Baoshan Iron & Steel (Baosteel) has awarded SMS Siemag a contract for the modernization of its hot strip mill no. 1 in Shanghai, China. The order comprises the supply of a new slab sizing press and primary descaler as well as the revamp of a roughing stand. The modernization is designed to increase the production of both the hot strip mill and the continuous caster and to allow the two production stages to be more flexibly coordinated.

With an edging force of 22,000 kN, the slab sizing press will reduce the slab width by up to 350 mm in one pass. By setting the slab width before rolling, Baosteel can reduce the number of casting sizes in the caster and thus gain more flexibility in the compilation of the rolling schedules. Moreover, the casting of slabs with increased average width will increase the output of the continuous caster.

The slab sizing press will be set up at the location of the existing primary descaler. For this reason, the new high-pressure descaler will be arranged between the last two reheating furnaces.

In the roughing mill, Baosteel will replace the drive train of millstand R2. For this, SMS Siemag will supply two new slipper-type spindles. By raising the drive torques, Baosteel will save a number of passes for many products and thus increase their output. Further, SMS Siemag will also supply the engineering for a new housing for edger E2.

The hot strip mill revamp will take place in two phases. The new descaler will be installed in the summer of 2013. A roller table bridge will be set up at the place of the disassembled descaler, thereby allowing foundation work for the new sizing press to proceed while production is under way. Installation and commissioning of the sizing press will then follow in the summer of 2014.

Baosteel’s 2,050-mm wide hot strip mill no. 1 started to operate in 1989 and since then has produced more than 100 million t of hot strip. SMS Siemag at that time supplied the complete hot strip mill and was thus able to successfully establish itself as a leading supplier in the Chinese market.