CMI Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie SA

High performance strip processing lines for every application

In the face of an ever changing business environment, and the resulting challenges for increasingly demanding quality and flexibility, John Cockerill is enabling its clients to process today’s latest high strength steels (AHSS/ UHSS) including DP (dual phase), TRIP (TRansformation Induced Plasticity), FB (ferritebainite), CP (complex phase) and TWIP (TWin Induced
Plasticity) steels.

Innovative technologies to address processing challenges related to the latest generations of high strength steels

While Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) and Ultra High Strength Steels (UHSS) are considered as the dominant future light-weighting material, the steel industry is moving into the third generation of high strength steels for the automotive industry. John Cockerill is preparing for these even more challenging steel qualities, with a number of innovative automated and modern cooling technologies (see page 26) and its latest patented design of a pre-oxidation chamber to control the selective oxidation of the steel surface, mainly due to high Si content, during annealing prior to galvanizing, which is resulting in poor wettability and zinc (Zn) adherence.

The combined oxidation and pre-oxidation chamber incorporates a system and a method that perfectly exert the necessary oxidation control on both sides of the steel sheet.

As a global full-liner John Cockerill is providing unique expertise and know-how in steel processing. John Cockerill’s lines and equipment are designed and manufactured to offer maximum value, from the delivery of complete new installations, to modernization and productivity and quality improvements of existing lines.

As such John Cockerill is addressing its clients’ needs for increased operational flexibility with innovative designs for dual and combi lines. The latest examples of this development are combi continuous annealing lines/ continuous galvanizing lines (Combi CAL-CGL) providing superior surface quality, for high-strength automotive structural components, which improves the safety of vehicles while reducing their weight, or combined continuous galvanizing lines/ color coating lines (CGL/ CCL) limiting capital and operational expenditure and eco-friendliness as no intermediate storage, no oiling after
CGL and no degreasing before the color coating is required.

But also continuous galvanizing lines (CGL) designed to apply different coatings including the very latest AluSi coatings.

Today John Cockerill’s state-of-the-art strip processing lines, feature the full spectrum of John Cockerill’s very latest process technologies: Multistage cleaning section, Vertical furnace (incl. John Cockerill’s L-Top math model and jet cooling system with energy recovery), Zinc pot section and Air-Knife system, APC Blowstab® cooling system, In-line skin pass mill and Tension leveler, Chemical and Organic roll-coat post treatment, Side trimmer and Exit shear.

Strip Processing Lines:
• Continuous Annealing Lines
• Continuous Hot Dip Galvanizing Lines
• Dual Product Lines
• Continuous Electro Galvanizing Lines
• Electrolytic Cleaning Lines
• Flux Type Lines
• Color Coating Lines
• Inspection/Correction/Tension Leveling Lines
Process Equipment:
• Multi-stage cleaning section
• Bath equipment (zinc pot + air knife)
• Tension levelers/ skin pass mills
• Chemical or Organic roll coaters
• Shears/ side trimmers
Furnace Designs (see p. 26):
• Continuous Galvanizing Lines (CGL)
• Continuous Annealing Lines (CAL)
• Stainless Steel Lines
• Silicon Steel Lines

Key benefits:
• Reliable operation
• High throughput rates
• Optimized process sections (mechanical, thermal and chemical)
• High degree of operational flexibility
• Proven high plant availability
• Consistent top product quality
• Line design adapted to lower maintenance costs (easy service of major equipment increases uptime)

Rolling technology combining field-proven reliability with cutting-edge innovation

John Cockerill has over 30 years’ experience in designing and producing steel rolling mills and equipment. Its latest generation cold rolling mills, always made to measure for individual client requirements, offers many advantages, like reliable terminal equipment reducing downtime, accurate tension control and steering, as well as optimum strip thickness and flatness, to mention only the major ones.

A value offer that is enhanced by proven-and-tested equipment like shear systems, tension leveling, scale breaking, mandrels and coilers, all of which are important components in the modernization and the installation of new
Pickling Lines/ Tandem Mills (PLTCM).

John Cockerill has built a strong technology experts team, over the years and offers the most efficient, yet lean mechanical design and engineering for all of its mill types.

Additionally, the demand for ever higher-capacity production and improved product quality, increasingly results in existing rolling mills and equipment being in need of modernization.

As such, John Cockerill is not only supplying new mills, but is also offering customized rolling solutions aiming to cost-effectively and efficiently help clients with the modernization and the upgrading of their existing mills to meet today’s need for high performance mills.

The latest development of high-end automotive and tinplate applications of its mills, as well as process models and automation packages are enriching John Cockerill’s value proposition.
Rolling technology designed for all applications and requirements
John Cockerill designs 4-High and 6-High reversing cold rolling mills with high output and high flexibility for all metals industry rolling requirements. These type of mills come in single or twin stand configuration.

The wide range of products able to be rolled by these mills includes low, medium and high carbon steels, along with copper, brass and a number of alloys. Additionally, a very wide range of strip widths can be treated, at mill speeds that are sufficient for the highest volume of demand within steelmaking companies. The mill model for an optimized pass schedule is provided along with the mill itself.

John Cockerill also designs and supplies skin pass mills with wet and dry skin pass systems. In-line skin pass mills are supplied for continuous annealing lines and continuous galvanizing lines.

Both stand-alone and in-line skin pass mills supplied by John Cockerill treat a very wide range of strip widths, with precise output thicknesses and the highest possible mill speeds, guaranteeing its clients a great level of productivity and cost-effectiveness.

Rolling Mills Technologies:
• Tandem Cold Mills (Batch or Conti-Conti)
• Pickling Lines/ Tandem Cold Mills (PLTCM)
• Reversing Cold Mills (Single or Twin Stand)
• Skin Pass Mills
• Modernization and Special Equipment for Cold/Hot Strip Mills

Key benefits
• Suitable for wide range of strip width and output thicknesses
• Suitable for wide range of products (low, medium and high carbon steels, silicon steel, copper, brass and a number of alloys)
• Reliable terminal equipment reducing downtime
• Accurate tension control and steering
• Optimum strip thickness and flatness

Control solutions that will enable steelmakers to execute real-time control and maintain critical process parameters

In order to help steelmakers in the energy optimization and permanent quality monitoring across the cold route of their steel production and the related production scheduling, John Cockerill has decided to further foster the development of its customized automation systems and models. With our comprehensive know-how and great experience in the steel processing industry, John Cockerill is able to offer the most adequate solutions tailored to its clients’ requirements.

Process control solutions that will enable its clients to execute real-time control and maintain critical process parameters to produce higher quality products with consistent metallurgical properties.

Multi-Platform PLC (Level 1/ Level 2) and HMI system

Today John Cockerill is offering a wide variety of services as well as tried-and-tested technologies and products related to automation, as well as technology and process control. Its excellent knowledge of industrial processes, and its experience in automation in the domains of rolling mills, processing lines, chemical technologies and industrial furnaces, are major inputs for an optimized John Cockerill design and supply of automation packages, the carrying out of studies, as well as the creation and the putting into service of software systems for Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), the development and upgrading of man-machine interfaces (HMI – Human-machine interface), as well as level 1 + level 2 systems.

Process models and control systems:
Mathematical Models:
Thermal Process Optimization
Production Optimization
• Material Tracking
• Material Scheduling

MultiPlatform PLC (Level 1/ Level 2) and HMI Development and Upgrades:
• Automation hardware migration
• Safety upgrades
• Redundancy upgrades
• HMI upgrades
• Drive systems upgrades

Innovative concepts for reheating furnaces to substantially improve energy efficiency and product quality

For carbon, stainless and silicon steel, John Cockerill has developed its Optimfl@me® reheating furnace. A patented furnace design that considerably improves heating quality, decreases energy consumption, reduces pollutant emissions and increases production flexibility, thanks to an optimized design and exclusive combination of:
• Customized burner sizing, configuration and management, depending on the application, including our patented double regenerative burners (DRB)
• Flat furnace shape with discharging chamber
• Unique quick restart concept based on OnOffSoft® burners firing control
• Scale Management in the furnace hearth, reducing scale formation, while increasing the time interval between stoppages for descaling
• Low NOx emissions
• R-TOP® level 2 expert software

The John Cockerill reheating furnace is designed to most effectively equalize the temperature gradient within the steel slab, bloom or billet, by optimizing the transfer of generated heat to the surface of the steel stock to be heated to a maximum. This allows for a unique temperature uniformity, while avoiding scale formation and skid marks. Besides these quality driven parameters, the latest generation of John Cockerill’s reheating furnaces also addresses environmental and operational concerns and allows for lower fuel consumption by reducing heat losses from the furnace to the minimum, and increase availability and flexibility of operations.

Lower energy consumption and decreased oxidation of steel

The development of new steel grades by our clients have led to a need for increasingly sophisticated process control requirements of our reheating furnaces, and to improving the performance of our equipment as to combustion efficiency and product quality. The associated lower energy consumption and decreased oxidation of steel is achieved through computer simulation of gas flow, temperature calculations of heated stock, studies and evaluation of scale formation and gas analysis. Based on a combination of BAT (Best Available Technologies) and our extensive internal process know-how and experience, John Cockerill developed a new reheating furnace concept under the name of Optimfl@me, addressing all of the above described market needs for efficiency and quality. This new concept has successfully been implemented in several revamping projects, and newly installed reheating furnaces, in many parts of the world.

Furnace Designs:

•  Optimfl@me® walking beam:
furnaces for slabs, blooms and billets
•  Optimfl@me® walking hearth:
furnaces for billets
•  Optimfl@me® pusher furnaces:
for slabs, blooms and billets

Process Control:
• RTOP®: Furnace Level 2 Control
System based on physical models according to the steel grade
• SMC®: Skid Marks Calculation model to increase heating quality
•  Descalizer®: Scale Reduction on heated material

Key Figures
When compared to conventional reheating furnace designs, the Optimfl@me® global concept offers the following competitive advantages:
• A yearly gain of more than 1% of furnace investment cost
• The Optifl@me® design results in a discharging temperature decrease of about 10°C, which remarkably improves the homogeneity of the final product
• Lowest NOx emissions on the market
• Considerable scale reduction of around 10%
• Fuel consumption savings of up to 10%
• A yearly output increase of 0.2% (from 0.5 to 0.7% ) with the same furnace capacity

Leading-edge technology in acid regeneration for all types of acid and all available technologies

As a leader in this market segment, John Cockerill offers a modular design that guarantees its clients the optimal solution for all their individual process requirements and applications, with acid recovery rates of virtually 100%.
Eco-friendly solutions, addressing today’s market requirements and increasingly stringent environmental regulations
Today two pyrohydrolysis processes are available, namely fluidized bed and spray roaster technology, both of which have distinct advantages. While both technologies are mature, it is not always easy to make the choice. A number of considerations potentially affect the decision. Being able to offer either of these processes enables John Cockerill to focus fully on its clients’ specific site conditions and help them to choose the best option. Simplified processes such as our quick-change spray nozzles, the improved design of our venturi rendering it completely maintenance free, or the most modern plant control system (PCS), are just a few examples of the features provided by the latest generation of our plants. John Cockerill's Acid Regeneration Plants (ARPs) are equipped with a highly automated control system that minimizes field intervention by the operator and enables safe and reliable daily operation from a single control room.

For the total regeneration of Hydrochloric Acid (HCl), the waste pickle liquor from the pickling line is concentrated by direct heat and mass exchange in the venturi circulation system, before being injected into the spray roaster or fluidized bed reactor, where it reacts with O2 and H2O to form solid iron oxide and hydrogen chloride gas.

The HCl contained in the reactor off-gas is then passed through an absorber system, using a counter-current circulation system, in which the rinse water from the pickling line absorbs the HCl in the reactor off-gas. Thus close to 100% of the waste pickle liquor (WPL) is converted back to liquid acid, which is then reused in the pickling line. The remaining off-gas passes through several treatment steps, including the exhaust fan which regulates the negative pressure in the whole upstream system preventing gas leaks, before being released via the stack into the atmosphere.

Highly innovative solution for the regeneration of mixed acid in stainless steel applications

Mixed Acid used for stainless steel pickling consists of Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) and Nitric Acid (HNO3), both of which are expensive and problematic in waste streams. TOMAREG® recovers not only these expensive acids for reuse in the pickling line, but also the valuable metals contained in the waste stream. With TOMAREG®, John Cockerill offers a system for pickling stainless steel that allows highly flexible operation of the pickling line, due to the adjustable acid concentration of the regenerated acid. TOMAREG® can produce oxide either in the form of a fine powder or coarse particles, as the plant can be delivered optionally with spray roaster or fluidized bed technology. Compared to conventional neutralization plants,
TOMAREG® reduces annual costs by 70% and hazardous waste discharged to the environment by more than 98%.

Acid Regeneration Technologies:
Carbon steel including silicon steel applications:
• Fluidized Bed Acid Regeneration Plant
• Spray roaster Acid Regeneration Plant

Stainless steel applications:
• TOMAREG® - Total Mixed Acid Regeneration Plant

Key benefits:
• Environmental protection due to recovery of hazardous chemicals
• Virtually emission-free operation
• Recovery of costs by sale of oxide as high quality by-product
• Highest achievable production rates
• Optimized pickling due to constant operating parameters
• Independence from chemical suppliers
• Short payback time
• Present and future legal requirements on emissions are met
• Low maintenance costs
• Proven design
• Adaptable to all types of Pickling Lines

The full range of pickling solutions for effective removal of mill scale and other surface impurities

As a market leader, John Cockerill supplies the full range of pickling solutions for both flat and long products, ensuring the effective removal of mill scale and other surface impurities from hot and cold rolled stainless steel, carbon steel or silicon steel, to non-ferrous metal strip such as aluminum, brass, etc. The resulting scale-free quality of the pickled strip improves the quality of the downstream rolling and coating processes.

Used for processing individual coils without strip joining, John Cockerill’s push pull pickling lines are ensuring excellent operational flexibility in the face of frequently changing strip dimensions and steel grades, and also non-weldable material. Their specific design makes such lines the only practical way of descaling heavy gauge coiled product.

John Cockerill’s unique v-shaped tank profile facilitates threading the strip through the pickling tank. The fact that there is no strip accumulator in the line makes this technology easy to operate and the most cost-effective method of hot band finishing. Applications range from the typical service center to the high production requirements of the largest mini mills.

Semi-Continuous- and Continuous Pickling Lines are used for high capacity production with continuous operation by stitching or welding. The strip accumulators, also called loopers, provided at the entry and exit sections of the line ensure a consistent product flow during joining, coiling and removal of the steel coils.

In continuous pickling, the line runs at constant speed, while in the Semi-Continuous Line the speed of the strip is reduced during changeover or coil joining, due to the lower capacity of the loopers. The installation of Semi-Continuous Lines is highly cost-effective due to the simpler looper design, while Continuous Pickling Lines provide the highest production capacity.

John Cockerill’s high turbulence pickling tank technology for continuous pickling lines is currently among the most efficient and also the most cost effective solutions on the market. In order to most effectively cover all types of applications and product mixes, these pickling tanks come in a range of profiles and acid injection systems, including the latest John Cockerill development, spray pickling modules (see page 11). Accurate strip and pickling process control optimizes scale removal without over-pickling. John Cockerill’s Pickling Process Management (PPM) system, together with its fully automated acid control management system, ensures the environmentally safe operation of the plant.

In stainless steel pickling applications, John Cockerill’s Neolyte Purification Systems not only reduce harmful chromium (+6) to non-toxic chromium (+3), but also regenerate the electrolyte, thus reducing operating costs and the environmental impact of such lines, while fumes loaded with Nox produced during stainless steel pickling, are most efficiently treated in John Cockerill’s latest generation of Selective Catalytic Reactors (SCR-Technology).

Pickling lines for long products are a highly specialized group of batch treatment lines, designed according to the product shape, process required and unique parameters defined by the client. John Cockerill’s new generation plants feature automated processing using a Level II or Level III control system, multiple fill-drain cycles via an independent transportation function, cascade rinsing using spray and immersion, waste air and waste water treatment aimed at minimizing emissions, and acid control, as well as management through recovery or regeneration processes.

Along with high turbulence pickling that ensures uniform pickling conditions and high heat transfer rates, John Cockerill uses hook vibration for uniform pickling and a high pressure spray rinse arrangement that guarantees a clean surface without residual contamination.

Pickling Line Designs:
• Push Pull or Semi-Continuous Push Pull Pickling Lines
• Continuous Pickling Lines

For carbon steel, including silicon steel Continuous Pickling Lines (CPL) can be part of combined lines:
• Tandem Cold Mills (PLTCM)
•  Annealing Lines for Silicon Steel

For stainless steel a CPL is incorporated into:
•  Hot Strip Annealing and Pickling Lines (HAPL)
• Cold Strip Annealing and Pickling Lines (CAPL)
•  Combined Hot/ Cold Strip Annealing Lines (H/CAPL)
•  Direct Roll Annealing Pickling Lines (DRAP)

Batch pickling plants for ferrous and non-ferrous metals:
• Wire Coil Pickling Lines
• Tube Pickling Lines
• Bar Pickling Lines
• Plate Pickling Lines
• Universal Pickling Lines

Key Benefits
• Highest product quality through uniformly pickled surface
• Highest achievable production rates
• Optimized pickling parameters through mathematical modelling
• Low operating costs with controlled utility consumption
• Environmentally friendly operation
• Low maintenance costs
• Closed loop systems for acid, water and air treatment

John Cockerill also designs and supplies skin pass mills with wet and dry skin pass systems. In-line skin pass mills are supplied for continuous annealing lines and continuous galvanizing lines.

Both stand-alone and in-line skin pass mills supplied by John Cockerill treat a very wide range of strip widths, with precise output thicknesses and the highest possible mill speeds, guaranteeing its clients a great level of productivity and cost-effectiveness.

Rolling Mills Technologies:
• Tandem Cold Mills (Batch or Conti-Conti)
• Pickling Lines/ Tandem Cold Mills (PLTCM)
• Reversing Cold Mills (Single or Twin Stand)
• Skin Pass Mills
•  Modernization and Special Equipment for Cold/Hot Strip Mills

Customized services and spare parts

Reduced down-time & innovative solutions to maximize productivity

Spare parts and value added parts

John Cockerill offers customized services and spare parts to minimize downtime. Thanks to John Cockerill’s global manufacturing centers and our global procurement network, we can ensure the fast delivery of critical parts at competitive prices, achieving the shortest possible delivery times, especially in emergencies.

Original manufacturer components and third-party spares

John Cockerill’s highly experienced GSS teams deliver either original manufacturer components or, if these are no longer available, appropriate replacement parts. If necessary, we develop a migration strategy together with the plant operator. John Cockerill also offers original part replacement of third party spares with rapid response times and fast delivery to limit downtime. Regardless of where in the world your plant is located the John Cockerill global service network has you covered.

Re-engineering of parts and components

But John Cockerill not only supplies spare parts, including third-party spares if documentation is available, its experts can also provide improvements upon request. Based on the extensive experience of John Cockerill as a plant builder, it can re-engineer third-party spares and wearing parts to increase the performance and lifetime of these parts applying state-of-the-art technology.

Fit-to-purpose upgrading & modernization

Optimum solutions to improve plant performance & competitiveness

John Cockerill offers engineering studies, revamping, modernisation and training in order to help reduce equipment failure and operating costs and increase plant availability and safety, while improving product quality and reducing the ecological footprint of its customers’ plants. Whether the goal is the increase of capacity to satisfy the demand of downstream production or modernization to adapt existing lines and equipment to market requirements, John Cockerill has the optimum solution.

Projet execution concept analysis:
· Plant investigation
· Thourough analysis
· Concept development
· Minimizing downtime
· Cost effective & reliable solution

Based on many years of experience and numerous references from successful installations, our engineers have developed a systematic approach to the implementation of tailor-made solutions aiming at improving product quality, decreasing operating costs or extending the product mix. Every revamping project starts with a detailed analysis of the current situation, including an assessment of the existing equipment and operating procedures and identification of operational bottlenecks. This analysis is the key to the future success of the project, as is the consideration of all boundary conditions and the closest possible contact with the client throughout the entire project, from planning to implementation.

Whether it is for equipment delivered by John Cockerill or any other plant supplier, our goal is to offer cost-effective solutions as a valid alternative to investment in new equipment, while minimizing downtime (e.g. pre-assembly or step by step implementation) and production start-up time, while providing top quality.

Process & technological consultancy

Made-to-measure expertise and services for the account of industrialists

Expertise audits for capital equipment

Changing market requirements and increasing competition are forcing producers to continuously evaluate, maintain and improve their sales position. In order to boost profitability, steelmakers have to elevate their product quality and plant performance as well as expand the scope of their product portfolio. In addition to optimizing operational processes, maintenance practices must be adapted as well. John Cockerill advises clients on the latest industry standards, best practices and market trends. Expertise audits include evaluations of the technological and economic performance of selected production steps and existing maintenance procedures, followed by recommendations for improvements.

Technical assistance

Whether a client seeks improved product quality, higher production yields or greater operational flexibility, the John Cockerill experts provide technical assistance to enhance the efficiency of plant equipment. Technical assistance also covers maintenance improvements to make the best use of a plant’s existing capability. But John Cockerill also provides advisory services during equipment and plant installation and start-up of new facilities.