TPT January 2023

T E CHNOLOG Y

Primetals modernisation of mill in Slovenia offers greater operational reliability SLOVENIA steel producer SIJ

the hardwired interface between the controller and the thyristors. Installation and startup were completed on schedule. After a short startup period, the VarioVerter was adjusted to handle all products and yield strengths. Additional technological functions, like ski control, were included in the control of the VarioVerter cycloconverter. SIJ Acroni is Europe’s leading producer of stainless quarto plates. The company also specialises in electric and custom steels.

supplier: a variable replacement concept and competitive investment costs. Primetals Technologies’ scope of supply included implementing two VarioVerter cycloconverter controllers, replacing the field control units, commissioning and a new workstation for easy and remote maintenance and diagnosis of the drive system. The integration into the plate mill’s existing basic automation control system was re-established, leaving the interface largely unchanged. To be able to reuse the existing power modules, Primetals Technologies’ tailormade connection cabinet with amplifier cards handles iWave cold-wire components, as well as the corresponding software solution, make TIG welding significantly easier,” said Manuel Rumpl, head of strategic product management industrial welding solutions at Fronius International GmbH. “Thanks to TIG DynamicWire, welders can focus all their attention on the arc and the welding system regulates the optimal wire speed at all times.” The iWave power categories from 300i to 500i can be upgraded to the TIG cold-wire system. The TIG DynamicWire welding package is ready for use immediately by means of software activation and can also be retrofitted to existing iWave systems. The advantage of Fronius DynamicWire compared to a conventional continuous wire feed lies in its automatic self-regulation. The welding system actively adjusts the wire speed to the welding behaviour, torch position and current conditions, even automatically compensating for component tolerances of up to 30 per cent. During development of the cold-wire system, Fronius examined the process in detail to ensure that welders could work optimally with minimal steps and adjustments. The wirefeeder is set once and then remains in a stable position. The ergonomic and flexible tungsten holder is particularly lightweight as it is produced using

Acroni, which is part of SIJ Group, has tasked Primetals Technologies with the replacement of the existing cycloconverter drive control for the upper and lower motors on the plate mill’s roughing stand at the Jesenice production site in Slovenia. Rendering the old drives obsolete, Primetals Technologies installed the VarioVerter cycloconverter solution. The project aimed to increase availability and secure the supply of spare parts for the drives. Two main factors played a role when SIJ Acroni chose Primetals Technologies as TIG COLD-WIRE components are now available for Fronius iWave, which features an intelligent control. With the patented new TIG DynamicWire welding package, even amateurs can achieve good quality TIG welds. This is because the dynamic wire control always selects the right travel speed. The process adapts to the welder, rather than the other way around. Historically, TIG welding has represented the top tier of welding processes and demands skill as well as years of practice. “All the new features that we’ve packed into the

Primetals Technologies www.primetals.com Cold wire TIG welding with intelligent control

material-saving aluminium 3D printing. There are also no vibrations at the torch handle, as the mechanical forward and backward motion of the wire has been dispensed with entirely with the new TIG DynamicWire cold-wire welding process. With the Tungsten fast clamp system, Fronius is bringing out another new patent. A single touch of the button releases and clamps the tungsten electrode in the spring-loaded clamping sleeve. Like the lead of a mechanical pencil, the electrode is changed in a matter of seconds. This system can now also be mounted on existing torch bodies. In times of skills shortages, iWave complete with cold-wirefeeding and TIG DynamicWire, can help all TIG novices and those with less experience achieve a great welding result Self-regulating parameter settings and characteristics, as well as a compensatory active wirefeeder, provide the necessary safety and ensure a high level of quality. Since the wire does not continuously move back and forth during intelligent TIG cold-wire welding, even wear parts such as the torch body, torch cap, and clamping sleeve experience reduced abrasion and last longer than comparable solutions.

The ergonomic and flexible tungsten holder is particularly lightweight as it is produced using material-saving aluminium 3D printing

Fronius International GmbH www.fronius.com

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JANUARY 2023