Siemens boosts capacity of heat treatment line for plates at AHMSA

• Normalizing line will process 300,000 metric tons of plate per year instead of 200,000

The Mexican steel producer Altos Hornos de México S.A.B de C.V. (AHMSA) has commissioned Siemens Metals Technologies to expand the annual capacity of its planned normalizing line at its Monclova plant to 300,000 metric tons of plate. The line, originally designed for 200,000 metric tons per year had already been ordered from Siemens in October 2013, and was designed for a future increase in capacity. The normalizing line is scheduled to become operational in the third quarter of 2015.

AHMSA operates the largest integrated steelworks in Mexico and is the country’s only producer of heavy plate. The company generates more than 3.8 million metric tons of crude steel every year. The company primarily produces flat rolled steel, including hot- and cold-rolled coils, heavy plates, tin-coated and tin-free sheets, and a variety of heavy sections.

The normalizing line processes carbon steel plates produced by a Steckel rolling mill also supplied by Siemens. Normalizing results in a homogenous, finely grained structure while simultaneously improving the tensile strength, ductility and weldability of the plates. The normalizing line processes plates with thicknesses between 4.5 and 50.8 millimeters and widths of 1,500 to 3,048 millimeters. The plates can be between 3,000 and 16,000 millimeters long. An automatic gantry crane lifts the plates onto the loading table where their length is measured. Following this, they pass through a blasting machine for descaling. Then the plates are brought to the required temperature in a nitrogen atmosphere furnace before being subsequently cooled on a series of cooling tables. At the outgoing end of the line are a marking machine, and a plasma cutter for taking samples. Finally the plates are unloaded with the help of an automatic gantry crane.

Siemens is responsible for engineering the normalizing line, and for delivering key components. The entire electrical equipment including energy distribution and basic automation (Level 1) and process automation (Level 2) also constitute part of the order.

This press release and a press picture is available at www.siemens.com/press/pi/IMT201409683e

(Computer animation of the normalizing line from Siemens installed at AHMSA in Monclova, Mexico).

The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products and solutions for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the Sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency, and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Divisions Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services as well as the Business Unit Metals Technologies.

The Metals Technologies Business Unit (Linz, Austria), part of the Siemens Industry Sector, is one of the world’s leading life-cycle partners for the metallurgical industry. The Business Unit offers a comprehensive technology, modernization, product and service portfolio as well as integrated automation and environmental solutions covering the entire life cycle of plants.

Based on Siemens information