Aços Villares SA, Brazil, will install a new Kocks/Danieli 4-pass reducing and sizing block (RSB). The installation continues an ongoing upgrade of the company’s special and stainless steel bar and rod mill in Pindamonhangaba, where the new Danieli high-speed wire rod production outlet started operation in February of this year.

The RSB will operate as the finishing block for production of quality straight bars and bar-in-coils, or for preparing the feeding size for the wire rod block. It will also be capable of providing low-temperature finishing rolling in the near future.

Based on 3-roll technology, the RSB will enhance plant efficiency, productivity, and product quality for a product range including 17.5- to 76-mm diameter plain bars, 18- to 38-mm diameter bar-in-coils, plus the feeding sizes for producing 5.5- to 24-mm diameter wire rod at the high-speed block, in a wide range of stainless and special steel grades.

RSB block operation is foreseen for the beginning of 2006.

Reports from the recently supplied 100-meter per second, 90-tonne per hour wire rod line confirm the line's performance after several months of production. To date, the complete range of product sizes and steel grades have been successfully produced, with very strict product size tolerances, according to or surpassing the standards (less than or equal to ± 0.1 mm up to 15-mm diameter wire rod and ± 0.15 mm for bigger sizes).

Aços Villares SA is part of the Sidenor Group of Spain.