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Siemens to Supply Rolling Mill Equipment for Tonghua Iron and Steel

03/03/2008 - Siemens Metals Technologies will supply equipment to Tonghua Iron and Steel Group in northeast of China, including the complete automation for a new hot strip mill, and the main drives and the automation for a new cold mill.

Siemens Metals Technologies has received orders to supply equipment to state-owned Tonghua Iron and Steel Group for two projects in the north-east of China. Siemens will supply the complete automation for a new hot strip mill, and the main drives and the automation for a new cold mill.
 
The hot strip mill and cold mill are part of an ongoing investment program at Tonghua’s four million tonne/year production complex in the Jilin province. Up to now, the main products from this facility were structural steel and special steels for a wide variety of applications; high-quality flat products will be added following the facility’s expansion projects.
 
Siemens is already supplying special equipment for a new hot-galvanizing line that is currently being built at the facility. In the course of completion of the flat production upgrade, Tonghua will build a 1600-mm hot strip mill with a scheduled capacity of 1.5 million tonnes/year, and a reversing two-stand cold mill with an 800,000 tonnes/year capacity.
 
For the hot strip mill, Siemens will supply the automation ranging from the furnace exit side to the down coilers, including all technological controls and process models required for mill setup, short stroke and width control, profile and flatness control, and the accurate cooling of the steel strip.
 
For the cold mill, Siemens will supply the technology essential for operating of the 6-high mill stands as well as main drives and automation. A central feature will be the thickness control system that is based on an advanced mass-flow concept and will ensure that product achieves the tight tolerances required by customers, e. g. in the automotive and household industry. The automation system includes an online rolling process control feature that calculates set-points based on analytical mathematical models during ongoing production. These set-points serve as the operating parameters for the rolling process. Self-learning neuronal networks carry out fine adaptation of the models to the respective production conditions, thus enabling flexible production planning. Rolling in fully automatic mode is enabled by optimized interaction of exact process models and the fast-acting closed-loop control system. According to Siemens, automatic rolling, which helps to minimize time and material losses, is an essential prerequisite for the efficient operation of such plants.
 
Siemens will equip both mills on the basis of the successful “Siroll” concept. Its modular design and the high degree of standardization help to provide short start-up times and a safe, maintenance-friendly operation. The Siroll technology will encompass technological control systems along with all the process automation, including a pickling model and the rolling process models.
 
Siemens will also supervise assembly and installation of all the components, in addition to training and commissioning. Mechanical and electrical equipment will be supplied by Chinese firms, with wide use of Siemens components and systems. The two projects are scheduled for completion by the end of 2009.
 
The Siemens Industry Sector is a leading international suppler of production, transportation and building systems. The Sector comprises six Divisions: Building Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility, Drive Technologies and Osram. In fiscal 2007 (ended September 30), Siemens Industry generated sales of around €40 billion (pro forma, unconsolidated) with approximately 209,000 employees worldwide.
 
With the business activities of Siemens VAI Metal Technologies, Austria, Siemens Water Technologies, Warrendale, Pa., and Industry Technologies, Germany, the Siemens Industry Solutions Division (IS) is one of the world's leading solution and service providers for industrial and infrastructure facilities. Using its own products, systems and process technologies, IS develops and builds plants for end customers, commissions them and provides support during their entire life cycle.