On September 20, the hot on-load test run of the new warm straightener in the 5,500 mm thick plate production line of the Bayuquan Branch Company of Angang Steel Co., Ltd., for which MCC Capital Engineering & Research Incorporation Limited (CERI) serves as the general EP contractor, succeeded. The trial production stage was officially entered. 

Introduction to production line 

Ansteel's 5,500 mm thick plate production line is the widest in-operation production line of thick plates in China. All key equipment, such as the rolling mill, hot straightener, cold straightener and shearing machine, in the production line was imported, representing the world-class installation level. Products from this production line are mainly supplied to the high-end market in China, and can meet the needs of large-diameter oil-gas pipelines, high-strength ship plates and pressure vessel plates. To further improve the production efficiency and yield of pipeline steel and other high-strength steel plates, a new warm straightener is needed for warm straightening of steel plates to prevent secondary deformation of these steel plates. 

Advanced technologies 

As the general EP contractor, CERI is responsible for factory design and the independent design and supply of warm straighteners and supporting equipment, fluid systems and electric control systems. It contributes to building the widest full-hydraulic constant-roll-gap warm straightener in China at present. Many advanced technologies are provided for this straightener: 

1. The integral cast steel housing and integral rigid cross beam are adopted, enhancing the straightener's rigid and stability during operation. 

2. The online dynamically adjusted multi-point bending roll compensation technology is adopted. Multi-point bending rolls are arranged, and the bending roll curve is an arc, which can compensate for the equipment deformation well and improve the comprehensive qualification rate of passes and after-straightening straightness. 

3. Embedded backing backup rolls and multi-row dense distribution pattern of backup rolls are adopted. A great increase in the number of backup rolls, maximized use of straightening force and significantly reduced backup roll consumption have been achieved. 

4. The micro-tension straightening technology for high-strength steel plates is adopted, which realizes a higher straightener torque value and a larger thickness range of the steel plates to be straightened. 

5. The full-hydraulic constant-roll-gap control technology is adopted, which realizes efficient and stable straightening, less time spent in straightening steel plate heads and a higher qualification rate of finished products. 

Several patents and software copyrights of technical achievements of the warm straightener have been applied for. The Chinese Society for Metals (CSM) has rated these technical achievements to reach the international advanced level as a whole, with the online dynamically adjusted multi-point bending roll compensation technology and process of point-to-point accurate straightening of complex waves rated to reach the international leading level. 

This project is another masterpiece of CERI's sincere service to the Ansteel Group for realizing the Group's pursuit of higher quality and higher efficiency, following projects such as the supply project of the cold straightener for 3,800 mm thick plates, the transformation project of the hot straightener for 3,800 mm thick plates and the transformation project of 1,700 mm hot rolling transportation system. 

CERI's strength 

Nearly two decades have witnessed continuous efforts made by CERI's straightener product team in research and development. The series of straightener specifications consists of the specifications of 3,000 mm, 4,000 mm, and 5,000 mm. Types include the pre-straightener/hot straightener, warm straightener, and cold straightener. All series straightener types have been effectively promoted and actually applied. These straightener products, by virtue of high efficiency, lower energy consumption, friendliness to the environment, etc., have been praised by Owners. 

CERI is the only full-range comprehensive system supplier capable of providing consultation about and design of medium-thick plate processes as well as whole-line equipment and automation control systems and models in China. CERI is also among the first echelon business units of the "National Team for Medium-Thick Plate Metallurgy Construction" of China Minmetals Corporation MCC, playing a leading role in medium-thick plate processes, equipment and electronic control technologies in China. CERI boasts innovative processes and technologies such as the through-type thick plate production line, ultra-long plate rolling process, and angle rolling process. It also has independent equipment and technologies such as reliable and high-precision thick plate rolling mills, high-performance straighteners, energy-saving and environment-friendly shearing machines, and close-arranged cooling beds. Moreover, CERI possesses whole-process automation and intelligent technologies for medium-thick plates, such as high-precision rolling models, optimized distribution control of cooling beds, synchronization and anti-deviation control of double-sided shears, intelligent and optimized shearing, and health monitoring and optimization of production lines.