Fives will upgraded the cold annealing and pickling line at Arvedi AST, with the aim of increasing efficiency and throughput. The upgrades are intended to help the steelmaker meet future demand in industries such as chemicals, construction, and automotive.
Part of the project includes the implementation of a transverse flux heater. The Celes EcoTransFlux allows for rapid heating in the annealing section and will allow for and output of more than 16%. This technology is also more environmentally friendly as it reduces NOx and CO₂ emissions.
Steve Decroix, vice president of steel services and digital sales at Fives said: “We are proud to collaborate with Arvedi AST in advancing intelligent manufacturing systems and sustainable process innovations that redefine the future of stainless-steel production in the plant.”
Digital solutions will also be included in the upgrades as Virtuo-L, a thermal process solution, will be added to decrease fuel consumption and improve mechanical properties. Fives outline that the direct benefits of this technology include a 5% reduction in coil rejections and gas consumption.
Furthermore, an AI-based cooling model will be introduced to regulate cooling speed.
Gian Luca Gigli, CTO at Arvedi, added: “We firmly believe that the electrification of processes and the implementation of advanced digital solutions, including sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms, are an integral part of our decarbonization plan for the strategic development of the site."
