Rolling of special steel in mechanized light-section and lNire-rod mills

Abstract

In modern rolling mills for special steel the degree of mechanization has greatly increased. Mechanized roughing with both heavy and light billets has been introduced, and flats as well as bars are continuously rolled. When rolling wire in a contiloop mill the tension on the bar between the rolling stands is avoided by loop regulation in a 180° repeater. In new designs the roll diameter has been reduced, allowing rolling of different qualities in the same roll pass design. By means of the installation of several exits from the mills and mechanical equipment for quick changing, use of the mills is increased. Special steel is rolled as 5·5-8 mm dia. wire at a speed of 35 m/s. A production capacity of over 11000 t/month for the rolling of special steel in the range 5·5-26 mm dia. has been achieved. There are new rolling units for rolling at 50 m/s in order to increase the production when rolling the smallest dimensions. A new patenting method, the ED (easy drawing) process, with coiling directly into a hot-water bath, is in operation in Europe, Africa, and Asia. This method demands less space than conventional methods.