SteelNews.com is a publication created by the Association for Iron and Steel Technology (AIST) for the steel community. We are the leading source for technological and innovative news on the people, producers and suppliers in the North American and international steel communities.

April 2006 — The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) is supplying the electrical and automation systems for the expansion of casting-rolling plants at Baotou Iron and Steel Co., China, and the Malaysian company Megasteel Sdn. Bhd. The orders are worth a total of about EUR eight million. The casting-rolling plants are scheduled to be commissioned in early and mid-2007, respectively.

The Chinese company Baotou Iron & Steel Co. has been operating a combined casting-rolling plant with a nominal capacity of two million tonnes per year since 2001. Improvements in operational procedures have already allowed the achievement of production volumes of up to 2.8 million tonnes per year. The company recently began operation of a tandem mill coupled with a pickling line, which was also equipped by Siemens. The 6-stand finishing line is now being expanded to include a seventh stand, which will facilitate greater flexibility in production, and the manufacture of thinner material. In addition, a roll gap lubrication system, automatic leveling control (ALC) and looper flatness control (LFC) will be retrofitted.

Megasteel Sdn. Bhd. belongs to the Malaysian Lion Group and has operated a similar plant in Kuala Langat, in the state of Selangor, since 1996. It is also expanding its 6-stand finishing line with a seventh stand, and is installing an additional coiler. Siemens is supplying the drives and automation systems for this expansion, and is taking care of the link to the existing automation system for the finishing line.

The main drives used in both plants are synchronous motors with cylindrical rotors, fed by Simovert D cycloconverters. Siemens is also responsible for supervising installation of the equipment, commissioning and customer training.

To date, Siemens has equipped more than 20 casting-rolling plants with electrical and automation systems.

The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) integrates 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.

 Printer-Friendly Version