TPT September 2012

Technology News

Levelling and cut-to-length lines A NUMBER of things are changing in the market of steel sheet, with important consequences for machines designed to produce it and turn the strip from coil (in various widths and thicknesses) into cut sheets prepared for the processing of final products. a length tolerance ±0.5mm (cut with flying shear). In recent years there has also been a spread of high strength steels whose superior mechanical properties require – for cutting and levelling – forces and higher powers involving the critical review of the entire mechanics of machines that make up these lines. example by precision trimming (or fine trimming), cutting the material with the punch, the fibres are cut and the internal tensions are released. The result is uncontrolled deformations and blanks geometrically different from the punch and the drawing. Deformations are often unacceptable for quality products.

Cut-to-length lines are the most affected by this evolution. The growing demand for rolled products prompts an increase in speed and precision of cutting: working speed of thickness up to 3mm is 80m/min, with an accuracy of ±0.25mm on the length (cut with rotary shear). For thicknesses up to 8mm working speed is 40m/min, cutting accuracy ±0.25mm on the length (cut with rotary shear). For thickness from 4 to 20mm, the speed is 40/20m/min, with FIVES Bronx offers Bronx/Taylor-Wilson pipe testing and straightening machines that have a global reputation and admiration for their unsurpassed quality and durability. What speaks volumes more than anything is that Fives Bronx has supplied over 100 new straightening installations and over 50 new pipe testing installations during the last ten years. The leading pipe producers used extensive research to make the name Fives Bronx the technological choice for their pipe finishing needs. The company is currently in the design and manufacturing stages for two hydrostatic pipe testers for the TMK group. The first installation is for TMK’s Sinara division in Russia for a hydrostatic pipe tester which requires pressures for API standard Q125, product diameters ranging from 60.3 to 168.3mm, for pressures up to 150 Mpa. The tester design load of 2.962kN is based on Q125 grade with a 168.3mm diameter. The second installation, located at the Koppel division in the USA, is for a hydrostatic pipe tester that will be integrated within the heat treatment OCTG line. The product diameter ranges from 60.3 to 192mm for pressures up to 20,000psi. The tester design load of 592,661 pounds is based on a 177.8mm diameter testing at a pressure of 15,400 psi. TMK’s decision to procure the

The same drawback occurs in heat precision cutting, for example with high- definition plasma or laser. The increase of the quality requirements imposes an almost perfect levelling, and levelling lines of greater efficacy and efficiency.

The importance of the levelling (not to be confused with the straightening that only serves to remove the residual curvature of the winding coil) is generally underestimated. The operation is, however, of fundamental importance for the quality of the sheet. If levelling is not perfect, the plate may seem flat but retain residual stresses in it. In its transformation into finished products, for

Euroslitter Srl – Italy Fax: +39 0341 451305

Email: info@euroslitter.com Website: www.euroslitter.com API pipe finishing equipment

OCTG pipe plant in Saudi Arabia. The line will include two 355.6mm hydrostatic pipe testers with end load designs above 1,000,000 pounds. The heat treatment hydrotesters will be processing the diameter range above 20,000 psi, with the second machine processing line pipe. The second machine will be for line pipe and will only be testing at a maximum pressure of 7,250 psi. Also included within this facility will be a 177.8mm heat treatment hydrotester. This particular installation will have a maximum end load of 592,596 pounds and will process OCTG API pipe at a pressure of 30,250 psi. As part of the complete pipe finishing line, Fives Bronx has installed three API heavy- duty pipe straightening machines. Two are Bronx 6CR11 heavy-duty design machines and will process pipe from 114.3 to 355.6mm. The third machine is also a heavy-duty design straightening installation and is the Bronx series 6CR9, for pipe ranging from 60.3 to 177.8mm. Completing the line requirements were two 355.6mm end facing and bevelling machines. Included within the pipe plant in Saudi Arabia is a complete lab testing facility for off-line collapse resistance specimens. Fives Bronx – USA Email: fivesbronx-sales@fivesgroup.com Website: www.fivesgroup.com

Series 6CR10 pipe straightening machine

equipment from Fives Bronx was made solely due to the intellectual market expertise that has been proven in previous installations in the USA, Russia, Saudi Arabia and China. In the last year Fives Bronx has installed and successfully commissioned three 177.8mm hydrotesters at Baoji in China for API 5CT. Two six-roll series 6CR9 heavy-duty pipe straightening machines were also added. With these installations, the Fives Bronx group has successfully established over 25 new pipe finishing installations in the Chinese market. Currently Fives Bronx is also in the installation and commissioning stages for a world-leading producer to build an API

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S eptember 2012