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Siemens to Modernize Hot Rolling Equipment for two European Producers

12/04/2007 - Siemens will renew the drive systems in Rautaruukki Oyj’s hot strip mill at Raahe Works in Finland, and will also upgrade the roughing mill of Severstal’s hot rolling mill in Cherepovets.

Siemens has been contracted to modernize the electrical and mechanical equipment in two European hot rolling mills, including a renewal of the drive systems in Rautaruukki Oyj’s facility at Raahe works in Finland. Siemens will also equip the roughing mill of Severstal’s hot rolling mill in Cherepovets with new hydraulic screwdown systems for an edger and new automation. The objective of both modernization projects is to improve the productivity and availability of the plants.
 
Rautaruukki Oyj operates an integrated steelworks complex that is, according to Siemens, the most northern facility of its kind in Europe. In its hot strip mill, primarily wear-resistant steels and high-strength structural steels are manufactured, as well as steel strips for the lifting-, handling- and transportation industries. Rautaruukki has gradually modernized and expanded the Raahe works hot strip mill in recent years, leading up to the current project in which Siemens will renew the main drives for the roughing mill as well as parts of the finishing mill (stands F4 to F6) with new converter units. Siemens will also replace the edger and screwdown drives of the roughing stand will be replaced by Simoreg DC Master converters. Electrical installation and commissioning will be realized in several steps starting in March 2008, with project completion scheduled for November 2008.
 
Severstal, the second-largest flat steel producer in Russia, has an annual production output of six million tonnes from its Hot Strip Mill No. 2, most of which is input material for the downstream cold rolling mills and strip processing lines, with some tonnage also going to direct export. For Severstal’s hot strip mill expansion, Siemens will provide new power-supply systems for the drives of the five roughing mill stands, hydraulic edger screwdown systems, and more-powerful motors for Edger No. 1. Siemens will also install a completely new basic and process automation system for the roughing mill, including process models. Aimed at increasing the yield of material from the rolling mill and improving the overall production flow in the factory, the upgraded hot mill is scheduled to be commissioned in February 2009.
 
Metals Technologies (MT), a Division of the Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S), is one of the world’s leading engineering and plant-building companies for the iron and steel industry as well as for the flat-rolling sector of the aluminum industry and for open-cast mining. MT, which was created from the integration of Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau, Linz, Austria, and the electrical engineering product business and automation solutions of Siemens, provides a comprehensive range of supplies and services for all related technological processes and integrated automation solutions for the entire life-cycle of metallurgical plants.
 
The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) is the integrator of systems and solutions for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation, operation and the entire life cycle. I&S uses its own products and systems and process technologies in order to enhance productivity and improve competitiveness of companies in the sectors of metallurgy, water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, marine engineering, open-cast mining, airport logistics, postal automation, intelligent traffic systems and industrial services. In fiscal 2007 (to September 30) I&S employed a total of 37,000 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 8.894 billion, according to U.S. GAAP.