Lukens ramps up coiled plate production at Smart mill in Conshohocken

摘要

Lukens aims to complete ramping up its new Steckel-mill-advanced-rolling-technology (Smart) mill in Conshohocken, Pa., by early July, 13 months after initial startup. Lukens solved a handful of mechanical problems in the Steckel mill's startup, including redesigning the entry gate in the Steckel drums. GE engineers also are refining the setup models and electronic controls to provide "hands-off" operations. Operators and engineers are concentrating on increasing production of plate in coils to reap the fullest cost benefit from the new mill, explains Rich Smith, superintendent of process metallurgy at Conshohocken. In mid-1995 they started coiling a range of carbon and alloy products. They have produced alloy plate 1/4 inch thick up to 96 inches wide, as well as carbon plate 3/12th by 96 wide. By April of this year they had begun coiling stainless plate down to 3/16 inch thick and 50 inches wide. The mill now plans to coil wider stainless plate.