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Sandvik Opens Mill Dedicated for Steam Generator Tubing
05/15/2012 - NLMK has commissioned a 5.8 million tonnes-per-year, two-station hot metal desulfurization unit at its main site in Lipetsk. The project was implemented together with ESM (USA) and investments totaled around RUR1.5 billion.
Sandvik has opened what it claims is the world’s largest dedicated mill for the advanced manufacturing of stainless steel and high nickel alloy tubes for use in nuclear power plant steam generators, at its facility in Sandviken, Sweden.
The new mill is said to utilize the latest state-of-the-art technology, including innovative advances in equipment design from tube manufacture, annealing, final finishing, inspection, and dispatch.
Officially inaugurating the new mill, President of Sandvik Materials Technology Jonas Gustavsson, said, “The energy sector is a key segment for Sandvik, and we see a lot of interesting opportunities for nuclear and steam generator tubing.”
Work on the site commenced in 2010 and has involved more than 150 people and 330 specialist suppliers up to its completion. The new mill is over 340 meters long and covers an area of approximately 12,000 square meters. It incorporates a fully automated flowline, the layout of which facilitates greater flexibility with short set-up and lead times, according to Sandvik. A fully integrated computer control system ensures optimum utilization of the automated production process.
Prior to its opening, Sandvik has invested in excess of 120,000 hours of dedicated operator training to ensure that the advanced manufacturing is handled precisely and the plant is operated at optimum efficiency.
The mill also incorporates the latest in energy-efficiency programs and recycling capabilities, including the capture and recycling of heat from the manufacturing processes to provide energy for heating the mill and energy-efficient lighting throughout.
