Jan 3 2006
The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) has received an order from Beijing Shougang Co., Ltd., to supply the electrical equipment for an annealing line and for two hot-dip galvanizing lines. This includes the basic and process automation as well as all the drives. The processing lines are part of a new production complex which is presently being constructed north-east of Beijing. The value of the order is around 20 million euros and the processing lines are scheduled to start production in spring 2008. This means that, at the new Shougang mill, the production systems of the whole process chain – from cold rolling to strip processing – will be equipped with electrical and automation systems from Siemens.
With an annual production capacity of around 8.5 million tonnes of crude iron and steel, Shougang is the third largest steel producer in China. Within the framework of measures to improve environmental protection in large conurbations, the company is moving production facilities from the city area of Beijing to a new location to the north east of the Chinese capital. The new production complex will have a capacity of over 1.7 million tonnes per year and will mainly produce input material for the local automotive industry in the region. The new strip processing lines, including an annealing line with a capacity of 950,000 tonnes per year and two hot-dip galvanizing lines each for 415,000 tonnes of cold strip per year, will be used for processing low-alloyed, cold-rolled carbon steels for high-quality car body parts.
For the new lines, Siemens is supplying all the drive systems as well as the basic and process automation, including the technological control systems for the built-in skin-pass mill stand and the stretch leveler. All the main and auxiliary drives are based on AC technology. In addition, the projects include HMI equipment with user-friendly process and plant diagnostic functions. Automation will be provided in the form of the “Siroll PL” automation concept for strip processing lines on the basis of Simatic S7 programmable controllers. Standard application modules will be widely used for programming. This will facilitate commissioning and maintenance.
Flatness will be controlled at the skin-pass mill stand of the annealing line by means of the “Siflat” contactless flatness measurement system. This system reliably ensures that narrow tolerances – especially demanded by customers in the automotive industry - are not exceeded and that no damage is done to the surface of the strip, for example due to scratching.
For all three lines, Siemens will also be responsible for supervision of installation work, commissioning and customer training. The annealing line will be set up by a consortium consisting of Siemens, SMS-Demag AG, Düsseldorf, Germany, and Drever International, Liège, Belgium. The two hot-galvanizing lines will be built in a consortium with CMI, Seraing, Belgium, and Drever International.
Among the main reasons why Siemens was awarded the contract were the latter's technological competence in the area of strip processing lines and Siemens' local presence in Beijing. Both factors ensure that the projects will be conducted in close proximity to the customer and that the installations will be looked after efficiently after commissioning has been completed.