Jiangyin Xing Cheng Special Steel, China, has contracted Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co KG, Germany, to install a Reducing & Sizing Block [RSB].

The order will be executed together with Danieli & C., Italy, serving as the main contractor as well as with the newly formed Danieli Metallurgical Equipment Co. [DME], China.

The 5-stand 370 mm heavy duty Reducing & Sizing Block will be integrated as the finishing block in the completely new 500,000 tonne/year bar and wire rod mill downstream of stand No. 18. The 3-roll block will produce round bars with a dimensional range of 15 to 60 mm X in straight lengths on to the cooling bed.

An extended free-size range of up to 1 1.5 mm from the nominal size allows rolling of a variety of sizes with tightest tolerances by simply adjusting stands and guides via remote control. This adjustment is done during a billet gap within a maximum of one minute. A quick stand changing system will be utilized whenever the finished dimensions exceed the free-size range, making this operation possible in less than 5 minutes. Any size can thus be rolled without any restrictions by using a minimum number of roll sets and stand changes.

The Reducing & Sizing Block will also significantly reduce the required number of pre-sections in the roughing and intermediate mill, thus making it possible to operate with a one pass family in the upstream mill. Layout and design of the block including the respective pass design allow for thermomechanical rolling, which is very important for modern state-of-the-art bar mills.

Installation of the new Kocks 3-roll Reducing & Sizing Block is scheduled for the summer of 2006.

In China, Kocks has previously installed reducing & sizing blocks at Daye Special Steel and Huangshi and at Baosteel Shanghai No. 5, Shanghai.