TPT September 2007

T ube M ills: R olling & F orming M ethods

Single mill for expansion of wide diameter product range

Multifunctional cold tube forming equipment

Abbey International Ltd, a leading manufacturer of advanced tube and pipe mills, has supplied an entire ERW mill line (8KHH) to a Korean tube and pipe producer. The mill will be used to manufacture pipe with an OD range of 38.1mm (1.5") to 219.1mm (8.625"), which will be supplied to the gas, oil, and automotive industries. Two mills would commonly be required to cover this wide diameter range. Offering this capability with one mill provides a number of advantages including less capital investment, overheads, and operating costs, together with greater flexibility, better mill utilization and a larger target market. This mill also has capabilities of producing tube and pipe in wall thicknesses from 3mm to 15.9mm (D/T ratio as low as 6:1). The line also includes Abbey International’s patented Continuous Cart Transfer (CCT) system for quick change, which is designed to receive sub-plated mill sections during changeover of the mill. The forming base incorporates a powered rack and pinion push off, pull back and

auto location to accommodate the sub- plated mill stands. With this system, the use of cranes during mill changeover is minimized and a very fast changeover time is possible, thus substantially reducing mill downtime. The payback on this system is extremely quick especially when frequent tool changes are required. In addition to the reduction in downtime, it also offers additional benefits such as a reduction in finished inventory requirements and associated storage, quick responses to market demands and reduced cost associated with short mill runs. Features on this mill include a high speed traveling rotary cutoff with pre-bevel capability, delivering cut and pre-beveled lengths from the mill exit. The mill is also designed to run downhill to drain the mill coolant and eliminate the potential for stream build as a result of the heat introduced at the seam annealers.

Shijiazhuang Forever Mechanical & Electronic Equipment Co Ltd, China, has developed a range of multifunctional cold forming equipment that can form square, rectangular and round tube in large sizes. This range of mechanical- electronic equipment is both designed and manufactured by the company, and utilised in the fields of metallurgy and environmental protection. The machines are designed to improve working efficiency by combining techniques and processing methods, eg a combined shaping roller, lifting the erected roller and four side adjustable rollers. Reduced wear rate and roller replacement times are additional benefits. The company’s heavy mould forming mill features advanced assembled roll and roll cushion which can be quickly disassembled. The machine can also produce open, closed and complex profile cold bar and tube. The company’s products have been distributed to over twenty provinces in China, in addition to exports to south-east Asia and the Balkans. Shijiazhuang Forever Mechanical & Electronic Equipment Co Ltd – China Fax : +86 311 8383 9990 Email : maojinlai@sohu.com Website : www.frv.cn Roll Machining Technologies and Solutions (RMTS), USA, has launched the newly designed ‘Super Roll’. Super Roll is the company’s latest effort to prolong the life of tube and pipe mill tooling. The new process uses the same basic D2 HCHC, but encompasses a new heat treatment method along with innovative design and manufacturing techniques. Claimed benefits of the new product include more footage between regrinds, reduced roll marks, reduced bore, face, shaft and spacer wear, and reduced ID/OD internal flash. Roll Machining Technologies and Tough roll technology for reduced wear

Abbey International – USA Fax : +1 419 874 8200 Email : info@abbeyintl.com Website : www.abbeyintl.com

fi Abbey’s 8KHH ERW mill for 38.1mm to 219.1mm OD

Solutions Inc – USA Fax : +1 815 372 9105 Website : www.rollsolutions.com

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S eptember /O ctober 2007