Renewal of automation system of hot strip mill at Krakatau Steel
SMS group has completed the automation system upgrade of hot strip mill no. 1 at PT Krakatau Steel (Persero), Tbk. (PTKS) in Cilegon, Indonesia, marking a significant milestone with the production of the first sellable coil. This achievement underlined PTKS’s return to the Indonesian market as a producer of hot rolled coils following a lengthy production stoppage and was therefore a particularly crucial step.
The project was initiated as a recovery plan for the drive and automation cabinets in the finishing mill. Rather than merely replacing the damaged automation parts in the finishing mill, PTKS opted for a comprehensive upgrade to next-generation automation technology throughout the entire hot strip mill. For the drive system, however, the existing DC drives used for other sections, such as the slab sizing press, roughing mill, down coiler, and other units, were retained. SMS ensured the seamless integration of the new automation system and existing DC drive technology.
At the core of this upgrade is SMS group’s state-of-the-art X-Pact® process automation control technology, comprising a range of advanced solutions that provide enhanced control, improved diagnostic capabilities, and consistent performance. SMS level 1 and level 2 automation systems are incorporated within the powerful X-Pact® ProBAS platform based on the X-Pact® Embedded controllers. The innovative software architecture provides extensive connectivity and open interfaces. Additionally, SMS developed Sinamics DC drives with specialized Simotion-based drive control software, thereby ensuring that PTKS maintains high standards of production efficiency and quality.
The scope of supply comprised technological process models such as the X-Pact® Pass Schedule Calculation (PSC®) model for the roughing and finishing stands, and the X-Pact® Cooling Section Control model for strip cooling, designed to ensure fully automatic cooling. The X-Pact® Profile, Contour and Flatness process model guarantees a stable rolling process that reliably adheres to strip thickness and flatness tolerances, enabling high-quality products to be manufactured with a wide range of properties and dimensions.
The partnership between PTKS and SMS goes back to the 1980s and the delivery of the original mill, and was further solidified when the new hot strip mill no. 2 was put into service in 2016/17.
The mill has an annual capacity of 2.4 million tons and is capable of manufacturing a diverse range of products, including general structural steels, tubes and pipes, and automotive grades. The mill can handle thicknesses ranging from 1.8 to 25 millimeters and widths from 600 to 2,080 millimeters. This comprehensive upgrade with sophisticated technological capabilities will allow PTKS to regain its market share in the near future and re-establish the value of the robust partnership between PTKS and SMS.
