subject to vulnerability in the host operating system (for example, the Windows operating system for the HMI). Patching of these legacy systems can www.steeltimesint.com

sometimes impact the functionality of the ICS.[4] Hackers can take advantage of the vulnerabilities of the technology in many ways. It is possible, for example, for hackers to hack while hiding behind the protection of ‘digital ambiguity’. As a result, the security of Industrial Control Systems can be compromised and this can have devastating consequences on safety, health and the environment. The consequences of a cyber attack ranges from a small production loss to a major environmental disaster based on the process. Some examples are:[14] • Loss of availability/accessibility of information.

• Loss of integrity or reliability of process/production information.

• Loss of confidentiality of information (product formulations, trade secrets, production schedules).

• Process upsets leading to compromised process functionality, inferior product quality, lost production capacity.

• Equipment damage.

• Risk to public health.

• Violation of legal and regulatory requirements.

• Threat to a nation’s security.

Threat mitigation Traditionally, real time process control systems are grouped together in a process control network environment which is isolated from the corporate network.

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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CYBER SECURITY

People adopt a common approach of safeguarding the process control network by isolating it from any other network as much as possible. Many organisations treat the process control network as a black box and they manage the cyber security infrastructure, or firewall, at the enterprise gateway level, as well as suitable end-point security infrastructure by implementing an anti-virus solution on the corporate network. Because of the internet connection, this approach may not be adequate for dynamic external and internal threats. Industrial Control Systems are vulnerable to self-propagating, polymorphic worms that change faster than an anti-virus solution provider can react. Thus the sensitive nature of the ICS environment requires a higher level of network segmentation and a state-ofthe-art cyber defence solution. Viruses or malicious content can be treated with port level security and firewalls between each security zone. The ICS environment can be segmented through the use of firewalls with the implementation of an end-point anti-virus security solution without directly connecting to the Internet. Signature updates can be downloaded automatically to client computers in the ICS environment

by implementing a centralised security management console.[2] An additional layer of security to a local area network is provided by way of creating a ‘de-militarised zone’ (DMZ) which is a physical or logical sub-network. The DMZ exposes the specific systems to an Internetfacing untrusted network while the rest of the internal network is firewalled. In an ICS environment, this DMZ for historian, database and so on creates a shield between the corporate network and the ICS environment. The benefits of this safeguard zone are: • Direct multiple connections to the ICS environment are not needed from other networks.

• Historian and database DMZ are solely responsible for all data collection and archiving.

• Data from the ICS environment can be buffered in this zone before being transferred to the corporate network with proper scheduling, if required.

• Strict firewall rules can be implemented to limit access to the ICS environment.

• Only users with the required privileges can access systems/devices in the ICS environment.

Because of the safety, time criticality, reliability and availability requirements of ICS, centralised management servers for anti-virus updates are generally not used for the client computers. Many ICS departments use a centralised update server to get signature updates. In cases where there is an internal firewall between the control system from the business IT system, an efficient technique for getting the engine or signature updates across the firewall is developed and implemented.

This technique can be anything from a manual FTP to an automatic method using a distribution server in a “DMZ” between the IT and control networks.[1] Relay servers are also deployed to transfer operating system updates and anti-virus updates from the corporate network to the computers on the ICS. If there is a simulation network or development network along with the ICS set-up, it is recommended to test the operating system updates and anti-virus updates on the simulation or development network before moving forward to the production environment. As mentioned earlier, there still may be risks to automatically patching the production systems even after testing the patches in simulated environments. Experts, therefore,

Insecure Email/browsing practice

External threats Internet

Corporate network

Insecure remote support Infected laptop

Mixconfigured firewall

Insecure wireless

Insecure modems

�

Plant network

External network

Compromised servers Infected USB Third party issues

Control network

Infected PLC Logic

Insecure serial links

ply

ai

ch

ts

rea

h nt

p

Su

Fig 1. Potential Attack Vectors

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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CYBER SECURITY

recommend manually patching the production systems one at a time to avoid unknown bugs.[2] Finally, always consult the suppliers of control system software and anti-virus software for technical guidance. Any vendor guidance, specific to compatibility issues between control system and anti-virus software, should be given precedence over this standard guidance and test methodology.[1] The requirement of a stronger authentication is of paramount importance for troubleshooting or maintaining ICS components. Direct access to the ICS environment is always to be restricted with a detailed audit trail. Remote access can be provided to the thin clients (Terminal Services) combined with One Time Password (OTP) authentication methodology. This not only does multiple checks for access authentication, but also limits access to the ICS. Remote users can be initially authenticated to the DMZ and then subsequently to the thin client environment with a desktop session by proper user ID and password.[2] Apart from a secured access mechanism, another benefit of this approach is that remote access can be made with higher broadband connections for performance improvements.

The Access Control Lists (ACL) for access to the ICS network from the corporate network must be properly implemented.

Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) must be performed periodically for proper implementation of ACLs and the health of the systems with respect to frailty and infiltration.

Most implementations use IP ranges to limit access to so-called secured systems.

However, tools are available for brute force entry. Sometimes, hackers with access to the network place a sniffer on the network and log all packets with malicious intentions.

VAPT is a method of running tests over the Internet anywhere and anytime. It is a hybrid solution with an automated testing feature as well as expert security analysis.

Vulnerability Assessment is a process of identifying, quantifying, and prioritising openness in an IT infrastructure. A penetration test is a simulated attack on the system that looks for security weaknesses, potentially gaining access to the system’s features and data. The artificial intelligence features of VAPT technology can simulate human hackers to find all possible attack paths by which attackers can compromise any system or network. VAPT can also

detect attack paths, which are otherwise missed out in traditional testing while suggesting suitable remedies.[7] The Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Remote Terminal Units (RTU) and Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED) that control physical devices should be placed in different security zones. If not, potential threats from self-propagating viruses, worms and Trojans can have a much larger impact on the end devices, which are not protected if the computers and workstations are impacted. Firewalls must be deployed throughout the ICS environment to provide additional access controls in different zones.[7] I. SECURING ICS NETWORKS There are several important steps that should be implemented in order to secure the ICS networks:[4] • Update host operating systems, applications and all ICS components with the latest patches/updates following proper consultation with technology suppliers.

• Implement access control for communications between ICS and other networks including corporate networks.

• Control communications within ICS networks with proper user roles for what

Internet

Corporate network Servers

Printers

Workstations Router

Firewall Firewall DMZ

Firewall Control network Data historian

PLC

PLC

PLC

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

HMI

HMI

Data historian

Fig 2. Paired firewalls between corporate network and ICS network

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CYBER SECURITY

Layer

IT Component

IS Component

1

Data

Access Control List (ACL), Encryption

2

Application

Anti-virus, Application Hardening

3

Host

Operating System Hardening, Authentication, OS Updates, Host Intrusion Detection System, Host Intrusion Prevention System

4

Internal Network

Networks Segmentation, IP Security, Network Intrusion Detection System

5

Perimeter / Gateway

Firewalls, Virtual Private Network, Intrusion Detection System, Intrusion Prevention System

6

Physical Security

Tracking Devices, Biometrics, Locks, Guards

7

Management Procedures

Policies, Procedures, User Awareness

Table 1. Information Security Components in DiD

and who are allowed to interact with ICS networks and systems.

• Log and monitor all network traffic closely and take recommended actions against viruses and attacks.

• Spread IT security awareness among the users.

• Implement Information Security Management System standards (ISO27001).

However, patching of different components of the ICS is not always feasible due to their criticality. The next best solution is to use a defence-in-depth strategy by applying application layer security at both the host/server level and at the network level. What is required is a combined security system which offers tightly integrated multiple detection mechanisms including:[4, 8] • Firewalls with DMZs. • Anti-virus protection: Automated updates to anti-virus and Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) signature databases.

• Strong user authentication.

• Web filtering and web application protection: IPS and Web Application Firewall to protect against the exploitation of the ICS component.

• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) protection to enable secure remote access.

• Network Anomaly and Denial of Service (DoS) prevention, vulnerabilities including web-attacks.

• Database protection.

• Centralised management console for security management in ICS networks.

Threat mitigation by firewalls It is known that the ICS network and corporate network must be separated by Digital Edition - November/December 2018

appropriately secured technology as the nature of traffic on these two networks is different. But for practical considerations, connection is required between these two networks for special purpose network traffic. Careful deliberations must be given to the design and implementation of such a connection. It is strongly recommended that minimal connection must be allowed through a firewall and DMZ. Network firewalls are devices or systems that control the flow of network traffic between two or more networks having differing security issues. Minimum access should be given through the firewall including the opening of ports that are required for specific communication. Firewalls offer numerous tools to implement a security policy that cannot be achieved on the current set of process control devices. When properly designed, configured, and maintained, dedicated hardware firewalls can ensure improved security to today’s ICS environments. A DMZ is a separate network segment connected directly to the firewall.

Servers or devices of the ICS network that are accessed from the corporate network are put in the DMZ. The systems in DMZ can be directly accessed from the corporate network.[3] ICS networks and corporate networks are separated to improve cyber security using different types of architecture. Some of the possible designs are explained here. These two networks are segregated primarily by the placement of firewalls.

At the end of this section, some guidance on a recommended Defense-in-Depth architecture has also been provided.[3] Firewall between ICS Network and Corporate Network: Security can be significantly enhanced by placing a

firewall between the corporate and ICS networks. This will reduce the chance of external attacks on the control network.

However, if servers, like data historian, are placed on the corporate network and the firewall allows communication between data historian and control devices, then malicious packets from the corporate network will be forwarded to PLCs/DCS. On the other hand, if data historian is placed on a control network, then the firewall rule must be in place for communication between the corporate network and the ICS network. It must be remembered that once the historian is compromised, the rest of the devices on the ICS network will be vulnerable to attack. Further, spoofed packets (such as Trojan horse) accidentally introduced on an HMI or a computer on the ICS network disguised as legitimate traffic, can be controlled remotely. [2],[3],[14],[15] Router and Firewall between ICS Network and Corporate Network: Basic packet filtering can be done if a router is placed in front of a firewall. The router handles the bulk of incoming packets in Internet-facing network architectures, which help to handle more complex issues by firewalls and improve defense-in-depth.

[2],[3],[14],[15]

Firewall with DMZ between ICS Network and Corporate Network: To create an intermediate neutral network, configure a DMZ between the control and corporate networks. DMZ can hold critical components, such as data historian, database server, wireless access points and so on. Here, there is no direct communication required between the corporate and the control network as each communication path ends in the DMZ where arbitrary packets from the corporate to the control network are blocked, and traffic from other network zones regulated using rule sets. If an anti-virus or other security server is to be used for the control network, it should be located directly on the DMZ. [2],[3],[14],[15] If a computer in the DMZ is www.steeltimesint.com

CYBER SECURITY

compromised, then the control network may become vulnerable through application traffic that is allowed in the rule set. One possible solution might be to update the operating system on the servers in the DMZ and modify the rule sets that allow traffic between networks that are initiated by the control network.

Paired Firewalls between the Corporate Network and the ICS Network: A pair of firewalls may placed between the corporate network and the ICS network. Servers like data historians can be situated in the DMZ in between the firewalls. The first firewall blocks unwanted packets from entering into the DMZ while the second prevents malicious packets from compromised servers and stops them entering the ICS network. Though complex in network management, this architecture offers some strong advantages in arresting malicious traffic within the set-up. Fig. 2 shows the paired firewalls between the corporate and the ICS network. [2],[3],[14],[15] II. DEFENSE IN DEPTH A single security solution cannot ensure sufficient protection to the ICS. A multiple layer approach with more than one overlapping security method ensures protection against possible threats.

Securing an ICS is based on a combination of effective security policies and a properly configured set of technical security controls.

[1] Defence in Depth or DiD (also known as Castle Approach or Onion Approach) is an Information Assurance (IA) concept, in which multiple layers of security controls (defence) are placed throughout an information technology (IT) architecture. Its intent is to provide redundancy if a security control fails or a vulnerability is exploited that can cover various characteristics of personnel, procedural, technical and physical for the duration of the system’s life cycle.[6] This approach uses security mechanisms that are layered so that the impact of a failure in any one mechanism is minimised.

Defense-in-depth (DiD) minimises the possibility that malicious hackers will succeed. With the help of a well designed DiD strategy, system administrators can identify people who attempt to compromise a computer, server or network. Components of DiD include anti-virus software, firewalls, anti-spyware programs, hierarchical passwords, intrusion detection and prevention and biometric verification. In www.steeltimesint.com

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firewall solutions (no DMZ) are marginally acceptable, but should only be deployed with extreme care. The most secure, manageable, and scalable control network and corporate network segregation architectures are typically based on a system with at least three zones, incorporating one or more DMZs. � addition to these countermeasures, physical protection of data centres and business sites along with comprehensive and ongoing personnel training enhances the security of vital data against compromise, theft or destruction.[5, 7] Though end point security is a good solution in an organisation, it cannot protect us from all types of malicious attacks. People adopt DiD or the Layered approach for protection against various threats that damage system and data. The various cyber threats against which the world is fighting today include viruses, adware/spyware, worms, Trojans, root kits, spams, phishing, ransomware and so on.

Various information security components as followed in the DiD approach are shown Table 1.[13]

References [1] Using Host-Based Anti-virus Software on Industrial Control Systems: Integration Guidance and a Test Methodology for Assessing Performance Impacts; National Institute Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 1058; Joe Falco, NIST; Steve Hurd, SNL; Dave Teumim, Teumim Technical, LLC; 2006 [2] Innovative Defence Strategies for Securing SCADA & Control Systems; white paper by Jonathan Pollet, PlantData Technologies, Inc; Texas, USA [3] Guide to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security

by Keith Stouffer, Joe Falco and Karen Scarfone; Recommendations of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); USA; June 2011 [4] Securing SCADA Infrastucture; White paper, Fortinet (https://www.fortinet.com) [5] http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/ defense-in-depth [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_in_depth_ (computing)

Conclusion Tighter access controls at the gateway (perimeter) and additional network segmentation, will go a long way in stopping unintended access into the ICS environment. ICS networks have been actively targeted and attacked. Corporations and governments are aware of the problem and are preparing themselves for mitigating such attacks. Common users believed that viruses were something not to be bothered about unless our PCs were connected to the Internet; and many believed that nonwindows-based systems were protected against viruses. This is not so today. Each and every operating system is vulnerable and is a potential target. Implementing an antivirus solution in an ICS environment needs proper study and analysis, and solutions are not available off-the-shelf. Ultimately, a combination of security technologies in a layered defense strategy is typically the best solution for securing an ICS. There are many attack vectors that may be exploited including the supply chain and portable media and devices.

It has been discussed in the paper that non-firewall-based solutions will not provide suitable isolation between control networks and corporate networks. Simple

[7] http://www.netmagicsolutions.com/vapt.html [8] Holistic Security for connected critical infrastructure, Industrial Control Systems and SCADA networks; white paper by Cyberoam, Sophos [9] www.kaspersky.com [10] https://www.symantec.com [11] www.bitdefender.com [12] www.mcafee.com [13] http://www.cert-in.org.in [14] Cyber Security and Industrial Automation Systems

by William (Tim) Shaw, NRC Cyber Security Specialist; USNRC (United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission) [15] InduSoft Application Design and SCADA Deployment – Recommendations for Industrial Control System Security: Guidelines and Best Practices. By Richard H. Clark, Cybersecurity Engineer, InduSoft, Inc [16] http://www.icsenggroup.com/industrial-controlsystem-cyber-attack-security.shtml [17] Cybersecurity for Industrial Automation & Control Environments: Protection and Prevention Strategies in the Face of Growing Threats by A Frost & Sullivan White Paper in Partnership with Schneider Electric, April 2013 [18]

http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SMA/fisma/ics/

documents/Maroochy-Water-Services-Case-Study_report. pdf [19] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/ articles/2014-12-10/mysterious-08-turkey-pipeline- blastopened-new-cyberwar [20] http://www.securityweek.com/cyberattack-germansteel-plant-causes-significant-damage-report

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Decoding

SPECIAL STEELS

steel’s DNA Dillinger Hüttenwerke, a leading European manufacturer of heavy plate steel based in Dillingen, in the German Federal State of Saarland, is fostering research into the microstructure of special steels with an integrated research partnership.

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NEWLY developed, sophisticated analysis techniques and simulation methods, says Dillinger, offer a glimpse into previously unknown depths of the steel microstructure and into the decisive influences on its formation during the production process. The company’s researchers are seeking a new understanding of the interdependencies that will enable them to precisely predict the attainment of increasingly demanding property profiles in extreme high-performance steels – and, subsequently, to implement them in the production of industrial products. The exercise has been labelled ‘Steel Development 4.0’ and it underpins Dillinger's leading position as a driver of innovation in the field of heavy plate production.

In the foundation elements and platforms for offshore constructions, heavy plate steel must deliver decades of unsurpassed performance. In the extreme conditions where it is used, such as arctic temperatures, high static and dynamic loads make life difficult for the steel. However, with excellent properties adapted to the specific application, such as customised yield strength, tensile strength and toughness, Dillinger’s high-performance plates are claimed to withstand these circumstances over the long term, and for this reason, the company has established a global reputation for itself as a quality and technology leader.

Dillinger’s plate is specified for the most demanding environments. To maintain such a reputation, Dillinger is constantly working to develop new products and innovative processes along the entire value chain.

In addition to cutting-edge production facilities and leading processing expertise, the company is engaged in extensive R&D activities. Whether internally or in co-operation with research institutes and universities all over the world, Dillinger is busy developing innovative processes.

The high tech steelmaker claims that it regularly expands the limits of possibility and advances the manufacture of groundbreaking new products.

Since 2015 Dillinger’s research partnership with the University of Saarland (UdS) and the Material Engineering Centre Saarland (MECS) has been a key focus in the search for new and even better solutions. Dillinger has established a three-year strategic partnership with three institutes for materials science and

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technology and supported them financially with almost one million euros. Now the company is continuing its successful cooperation for another three years with another one million Euros. The aim of such a high-octane integrated research project of this nature is the systematic enhancement of microstructure-based material design through targeted modelling of the microstructures and properties of special steels. The internal composition of these steels is the key to developing innovative property profiles.

With an objective understanding of the microstructure and the parameters influencing it, the microstructure itself can be precisely fine-tuned to the customer’s specific conditions by modifying the manufacturing process as required. The three participating departments at the University of Saarland are working to develop innovative analysis techniques, simulation methods and material models aimed at continuously advancing this insight into the internal structures. They are integrating these methods and models with each other as well as with Dillinger’s application-oriented research activities.

Simulation is used to link process phases with the product in order to model the microstructure and thus the desired product properties. The simulation can be achieved much faster in plate production than with real laboratory tests and, most importantly, can be exactly reproduced accordingly. The findings, together with knowledge collected over many years and new insights gained through modelling and simulation, have resulted in previously unimaginable leaps in development that have enabled Dillinger to respond to increasing customer demands more precisely, flexibly and innovatively than ever before. The Department of Functional Materials headed by Professor Frank Mücklich, who is co-ordinating the research projects, is dedicated to characterising and classifying materials. Materials treatment is the focus of research for the Department of Experimental Methodology in Materials Science, headed by Professor Christian Motz. The Department of Engineering Mechanics under the direction of Professor Stefan Diebels primarily focuses its research on mechanical material modelling.

Microstructure classification The basis for linking the manufacturing process, internal properties and product properties of steel is the objective Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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SPECIAL STEELS

description of the microstructure according to composition, number, type and distribution of its components. Prof.

Mücklich and his team are working to decipher the de facto limitless geometric diversity of the structure at micro and nano level.

The smallest details To get to the bottom of these parameters, the scientists examine the microstructure Digital Edition - November/December 2018

down to the smallest detail. With reproducible contrasting, they make the microstructure visible and thus enable reliable quantification of the structural building blocks, which contain the history of the manufacturing process from the nanometer to the micrometer range. The analytical techniques developed allow the exact structure of the microstructure to be represented, i.e. the microstructure to be chemically, crystallographically and

geometrically depicted, read out and objectively analysed.

As part of the first funding project, the structure was contrasted, segmented and classified in the upper classes – ferrite, perlite, bainite and martensite – using appropriately developed data mining methods. The data used was based on the individual pixel ‘environments,’ or special geometric features (morphology variants), of the studied components of www.steeltimesint.com

SPECIAL STEELS

the microstructure. The analysis method, also developed for systematic and objective evaluation using modern machine learning tools, can now automatically analyse and objectively classify 60% of Dillinger steels. In the follow-up project that has already been initiated, the researchers of this department are optimising and expanding the previously developed data mining concept by focusing on examining and classifying bainitic substructures according to the www.steeltimesint.com

type of structure, size and composition.

These substructures are subdivided for this purpose into further subclasses in order to correctly record and classify the tiniest differences in the microstructure. The result will enable automatic classification of a further 15% of the steel microstructure.

Mathematical model Professor Motz and his team are using physical process simulation methods to

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study the influence parameters like chemical composition, heat treatment, process times and rolling temperatures have on the microstructure and thus, ultimately, on the mechanical properties. Using mathematical models, they describe how the structure of special steels changes during the individual treatment steps of the production process.

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SPECIAL STEELS

such as strength, the change in austenite grain size and thus the development of the microstructure is modelled. As part of the second funding project, the development of the microstructure will be extended to include the processes involved in finish-rolling. For selected alloy concepts and process routes, the physical process simulation enables the prediction and control of the austenitic state during the process steps. The simulation is expanded for this by analysing the size of individual austenite grains, their elongation and their deformation state, thus considerably expanding the range of steels that can be modelled. Dillinger will implement the findings in the rolling model to control the development of the microstructure in the manufacturing process. The resulting understanding of the process parameters and influencing factors is the key that will allow process parameters to be optimised

to the properties profile of the steel desired by the customer.

Simulating micro effects Researchers in Prof. Diebels’ department are dedicated to studying the correlation between microstructure and properties in dual-phase steels. This will allow the mechanical behaviour of new steel grades to be predicted even while they are being developed. In the first funding project, a method using a mathematical-physical model was developed to describe the flow curve, i.e. the development of deformation of Dillinger steels under load. This phaserelated, three-dimensional model, based on the microstructure parameters phase fraction, phase size, morphology and distribution determines the macroscopic, mechanical behaviour. The follow-up project expands the simulation of micro

DILLINGER HĂœTTENWERKE For more than 330 years, Dillinger has thrived on its passion for steel. Today the company is propelled by a successful product of enormous weight in the most literal sense: steel, from ore to customised heavy plate and ready-to-install elements. A wide range of experience, strong research and development, continuous investments and a networked ability to innovate make Dillinger a global quality and technology leader with steel grades that are, for the most part, less than 10 years old. With these high-performance materials for applications that require extreme load-bearing capacity under the most adverse conditions, the business units for steel construction, mechanical engineering, offshore, offshore wind power, line pipe, construction machinery, mining or pressure vessel construction are among the preferred partners of the best in the industry.

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SPECIAL STEELS

effects to include the effects of grain structure-dominated steels. This requires a finer resolution of the previous phasebased model and inclusion of smaller areas and their individual properties.

The prerequisite for this is the imaging of the crystallographic grain structure of the ferrite. To predict its microstructuredependent properties as accurately as possible, various numerical methods are tested. This makes it possible to simulate the deformations within a grain as well as the interactions with the adjacent grains.

The continuous comparison of simulation and experiments guarantees the reliability of this property prediction. This will also make it possible to predict the flow curve for more complex microstructures.

Research partnership The co-operation between Dillinger and

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the research teams at the University of Saarland has proven to be beneficial for everyone involved in: The systematic enhancement of microstructure-based material design provides Dillinger with an intelligent tool for developing and manufacturing new, exacting special steels.

It is an ideal complement to data-based steel design, which is based on experience and references.

The microstructure-based design makes it possible to design and implement entirely new properties profiles. Understanding the microstructure and microstructural mechanisms on the basis of new, reliable analysis methods allows the steel manufacturer to use modelling and simulation to test specific properties profiles for their suitability for the application and to design all production steps accordingly.

As a result, Dillinger, in future, be able

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to precisely define the way a special steel microstructure needs to look to remain optimally prepared for applications under Arctic operating conditions, for instance.

The close co-operation between science and real-world practice translates the theoretical considerations directly into the application and, conversely, practical results flow directly back into the work of the researchers. Last but not least, the scientific exchange is also accompanied by a transfer of minds. Numerous graduates and doctoral candidates from the University of Saarland now work for Dillinger and, as a result, continue to drive continuous innovation at the high-tech steel company.

Dillinger is consistently expanding its role as a leading European manufacturer of heavy plate with this strategic research partnership and with digital product development. ďż˝

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DIGITALISATION

Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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DIGITALISATION

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Why steel companies need to go digital As Blockchain, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) and other technologies transform the way businesses operate in different industries, the steel sector watches on. Though countless organisations see the adoption of new digital technologies as a necessary step to remain competitive, most steel companies have remained hesitant, argues Walt Bednarz* WHEN it comes to supply chain planning and scheduling, many steel companies still rely on large Excel spreadsheets and decades-old IT software (either turnkey, custom or home-grown). In the past, these existing planning systems worked well enough that companies didn’t feel the need to switch solutions. And because every steel company has its own specific rules and processes, we can assume that incorporating them all in the new software will not be easy. The implementation project would likely require a heavy investment in terms of time, effort and, not least, money.

Increased complexity Today’s business landscape amplifies existing planning challenges and introduces new ones. Demand for steel is on the rise.

Industry 4.0 has put immense pressure on companies to be more agile in operations and quicker in deliveries. In an effort to sharpen competitiveness, some companies diversify their portfolios by producing speciality metals – however, these metals are often produced in smaller volumes than commodity items. All of this contributes to increased planning complexity.

Now, more than ever, companies see an urgent need to change the way they plan.

As they start to see more inefficiencies and subpar results, their problem with insufficient supply chain visibility becomes

more pronounced. With spreadsheets and legacy software, companies are unable to integrate key functions tightly. Each planning department – such as production, inventory and logistics – can only optimise within its own function. But when departments need to communicate their plans, it’s usually done manually through emails, phone calls and periodic meetings.

Apart from being tedious, it makes it difficult for departments to collaborate and enhance plans.

Optimal decisions require visibility This siloed way of planning often results in plans that are suboptimal, which could lead to undesirable, costly outcomes that include delayed customer orders, a large inventory surplus and a lack of flexibility in the product mix. Without full visibility into the network, companies often use inventory poorly, missing opportunities to maximise throughput and resource usage as well as minimise costs. For example, when planners need to decide on the movement of material from one location to another, information on transportation availability and machine capacity in nearby facilities is crucial toward making the right decision.

Disjointed planning affects disruption management, such as when companies are unable to determine the best course of action in the event of equipment

*Steel manufacturing consultant, Quintiq

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DIGITALISATION

breakdown or a last-minute order from an important customer.

Planning without end-to-end visibility in production is another major struggle.

Planners are limited to working on one type of resource each time instead of having a full overview across all resources. A lack of upstream and downstream visibility often means that planners have to hold higher work-in-progress inventory to promote sequencing feasibility. This can slow down production. With a disconnected system, companies are not able to capture all of the rules in their complex processes. Planners have to manually check their plans against the many rules that they know, which is time-consuming. More often than not, this would lead to plans that are not only suboptimal, but infeasible.

Siloed planning impacts maintenance of equipment, which plays an essential role in ensuring smooth running operations.

When there’s insufficient visibility in this area, companies risk missing roll changes and other maintenance activities. The consequences are significant: unplanned downtimes and scrap from material defects.

Visibility of a plan’s performance is something that all companies want, but are unlikely to achieve when working in silos.

With no way to compare different options side-by-side, they won’t be able to tell how good – or bad – their plans are. Planners often have to rely on guesswork and tribal knowledge and are unable to make decisions quickly.

significant difference to planning results.

Optimal decisions require visibility A good starting point for companies is to make an assessment on where their challenges lie.

If there are challenges in both planning and scheduling, companies should address those related to planning first. Begin with problem areas; for example, focus first on the biggest bottlenecks. In fact, many companies start with one process or one location. Once one problem area has been tackled and flow of materials is improved throughout the network, scheduling challenges will start to clear up as well.

Inventory management becomes better.

Companies then focus on optimising their scheduling for maximised throughput.

Because steel companies’ requirements differ from one to another, a mass-market digital solution isn’t an option. Instead, their best bet is a configurable, integrated IT offering that provides end-to-end supply chain visibility. The solution should fully fit their requirements, incorporate key rules, allow planners to compare plans with speed, and scale as the business grows.

It’s an exciting time to be in steel manufacturing. With the right digital planning system in place, companies can unlock opportunities for better efficiency and competitiveness. An integrated and optimised supply chain forms a solid foundation for them to go further – leveraging technology advancements such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, IoT and beyond. �

Small step, big impact Embarking on a digital transformation can be daunting, even for the biggest and most established companies. The key is to start small by implementing solutions that are simple, yet powerful enough, to make a Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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UR YO W ER NO ST ST GI RE RE TE IN

Industry 4.0 and the steelmaking process 25-26 SEPTEMBER 2019 BUDAPEST • HUNGARY

From the publisher of

If you want to know what’s happening in the world of ultra-high technology and the production of steel, then look no further than the only steel conference in the world dedicated 100% to Industry 4.0 and how it – and its related technologies – can aid and optimise the steel manufacturing process.

The 2019 event is promising to be of continued interest to steelmakers looking for high-tech solutions to the challenges presented by the process of steel manufacturing.

Future Steel Forum 2019 will focus on a variety of topics, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, robotics, supply chain, business planning, issues surrounding Industry 4.0 and the workforce and cobots.

As always, we are particularly interested in hearing from steelmakers, but also plant builders, research and development organisations, technical universities and anybody with an interest in digital manufacturing and the application of Industry 4.0 and its associated technologies to the steelmaking process. Anybody who wishes to present a paper at either or both of next year’s conferences, should

contact Matthew Moggridge, programme director at matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com or to book a table in the accompanying exhibition, please contact Paul Rossage at paulrossage@quartzltd.com TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED INCLUDE: Industry 4.0 and its related technologies Cobots Augmented reality Artificial intelligence Workforce and Industry 4.0 Supply chain Robotics FOG computing “Platformisation” Business Planning

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Find out more now by contacting Matthew Moggridge, programme director +44 1737 855 151 | matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com

UR YO W ER NO ST ST GI RE RE TE IN

Industry 4.0 and the steelmaking process 25-26 SEPTEMBER 2019 BUDAPEST • HUNGARY

From the publisher of

If you want to know what’s happening in the world of ultra-high technology and the production of steel, then look no further than the only steel conference in the world dedicated 100% to Industry 4.0 and how it – and its related technologies – can aid and optimise the steel manufacturing process.

The 2019 event is promising to be of continued interest to steelmakers looking for high-tech solutions to the challenges presented by the process of steel manufacturing.

Future Steel Forum 2019 will focus on a variety of topics, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality, robotics, supply chain, business planning, issues surrounding Industry 4.0 and the workforce and cobots.

As always, we are particularly interested in hearing from steelmakers, but also plant builders, research and development organisations, technical universities and anybody with an interest in digital manufacturing and the application of Industry 4.0 and its associated technologies to the steelmaking process. Anybody who wishes to present a paper at either or both of next year’s conferences, should

contact Matthew Moggridge, programme director at matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com or to book a table in the accompanying exhibition, please contact Paul Rossage at paulrossage@quartzltd.com TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED INCLUDE: Industry 4.0 and its related technologies Cobots Augmented reality Artificial intelligence Workforce and Industry 4.0 Supply chain Robotics FOG computing “Platformisation” Business Planning

DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS - MONDAY 7TH JANUARY 2019 1 866 2019

www.FutureSteelForum.com

Find out more now by contacting Matthew Moggridge, programme director +44 1737 855 151 | matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com

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ENVIRONMENT

Sustainability steel Jane Eriksson*, sales and marketing manager Tube EMEA for Sandvik Materials Technology, looks at the key sustainability initiatives being undertaken in the region for tube and outlines those initiatives being undertaken by Sandvik group and how they can deliver more efficient operations. As a business area Sandvik Materials Technology aligns its activities to those of the Sandvik group.

Since the first industrial revolution, steel production has driven exponential economic growth, forging a brave new world in the process. But the steel industry has also had major environmental impacts: from carbon emissions contributing to climate change, to polluting waste and contaminants.

Fortunately, the sector is now awake to this and rising to the green challenge.

As a key player in the global steel arena, Sandvik is acutely aware of its responsibility towards stakeholders and future generations. Over the years, the drive to minimise environmental impact – and improve efficiency – has resulted in several notable innovations and initiatives.

Eco-friendly products and processes Sandvik’s primary focus is to provide its customers with quality products and services, while at the same time helping them to improve productivity and reduce cost. Often these actions will also have a positive environmental impact through minimising waste, rationalising energy consumption and optimising resource utilisation.

A lot comes down to detailed knowledge of the materials we work with, and how best to harness the unique properties of different steel grades for maximum efficiency and productivity. Using the right product for the right process prolongs lifecycle, resulting in less wastage overall.

More heat-resistant materials Industrial ovens must cope with temperatures up to 1250 degrees Celsius, resulting in deformation of the construction components over time. These eventually need to be repaired or replaced. To deal with this challenge, Kanthal – part of the Sandvik Group – used powder metallurgy techniques to develop materials (Kanthal APM™ and Kanthal APMT™) that display both high oxidation resistance and form stability at high heat. When used to make furnace rollers for continuous annealing lines, for example, the heat resistance eliminates the need for water-cooling and significantly reduces energy usage.

The new materials also have important

* Sales and marketing manager, tube EMEA, Sandvik Digital Edition - November/December 2018

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ENVIRONMENT

implications for fossil-free energy, as Bo Jönsson, technical specialist at Kanthal, explained: “The combustion of bio-based fuels generates corrosive environments that our materials have demonstrated good abilities to resist. They could even be of use in the next generation of nuclear power plants. And for large-scale concentrated solar power to be cost-effective, new materials are needed that can handle and store solar energy at higher temperatures.”

Reducing marine emissions Sulfur, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide are being released into the oceans by marine freight vessels, causing damage to aquatic ecosystems. Awake to this, regulators are implementing stricter codes, which in turn are driving innovation for more efficient engines.

Sandvik played a key role in the EUfunded Helios project, developing the exhaust valve spindle for a MAN twostroke, low-speed, dual-fuel marine engine operating on both diesel and natural gas. The new component incorporated four different materials, and fulfilled key requirements, including high resistance to corrosion and heat.

The new, more efficient engine is good news for the oceans, as Martin Östlund, senior R&D professional at Sandvik Materials Technology, explained: "MAN has an overwhelming portion of the market share for two-stroke marine diesel engines, so a reduction of emissions in their engines makes a significant change for the environment."

Use, reuse and recycling Cemented tungsten carbide is widely used as a cutting tool material thanks to its strength, surface finish and other properties, but once the cutting edge elements are lost, the tools become unusable. With only 100 years’ worth of tungsten reserves left in the Earth, some of it in conflict zones, it was essential to develop a recycling loop for this precious material.

Working with Sandvik group member Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten, the company buys back used cemented carbide tools and inserts from customers, converts them by a proprietary recycling process back into tungsten carbide powders, and returns them for reuse in the production of new tools. Compared with production from virgin raw materials, this uses up to 70% www.steeltimesint.com

less energy and emits 40% less carbon dioxide. Crucially, the carbide produced by recycling has exactly the same properties and quality as the original raw material.

Research and innovation Research and development is vital to improving efficiency for customers.

Manufacturers like Sandvik work closely with academic and industry partners to fulfil customers’ requirements and goals. In turn this drives material advancement while achieving sustainable use of resources.

Vegetable oil Petroleum-derived lubricants are widely used in the industry, but safe disposal is difficult, as even small amounts can cause widespread water pollution. These lubricants are also non-biodegradable and non-renewable, underlining the urgency of seeking alternatives.

Vegetable oil lubricants have many desirable properties. As well as being green and biodegradable, they create a healthier work environment, posing far less danger in cases of inhalation or skin contact. Crucially, vegetable oil lubricants have been shown to provide better lubricity than mineral oils.

Their greater lubricating capacity means less cutting tool wear, better surface finish quality and shorter machine cycle times – a prime example of a sustainable choice delivering greater efficiency.

So why are these wonder lubricants not deployed across the board? Initially, tests by the Sandvik Coromant R&D Centre in Rovereto, Italy, found that vegetable oils performed poorly at high temperatures and pressures, suffering oxidation and changes to their chemical and physical composition.

They also had a low smoking point and were vulnerable to bacterial attack.

Then the team saw a new opportunity to test a new blend of vegetable oil by Bellini, which turned out to be the ideal solution. The new lubricant was tested over two years on a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine, with alloy steels, stainless steels, case iron and alloys of aerospace-grade aluminium, as well as alloys of titanium and nickel. Emulsion stability was excellent with all the materials processed, and the oil displayed chemical stability even during the traditional twoweek downtimes in summer and winter.

The new vegetable oil has now been adopted as the standard lubricant for all three CNC milling machines at the Rovereto

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R&D centre, demonstrating that ecofriendly innovations can deliver practical improvements to operations.

Academic-industry innovation partnership Recognising the importance of scientific research in driving innovation, Sandvik has formed a partnership with the Doctoral School of Industry Innovations (DSII) at Finland’s Tampere University. This unique bridge between academia and industry sees company employees undertake doctoral research to help find solutions to challenges within the industry.

This ongoing programme has already resulted in breakthroughs, including the development of algorithms and simulation models to considerably boost the efficiency of drill rig development. As it continues, doctoral students are developing technologies and innovations that will enhance our product and service offering while also boosting sustainability for the future.

Cultural and corporate initiatives Implementing sustainability in the sector requires something else in addition to scientific developments, process innovations and product research. To be truly effective, there needs to be a cultural and systemic commitment to the values and virtues of environmentally friendly industry.

Awareness and assessment The first step in controlling or reducing an environmental footprint is to understand what that footprint is. Sandvik undertook reviews to assess its impact across the planet. The company has approximately 130 production, distribution or service sites that hold some type of environmental permit, with the Sandviken site having the largest environmental footprint.

Identify and implement actions throughout the value chain Sandvik’s sustainability efforts are designed to minimise environmental impact while also creating business benefits for both the company and its customers.

Initiatives exist throughout the value chain: from production and transportation of goods and employees, to energy consumption, hazardous chemicals and waste management, emission control, the distribution supply chain and recycling of primary products, materials and byproducts.

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The company abides by these four key environmental principles as a guidance framework: 1. Environmental responsibility – this involves actively working to reduce negative impact and improve the environmental performance of the company’s operations and – where possible – those of others.

2. Precautionary approach – Measures are taken as soon as there is reason to believe that an action could harm the environment or human health.

3. Environmental risk management – Requires the introduction of a programme derived from a risk-based and sustainable

perspective to reduce or minimise the environmental impact from Sandvik's activities, products and services.

4. Polluter-pays principle – Those who cause damage to the environment are required to pay compensation.

Forging a sustainable future Sandvik’s commitment to sustainability is concerned with reducing the negative environmental impact of its activities, while also taking advantage of the very real and beneficial opportunities that arise as a result of having sustainability integrated into the business.

It has become evident that various ecofriendly initiatives, from the development of higher heat resistance furnaces, to recycling carbides for tools, to replacing mineral oils with vegetable lubricants, actually deliver cost savings, greater efficiency, and higher productivity.

By fully integrating sustainability into its operations and offerings, with support from customers, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders, Sandvik believes that it – along with the wider industry – can build a solid base for profitable and environmentally responsible business. �

About Sandvik Sandvik is a world-leading developer and manufacturer of products in advanced stainless steels and special alloys for the most demanding environments, as well as products and systems for industrial heating applications.

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For Sale by Negotiation

120,000 Tonnes Per Annum Rebar Rolling Mill For Sale as result of site Redevelopment On Foundation & under power n n n n

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Feedstock: 130 x 130mm x 2000mm Billet Finished Product: Rebar and other Rounds 12mm – 25mm Full Refurbishment 2009 Mill Comprises: Gas Fired Billet Reheat Furnace; Roughing Stand; 2 x Intermediate Stands; 8 x Finishing Stands; Cooling Box; Measuring Pinch Roll; Rotary Bar Shear; Twin Channel Runout to Fixed Shear; Cooling Beds; Bundling and Packing Station; Range of spares including Mill Stands; Rolls & Chocks; Spindles’ Motors; Gearboxes; Shear & Bar Guides etc

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Location: Izmir, Turkey Further Information & Inspection: Charles Moses FRICS T: +44 (0)7831 854971 E: charles.moses@eddisonscjm.com Eddisons CJM, Dunlop Way, Scunthorpe, DN16 3RN

22/05/2018 11:28

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HISTORY

250 Years of Steam Power

SOME LEADING MAKERS OF STATIONARY ENGINES YATES & THOM MARKHAMS GALLOWAYS FRASER & CHALMERS

This 2500 HP engine powered 6 floors of machinery in a Lancashire cotton mill from 1897 to 1975. Transmission of power is by ropes wound around the drum connected to line shafts on each floor

THE story of James Watt (1736-1819) watching the steam from a boiling kettle and unseating the lid in the process is interesting to children at school, but how much authenticity is there in this story?

Consequently, James Watt was credited with the invention of the stationary steam engine in 1765, thus replacing the water wheel as a source of power. However, experiments to replace the water wheel by steam were being carried out as early as 1690. The French engineer Denis Papin experimented with what became known as an ‘atmospheric’ engine for pumping water from mines at this date. By the 1720s, Cornish engineers Thomas Newcomen and Captain Savary had installed them into the Cornish tin mines to deal with the problem of flooding. These engines were slow and inefficient because they had no reciprocating movement. Further development created a great number of ironworks being established in Cornwall, making the county one of the leaders of the industrial revolution. The growing demand for these primitive engines spread north into Shropshire, the Midlands and the Lancashire and Yorkshire coalfields.

Apart from pumping water from the mines, engineers had now set their sights on how steam power could be used to drive machinery.

The Soho Foundry James Watt had been given a good education at his local grammar school and

became a maker of scientific instruments.

He found employment at Glasgow University where he was given a model of a broken Newcomen engine to repair. He soon realised the inefficiency of the engine and made alterations to the cylinder so that the piston was driven in a two-way motion, constantly by the steam. He now realised that this needed to be converted to a rotary motion to drive machinery. In 1769 Watt took out a patent for his much-improved stationary engine. He had insufficient funds to develop the engine and went into partnership with John Roebuck of the Carron Ironworks Glasgow.

This partnership ended when Roebuck went bankrupt and he was forced to seek help elsewhere. Like many of his kind, he moved South to Birmingham where he entered into partnership with Matthew Boulton of the Soho Ironworks. Boulton was a shrewd businessman who quickly saw the potential of Watts’ engine. Watt now had the facilities and finances to develop his engine.

In 1781 he took out a patent for his ‘Sun and Planet’ gearing which transformed the engine stroke to rotary motion. The Soho Foundry prospered during this period – but there was competition under way. John “iron mad” Wilkinson and the Coalbrookdale Company were the main competitors in this. Wilkinson had patented his cannon boring machine in 1774,which also allowed him to machine engine cylinders more accurately than

BLACKBURN CHESTERFIELD MANCHESTER ERITH KENT

Steam was the main source of power used by the industrial nations of the world until as recently as 1960 – quite within living memory of many people.

Harry Hodson* reports his competitors. Watt realised this and came to an agreement with Wilkinson to mechanise his works if he would undertake the casting and machining of cylinders required for the Soho Foundry. It was a win-win situation for a while, with both of them expanding their business. John Wilkinson was a very ambitious person who would let nothing get in his way to further his own interests. He began to have a mixed reputation relating to his business practice. The agreement between Wilkinson and the Soho Foundry ended when Boulton and Watt suspected him of breeching their patent.

Rapid development 1830-1930 From the above-mentioned dates, the development of steam power was divided into two camps. In the Rainhill Trials of 1829 George and Robert Stephenson, along with Richard Trevithick and others had focused their attentions on steam to power a road or railway locomotive.

Although Trevithick did not take part in the trials, he is rightly considered to be one of the original pioneers of locomotion. On the other hand, the development of the stationary steam engine can be attributed to James Watt and many others in their quest to feed the demands to power the Industrial Revolution. In due course, many ironworks throughout Great Britain were able to build and supply stationary engines, many of which were still in use well into the 20t century. �

* The author is an iron and steel specialist in the field of the Industrial Revolution www.steeltimesint.com

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