Posted on 22 Jul 2010
New Process Boosts Productivity at ThyssenKrupp Acciai Speciali Terni
ThyssenKrupp Acciai
Speciali Terni in Italy says it is now one of only a few stainless steel mills
worldwide to use innovative “S-6-high” rolling technology integrated on strip
processing lines.
Following
installation at the beginning of 2010 and completion of the ramp-up phase, the
new two-stand rolling mill is now running at full capacity. It is positioned in
the entry zone to the hot strip annealing and pickling line (LAC 10) and
features small-diameter, laterally supported work rolls. The specific
configuration of the stand is said to enable cold reductions up to 50% on the
incoming black strip.
This method combines
several processing steps in the stainless steel production process; tandem cold
rolling, hot strip annealing and pickling are now integrated in the existing LAC
10 line, which eliminates the need for intermediate annealing.
ThyssenKrupp Acciai
Speciali Terni says it can now market a product whose microstructure, mechanical
properties, and geometric tolerances are virtually the same as a standard
cold-rolled strip. This new product, called 2E-Finish (cold rolled, annealed,
blasted, pickled, stretch leveled), is a lower-cost alternative to conventional
2D/2B (cold rolled, annealed, pickled/skin passed) finishes for some
applications, the company claims.
The technology also
allows hot strip to be produced in a greater range of sizes, according to
ThyssenKrupp, and the process chain for cold strip is shortened through the
combined rolling and annealing of hot strip. The reduction in hot strip
thickness is also said to provide the hot rolling mill greater flexibility,
resulting in increased productivity.
The S-6-high process
is capable of producing cold rolled and annealed coils in 2D finish (cold
rolled, annealed, pickled) directly from the LAC10 by a double passage on the
line.
“Our customers also
profit directly from these technical innovations: The more compact production
cycle shortens our delivery times and distinctly improves strip thickness and
flatness tolerances,” said Alessandro Segala, head of the Metallurgy and
Innovations department at ThyssenKrupp Acciai Speciali Terni. “This 6-S-high
process is the state-of-the-art in terms of process development. It has enabled
us to significantly strengthen our competitive position.”
