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By Rodrigo Daniel Barbosa Pires, Sabrina Sadalla Collese, Mauricio Lopes Molina

A eficiência nos fluxos logísticos passou a ser um diferencial para as empresas; uma logística eficiente traz melhorias tanto no nível de atendimento, como na redução de custos e responsividade ao processo. Um dos grandes desafios para as companhias é prever a demanda interna por produto de sua produção alinhada à sazonalidade e ao planejamento de atendimento da movimentação destes materiais entre as áreas produtivas, a fim de assegurar as políticas internas da empresa, regras de segurança, além da necessidade de otimizar o processo e reduzir custos. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo comparar o modelo sem tecnologia e o modelo implementado com novas tecnologias referentes às movimentações internas de materiais da usina, fomentando as problemáticas no processo, os desafios de implementação das tecnologias, bem como os benefícios alcançados.

Oct 1, 2019

By Sihai Jiao, Xiaoming Xia, Bo Yan

Checkered plate, which is also known as floor plate, has a raised pattern that provides excellent skid resistance for a wide range of applications, such as flooring, walkways, platforms, stair treads, covers, etc. As one of most common products, carbon steel checkered plate is used in low strength with a large thickness margin for corrosion and costs a lot in corrosion resistance treatment and maintenance. Although austenitic stainless steel checkered plate meets the requirements of general corrosion resistance, it is also hard to provide a highly comprehensive performance for its low yield strength, which mean higher thickness, higher weight, lower stability of structure. Combined the advantages of stainless steel and carbon structural steel, a roll-bonded clad checkered plate with high performance in skid resistance, high strength and corrosion resistant is developed. The metallography shows metallurgically bonded interfaces. Both external and internal bending at room temperature can be done successfully done without any cracks. The yield strength is also significantly improved. Therefore, roll-bonded clad checkered plate is superior in microstructure, strength, ductility and workability. An application case on a pulverized coal injection platform in an iron-making plant, is also introduced to show the way of processing and installation. After two years of installation on the platform, the product still keeps the original appearance. It implies that the developed plate could keep the facilities functions with much less or no maintenance and make them much safer.

Oct 1, 2019

By Lara de Assis Moreira, Vinicius Thiago Lecco Rampinelli

The energy efficiency of reheating furnaces is a continuous challenge, as these equipment consume a representative portion of the total fuel of an integrated steel plant. Therefore, any investigation and implementation which brings improvement in this figure become an important issue for the mill competitiveness. In the case of production delays due to external factors (the condition addressed in this work), whether predicted or unforeseen, the slabs remain inside the furnace with high temperatures in order to avoid production delay during the production restart, elevating the specific consumption and scale formation. This work increased the energy efficiency of the two ArcelorMittal Tubarão’s walking beam reheating furnaces, by reducing the consumption of mixed gas during production delays (either scheduled or not) lasting less than 3 hours. The objectives were achieved through improvements, among them, tuning of Level 2 automation system parameters, automatization of procedures and operational training. The work resulted in a 34.4% fuel gas consumption reduction during the delays.

Oct 1, 2019

By Lorenzo Bacchetti

Automatic yards with ad-hoc WMS (Warehouse management software), are the key for a modern and efficient warehousing which can face today logistic challenges. WMS boosts the traceability of material while optimizing the storage space. The operations in the yard are safer and logically organized according to algorithms that are specifically adjusted case by case. WMS can easily handle multi-cranes yard avoiding conflicts and increasing accuracy of positioning with decreased number of movements. The synergy of automatic cranes and WMS reduces bottlenecks and speeds up the preparation of deliveries with an overall improvement of warehousing and shipping scheduling.

Oct 1, 2019

By Peter Fajfa, Heinz Palkowski, Jakob Kraner, Matjaž Godec

The study of asymmetric rolling on the AA 5454 aluminium alloy plates was carried out. The plates were taken directly from the industrial hot rolled sheet. They were cold rolled on the laboratory mill with different rotation speed of the upper and the lower work roller with the strains around 33 % and 44 %. To get closer to the industrial conditions the maximal dimensions of the rolled plates for laboratory rolling mill and the special industrial lubricant were used. After deformation the plates were annealed to the soft condition. This research was focused on all possible effects of asymmetric rolling: The reduction of rolling force, the increase of strain at same set roll gap, bending of workpiece, finer microstructure, more heterogeneous textures and as a consequence of that better mechanical properties. The asymmetric rolling with favourable mechanisms in the deformation zone has created the material with the homogeneous hardness in the cross section and with lower anisotropy, which is crucial for improvement of formability properties of aluminium work hardened alloys and to get closer to properties of steels. In the presented paper the general impact and different effects of speed difference of rollers was investigated on cold rolled aluminium alloy. Obtained and analysed results explain the function of asymmetry in rolling process and the options to implement the asymmetric rolling in industrial plant.

Oct 1, 2019

By Luiz Bruno de Oliveira Araujo, Luciano Morais Teixeira, Luiz Gustavo Pedrosa de Melo, Altair Lúcio de Souza

The off-line simulation of the metallurgical process in an industrial line brings several benefits such as: evaluation of the influence of the main parameters that affect the results of the process, comparison between different set ups, greater assertiveness in operational adjustments, process optimization and reduction tests for development of new products. With this objective, a software for offline simulation of the hot strip mill process of Gerdau Ouro Branco was developed based on the logic of calculations implemented in the online model. The software results in important process variables such as mill pass scale, load, torque, and power at each pass, temperature and the hot mean flow stress of the simulated material. During rolling mill process the strip presents different temperatures and time between passes for different points along the length, which directly influences the hot strength of the product and consequently in the calculated variables, thus the calculations executed by the software were divided to three points of the strip, head, body and tail bringing the individual results to each of these positions.

Oct 1, 2019

By Ronaldo Esteves Ribeiro, Jefferson Felipe Faria Clemente, Carlos Victor Francisco dos Santos, José Herbert Dolabela da Silveira

n recent years, the market for thick plates has been highly competitive, in this scenario the plates quality is a critical success factor. In this process, the quality of the cut in thick plates is one of the important requirements for the customers, by the visual aspect as well as the technical aspect of the plate application. In the shear line, the cutting is done by shearing to trim tips, subdivide plates, trim side edges, remove samples, eliminate defects, etc. The cut is obtained by the penetration of the upper knife in the plate, causing plastic deformation in a certain region and hardening. If the clearance between the knives is adequate, the cracks will be close to the centre of the plate thickness and will result in a good cut quality. This work will present the theory of cutting of thick plates, the types of shearing, the quality of the edge in the cut, the types and the main characteristics of the knives.

Oct 1, 2019

By Karl K. Bagger, Felipe Bertelli

The competitive scenario of steel industry requires studies and developments to improve manufacturing processes focusing on increasing productivity and reducing costs. The practice of coating rolls for cold rolling with the chrome aims to increase the rolling campaign, reducing their wear by increasing the surface hardness, which guarantees a greater homogeneity in the surface of the rolled products. The present paper presents a study on the effect of the chromium coat on a forged steel rolls on the wettability of a SkinPass solution. The hardness of the coated layer and the contact angle were measured for two concentrations of solution on two types of surfaces, comparing the coated and uncoated surfaces. The results show that there is an influence of the coating on the wettability of the fluid when comparison are made with chrome coated and uncoated materials, being verified through tests in Goniometer. The productivity of the coated rolls showed higher productivity than the uncoated ones.

Oct 1, 2019

By Sebastien Maillard, Stephane Georges, Thomas Vallee, Stanislas Mauuary

Steel strip manufacturing ever reinvents proposing new grades, requiring to tackle technical limitations of production systems. Primetals Technologies breaks through strip welding by expanding the welder LW21L “Asolid” technology used on low gauges for high-end market such as automotive CAL/CGL. Addressing the usual drawbacks in maintenance, operation and safety of current welding system based on mechanical cutting and CO2 laser welding, the newly developped LW21H “Asolid” technology processes thicker strips up to 7 mm with solid-state laser cutting and welding. This new welder is brought to reality through a scale 1:1 pilot developed, manufactured and tested in Primetals Technologies workshop.

Oct 1, 2019

By Delvaux Carlos de Miranda Sobrinho, Hegler Zurick Arantes Assunção, Marco Venicio Mendonça de Souza, Luciano Toledo Ribeiro

This paper aims to present the development of a 600mm U-Pile that was done in Gerdau’s Ouro Branco Heavy Section Mill in order to feed the local market with a product.The focus of this study is to show the developmental process the Mill went through until it was prepared for hot trials. All roll pass and guide designs were developed by our own team. Analytical tools like Finite Element Analysis and reduced scale lead trials will be shown and how these tools impacted on the development timeframe and accuracy of the final results on steel.

Oct 1, 2019

By Breno Totti Maia, Rubia Teodoro Silva, Daniel A. G. de Carvalho, Aline Lima da Silva, Gilvan Nascimento de Souza

Para a maior eficiência na técnica conhecida como Slag Splashing, empregada com fins de manutenção e reparo de refratários de convertedor LD, a escória deve apresentar características apropriadas em termos de viscosidade e fração de sólidos. No presente trabalho, desenvolveu-se uma metodologia híbrida, combinando a utilização de padrões para a caracterização visual de escórias na planta, baseada em critérios de atribuição de notas, com a simulação termodinâmica usando o software FactSage para determinação das fases presentes na escória, quantificação de fração de sólidos e cálculo da viscosidade efetiva. A metodologia proposta permite identificar os quadrantes ideais de viscosidade efetiva, fração de sólidos e teor de ferro total, de modo que se possa garantir escórias com notas altas, apresentando qualidade apropriada para o processo. Os resultados indicam que as escórias com nota 3 (ótima) são obtidas nas seguintes condições: temperatura de fim de sopro de 1690-1720ºC, viscosidade efetiva na faixa de 0,070-0,650 Pa.s, fração de sólidos de 13-22%, teor de ferro total na escória de 14-17,5%..

Oct 1, 2019

By Eustáquio Vieira Júnior, Welder Gomes Gonçalves

Os altos-fornos podem apresentar ocorrências de arrombamento e/ou avermelhamentos dos algaravizes, e esses têm como conseqüências: alto risco na integridade dos conjuntos joelhos/algaravizes, resultando em baixa segurança operacional; elevação brusca da temperatura interna dos algaravizes, causando avermelhamentos e/ou arrombamentos recorrentes por desgaste acentuado do revestimento refratário; necessidade de paradas emergenciais; necessidade de troca dos conjuntos de algaravizes por desgaste acentuado do perfil refratário. Uma possível causa relacionada com essas ocorrências pode ser a combustão no interior do algaraviz do carvão que foi injetado pelas lanças, causando desgaste do revestimento refratário e conseqüentemente avermelhamento e/ou arrombamento do conjunto. Para evitar esse tipo de ocorrência foi instalado sistema de monitoramento de fenomenos na zona de combustão. Esse sistema trabalha como complemento do diferencial de pressão dos algaravizes e o anel de vento. Nesse trabalho, são mostradas as características do sistema de monitoramento e suas particularidades e os resultados alcançados após a implantação dos sistemas no que se refere aos danos em conjuntos de sopro.

Oct 1, 2019

By Bruno Alves Resende, Antonio Adel dos Santos

Temperature, microstructure and dimensions are the main material parameters to be controlled during hot rolling of steel. Although thermal mathematical models have long been developed and applied for hot strip rolling, each Hot Strip Mill (HSM) must have its own model adapted to its facilities. Thus, a mathematical model for temperature evolution during rough rolling has been developed for the Usiminas HSM at Ipatinga Plant. The model achieved a high level of accuracy, which was assessed by comparing measured values of temperature at the hot strip mill entry with the calculated ones, the difference ranging from 9°C to 17°C. Application examples have shown that the slab can be occasionally stopped before start of rolling for as long as a couple of minutes without compromising its further processing. On the other hand, if the transfer bar stops after rough rolling even for short time, further processing in the HSM can be hindered, due to excessive temperature drop. In case of such abnormal line stop, the model can be used as a tool for decision-making to either continuing the planned rolling schedule or to changing the route, thus improving the overall rolling process.

Oct 1, 2019

By Janaina Gonçalves Maria da Silva Machado, Carlos Mateus Braga de Almeidar, Leandro Miranda Nascimento

Knowing the reduction of the concentration of iron in the mineral load extracted in the last decades and, therefore, greater need for comminution processes, there is no denying that iron ores tend to get increasingly thin for steelmakers. In Reactors such as Blast Furnace and others of fusion-reduction, where the reduction of the iron ore for the metallic iron for the steel production occurs, we observed that one of the alternatives is to agglomerate the raw materials in the form of briquettes, improving the kinetics of the chemical reactions, since ores in the form of fines impair factors such as the permeability required for reduction. These agglomerates are composed of a reducer, fines of ferrous materials and a binder material, and require, in addition to satisfactory Metallization, mechanical resistance, avoiding losses when the compound is fragmented during transport or during its deposition in the Steel Reactor. In the following work, Briquettes were produced with Charcoal, Pellet Feed, Molasses Cane and Hydrated Lime. The mixtures were pressed under different conditions of Pressure (1, 2 and 3 tons-force), and pressing time (20 , 60 and 100 seconds), aiming to analyze the influence of these two variables on the drop tests, mechanical resistance of the briquettes generated.

Oct 1, 2019

By Mirko Jurkovic, Thomas Hueper, Jens Kempken

The high competition scenario pushes the steel producers business. Zero defect requirements from customers force the operators for additional efforts in process control and quality management. PQA® has been developed as an advanced process and quality management assurance solution. It is focusing on the analysis of process data, equipment information, inline quality measurement devices and trend analysis. The paper describes the structure of the advanced process and quality management assurance solution PQA®; it gives insights on the expert know-how, process and quality evaluation and points out the benefits like cost reduction, improvement yield and customer satisfaction increase.

Oct 1, 2019

By Pierre Montmitonnet, Yukio Shigaki, Jonatas Mezêncio Silva

A precise roll stack deformation model of a flat rolling mill is crucial for strip profile assessment as it depends strongly on the roll’s deformation. The need for more and more advanced products with stringent both geometrical and mechanical tolerances (e.g., Advanced High Strength Steels – AHSS), with thinner and harder steel strips, demands more advanced simulation models. The present paper addresses assumptions made in Finite Element Method (FEM)-based roll stack models on some important, yet barely discussed features: What is the impact on precision of the simplifications such as symmetry and anti-symmetry? Should roll neck boundary conditions in bearings be considered as fixed or simply supported? In this paper a hybrid model developed by the authors for a general flat rolling mill is used to assess those questions. This model runs much faster (100x in some cases) than a whole-FEM-modeled 6-high rolling mill with the elastoplastic strip deformation, thanks to its simplifications adopted. This model assumes a steady state rolling condition, and the roll stack is modeled with tridimensional finite elements, and the loads are calculated via a slab method adopting a plane strain state for the strip deformation (especially true for thin strips). An industrial 6-high cold rolling mill is modeled and results on the application of symmetries and different boundary conditions on the roll’s necks are presented. It is concluded that the application of symmetries and anti-symmetries for the 6-high rolling mill is possible for thin strips. And the way the necks are modeled does not impact on the final strip shape, though it influences the magnitude of the roll’s displacement. The coupling of the strip with the work roll applied assuming a symmetry plane of the arc of contact has little influence on the strip shape.

Oct 1, 2019

By Antonio Augusto Gorni, Kenji Camey, José Herbert Dolabela da Silveira

Recently several studies have been developed on the use of microalloyed steels with low Mn content (below 1%) in the controlled rolling of heavy plates for the manufacture of pipes. However, this novel concept of alloy has peculiarities in its thermomechanical processing. Lower Mn contents should lead to the acceleration of NbCN precipitation kinetics during rolling, leading to a reduction in the soluble Nb content in austenite that delays its recrystallization by drag effect. This fact, plus the heavy and fast passes applied under virtually isothermal conditions in a heavy plate rolling mill with high power, increases the risk of partial recrystallization during the finishing stage of the controlled rolling, since strain hardening of austenite becomes significant and the interaction between precipitation and recrystallization is increasingly delayed. The objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of mean flow stress during the finishing stage of controlled rolling in these low Mn, high Nb microalloyed steels, in order to better understand the metallurgical mechanisms acting during this process and identify conditions that allow full compliance with the requirements of this product class.

Oct 1, 2019

By Juliano Braz Possatti, José Fagundes Júnior

This project involved a teamwork including process control, maintenance and operation specialists, R&D and CTO experts to identify and actuate on each opportunity to increase charging temperature, furnace efficiency, decrease discharging temperature when possible, decrease FM and RM cycle time (mainly speed increase and interpass time decrease), tracking zones optimization, safe use of equipment power limits, safety interlocks revision and tune models for Mill Pacing Control and Slab Design.As result of these efforts, ArcelorMittal Tubarão HSM today occupies a prominent position among the best HSM of similar layout and produced mix of the group and worldwide. This paper will show the path which was followed by the AMT HSM team to achieve more than a 20% productivity increase resulting in a hot coils production per year more than 700 million tons higher.

Oct 1, 2019

By Manfred Hackl, Sergey Bragin, Alois Seilinger

The demand for hot rolled strip is growing in multiple ways. To remain competitive, new and existing mills must meet arisen challenges in the best possible way. The production of hot strip is a key element of steel production. Since close to half of all steel produced is hot-rolled to strip, mills require maximum throughput and availability combined with geometrical precision and the ability to create optimum material properties. Today there is a clear trend in developing new steel grades with high-strength and improved formability, like 3rd generation AHSS (Advanced High Strength Steels), as well as a trend to produce thinner and wider gauges. This trend challenges hot strip mills because it requires new technologies which provide more flexibility in metallurgical treatment during the rolling process. In order to meet and promote these trends Primetals Technologies is currently working on different concepts and solutions. One example is the development of a new mill stand technology Flex-HI HOT which allows to adapt the last finishing mill stands by efficiently switching from 4-high to a 6-high mode with small work roll diameter based on production needs. Another solution is to apply a permanent 6-high rolling stand at the end of the finishing train. A smaller work roll diameter allows to achieve higher specific thickness reductions and deformation rates resulting in significant thinner hot-strip gauges with valuable metallurgical benefits. The developed solution concepts with technological and metallurgical benefits will be presented in this paper.

Oct 1, 2019

By D. A. Aranda-Regino, C. Gómez-de-la-Garza, J. Ramírez-Cuellar, L. A. Leduc-Lezama

The Pickling Line Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) at Ternium’s Pesqueria plant with a 5 stands, 6 high configuration started in 2013. At the time of the start up the work roll specification and grinding practices were stablished following a low risk policy to be able to sustain any start-up associated accident. Once a stable operation has been achieved both these policies are being modified to improve productivity and reduce costs. The specified hardness of the rolls has been increased and efforts are being made to optimize the grinding according to the rolling campaign length and materials. The fatigue damage in work rolls, after rolling and its removal by grinding was followed by hardness measurements made at the end of the rolling campaign and after grinding. Softening of the rolls after rolling was found mainly in final stands to be related to the averaged stress experienced during the campaign, the original roll hardness was recovered after grinding. Hardness evolution was also followed after each grinding step finding that the total amount of grinding could be reduced. The grinding practice was modified accordingly for the first stands and the yield of work rolls in them has improved.

Oct 1, 2019