Posted on 12 Apr 2012
Linz, Austria, 2012-Apr-12
In late 2011, Siemens commissioned a newly installed drive system at the SSAB Americas' plate and steckel mill in Montpelier, Iowa. The order is valued at more than $10 million and includes two Siemens Sinamics SM150 drive systems and synchronous motors to replace the existing equipment at the mill.
!["Aerial]("http://www.siemens.com/press/pool/de/pressebilder/2012/industry/metals-technologies/072dpi/imt201204093-01_072dpi.jpg")
Aerial view of SSAB's production site in Montpelier, Iowa, USA. Siemens supplied new drives for the plate and steckel mill. (Copyright: SSAB)
"In addition to replacing obsolete parts related to the cycloconverter, SSAB wanted a more reliable motor and to reduce maintenance costs associated with the existing equipment," said John Powell, SSAB facilities engineer, electrical and utilities. "Thus, SSAB replaced the motor and drives with a Siemens solution.
"The new Siemens drive system includes innovative software tools, including remote access diagnostic features, which significantly facilitate maintenance and documentation procedures. Siemens' local presence provides more readily available customer service, including spare parts and trained personnel. The power on the mill stands increases from 19 to 21 MW, giving SSAB headroom to improve their rolling operations even further.
"Siemens is certain that SSAB's new drive system will provide invaluable production, availability and service benefits," said Aashish Gupta, vice president, Metals Technologies, Siemens Industry. "We are pleased to be able to continue our working relationship with SSAB." Currently, Siemens is modernizing the continuous annealing line at SSAB's plant in Borl?nge, Sweden, with new drives and automation.
SSAB is a global producer of high strength steels with a leading market position in quenched and tempered steels. SSAB Americas is the leading supplier of heavy plate and strip products in North America and Latin America. The plate and steckel mill at SSAB's integrated production site in Montpelier, Iowa is capable of producing 1.25 million tons of plate and coil per year. Steel is produced using a 150 ton electric arc furnace, treated in the adjacent secondary metallurgy facilities, before being cast to slabs in a single-strand continuous casting machine.
