TPT March 2013

Industry News

Tailor-made induction heating technology for Ovako

SMS ELOTHERM, Germany, has been awarded two orders for induction heating equipment by Ovako Tube and Ring AB in Hofors, Sweden. EloBar™ and EloTube™ machines by SMS Elotherm combine high energy efficiency with a comparatively small space requirement. EloBar™ will be used at Ovako’s forging operations to heat steel bars at a production rate of up to 8,000kg per hour. With an installed electrical power of 4,000kW, bars of up to 130mm diameter can be heated up to 1,220°C. SMS Elotherm supplies the bar handling system, the induction heater with a hot shear and an industrial robot for the transfer between hot shear and press. “EloBar™ belongs to our ForgeLine™ series which can be designed in a very flexible way,” said Torsten Schäfer, sales representative at SMS Elotherm. “We have configured this energy-efficient system for Ovako precisely to the customer’s needs.” The EloTube™ is part of a modernisation programme of Ovako. It will be placed in front of an existing Assel mill in a seamless tube plant. Hollow blooms coming directly from a rolling mill upstream will be reheated and equalised before entering the Assel mill. Dr GuidoOpezzo, sales representative at SMSElotherm, said: “The temperature of the shell is increased to 1,100°C and the better temperature homogeneity

Induction heater order for SMS Elotherm

measurement system based on laser doppler technology and a bicolour pyrometer for temperaturemeasurement. “The induced power is determined by the speed and the incoming temperature of the shell. Overheating of the material is prevented and the optimum temperature level for the following sizing mill operation is achieved,” says Dr Opezzo. The EloBar™ and EloTube™ facilities will be commissioned in mid-2013.

leads to enhanced product quality in the Assel mill operation. Also, the sizing forces can be reduced and the lifetime of the sizing rollers is extended due to less wear and tear.” The induction system consists of six coils powered by state-of-the-art converters with transistor technology (IGBT), totaling a rated power of 6,400kW. The demand for floor space of this reheating unit is less than 7m in length and 2.5m in width. The process control is realised by a combination of a tube speed

SMS Elotherm GmbH – Germany Website: www.sms-elotherm.de

First major project begins for joint venture

and the high precision straightening.” After having supplied a finishing line to another manufacturer of heat exchanger tubes last year, Reika now can claim to be a key supplier on the international market for complete handling systems in the area of delicate tubes. Reika GmbH & Co KG – Germany Email: info@reika.de Website: www.reika.de

exchanger tubes. A precision roll straightening machine is integrated into the line so as not to damage the long tubes with a wall thickness of only a few millimetres. This straightening machine, however, is manufactured in Germany. “We have combined two of our core competences in this line,” explained Andreas Zimball, sales manager at Reika. “The extremely sensitive handling of tubes with extreme dimensions

SHORTLY after the signing of the contracts for a joint venture between the Graebener Group and Tangshan Kaiyuan Autowelding Systems, the first major project with a duration of six months is being tackled together with the Chinese partner. For Reika, and supported by Reika engineers, Kaiyuan is building a large finishing line for one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heat

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M arch 2013