The new high-performance hot strip mill of HBIS Laoting Iron & Steel Co. Ltd., China, has been operating under full production conditions. HBIS group, a leading steel producer in China, can now produce a wide range of high-quality flat steel products at Laoting on a modern high-performance hot strip mill.
The rolling mill supplied by SMS group (www.sms-group.com) is designed for an annual capacity of 4.1 million tons of hot rolled coils with a maximum width of 1,900 millimeters and final thicknesses ranging from 1.2 to 25.4 millimeters. The wide product mix covers low-alloyed carbon steels, high-strength automotive grades, weathering-resistant structural steel, pipe grades, boiler and pressure vessel grades, ship building steel and steel for heavy structures in bridge building.
The new hot strip mill features latest equipment, such as a slab sizing press at the entry of the roughing mill, which allows width reductions of up to 350 millimeters, enabling swift and efficient responding to customer requests using slabs on stock and more effective production planning in the upstream steel plant.
The two roughing mill stands assure high production flexibility and, in combination with the edger attached to the second roughing stand, tightest width tolerances.
The seven-stand finishing mill, designed for maximum roll forces of 52 MN (F1-F4) and 40 MN (F5-F7), respectively, is equipped with hydraulic screwdown and bending systems to assure compliance with the tightest thickness and profile tolerances.
High-precision adjustment of the strip profile, contour and flatness is performed by the proven CVC®plus system (Continuously Variable Crown) with integrated work roll bending.
A latest-generation laminar cooling section arranged at the run-out of the finishing mill boasts the capacity and flexibility to cover a wide range of cooling rates and strategies to set the required mechanical properties within tight tolerances and to fulfill even future market demands.
The flow-controlled higher water rates towards the end of the cooling section enable reliable and repeatable production of multi-phase grades.
The coiling area consists of three down coilers, one of which is a Uni Plus coiler designed to handle high-strength strips of thick gauges.
Thanks to the excellent cooperation throughout the project – even during the commissioning phases which had to take place under the restrictions caused by the Corona pandemic – the new hot strip mill received the full acceptance by HBIS Laoting Iron & Steel so soon. The quality of the produced hot strip coils is excellent, contributing to business success of HBIS group.
