Page 8 - ITAN Autumn 2012.indd
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8
ITAN
• A
utumn
2012 •
ITAN
A clean cut
Reika is integrating two cut-off
machines for optimised end cutting
into an existing finishing line. Resulting
from this year’s Tube show in
Düsseldorf, a large order was received
from Vallourec & Mannesmann, a
global leader in the tube industry. The
company ordered two cut-off machines
for optimised end cutting of tubes after
ultrasonic testing.
The new cut-off equipment will enable
fully automatic cutting of untested ends
and defect zones after tubes have
passed through an integrated phased
array testing system (an advanced
method of ultrasonic examination).
This will give the possibility to separate
untested or defective tube ends and
samples, in a given cycle time, after
the phased-array test, according to
Reika managing director Hans-Jörg
Braun. The cutting machines, including
conveyors, will be integrated in the
existing material flow.
“With our cutting machines, several
improvements can be achieved with a
single stroke,” said Mr Braun. “First of
all, material yield is improved through
precise cutting of the non-compliant
tube ends rather than always cutting
fixed crop lengths, thereby leaving
the maximum possible prime length.
Given the non-compliant tube ends
will vary in length and the possibility
for special fault areas that
must also be removed, the
resulting prime tubes will
vary in length. In this case,
unnecessary
material
losses will be avoided
by optimising the actual
prime length against the
customer order log.
“In essence, the actual
prime
lengths,
after
testing, are best fit to
the
customer
order
log so multiple orders
can
be
accumulated
simultaneously
thereby
limiting
material loss and optimising yield.”
By integrating the new cutting
equipment, the customer will reduce
non-value added transportation and
enable post inspection re-working
without sorting. In addition, untested
ends can be separated and sampled
easily, leading to an additional run-time
optimisation of the tested products.
Clean cuts are guaranteed on all
cutting machines delivered by the
Hagen company, equipped with
carbide cutting tools – perpendicular
and parallel, so there will be no
damage on the surface, Mr Braun
assured. “High tool life is reducing
also the tooling cost, whereas the high
speed rotating cut-off head and large
tool feed lead to reduction of cutting
time.”
Short idle times and total cycle times
increase productivity. Since processing
is done clean and dry without coolant
lubricants, there is no need for further
finishing steps.
Reika GmbH & Co KG
– Germany
Fax: +49 2331 9690 96
Email:
Website:
Welded tube plant with finishing line
Arvedi Metalfer Do Brasil Ltda in Salto,
Brazil, placed an order with SMS Meer
in February for the delivery of an RD
140 HF welded tube plant with finishing
line. This is the second order for a
welded tube plant awarded by Arvedi to
SMS Meer within a short space of time.
It was only in 2010 that the first plant
was brought into service at Arvedi’s
works in Cremona, Italy. The new plant
will go into service in May 2013.
As Mario Caldonazzo, CEO, Arvedi
Tubi Acciaio, explained, “Following
our positive experience with the first
welded tube plant in terms of tube
quality, flexibility and productivity, we
decided to have SMS Meer set up a
second welded tube plant too. The
finishing line will also be supplied by
SMS Meer, with the result that we will
have a fully integrated solution from a
single source.”
The new welded tube line is designed
for an annual capacity of 100,000
tubes. The dimensional range covers
tube diameters of between 33.4 and
139.7mm and wall thicknesses of 1.5
to 8mm; tube lengths range from 5
to 12.6m. The welded tube plant can
reach a maximum production speed of
130m/min.
Arvedi Metalfer Do Brasil will be
able to produce high-quality, thick-
walled tubes with a round, square and
rectangular cross-section on its new
plant. Among other things, the tubes
are used as structural pipes, low-
pressure line pipes, casings, boiler
tubes, shells for cold-drawn cylinders,
and rear axles for HGVs. They also
meet the strict requirements of
standards such as EN 10219, API 5L,
EN 10208, API 5CT, ASTM A513 and
EN 10305.
Product unit head Michael Cottin from
SMS Meer highlighted two key benefits
of the new plant: “The productivity of the
plant is more than 30 per cent higher
than with conventional plants thanks to
the innovative quick-change systems
from SMS Meer. What’s more, with this
plant Arvedi can flexibly meet changes in
market requirements for welded tubes.
Orders for increasingly small batch sizes
with a variety of dimensions require plant
solutions with short change-over times.”
The core section of the plant consists
of a conventional forming area with five
breakdown stands, seven side-closing
stands and three fin stands, in which
the steel strip is formed into a precise
open-seam tube.
SMS Meer GmbH
– Germany
Email:
Website:
