Siemens VAI Metals Technologies has received an order from the Chinese company, Handan Iron&Steel Corporation, to supply the automation and electrical equipment for a new annealing line and two hot galvanizing lines. This includes all the drives plus the basic and process automation systems. The order is worth around 20 million euros. The strip processing lines are part of cold rolling mill No. 2, which is currently being constructed and is scheduled to start production at the end of 2010.
For the three processing lines of the new cold rolling mill, Siemens is supplying all the drive technology and the basic automation, which includes technological control systems for the built-in skin pass mills and stretch levelers as well as measuring and control equipment for strip cleaning and post-treatment. The project also encompasses process automation, control desks and HMI equipment with user-friendly process and plant diagnostic functions. Automation will be completely based on Simatic S7 programmable logic controllers, whereby standardized application modules will be used for actual programming to facilitate commissioning and maintenance. The process automation system and the HMI system for the almost fully automated production plants will contain standard server components with a partially redundant design to enhance plant availability. All the main and auxiliary drives are based on three-phase technology.
In order to ensure a uniformly high product quality, the annealing line is to be fitted with a fully automatic strip surface inspection system (SIAS). In the two hot galvanizing lines, systems from third-party companies will be integrated.
Siemens is also responsible for supervision of the installation work as well as for commissioning, acceptance-test support and customer training.
The annealing line will be built in collaboration with SMS Demag AG, Duesseldorf, Germany, and Drever International S.A., Liège, Belgium, and the two hot galvanizing lines will be installed in conjunction with Drever International and CMI Groupe, which is located in Seraing, Belgium.
Established in Handan in Hebei province in 1958, Handan Iron&Steel Corporation has an annual production of around nine million metric tons of steel. Since the middle of 2008, the company has been part of the Hebei Iron&Steel Group, the leading steel producer in China. The main reasons why the contract was awarded to Siemens were the latter's numerous reference projects for processing lines and the local Siemens presence, which will ensure speedy and efficient after sales services during operation of the plant.