Engineers and technicians from Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA) put into operation in late April a new BOF converter in the Steel 1 project, developed with an investment of 44.6 million pesos (US$3.7 million) in the production schedule for this year. Upon completion of hot and cold testing, AHMSA will launch the first operational year of the new oven, with a capacity of 80 tons of liquid steel per heat.
Manufactured by Siemens VAI in the Czech Republic, the BOF converter was shipped in Linz, Austria to the port of Altamira, Tamaulipas and then transported by truck to Monclova and deposited in an area adjacent to the BOF in January to replace one that reached the end of its useful life. The assembly and installation was completed in recent weeks under the supervision of engineers and Siemens VAI AHMSA.
With this new converter, the BOF completed the project of replacing the three casting units over the last five years with a total investment of over 100 million pesos (US$8.2 million).