Metals Technologies (MT), a division of the Siemens Group Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S), recently received an order from Shougang Jingtang United Iron and Steel Co. to supply the electrical engineering equipment for three new strip-treatment lines. The order is valued at approximately EUR 18 million.
As part of the contract, Siemens will provide basic and process automation and all of the drive systems for a continuous-annealing line and two hot-dip-galvanizing lines. The project includes the first application of Sinamics type speed-controlled drive systems in a Chinese steelworks.
Shougang Jingtang is moving its production facilities from Peking to a new location not far from Tianjin as part of its effort to improve the local environmental situation. The company is currently building a new 1.5 million tonne/year steel production complex on an artificial peninsula near Caofeidian. From 2009 onwards, the new facility will produce structural steel, white goods and starting material for the regional automotive industry.
The new treatment lines—an 830,000 tonne/year annealing line, a 462,000 tonne/year hot-dip-galvanizing line, and a 339,000 tonne/year hot-dip-galvanizing line—will be used to process low-alloy and cold-rolled carbon steels for high-quality car body parts, among other applications.
For these new lines, Siemens will supply all of the drive systems as well as the basic and process automation, including the technological controllers for the built-in sizing stand and the galvanizing line stretcher levelers. Altogether, 750 main and auxiliary drives based on three-phase technology will be installed, with Sinamics drive systems being used for the first time in a Chinese steelworks. These drives are characterized feature a compact design, low noise emission, uniform parameterization for the entire product line, and ease of maintenance. The treatment lines are also to be equipped with HMI devices with user-friendly process and plant diagnostic functions.
Automation, which will be carried out with the help of the “Siroll PL” automation concept for strip-treatment plants, will be based on Simatic S7 programmable controllers. To simplify commissioning and maintenance, standardized application modules will be used for programming. The flatness-control system at the sizing stand uses the contactless “Siflat” flatness-measuring system, which makes it possible to ensure compliance within the tight tolerances required by customers in the automotive industry without damaging the strip surface.
For all three lines, Siemens will also be responsible for supervision of the installation and commissioning work as well as worker training. The annealing line will be installed by a consortium comprising SMS Demag AG, Düsseldorf, and Stein-Heurtey, Paris. The two hot-dip galvanizing installations will be provided by a consortium consisting of the Belgian company CMI, Seraing, and Drever International.
The treatment lines are scheduled to start production in the spring of 2009.
Shougang Jingtang is a joint-venture company of Shougang Corp. and Tangshan Iron & Steel Co.
Metals Technologies (MT), a division of the Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) Group, is one of the world's leading engineering and plant-building companies for the iron and steel industry as well as for the flat-rolling sector of the aluminum industry and for open-cast mining. MT, which was created from the integration of Voest-Alpine Industrieanlagenbau, Linz/Austria, plus the electrical engineering product business and automation solutions of Siemens, provides a comprehensive range of supplies and services for all related technological processes and integrated automation solutions for the entire life-cycle of metallurgical plants.
The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) is the integrator of systems and solutions for industrial and infrastructure facilities and global service provider for the plant and projects business covering planning, installation, operation and the entire life cycle. I&S uses its own products and systems and process technologies in order to enhance productivity and improve competitiveness of companies in the sectors of metallurgy, water treatment, pulp and paper, oil and gas, marine engineering, open-cast mining, airport logistics, postal automation, intelligent traffic systems and industrial services.