UK-based plantmaker Primetals Technologies has announced that it will supply new technology package for width control at the hot strip mill 1580 of Shanghai-based Chinese steelmaker Baoshan Iron & Steel Group Co. Ltd (Baosteel), as part of Baosteel´s "Intelligent Workshop" pilot project. The aim is to improve the width performance of HSM 1580 and thus reduce the amount of waste material. The new package will be commissioned and tuned during regular production until the end of the current year. No additional shutdowns will be required.
Primetals stated that the reduction of width deviations and elimination of under width is a challenge for hot mill production. Improvements are required to reduce the over width that is necessary to ensure the final width after trimming of the hot rolled band. Hence, it influences the amount of waste material and therefore has a big commercial impact on production.