German engineering company SMS group has successfully upgraded the existing automation system at ArcelorMittal Tubarão’s hot strip mill in Tubarão, Brazil.
The new automation project for the roughing mill and edger, which were delivered twenty years ago by another supplier, required ‘intensive preparations and close co-operation between the parties involved’, said SMS Group. As a result, the upgrade was carried out during the regular annual shutdown without the need for separate downtimes.
The new automation system was upgraded with X-Pact® Embedded controllers and a high-speed EtherCAT I/O system. SMS group's range of services included X-Pact® electrical engineering and automation technology, which the company claims guarantees digital readiness-an essential component for getting production units and automation systems ready for digitalization with a minimum of effort.
After commissioning, the production team was initially supported by SMS group's technological experts with the aid of the X-Pact® Service Portal.
The first slab was produced successfully and on time after an eleven-day plant shutdown. Despite significant supply chain issues during the pandemic, the project team managed to complete the project on schedule, with SMS Group stating that one of the key success factors was the trusting co-operation between the teams from ArcelorMittal Tubarão, SMS group Brasil and SMS group Germany.