Feb. 2006 — The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services (I&S) Group has received an order from Baotou Iron & Steel (Group) Co., Ltd., to supply electrical equipment for a new plate mill that is being constructed. Siemens’ scope of supply includes the automation system and parts of the power and drive systems for the rolling mill. The order is valued at around EUR 11 million.
With its new 1.4 million tonnes/year plate mill, Baotou intends to further expand its product range to include plates with thickness between five and 100 millimeters and widths of up to 3800 millimeters, as required for gas and oil pipelines, pressure vessels and bridge structures. The first extension stage of the rolling mill comprises a reheat furnace, two plate rolling stands, a rapid cooling facility and a hot plate leveler.
For the new plate mill, Siemens will supply the automation system, sensors, AC main drive converters and the dynamic compensation system. Process computers will monitor and control the entire production sequence. The automation system comprises the basic automation, including technological control systems and the HMI equipment. All process parameters will be kept within tight tolerance limits by a combination of analytical process models and neural networks. Functions such as Plan View Control, thermomechanical rolling and the production of plates with variable thickness are also part of the Siemens solution.
The plate mill will also feature a rolling-sequence control system that will enable nested multiple-plate rolling, thus enhancing the productivity of the rolling plant. The system can be adapted flexibly to changes in the range of products or quality requirements, thus safeguarding the original investment. The mill will also utilize a higher-level material tracking system to ensure the smooth flow of materials as well as continuous correlation of plates and process data.
Siemens is also coordinating the engineering work and installation of the electrical equipment for the whole rolling mill. This includes integration of automation packages for the heating furnaces, the rapid cooling facility and the levelers, which will be provided by other suppliers. All the components and systems used are part of "Siroll PM", Siemens' integrated solution for plate mills. In addition, Siemens is responsible for commissioning and customer training. Baotou Iron & Steel will provide — from local production — the majority of the motors and converters, the power distribution system and the transformers, as well as the infrastructural electrical equipment, the reheating furnaces and the finishing shop.
Siemens had previously equipped Baotou's hot rolling mill, as well as the tandem cold mill coupled with a pickling line, which began operation a few months ago.
Commissioning of Baotou’s new plate mill is scheduled for the beginning of 2008. This project is one of ten plate mills equipped by Siemens that are currently in the implementation phase (eight in China and two in India).
Baotou Iron & Steel (Group) operates an integrated iron and steel works, including a compact hot strip mill, in which both long products and flat steel are produced.
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 the electrical and technical products of other Siemens Groups 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. In fiscal 2005 (to September 30) I&S employed a total of 31,700 people worldwide and achieved total sales of EUR 5.390 billion.