The Chinese steel manufacturer's new plant enables a wide product mix typically achievable only with two conventional pickling lines. The pickling process delivers excellent surface quality with fewer rejects and expands the processing options for coils. The plant can produce ultra-thin silicon steel.
Primetals has received the provisional acceptance certificate (PAC) for the world’s largest push-pull pickling line (PPPL) at HBIS Tangsteel’s steel plant in Laoting, Hebei province, China. The new line processes strip thicknesses from 1.8 to 15 millimeters at speeds up to 200 meters per minute, enabling a wide product mix usually possible only with two conventional continuous pickling lines. Primetals Technologies supplied the complete mechanical, electrical, and automation scope, as well as engineering and advisory services.
According to Primetals, targeted process optimization and the use of state-of-the-art control technology have resulted in outstanding winding quality for steel coils up to and above 12 millimeters thick. This ensures more consistent strip tension control, reduced offsets between layers, and improved edge guidance. The result is higher surface quality, fewer rejects, and more options for further coil processing – a decisive advance for demanding applications in the automotive, construction, and mechanical engineering industries, the company says.
Maximized throughput
The PPPL is supported by an innovative solution for automated analysis and control of the pickling process. Operators now have a comprehensive overview and can manage the process with high precision. The Level 2 automation solution features a sophisticated pickling software model that considers multiple parameters to ensure optimal temperature, pickling levels, flows, and turbulence. This leads to increased throughput, optimized energy use, and reduced pickling fluid consumption.
The line is also equipped with an in-line 4-high single-stand skin-pass mill for enhanced strip flatness control and a turret-head-type side trimmer for thicknesses from 2 to 8 millimeters, ensuring top strip-edge quality.
HBIS Tangsteel is one of the largest state-owned iron and steel enterprises in China. Its main products include hot-rolled and cold-rolled sheet, galvanized sheet, medium and heavy plate, bar, wire, and section products. These products are used in automobiles, appliances, machinery manufacturing, infrastructure, and bridge construction, and are shipped to more than 100 countries worldwide.
Source: Primetals Technologies
