Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) awarded a major contract to Siemens VAI Metals Technologies GmbH to design, engineer and supply a complete integrated hot-rolling mill on a process turn-key basis.
The new mill will be part of a new advanced specialty metals hot-rolling and processing facility and will be built at ATI Allegheny Ludlum in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. It will be capable of rolling a wide range of stainless steels and other specialty alloys at widths exceeding 2,000 mm. The rolling forces will be the highest ever to be applied in a hot-strip mill. The numerous technological packages to be included in the supply scope will assure that the highest technological demands will be met.
As part of a strategic investment to enhance rolling capabilities, a new advanced specialty metals hot-rolling and processing facility is being constructed at ATI Allegheny Ludlum. Siemens VAI will supply the hot-strip mill for the facility. The integrated facility is designed to produce a product mix for ATI Allegheny Ludlum that includes stainless alloys, grain-oriented electrical steel, titanium and titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys, zirconium alloys and other specialty alloys. Strip, sheet and plate products will be able to be produced on this line.
The project scope for Siemens VAI comprises engineering, manufacture of special components, the supply and installation of mechanical equipment and the electrical and automation systems that include the main and auxiliary motors, drives, basis automation, process automation, manufacturing execution system (MES) and instrumentation. A water-treatment plant will also be provided. The finishing mill will feature SmartCrown rolls in conjunction with L-type bending blocks for superior strip profile and flatness control, long-stroke hydraulic cylinders for automatic gauge control (HAGC), advanced work-roll cooling and work-roll lubrication. The cooling headers can be flow-controlled on the basis of the output from the Siemens VAI microstructure target cooling model. Additional highlights include the mill's capability to handle and roll both slabs and ingots in the roughing mill. Supervisory services for erection, start-up and commissioning in addition to customer training round off Siemens VAI's scope of supply.