Japanese steelmaker Yamato Steel, a manufacturer of beams and structural steel, has contracted German plant builder SMS group to modernize its section mill in Himeji, Japan, replacing two existing mill stands with new compact cartridge mill stands (CCS®).
The modernization project involves revamping the existing universal roughing (UR) and edger (E) mill stands with SMS’s CCS® (compact cartridge stand) technology, which, claims SMS group, offers high stand rigidity for enhanced product quality. The company claims that its compact design makes it suited for revamping brownfield plants such as Yamato Steel’s heavy section mill.
The scope of supply includes the CCS® 1000 and CCS® 500 E mill stands, which are engineered to produce a wide range of products, including H- and I-beams, and U-type sheet piles. This equipment supports Yamato Steel in the production of heavy sections and sheet piles.
The new mill stands feature universal and two-high rolling modes as well as hydraulic roll adjustment and quick-automatic change facilities. Additionally, the upgrade will incorporate new work roller tables with flange cooling and high-pressure descaling units. Also included in SMS’s scope of supply is the CCS® tandem rolling mill control system (TCS), which enables real-time process control and ensures dynamic automatic gap control (AGC) as well as automatic roll gap setting after programme changes. The TCS system is designed to optimize operational efficiency, improve product quality, and minimize downtimes.
According to SMS group, the modernization of the mill stands is anticipated to be completed by the summer of 2028. The company will provide the full scope of supply, including the engineering, core equipment, automation, technical assistance, spare parts, and changing parts, ensuring, it claims, seamless integration into the existing process and automation landscape.
The upgrade of its heavy section mill will enable Yamato Steel to enhance its operational capabilities and strengthen its position among Japanese structural and sheet pile producers. The collaboration between Yamato Kogyo, a shareholder of Yamato Steel, and SMS is said to reflect a long-standing partnership between the two businesses. SMS has supported Yamato Kogyo in several projects worldwide, including revamps at Nucor Yamato Steel in the USA, the construction of a greenfield minimill for heavy sections for SULB Company in Bahrain, and a minimill for medium sections for Siam Yamato in Thailand.