Aluminum cold mill from SMS Siemag put successfully into operation for wide strips of up to 2,400 millimeters

With the successful commissioning of the cold rolling mill from SMS Siemag, Germany, Henan Yulian Energy Group Co. Ltd. has further extended the rolling mill complex in Gongyi in the Chinese province of Henan and has thus come a great deal closer to its aim of producing high-quality aluminum strip for a wide range of applications.

Henan Yulian now also possesses its own cold rolling capacity, for more than 135,000 tons per year, following the commissioning at the end of 2012 of the hot rolling line, likewise supplied by SMS Siemag. The hot rolling line comprises a roughing stand and a four-stand finishing mill, and was taken over fully into the mill operator's own responsibility in July 2014 after acceptance had been granted. The single-stand cold mill in six-high construction possesses the latest rolling technology from SMS Siemag. With CVC® plus, work-roll and intermediate-roll bending, multi-zone cooling, hot edge spray and dry strip systems, the rolling mill is able to deal with all challenges posed by the manufacture of high-quality aluminum strip. It rolls wide strips in widths up to 2,400 millimeters with final gages of down to 0.15 millimeters.

“The first strip satisfied our expectations regarding the mill to the fullest extent. We are confident that we will be able to continue the good cooperation with our supplier during the further plant run-up and to fully utilize the efficiency of the cold mill.” (Mr. Wang Yuanming, General Manager; Henan Yulian Energy Group Co., Ltd.)

The first coil produced, in aluminum alloy 1xxx, had a strip width of 1,580 millimeters, a strip thickness of 3 millimeters in the entry section and a thickness of 2 millimeters in the exit section. The coil diameter was 2,200 millimeters.

Henan Yulian Energy Group made use of the intensive training in the digital workshop at SMS Siemag. The modern Virtual Engineering technology serves as a communication and working platform. One of the reasons why SMS Siemag is using the Digital Workshop is to give customers a comprehensive insight, on a virtual and interactive plane, into the mechanical and functional technology of cold rolling mills. Directly before the start of cold commissioning in spring 2014, 15 participants from Henan Yulian successfully took part in a training course of this type at SMS Siemag, which proved to be particularly interesting for its visual effect. The timetable for the two-week training course, tailored wholly and specifically to the Henan Yulian cold mill, covered the structure and function of the pertaining ancillary plants, the operation and maintenance of the equipment, and familiarization with the major plant parts and components, such as valves, bearings, cylinders and pumps. The participants also received instruction in plant safety concepts, process technology with roll pass schedules, roll gap models and the means of functioning of the technological actuators.

An exciting and festive moment for everybody involved: the start of operations on the single-stand cold mill at Henan Yulian

A look at the exit side of the rolling mill shows that the winding of the first coil is a perfect success

Based on SMS group information