TPT January 2017

I NDUS T RY

Order for reversing cold rolling mill TALLERES y Aceros SA de CV (Tyasa), a Mexican steel producer, has awarded Primetals Technologies an order to supply a new reversing cold rolling mill for its production plant in Ixtaczoquitlan. The cold rolling mill is an element in Tyasa’s strategy of extending its portfolio to include flat products, and will roll 200,000 metric tons of high-strength and low-carbon steels per year. It is designed to handle a wide range of end products, and is particularly suitable for small batches. flatness and thickness tolerances but also ensure a good quality surface, and the compact design minimises the pro- portion of out-of-gauge strip. The project is due for completion by early 2018. The reversing cold rolling mill is designed as a single, four-high stand. Primetals will supply the complete process equipment, electrics and automation from a single source, and will also be responsible for supervising the installation and start-up of the plant. The mill has a maximum roll separating force of 1,800 metric tons, and will roll strips with an entry thickness ranging from The process equipment and tech- nology packages not only maintain tight

accuracy and quality while also reducing downstream assembly costs.” The new laser cutting machines will be located in the company’s London, Manchester and Leicester branches, supplementing existing capacity at the firm’s Bilston site in the Midlands. Hub Le Bas has a portfolio of 8,000 product lines and maintains high stock levels to meet demand from clients of all sizes. Staff are equipped to deliver in- depth product and technical knowledge as well as high levels of customer service. 0.7 to 2mm down to exit thicknesses of between 0.3 and 1mm. The strip widths range from 900 to 1,650mm, and the maximum coil weight is 32 metric tons. The scope of supply from Primetals Technologies includes the rolling force cylinders – with integrated high- resolution position transducers, low- friction seal and guiding rod assembly – which form the key element in achieving precise thickness control. The cylinders and other core components are manufactured in the company’s own workshops, and are thoroughly tested before delivery. The production of very flats strips is ensured by advanced work roll bending, multi-zone cooling of the work rolls and continuous flatness measurements, combined with special technology packages such as automatic flatness control. For strip blow-off, a special air- nozzle arrangement is used. The design ensures efficient blow-off at all rolling speeds, contributing to a high surface quality of the rolled strip. The surface quality is further improved by using a coil eccentricity compensator (CECO) model. CECO stabilises the strip tension and ensures a consistent strip thickness by compensating for any eccentricities in the coil that may have been caused by the clamped head ends of the strips. Primetals Technologies Ltd – UK Website: www.primetals.com

Reversing cold mill from Primetals Technologies. A comparable mill will be installed in the Ixtaczoquitlan production plant of Tyasa

Growth at UK steel tube specialist HUB Le Bas is aiming to re-establish itself as a leading UK precision steel tube supplier as it enters a new phase of expansion and capital investment, building on major client gains over recent months.

Buoyed by the strength of the come- back under new management, Hub Le Bas, which supplies industries as diverse as automotive, defence, construction and medical, is now planning to add two new sites to its existing five-strong UK network and to invest nearly £2mn in advanced laser cutting equipment to further boost quality and productivity. Rob Sweetnam, managing director of Hub Le Bas, said, “We are experiencing a rapid growth in the demand for precision cut tube components and are taking the necessary steps to respond to customer needs. The use of fully programmed laser cutting equipment provides clients with improvements in

The company, whose roots go back over a century, has already regained more than 75 per cent of its client base since being acquired in December 2015 by global steel and engineering business Liberty House Group. It expects to complete this rapid recovery over the coming months. At present the company is welcoming almost 50 new clients per month and has increased its workforce numbers.

Hub Le Bas – UK Website: www.hublebas.co.uk

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J ANUARY 2017