Jul 1 2008
The Siemens Industry Solutions (IS) Division has received an order to supply a new main drive for the finishing stand of ArcelorMittal's plate mill in Galati, Romania. The modernization of the finishing stand is intended to increase the productivity and availability of the rolling mill and lower the maintenance costs. The project is worth several million euros and is scheduled for completion at the end of 2010. In the fall of 2007 Siemens VAI was commissioned by ArcelorMittal to equip the finishing stand with hydraulic cylinders and the associated control systems and to modernize the plate mill's process automation system.
ArcelorMittal's integrated iron and steel complex in Galati has an annual production capacity of around five million metric tons. The company produces high-quality heavy plate, hot-rolled, cold-rolled and galvanized strip as well pipes. Two thirds of the output is exported.
On the heavy plate line, 2.3 million metric tons of steel can be processed per year. For modernization of the finishing stand, Siemens is supplying a twin main drive with cylindrical-rotor synchronous motors fed by cycloconverters. The twin drive has a total rated output of 13 megawatts at 44 revolutions per minute. Simatic TDC is used for closed-loop control tasks. Power equipment such as 110 kV switchgear and converter transformers round off the scope of supply. Siemens is also responsible for installing and commissioning all the systems and components.
Installation of the new main drive represents a further step in the modernization of the Galati plate mill. In October 2007 Siemens VAI won an order to equip the finishing stand with hydraulic cylinders and a hydraulic automatic gauge control (HAGC) package as well as to implement a new process automation system for the entire plate mill area. The solution is based on the Siroll PM platform specially designed for plate mills. The core technological components of the mechanical equipment will be manufactured at the Siemens VAI location in Montbrison, France. This project, which also includes installation supervision and commissioning as well as customer training, is due for completion by the end of 2009.