Steel Times International Digital July Aug 2017

INNOVATIONS

IRONMAKING

STEEL FACTS & FIGURES

FUTURE STEEL FORUM

Six pages of the latest products and steel contracts

Baosteel Iron & Steel Co order two induced draught fans

Two pages of astounding facts and figures related to steel

Two Industry 4.0-related articles from SMS group and Russula

www.steeltimesint.com Digital Edition - July/August 2017 - No.6

GFG’S GUPTA REASSURES ARRIUM STEELWORKERS STI digital cover JULY AUG.indd 1

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CONTENTS DIGITAL EDITION - JULY/AUGUST 2017

INNOVATIONS

IRONMAKING

STEEL FACTS & FIGURES

FUTURE STEEL FORUM

Six pages of the latest products and steel contracts

Baosteel Iron & Steel Co order two induced draught fans

Two pages of astounding facts and figures related to steel

Two Industry 4.0-related articles from SMS group and Russula

www.steeltimesint.com Digital Edition - July/August 2017 - No.6

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GFG’S GUPTA REASSURES ARRIUM STEELWORKERS

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

22 2 Leader

By Matthew Moggridge, editor.

4 Astounding Facts & Figures Industry facts and figures.

12 Ironmaking Sufficient process air needed.

6 News feature Gupta reassures Arrium steelworkers.

Future Steel Forum 16 Meeting customer requirements.

22 Virtualisation for industry.

10 Plant safety Considering the wider setting.

26 Innovations The latest product innovations.

SUBSCRIPTION Elizabeth Barford Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Steel Times International is published eight times a year and is available on subscription. Annual subscription: UK £178.00 Other countries: £254.00 2 years subscription: UK £320.00 Other countries: £457.00 ) Single copy (inc postage): £40.00 Email: steel@quartzltd.com Published by: Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, England.

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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

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©Quartz Business Media Ltd 2017

ISSN0143-7798

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Digital Edition - July/August 2017

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2

LEADER

• Improved storage utilisation • Safer product handling • Increased productivity • Indoor / Outdoor

matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com

Materials handling solutions for your industry

Matthew Moggridge, Editor

Will Donald Trump spark a trade war?

The worst thing about having to produce a digital issue of Steel Times International, on top of a print version, is the challenge of writing two leaders in the space of a few weeks. Believe me, it’s not easy, and I tend to do what I’m doing now: writing, but with no real idea of what I’m going to say. I’m rarely lost for words – ask any of my colleagues – but you can bet your bottom dollar that when it comes to writing this column, my mind goes blank, albeit temporarily.

What I don’t want to do is repeat my print edition leader, which invited steelmakers to get involved in Future Steel Forum 2018 by submitting a paper. That said, this edition of the magazine does carry a couple of articles not seen by readers before; they were published in a special Future Steel Forum publication that was distributed to event delegates in Warsaw last month and are now getting a wider airing here in the digital magazine. Incidentally, that offer (of submitting a paper for Future Steel Forum 2018) still stands, just email me if you’re interested.

The aforementioned Future Steel Forum articles are penned

by SMS group’s Detlef Ehlert and Russula’s Daniel Sanchez and tackle the respective subjects of Industry 4.0 and the advantages of combining modern data comms technology with traditional automation; and the virtualisation of industry.

And now, of course, I’m ‘copping out’ and writing a leader article based on the contents of the magazine, rather than addressing a specific issue affecting steelmakers, like the problems affecting the US industry and the possibility that President Donald Trump will trigger a trade war if, by citing national security concerns, he imposes trade barriers on steel imports. There’s a real chance that Europe might retaliate – and slap tariffs on Kentucky bourbon!

There are, of course, bigger worries, the main one being that Trump’s actions might lead to a repeat of the George ‘Dubya’ Bush era, back in 2002, when the decision was taken to impose tariffs of up to 30% on steel imports and 200,000 steelworkers lost their jobs. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, only 3% of US domestically produced steel is used in defence contracts.

What will be, will be, and let’s not forget that for all his foibles, Trump is only trying to protect the national interests of the USA and, of course, its loyal steelworkers. Here’s hoping it all works out, not just for the USA, but for the rest of the world too. www.steeltimesint.com

Leader.indd 1

27/07/2017 15:31:00

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4 NEWS IN BRIEF

ASTOUNDING FACTS AND FIGURES...

Will he or won’t he?

Economists are worried about the fall-out of US President Donald Trump’s plans to impose barriers on steel imports into the USA. The potential for disaster is so strong that 15 former Chairs of the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, claims a report by NBC News, have written an open letter to ‘The Donald’ urging him to think again.

In Europe there is talk of retaliatory measures against Kentucky bourbon, according to the Financial Times.

But while the common wisdom is that China is the villain of the piece, claims NBC, Chinese steel represents just 3% of American steel imports. Steel flooding into the USA is from a variety of sources, including Germany, Canada and South Korea.

Back in the 1950s the US steel industry supported as many as 650,000 workers. Today it’s around 140,000 – hence Trump’s intentions to impose tariffs and quota restrictions on steel imports, says the San Francisco Chronicle.

Trump has described the USA as a ‘dumping ground’ for imported steel and he intends to turn things around and put a stop to it.

In 2002 George ‘Dubya’ Bush imposed tariffs of up to 30% on imported steel. The end result was 200,000 steelworkers losing jobs.

Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act – says that tariffs can be imposed if imports jeopardise domestic industries deemed vital to national security. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, only 3% of domestically produced steel is used

by US defence industries.

The worst possible scenario?

The World Trade Organisation ruling that imposed tariffs violate US trade commitments. Why? Because such a move might trigger a trade war between the US and its major trading partners, including the European Union – and who wants to pay more for a bottle of Kentucky bourbon?

Sources: NBC News, San Francisco Chronicle Digital Edition - July/August 2017

facts figures.indd 1

• The US market accounts for 12% of Korean steelmakers’ annual exports.

• Recycling seven steel cans saves enough energy to power a 60Watt light bulb for 26 hours.

Source: Robinson Structures.

• In 1937 San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridg required 83kt of steel. Today, it is claimed th innovation in steelmaking means only half t amount would be needed.

Source: Tata Steel Europe

• The first car produced with steel rolled off the production line in 1918 – that’s assuming they had production lines in those days.

Source: Omni Steel Supply.

• Net exports of Chinese steel could fall to 50Mt in 2018.

Source: Goldman Sachs.

• And talking of bridges, did you know that the Sydney Harbour Bridge was built with 53kt of steel?

It’s true.

Source: Salzgitter UK. www.steeltimesint.com

27/07/2017 15:17:44

ASTOUNDING FACTS AND FIGURES...

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• While Chinese steel exports are shrinking, the nation’s aluminium exports are rising. They were up 21% in June to 460kt.

Source: Bloomberg.

• South Korean steelmaker POSCO claims that it sold about 9Mt of automotive steel sheets last year, accounting for 10% of the entire market demand worldwide.

Source: South Korea Times.

n Gate Bridge s claimed that s only half that

• 50% of all steel produced is used in building and infrastructure projects.

Source: Scan Steels Ltd. • Most household appliances use 65% of steel.

Source: Robinson Structures.

• 80-90% of all the steel ever produced is still in use today.

Source: Lodha Gold TMT.

• The amount of steel consumed in India in 2015 is equal to 60kg/person.

That’s 77Mt in a single year.

Source: ElectrothermSteel. www.steeltimesint.com

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NEWS FEATURE

Gupta reassures Arrium steelworkers

Digital Edition - July/August 2017

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rs

NEWS FEATURE

Sanjeev Gupta, executive chairman of the GFG Alliance was in Australia visiting Arrium’s Whyalla integrated steel plant where he met workers and announced plans to forge a sustainable future for the Aussie steelmaker

Sanjeev Gupta, executive chairman of the GFG Alliance, in Australia

www.steeltimesint.com

NEWS feature Sanjiv.indd 2

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WORKERS at Arrium Steel’s Whyalla integrated steel plant in Australia met with GFG Alliance executive chairman Sanjeev Gupta on 17 July and were reassured to hear that he will work tirelessly with management, staff and unions to forge a sustainable future for the Arrium business in Australia.

According to Gupta, the skills of the workforce and the quality of the firm’s products, combined with innovative business strategies and valuable synergies with the global GFG organisation, would provide the basis for a more secure and successful future.

Gupta was meeting Arrium management and staff for the first time since GFG started the process to acquire the 5,500-employee Arrium business earlier this month. What is billed as a landmark acquisition by GFG should be finalised at the end of August.

GFG is given the green light The Australian Government’s Foreign Investment Review Board and the Arrium creditors committee have both given the green light to the transaction, clearing the way for GFG to begin laying the groundwork for a new era at Arrium, which had been in administration since April 2016.

“The unanimous decision of the creditors’ committee puts an end to a period of prolonged uncertainty for the Arrium workforce,” Gupta told workers at the Whyalla plant. “It allows them to look more confidently to the future as they become a part of our large and multi-skilled alliance of international businesses.”

“In the midst of all of this uncertainty the people in the front line at Arrium stuck firmly to their jobs and that is what has given us this opportunity to build a better future for the business,” Gupta said.

After GFG’s senior management team had discussed business recovery strategies, Gupta commented: “We have developed a comprehensive plan that we are confident will secure a long-term future for this operation and the community who depend on it. That includes reducing the cost of iron ore feed, modernisation of key equipment, the installation of clean and cost-effective energy generation capacity, expanding production and creating downstream manufacturing opportunities. We are also eager to boost export markets for Arrium products and to capitalise on new Digital Edition - July/August 2017

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NEWS FEATURE

links between our Australian steelmaking operations and our UK rolling mills.”

He said the Arrium businesses fitted very well into the GFG Alliance’s GREENSTEEL vision for an integrated value-added global business, based on low carbon, sustainable production methods. After the Whyalla visit, Gupta and the GFG team moved on to the One Steel works at Laverton, near Melbourne, site of a steel melting and rolling operation employing approximately 300 people.

Trading opportunities GFG’s Arrium acquisition has been applauded by the UK’s International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, who said he welcomed the investment by a British consortium. “The UK is the second largest investor in Australia with over £220 billion of investment, and as Secretary of State for the Department for International Trade, an international economic department, I look forward to ever more opportunities between our two trading nations as the UK leaves the EU.” The Arrium deal builds on GFG Alliance’s track record of acquisitions and turnarounds in the UK. To date the group has secured the jobs of more than 4,500 industrial workers in the UK through its Liberty House and SIMEC businesses. �

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

Sanjeev Gupta meeting Arrium workers at Whyalla

GFG Alliance’s Arrium acquisition The GFG Alliance acquisition is expected to secure the jobs of over 5,500 Australian workers, and includes the following steel and steel-related businesses.

• Iron Ore Mining Operations – Producer of approximately 10m tonnes per annum of iron ore -haematite and magnetite pellets – for export and internal supply.

• Whyalla Port and Rail infrastructure.

• Whyalla Steelworks – 1.2Mt/yr blast furnace operation and Australia’s only producer of rail and hot rolled structural steel products.

• OneSteel Scrap Recycling – A steel scrap and recycling business with a national network of collection and processing facilities handling around

Digital Edition - July/August 2017

NEWS feature Sanjiv.indd 3

1.2Mt/yr of ferrous scrap and around 250kt of non-ferrous scrap for export and internal supply.

• OneSteel Secondary Steelworks – 1.4Mt/yr from two electric arc furnaces with three bar and rod rolling mills (Sydney, Melbourne, and Newcastle). The business is Australia’s only producer of rod, bar and wire products.

• Australian Tube Mills – Australia’s largest steel pipe and tube manufacturer.

• OneSteel Reinforcing, ARC andOneSteel Metal Centres – Australia’s leading general steel distributor and steel reinforcing solutions provider to commercial, residential and civil construction; mining; agriculture; and manufacturing sectors.

www.steeltimesint.com

27/07/2017 15:19:37

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The acquisitive activity of Liberty and sister energy company SIMEC • July 2013 – acquired rolling mill at Newport from Mir Steel (Liberty) • June 2014 – acquired Uskmouth B Power Station at Newport from Scottish & Southern Electricity (SIMEC) • April 2015 – restarted Uskmouth B and renamed SIMEC Uskmouth Power (SIMEC) • August 2015 – restarted hot rolled coil production at Newport steelworks; renamed Liberty Steel Newport (Liberty) • November 2015 – acquired Caparo Industries, UK’s second largest engineering business – renamed Liberty Engineering Group (Liberty) • February 2016 – acquired former Thames Steel EAF and bar mill at Sheerness, Kent (Liberty) • February 2016 – acquired Dalzell plate mill and Clydebridge service centre in Lanarkshire from Tata Steel UK (Liberty) • June 2016 – acquired assets of wind tower fabricator Mabey Bridge Renewables in South Wales (Liberty) • September 2016 – re-opened Dalzell plate mill at Motherwell (Liberty) • November 2016 – acquired Tungsten Bank plc – and renamed Wyelands Bank (Sanjeev Gupta personal investment) • December 2016 – acquires aluminium smelter and hydro power stations at Lochaber in Scottish Highlands from Rio Tinto (Liberty and SIMEC as GFG Alliance) • December 2016 – re-opens structural hollow sections mill at Tredegar South Wales (originally part of Caparo acquisition) – (Liberty) • January 2017 – acquires automotive pressings firm CovPress at Coventry (Liberty) • January 2017 – acquires automotive controls and mechatronics firm Shiftec at Daventry (Liberty) • April 2017 – reaches agreement in principle to buy EAF and bar mill at Georgetown, South Carolina, from Arcelor Mittal (Liberty) • April 2017 – is successful bidder for the iron ore pellet plant and iron ore mines at Nashwauk Minnesota (Liberty and SIMEC in partnership with ERP Iron Ore as Chippewa Partners) • May 2017 – acquires Speciality Steels business in North of England and China from Tata Steel UK (Liberty) • July 2017 – acquires Caparo Merchant Bar at Scunthorpe (Liberty) • July 2017 – acquires two Hartlepool pipe mills from Tata Steel UK (Liberty) • July 2017 – reaches agreement to acquire Arrium mining and steelmaking operation in Australia (SIMEC and Liberty as GFG Alliance)

www.steeltimesint.com

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PLANT SAFETY

Considering the wider setting Angela Southall* discusses the implications of the Court of Appeal’s recent decision to reduce Tata Steel UK’s £1.98 million fine for health and safety breaches by a quarter. The steelmaker appealed its conviction for two separate sentences after two workers’ hands were snared in unguarded machinery.

THE appeal is significant since it is the first to have achieved a reduction in fine due to likelihood-of-harm under the ‘new’ sentencing guidelines introduced in 2016.

Three appeal court judges, headed

by Lord Justice Gross, ruled on the 7 June 2017 that the categorisation of the likelihood-of-harm for the steelmaker’s second offence under the sentencing guidelines issued to judges should have been medium and not high, as was originally judged. The appeal court reduced the fine for that offence to £1.3 million from £1.8 million, bringing the revised total penalty down to £1.5m.

The case In September 2014, a 26-year-old employee lost most of his left hand clearing a

blockage on a steel tube manufacturing line. The guarding was removed and the power not isolated to the machine during this process. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) served an Improvement Notice and the guarding was upgraded.

Despite the manufacturing line having operated for around 13,000 hours without an incident, the HSE served the steel maker with an improvement notice on 18 December 2014, requiring Tata Steel UK to check all its production lines at its Corby site and ensure that all identified preventive and protective devices were in place and effective.

Tata Steel UK had taken measures to update and improve guarding. Just five months later however, on 19 February 2015, a 52-year-old team leader’s left

hand was caught in an inadequately guarded machine during refresher training, severing the little finger on his left hand. A prosecution then followed.

New sentencing guidelines The sentencing guidelines came into effect in February 2016 to provide a framework for penalties for workplace health and safety breaches. The aim was to achieve more consistent penalties, to ensure fines for larger organisations reflected in their incomes adequately and to bring it in line with the regime for environmental crime.

Using the ‘new’ sentencing guidelines the judge in the Court of Appeal applied a formula to set the penalty: 1. Culpability rating – low, medium, high or very high.

* Co-founder, Southalls. www.southalls.com Digital Edition - July/August 2017

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PLANT SAFETY

Angela Southall

MM 2. Harm rating - Likelihood the safety failing would lead to harm and how bad that harm would have been (minor injuries through to death). How many people were exposed to that risk of harm and whether the safety failing was a significant cause of actual harm.

In their first six months, the guidelines have resulted in as many penalties of £1m or more as there were in the previous two decades. These new guidelines in effect have a far greater impact on compliance with health and safety law than any single piece of regulation in the past 20 years.

The appeal This is the first case that the Court of Appeal has reduced a finding in relation to ‘likelihood’ under the sentencing guideline. Lord Justice Gross had taken into account that there had only been a single previous incident; that the machinery had been operated for around 150,000 hours without an incident and that the accident had occurred during training rather than normal operations.

While none of this detracts from the high culpability of the accident, it does tell against the high likelihood-of-harm characterisation from the first judgement.

Consideration of the wider setting This case is significant, therefore, as it could potentially be cited by defence lawyers to a Crown Court or district judge in the future to demonstrate ‘the importance of considering the wider setting in reaching a determination as to the likelihood of a particular harm arising,’ thereby bringing a reduction in the overall fine received in the event of a prosecution.

Risk assessment Despite the reduction in fine, none of this detracts from the fact that Tata Steel UK was highly culpable in this case, these incidents could have been avoided with simple health and safety precautions.

It therefore highlights once again the need for guarding on dangerous machinery and most importantly, thorough risk assessments not only for day-to-day use, but the less frequent but equally hazardous tasks of machinery cleaning, maintenance and blockage removal. As in this case, the first accident arose from removal of guarding to clear a blockage.

The HSE prosecution underlines the importance of good workplace health and safety practice within the steel industry, reminding steelmakers that they will be held accountable for not fulfilling their obligations. � www.steeltimesint.com

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IRONMAKING

Sufficient process air needed In China’s largest steelworks in Shanghai, the sintering of iron ore requires sufficient process air to be drawn through the sinter strand sized 600 m². This is necessary to make sure that the raw material mixture is burnt uniformly and that the sinter has the quality appropriate for the blast furnace.

BAOSHAN Iron & Steel Co’s old induced draught fans were too small to generate the negative pressure necessary for the sinter bed of the company’s new plant and because of this, Baoshan approached TLT-Turbo GmbH, a solid heavy-duty fans specialist.

The Chinese steelmaker wanted the company to engineer and produce two induced draught fans dimensioned according to requirements. The end result was two radial flow fans, delivered in December 2016, with a drive power of 12,300 kW and among the largest fans in the world. Needless to say, the construction process was challenging.

In 2016 Baoshan Iron & Steel, part of the Baosteel Group, completely restructured its Baoshan works, located in the most Northern urban district of Shanghai, to meet increasing demand for steel products.

The company’s new sinter plant runs 24/7 for about 350 days a year and has an exceptionally large suction surface of 600 m². It consists of individual bottomperforated grate carriages that slowly move the mixture of ore fines, slag forming materials, fuels, return fines, lime and water to the discharge point. The sintering process is initiated by the ignition of the coke breeze contained in the material.

Air is sucked through the mixture aided by induced draught fans and thus the burning zone moves downward through the material. “The heat-wave, which runs through the sinter bed between ignition and discharge, causes the iron ore fines to fuse partially, making the feedstocks become pasty and agglomerate to lumps of sinter”, explains Ralph Mansius, TLT’s sales manager for the application industry business unit.

The inlet temperature of the air is about 150 °C. TLT’s fans installed in Digital Edition - July/August 2017

BaoSteel.indd 1

Baoshan, however, have been designed for a maximum temperature of 250 °C to withstand even process-related fluctuations.

A high negative pressure is needed to draw hot process gas uniformly through the moist mixture. The negative pressure is 19,500 Pa at the suction nozzle of each fan and generates a gas stream of 500 m³/s per ID fan. “It also overcomes the

In China’s largest steelworks the uniform sintering of iron ore requires sufficient process air to be drawn through the sinter strand sized 600 m². The radial flow fans ordered from TLT-Turbo GmbH have a drive power of 12,300 kW and thus belong to the largest fans in the world. The rotor for instance, consisting of a double-inlet impeller with a diameter of 4.6 m and a shaft, was installed in a 10 m high housing. As a result, the manufacturer had to face several challenges with regard to logistics and engineering.

Source: TLT-Turbo GmbH

pressure losses that can be attributed to the electrostatic precipitator used for gas cleaning that has been installed upstream of the fan on grounds relating to environmental protection as well as wear and tear”, Mansius explained. A 10 kV asynchronous motor delivers the required 12,300 kW drive power. It is speedcontrolled for energy efficiency reasons, since this is how to achieve the best efficiencies in partial load points.

Challenging logistics and construction The rotor consists of a double-inlet impeller with a 4.6m diameter and a shaft with a total length of 7.6 m. Such huge dimensions required an enormous logistical effort on the part of the manufacturer as the rotor could be transported from the works to the port of Hamburg by water. Even the engineering presented a challenge: “We had to reduce the rotor weight as much as possible to comply with the necessary distance to the shaft’s bending critical speed of 35%. [The speed has to be below 35% of the maximum speed]. A hollow shaft was used to this end and material was cut out at certain points of the impeller”, Mansius reports.

These actions, however, were not sufficient to ensure smooth operation. “The large mass resulting from the dimensions of the rotor combined with the operating speed represents a considerable load, so only a sliding bearing assembly can be used”, said Mansius. The necessary oil supply of the two induced draught fans is effected via a common tank with a volume of 10,000 litres. In addition, two high tanks at 3,000 litres have been installed to ensure lubrication even during a blackout. The switchover is effected via a non-return valve to the effect that even during a standstill of the oil pump the motor and bearing www.steeltimesint.com

27/07/2017 15:21:40

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IRONMAKING

“The negative pressure at the fans’ suction nozzle is 19,500 Pa each to uniformly draw the hot process gas through the moist sinter.

It also allows to overcome the pressure losses of the electrostatic precipitator that has been installed upstream”, says Ralph Mansius, TLT’s sales manager.

The necessary distance

Source: TLT-Turbo GmbH

to the shaft’s bending critical speed of 35% was kept by cutting out some

assembly will be lubricated for another 30 minutes to avoid damage.

Furthermore, due to the abrasive qualities of the sinter dust that is still in the gas despite the upstream electrostatic precipitator, the induced draught fans had to be equipped with wear protection. For that reason screwable wear plates have been fixed inside the impeller to protect the main blade. In the event of maintenance those plates can be easily substituted. Since the housing is less subject to abrasion, in this case a welded-in, non-replaceable wear plate is sufficient.

In addition to induced draught fans and motors, TLT’s scope of services also comprised the engineering for the transition piece on the suction side and the silencer on the discharge side.

A reliable control system “If the air volume or temperature are not correct, the sinter quality will decrease and thus a consistent and reproducible production of iron will not be possible in the downstream blast furnace process”, Mansius explained. As a preventive action, the volume flow and pressure in the main air flow are continuously measured. The temperature is controlled by holding the air Digital Edition - July/August 2017

BaoSteel.indd 2

material at certain points of the

The impeller is protected from abrasive sinter dust by mounting screwable wear plates that screen the main blade against particle flow and that can be easily substituted in the event of maintenance.

Source: TLT-Turbo GmbH

impeller to reduce its weight. Calculations were based on FEM analyses.

Source: TLT-Turbo GmbH

flow at the pre-set value via speed control or by the control valves at the fan and by adjusting the wind boxes situated under the strand. The point where the material will be completely burnt – ideally near the end of the sinter strand – can be settled by the strand speed. After cooling, the sinter is fed to the blast furnace process and reduced to molten pig iron, which is then converted into crude steel.

Baosteel Baosteel Group was founded in 1978 and today is the second largest steel producer in the world with over 116,700 employees and annual revenues of 2.2 billion Euros. The company produces premium steel products and specialises in the three categories of carbon, stainless and special steel. Baosteel is a state-owned enterprise of the People’s Republic of China and headquartered in the Baoshan District of Shanghai which led to the name of the largest subsidiary Baoshan Iron & Steel Company. Baosteel and Wuhan Iron & Steel merged in February 2017. On

an international level the producer has since then occupied third place in crude steel and automotive sheets for car industry and has led the field in silicon steel sheets.

TLT-Turbo GmbH TLT-Turbo GmbH is a leading manufacturer of technology-driven industrial fans and ventilation systems. The company was founded in 1827, and acquired by POWERCHINA in February 2014. In addition to its German locations in Zweibruecken, Oberhausen, Frankenthal and Bad Hersfeld, TLT has subsidiaries, branches and agencies in China, Austria, Russia, the USA, Korea, South Africa, South America and India. The company’s radial and axial flow fans, wind tunnel fans and tunnel systems have been used all over the world.

TLT-Turbo Group currently employs about 550 people, 360 of whom are located in Germany. � For further information, log on to www.tlt-turbo.com www.steeltimesint.com

27/07/2017 15:21:42

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FUTURE STEEL FORUM

Meeting customer requirements Industry 4.0 – otherwise known as the fourth industrial revolution or even ‘smart manufacturing’ – is all about enabling plant operators to inter-connect operations around the globe using an automation platform that combines the advantages of modern data comms technology with traditional automation tasks for open and closed loop control. In this article, Dipl.-Ing. Detlef Ehlert* examines SMS group’s experiences THE challenge with all projects, from green field through to modernisations, is to meet customers’ requirements:• Competitive production costs.

• Maximum product quality.

• High yield and plant availability.

• Flexible production planning with all lot sizes, even single pieces.

How can Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things, or digitalisation, which are more or less synonyms for the same thing, help meet these requirements? Plant operators dream of having a smart factory with autonomous production and self-optimising processes, a dream that is close to becoming reality. In order to achieve this plant builders need to change their engineering work flows and tools. The right automation platforms also have to be chosen accordingly.

BaSys 4.0 research project A long-term strategy of companies with global operations is the flexible interconnection of individual plants around the world to create modern production networks. This requires an automation platform that combines

both the advantages of modern data communications technology with traditional automation tasks for open and closed loop control. In order to meet the relevant requirements the SMS group is participating in a research and development project supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The project is entitled “Basissystem Industrie 4.0” (“Basic System for Industry 4.0”). The aim is to create a reference architecture that provides the necessary basic services for Industry 4.0 at the plant interface, in addition to basic automation functions.

The aim of this system architecture is to enable plant operators to react flexibly to ever changing production processes.

Existing technologies are interconnected and integrated so that Industry 4.0 applications can be implemented. A virtual middleware which is being created for this purpose allows the required services to be provided and connected with each other.

A total of seven demonstrators from various areas will be made available to the participating industry partners. The demonstrator being provided by the SMS group is a virtualised aluminium cold rolling plant, which gives a realistic picture of the control-related processes and technological requirements of these kinds of plants in the

form of a real-time simulation. The high demands placed by this virtual plant on the newly developed platform are similar to those of a real plant.

The demonstrator has now been completed and made available to the relevant project partners. The first prototypes of the basic system are currently being tested on the demonstrators.

Flexible software architecture Before the aforementioned development project was launched, the SMS group got together with partners in the scientific field, such as the Fraunhofer Institute and RWTH Aachen University, to define the necessary automation and software structures for the future.

The results can be summarised in the following workflow: 1st step: Functional plant modelling 2nd step: Transformation into a complex software network 3rd step: Realisation as a high-performance variable bus concept with loose coupling The new structure is not designed within the established automation hierarchy, rather

* Vice President, Direct Business and Services, Electrics/Automation, SMS group GmbH, Wiesenstrasse 30, 57271 Hilchenbach, Germany.

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Picture courtesy of Pixabay

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Fig 1. Real time simulation of an aluminum cold rolling mill

it is structured within a network where all the functional units can communicate with each other independently of the hierarchy level. It allows fast closed loop control as well as powerful communication tasks.

A key objective is to reduce the required delta engineering from one plant to the next and to provide a high level of flexibility for plant modifications.

It already fulfills the requirements of the BaSys 4.0 system architecture in various ways. The first application using this software structure – for a cold rolling mill automation system – is scheduled for summer 2017.

X-Pact® Process Guidance The X-Pact® Process Guidance system was developed for melt shops and represents a departure from the standard automation pyramid.

The main focus was to create a userfriendly structure that guides the operator through the different stages of the process (e.g. the melting process). With each process step the front end automatically adapts its content to meet the requirements of the current step. The operator interface follows the process and switches to the relevant page. During operation, the process steps, which are executed automatically, are displayed to the operator.

The software architecture has also been completely updated. The interfaces have been fully reworked to achieve consistent communications using data clouds to store data and provide universal database access, and to avoid any data redundancies for the purpose of facilitating efficient data storage. The architecture is componentoriented and can be extended by adding further modules and applications. The X-Pact® Process Guidance system offers easy Industry 4.0 integration by allowing cyber physical devices to be connected, irrespective of the type of device. It provides a platform for various cloud services.

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FIT FOR THE FUTURE The SMS group Electrics/ Automation division now employs over 1,000 experts worldwide. For over 25 years these specialist teams have continuously grown to become a full line supplier of integrated electrical and automation systems for the entire metallurgical process chain.

Multi-disciplinary engineering A further aspect of the digitalisation process is to improve the multi-disciplinary engineering. Metallurgical plant engineering involves the design of the mechanical equipment, the hydraulics, the lubrication system, the various water circuits as well as the electrics and automation. Each engineering team uses different engineering tools and the results are stored in different data formats.

Forcing these teams to use identical data bases is not effective. That is why the SMS group follows the AutomationML approach, which allows for the object-oriented description of a plant from different perspectives, such as geometry, kinematics,

Fig 2. X-Pact® Process Guidance

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Fig 3. Plug & Work procedure in the SMS group test field prior to commissioning

GLOBAL PLAYERS

as well as functions including dynamics, based on international standards.

The aim is to generate XML files as output files from the various engineering tools, including SAP, CREO, Auto CAD, and so on, and to use these as input files for other tools such as, for example, EPLAN for the design of circuit diagrams and logiCAD or S7 for software engineering.

This procedure avoids redundant manual data inputs and ensures that all engineering teams are always using the latest data.

The next step on the path to digitalisation is the automatic creation of software for different plant areas. This can be seen as automating the automation system.

The procedure is as follows: standardised functions, like those for a hydraulic power station, are defined in code templates.

The relevant data for the individual plant, such as actual dimensions, required forces, speeds and so on, are described in the plant models. The code template is merged in the code generator with the data of the plant model to create the executable code for the actual project. As the project data base is also used for code generation, manual inputs and manual programming are reduced to a minimum. This also minimises the risk of failures.

The SMS group Plug & Work concept is another field of digitalisation that is already well-established.

The SMS group is a group of global players in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and non-ferrous metals processing industry.

In addition to mechanical equipment and process technology, its portfolio also includes all electrical systems, from power distribution through drive systems right up to full automation systems.

The customers’ plants are simulated in real time, creating more or less a digital twin of the plant.

Detailed plant data are taken from the CAD tools for the mechanical equipment and media systems. The process is simulated using mathematical and physical models. This digital twin is connected to the real plant automation system in the test field.

On the one hand it allows the automation system to be vigorously tested, while on the other hand providing intensive training to the customers’ operators and maintenance personnel. The results are steep start-up ramps and prime quality products that are produced from day one.

Digital twins are also used as 3D mockup models for the plant engineering. The information from different plant areas and engineering disciplines can be integrated during the engineering phases. Once integrated, virtual plant surveys allow checks to be made to see if the piping is interfering with cable tracks, for example, so that mechanical collisions can be avoided, and to see if the foundation fits the other equipment.

X-Pact® MES 4.0 production planning system Let’s return to the vision of a smart factory for the steel industry. The main challenges, which are directly linked to the plant’s performance, are: • Flexible production planning with varying batch size orders, including single batches, with high adherence to delivery dates.

Fig 4. Mock-up model of a continuous casting plant

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• Maximum operational plant performance with a minimum of maintenance and low net working capital.

• Continuous achievement of best product quality with high yields.

• Frequent changes in general conditions such as legal environmental requirements, and costs for raw materials and energy.

The SMS group’s X-Pact® MES 4.0 production planning and control system, in combination with the Product Quality Analyser (PQA), already provides important modules as entry points to the smart factory. The X-Pact® MES 4.0 always has an up-todate record of the order book and is provided with current data from each production unit.

This includes detailed product quality and plant condition information. Even if the production units for different process steps are distributed among different locations, the X-Pact® MES 4.0 and PQA are able to track the production and quality data in detail, even across countries.

The X-Pact® MES 4.0 uses these data to plan the production sequence flexibly for each production plant, in order to meet the desired delivery dates.

Business intelligence tools are offered for detailed reporting and process analysis.

The SMS group already started using big data management methods some time ago to analyse the enormous amount of data available, so as to provide the relevant basis for making decisions.

The next step would be to apply this in self-learning processes.

Conclusion Here we have seen a selection of examples relating to the topic of digitalisation. This subject affects everyone in the SMS group. It will radically change current processes and business models in some areas. Nevertheless, the process is regarded as an evolution rather than a revolution.

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the areas of production, maintenance and quality assurance.

Significant enablers to achieve these changes will come in the form of embedded systems, digital platforms and powerful real time-networks to connect the production units of companies operating across the globe. These technologies together with

big data analytics and cloud computing will allow autonomous self-optimising process and production control systems to be developed. Digitalisation will offer opportunities for both plant operators and plant builders and will result in a new form of co-operation between both partners. � References [1] Reifferscheid, Markus (SMS group GmbH): Digitalisierung in der Stahlindustrie – Strategien, Konzepte und Lösungen. Stahl und Eisen 2/2017, Stahleisen, 2017 [2] Ehlert, Detlef (SMS group GmbH); Schauerte, Hubertus (SMS group GmbH): Industrie 4.0: A traditional plant maker moves forth into a new industrial era. IFAC MMM 2016 (17th IFAC Symposium on Control, Optimisation and Automation in Mining, Mineral and Metal Processing), September 2016, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria.

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

Picture courtesy of Pixabay

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5 - 7 JUNE • SHERATON HOTEL WARSAW • POLAND

DATES FOR 2018 ANNOUNCED

Applying Industry 4.0 to the steel industry How is digitalisation changing the face of steel production? What is the current state of play with Industry 4.0 and the steel industry? What other developing and ‘disrupting’ technologies are impacting industry generally and steel in particular? How can ‘smart manufacturing’ reduce greenhouse gas emissions? What are the security risks associated with a ‘smart steelworks’?

The answers to these questions and more can be found at Future Steel Forum 2018, a new conference dedicated entirely to steel manufacturing and its relationship to the world of digital technology such as cloud computing, the ‘internet of things’, ‘big data’ and, of course, cyber security. Be a part of the conversation, have your say on smart, autonomous steel production and listen to what the experts have to say.

Call for abstracts: Have something to say?

Contact Matthew Moggridge, Programme Director matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com

“ DEDICATED FOCUS ON INDUSTRY 4.0 WITH THE PRESENCE OF THE MAIN PLAYERS.” COSTANZO PIETROSANTI, SENIOR CONSULTANT

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Virtualisation for industry Improving efficiencies is the name of the game to be competitive in today’s steel industry. Control systems must maximise availability by eliminating planned and unplanned downtime. By Daniel Sánchez* TRADITIONALLY, the lifecycle of an industrial control system becomes progressively reduced over the years. The main reason is because hardware and software development shortens the life-cycle of the individual automation components and, therefore, the overall control system life.

However, compared to consumer electronics, industrial automation systems last considerably longer. There are important differences between industry sectors. The automobile sector, for example, usually replaces its control systems every seven to eight years when a new car model is manufactured. Iron and steel plants typically last 12-15 years, while power plants may reach 50 years with the same control equipment.

Independent of the industry and sector, the control system must be ensured across the whole plant life, both in terms of functionality and maintenance cost. The challenge today is not only to guarantee the availability, but to migrate the systems periodically while minimising the impact on production and simplifying the transition for plant maintenance staff.

For both reasons virtualised environments help plants operate smarter and safer and simplify the overall system management.

Among all the benefits, virtualisation offers cost savings, efficient usage of hardware resources, simplified management, easy hardware and software upgrades and most importantly, guarantees the uptime of the system?.

run a different operating system. In effect, each virtual server acts like an independent computer.

Before virtualisation was developed, a single computer ran a single operating system that deployed applications, databases or services. Over the years, many vulnerabilities and incompatibilities were found between the different applications.

For this reason, most of the organisations mitigated the risks by running just one application or service per server, thereby isolating the systems and increasing the fault tolerance.

At the same time, the overall utilisation of the servers was only 10-15% of the total CPU capacity. All the computers were vastly under-utilised.

A virtual machine behaves like a physical computer containing a ‘virtual’ CPU, RAM memory, disk and network resources. On top of the virtual hardware there is an OS operating system, isolated from the main host server. Typically, the term ‘guest operating system’ is used to refer to the operating system that runs on the virtual machine, and ‘host operating system’ refers to the software running on the actual machine.

Virtualisation works by adding a layer called Hypervisor. The Hypervisor is a light layer that allows multiple virtual machines to run concurrently on a host computer.

The main goal is to manage all the services necessary to host the applications and their guest operating systems.

What is Virtualisation?

Virtualisation technology allows one physical server to run many virtual servers.

Each virtual machine is isolated from the underlying hardware resources and can

Why Virtualise?

• Save energy and space. Use your resources smarter.

Important cost savings can be achieved by reducing the total number of servers

and maximising the utilisation of each one.

The consolidation of applications in fewer servers reduces the energy and cooling costs. Also, the overall footprint of the computer room is less than the traditional layout due to fewer number of racks.

• Increase uptime In order to guarantee the high availability required in most industrial processes, features such as fault tolerance, live and hot migration and quick recovery are valued.

The virtualisation environment permits all these features and more; for example, one virtual machine can be easily moved from one server to another with no latency, server workload can be easily distributed among different physical servers and data can be quickly recovered after unplanned outages.

• Isolate the possible problems Data centres typically have adopted the philosophy of ‘one application, one server’ to isolate applications and reduce the risks of the vulnerabilities and incompatibilities between the different applications. This methodology increased the overall cost and space needs. Virtualisation enables the automation engineer to use the server’s resources appropriately by provisioning the resource to the application requirements.

• Extend application life Typically, in industrial environments quite a few old legacy applications are still in operation. Several problems occur to keep these applications up and running as they are not compatible with newer versions of the operating system or hardware and users are reluctant to make any modifications.

Virtualising and encapsulating these legacy applications and their environments extends

*Global sales director, Russula Digital Edition - July/August 2017

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their life, maintains the application running and eliminates the older hardware that is impossible to maintain. • Avoid the hardware vendor lock-in and make upgrades simpler Conceptually virtualisation removes the underlying problematic hardware and gives IT managers the flexibility to replace, migrate and upgrade the hardware with their preferred vendors • Simplify the process of creating test environments In order not to cause unnecessary downtime, industrial processes typically create test environments to simulate improvements and modifications before implementation into the process.

Virtualisation easily allows automation engineers to replicate a machine that is isolated from the main network and process. There is no need for a new physical server. If the modifications fail in the test environment, the engineer can easily recuperate previous versions. This feature not only simplifies but reduces the mistakes made during tests or upgrades.

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APP

APP

APP

HOST OPERATING SYSTEM

NON-VIRTUALISED ENVIRONMENT

APP

APP

APP

GUEST OS

GUEST OS

GUEST OS

HYPERVISOR

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SCADA SERVER #1

SCADA SERVER #1

SCADA CLIENTS N

OPC SERVER

VM OS

VM OS

VM OS

VM OS

CENTRALISED STORAGE

HYPERVISOR HOST OPERATING SYSTEM VIRTUAL HOST CLUSTER

CLIENT #1

CLIENT #N

ENGINEERING

MOBILE

AUTOMATION

OS

WORKSTATION

WORKSTATION

WORKSTATION

DEVICES

CONTROLLERS

STATION

FIELDBUS DEVICES

(BOX 1)

PROS

• Fewer servers consuming less energy and space.

• Easy maintenance and management: recovery points, load balance and hot swapping of failed hardware.

• Higher uptime and faster disaster recovery.

• Simplifies application isolation .

CONS • Magnified hardware failures.

• High upfront investment that will be recovered in the long-run.

• New management tools and new skills for managing the virtualised environment.

• Guarantees future hardware migration.

• Extend application life.

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• Unnecessary virtual machines sprawl due to the simplicity of deploying new instances.

Application cases Server virtualised infrastructure The right moment to consider creating a completely virtualised system is when developing a new project or replacing the complete SCADA system. Typically a virtual host is required with two servers to run the hypervisor layer and a centralised storage system.

The virtual cluster hosts the SCADA server application and the required number of clients, which depends on the operator stations’ requirements. Other applications can run on the virtualised environment as well, such as development engineering tools, the OPC server and any other service required for the process or for interconnecting the process with other higher level systems. The virtual host is sized according to the number of virtual machines running simultaneously, which depends on the size of the plant infrastructure.

Thin-clients with direct access to the virtualised desktop environments are a viable option for industrial applications.

The thin-client solution is more suitable than the standard PC-based computers because of its robustness and simple fanless hardware attributes make thin-clients ideal for industrial environments. Over the past couple of years thin clients used in virtualised environments are becoming progressively more cost effective.

The pros and cons of the complete virtualised infrastructure can be seen in Box 1 (below left).

Under this scheme Russula has developed different projects in collaboration with steel producers such as Nucor and ArcelorMittal.

The customers are satisfied with the solution and despite the initial higher investment it is definitely recommended on a daily basis, particularly if the system is implemented from scratch.

Computer-by-computer virtualised approach Plants that already have an existing clientserver infrastructure may have legacy systems installed more than 10 years ago.

It can be problematic to find modern equipment on the market that can run legacy applications. Plants are often forced to buy second hand equipment to keep the system running.

Computer-to-computer virtualisation is a good solution for plants that are in this situation. This consists of virtualising www.steeltimesint.com

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each of the machines independently and isolating the application in the right operating system.

This approach does not have the benefits of a complete virtualisation environment as mentioned above, but it does address the problem of replacing equipment and extending the life of the control system.

For the pros and cons of the computerby-computer virtualised approach, see Box 2 (right).

When customers have issues replacing existing hardware, Russula typically recommends a computer-by-computer virtualisation approach. It is a low investment solution that guarantees the mid-term maintenance of the computerbased system. Several plants in the Celsa Group have migrated their servers and clients to solve compatibility issues generated by maintaining legacy systems.

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(BOX 2)

PROS • Low cost solution.

• Simplifies the isolation of the applications.

CONS

• Guarantees the future hardware migration.

• Missing advantages of a server virtualised environment.

• Extend application life.

• Not a fault tolerance solution.

Conclusions Historically virtualisation has primarily been used in corporate environments.

Now it is being implemented extensively in industrial environments.

Virtualisation extends the life of control systems and is compatible with modern computer equipment, avoiding the difficulties in maintaining legacy systems. �

SCADA SERVER #1

SCADA SERVER #2

SCADA CLIENT #1

SCADA CLIENT #2

ENG STATION

GUEST OS

GUEST OS

GUEST OS

GUEST OS

GUEST OS

HYPERVISOR

HYPERVISOR

HYPERVISOR

HYPERVISOR

HYPERVISOR

HOST OS

HOST OS

HOST OS

HOST OS

HOST OS

FIELDBUS DEVICES MOBILE DEVICES

AUTOMATION CONTROLLERS

OS STATION

Future Steel Forum, 5-7 June, 2018 Sheraton Hotel, Warsaw, Poland.

We are looking for papers for our next conference on developing technologies that are changing the way steel is produced. Further information, matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com For further information on Russula, log on to www.russula.com

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INNOVATIONS

Iranian steel plant uses SMS continuous caster A consortium of Iranian companies comprising Chadormalu Mining & Industrial Co. (CMIC) and Parsland Mines & Industries Development Company (PAMIDCO), both of which hold 100% shares in CPG Engineering & Commercial Services GmbH, erected a new steel making plant with a 170-ton electric arc furnace and a six-strand continuous caster in Ardakan, province of Yazd in central Iran.

The six-strand continuous caster is designed for an annual output of 1.2Mt of billets. It has a casting radius of 10.25 metres and billets can be produced on the six-strand casting lines in formats between 130mm and 250mm square.

Chadormalu & PAMIDCO will first produce square billets in sizes ranging from 130mm, 150mm, 180mm and 200mm. Semi-finished products can be produced in lengths of six or 12 metres depending on plant specification.

The casting machine is equipped with SMS Concast’s proprietary CONVEX mold technology and was

supplied with interchangeable equipment to allow maximum uptime and efficient maintenance work, claims SMS Concast. Mold supports, mold cartridges, foot rollers and spray rings, for example, are claimed to be easily interchangeable between the strands.

Format-dependent mold parts can be replaced easily and quickly and the system is fully equipped with Level 1 and Level 2 automation.

The cast billets are primarily meant to fulfill the requirements of the domestic industry, but will also be exported to other countries. Mahmoud Nourian, managing director of Chadormalu, commented that the steel industry was one of the most promising sectors capable of boosting the local economy, which has been adversely affected by ‘long pressed’ sanctions.”

Seyed Hossein Tabib, managing director of CPG Industrial Mining and Technical Services GmbH (the company responsible for inspecting the equipment of the project supplied from abroad), added: “Iran is now on rank

14 among the world’s steel-producing countries, and produced 17.89Mt of crude steel in 2016, an 11% increase compared with 2015.”

Latif Dashtbozorgi, managing director of PAMIDCO, committed all his efforts to enabling quick commissioning and high-quality production at the Chadormalu steel plant. “With our project, we will contribute to the further growth of the Iranian steel industry,” he said.

The Ardakan plant is operated on the basis of directly reduced iron ore, which Chadormalu provides from its own mines in the province. Further rapid processing makes it possible to produce steel comparatively inexpensively.

The Iranian steel industry expects a significant increase in demand in the current and coming years. Iran regards the metals and the upstream mining as important future industries.

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

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Easy-to-use leak detector Edwards has launched a new precision leak detector. The ELD500 is designed for fast, accurate leak detection and is customisable for any application, the company claims.

According to Edwards, the new equipment is ready to go in under two minutes from power on.

Users can benefit from simple pass/fail readings through to detailed analysis via the easyto-read control interface, and due to the low weight and integrated carry handles it is mobile enough to be bench-top or trolley-mounted. At the push of a button the ELD500 can be set to work in either vacuum mode for precise measurement of leak rate, or sniffer mode for identifying the leak location. The proven design of the ELD500, combined with low energy consumption, extended warranty and even longer life ion source, ensures exceptional low cost of ownership with no compromise on performance, Edwards claims.

Dr Sina Forster, product manager, Edwards, commented, “We are delighted to be launching this highly reliable, fully automated leak detector. It has been designed to provide fast, accurate detection in any application, and is a great addition to the Edwards product portfolio.�

Edwards says that the ELD500 achieves excellent repeatable accuracy through calibration with the integrated test leak source and high quality mass spectrometer, so it could be used on a production line, where consistent measurement repeatability is critical, or in a laboratory environment where typi-

cally the measurement of extremely low leak rates is needed. There are three variants: the FLEX, WET and DRY plus an extensive catalogue of accessories.

For further information, log on to www.edwardsvacuum.com/ ELD500

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Westmoreland, nH 03431 usa / www.polyonics.com / +1.603.352.1415 / info@polyonics.com www.steeltimesint.com

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NLMK commissions Paul Wurth PCI plants f largest blast furnaces

NLMK Group, one of Russia’s leading integrated steel companies with international operations, and technology supplier Paul Wurth, have started commissioning the pulverised coal injection (PCI) plants of blast furnaces No. 6 and No. 7 at NLMK’s main steelmaking site at Lipetsk in the central European part of Russia.

Recent press information released

by NLMK stressed that this technology results in “a 30% decrease in the consumption of expensive coke and a 50% reduction in the consumption of natural gas” as well as reducing the cost of pig iron production by approximately 5%.

The PCI plants for blast furnaces No. 6 (yearly production: 3.1Mt of hot metal) and No. 7 (4.3Mt) have been part of an integral contract with Paul Wurth covering the introduction of this resources-saving technology to most of NLMK’s ironmaking facilities over some years. At all furnaces, dense phase conveying systems with static distribDigital Edition - July/August 2017

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utors ensure accurate pulverised coal distribution over the hot blast tuyeres.

The systems will operate at injection rates not less than 150 kg per ton of hot metal.

For blast furnaces No. 6 and 7, the injection coal is being produced by two upstream coal grinding and drying plants rated at 75 tons/hr each. Paul Wurth’s self-inertising process circuits ensure pulverisation with explosion prevention by design.

In addition to the design, supply of key components, instrumentation, automation and traditional site supervision, Paul Wurth has supported NLMK and its local partners in engineering, construction and erection of the plant over the entire construction period.

“We are now jointly looking forward to ramping up to efficient ironmaking operations at the guaranteed injection level,” the company said.

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

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INNOVATIONS

nts for its

Danieli upgrades Valsabbia caster

Italian steelmaker Ferriera Valsabbia has recently upgraded a six-strand billet caster, adding new automation and a new billet charging system, making it possible to expand the company’s product range from 150mm to 160mm square billets with lengths of up to 12m.

According to Danieli, the control pulpit for the new caster features 3Q technologies, including L1 and L2 process control systems supplied by Danieli

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Automation. Such technology simplifies plant operation through the use of intuitive controls and minimised operator intervention.

Since 1986 Danieli has formed a close collaboration with Ferriera Valsabbia and has supported the company with several caster upgrades to improve overall competitiveness.

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

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INNOVATIONS

Bodycote Powdermet breaks new ground Bodycote Powdermet technologies is a group of additive manufacturing processes used in the production of complex components using powder metallurgy and recently launched by Bodycote, which describes itself as the ‘largest provider of heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services’.

The company claims to have ‘decades of experience’ creating complex, high integrity components from powdered metal and says that Bodycote Powdermet products incorporate new, patent-pending techniques that combine 3D printing with well-established net shape and near shape techniques.

“This new technology dramatically reduces the manufacturing time and

production cost of a part compared to producing the same part using 3D printing alone,” claims the company.

According to Bodycote, Powdermet technologies ‘ensure complete powder consolidation, achieve structural homogeneity, and eliminate internal porosity and unconsolidated powder flaws’.

The process can produce components with varying surface features and thicknesses, with higher structural integrity than alternative production techniques, says Bodycote, adding that the need for brazing or welding parts together to form larger structures is eliminated.

Instead, the company claims that the finished article can be produced as one seamless component ‘and largely avoid

the size limitations imposed by the constraints of 3D printing’.

Furthermore, different parts of a component can be formed from different alloys presenting the ideal and most cost-efficient solution, says Bodycote.

Stephen Harris, Bodycote’s group chief executive, believes that early adopters are likely to be from the aerospace, oil and gas, power generation and mining industries.

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

Heidtman purchases two hydraulic levellers Heidtman Steel Products, one of the first service centres to process and market the next generation of steels, has purchased two 17-roll Bradbury Auto-Selective Hydraulic Levellers. The units will be installed at the company’s Butler, Indiana, and Granite City, Illinois plants on existing push/pull pickling lines.

According to Bradbury, both units will have the capability of levelling 0.250” down to 0.050” material thickness. They also feature Bradbury’s patented e•drive technology, which is claimed to significantly enhance levelling capabilities when compared with conventional equipment.

Both new levellers have the latest operator controls, claims Bradbury, and provide automated set-up via Bradbury TSC HMI. “The benefits of this system are enhanced levelling capability where the internal stresses are equalised,” Bradbury claims, adding that its e•drive technology reduces energy waste, meaning it is also eco-friendly.

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INNOVATIONS

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Predictive analytics minimise business disruptions The threat of a mechanical failure shutting down a production line can keep most plant managers awake at night. Disrupted production, idle workers and the associated costs are the stuff of nightmares, claims Nidec.

But the company claims it has good news for steelmakers. “We’ve entered the age of predictive analytics, using real-time data collected through wireless monitoring to identify patterns that help you not only intervene on

imminent breakdowns, but also predict future events,” the company says.

Nidec’s FORECYTE is a standalone remote equipment monitoring platform, powered by Nidec. It uses battery-powered wireless sensors to measure equipment vibration and temperature and through real-time data visualises deteriorating equipment health.

“You can access the data anytime from anywhere using a browser on a

web-enabled device,” the company claims, adding that FORECYTE enables users to minimise unexpected downtimes and production loss by offering a solution based on simplicity, reliability, connectivity and diagnostic intelligence.

For further information, log on to www.nidec-motor.com

New global sales manager for Liftace Bradbury describes itself as a leading manufacturer of roll forming equipment and integrated systems for metal forming and coil processing applications across a wide range of industries. The company makes roll formers, precision roller levellers, cut-to-length lines, building trim equipment, coil processing production lines and automated production systems.

For further information, log on to www.bradburyco.com and www.heidtman.com

Johan Bjerstedt (pictured below) has been appointed global sales manager for Konecranes’ Liftace products.

Konecranes acquired Terex MHPS in early 2017. The Lift Trucks business unit has two product families; Konecranes SMV, a range of premium products that are claimed to be ‘smarter where it matters’, and Konecranes Liftace, a range of value- based, robust lift trucks that are said to be highly appreciated for ease of maintenance.

Liftace ‘reach stackers’ offer high loading capacities and working speeds and are claimed to be simple and safe to operate. There are a range of models including the popular TFC models and the R models, which offer wheelbases ranging from 6,000mm to 7,000mm.

According to Konecranes, its Liftace reach stackers offer working speeds for efficient handling rates, low fuel consumption, predictable maintenance costs, ease of operation, reliable monitoring and excellent visibility.

“The Konecranes Liftace product family with its long history is a great asset and widens Konecranes’ lift trucks offering. I look humbly on the task to carry on this legacy under the Konecranes name, and I’m excited for the future and what we can achieve,” Bjerstedt said.

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

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03/08/2017 08:38:35

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03/10/2016 11:55

AS ONE We are stronger

Two powerful companies in the metals industry have forged together. Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery and Siemens VAI Metals Technologies have united to become the new global force in metals technologies.

Creating the future of metals as one. primetals.com

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200 YEARS OF FUTURE! The CMI Group proudly celebrates its bicentennial

Innovative technologies for the metals industry

Cold rolling ยง Strip processing ยง Chemical processes Thermal processes ยง Mechanical equipment Automation ยง Extractive metallurgy www.cmigroupe.com DE SIG N | ENGINEERING | COMMISS IO NING | TE C H NIC A L A S S IS TA NC E & TR A INING | A F T ER- S A L ES

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