ArcelorMittal, Ghent
Renovation for final rolling group at Ghent hot-rolling mill
With increasing pressure on the automotive industry to reduce CO2 emissions from cars, demand is growing for thinner steel plates with higher strength and good formability. The Consultancy Services Team helped ArcelorMittal with the step-by-step introduction of a new final rolling group that can roll 36mm slabs into steel sheets with final thicknesses of between 1.25 and 13mm.
Our on-site consultant was responsible for drafting the specifications, selecting and negotiating with suppliers, monitoring the engineering and communications, project planning and training the production crews.
Stronger steel types require greater rolling forces in the hot-rolling mill, and thus modification of existing rolling machines. ArcelorMittal’s new final rolling line had to meet several requirements: higher rolling forces, primarily in the first two rolling mills, higher drive torques and power of the rolling machines, and better control of the rolling process to ensure continued quality. That means faster basic automation and additional actuators to improve rollability.
Step by step over four years, a new final rolling group with seven coupled rolling machines was built. For 2014, new main engines were installed for four rolling machines. In November 2014, the main engine and gearboxes for the first rolling machine were replaced, and one year later the main engine for the sixth machine had its turn. The two middle rolling machines were also rebuilt, and in November 2016, their roller power was increased. In that same year, we dismantled the first two old rolling machines, and new rolling line was put into use.
"The new line is now capable of successfully processing ultra-high-strength steels."
"Thanks to the new rolling line, up to 150kg of CO2 can be saved per lorry."
