Steel producer Nucor has purchased new turn-key production lines for its new specialty cold rolling mill complex at the company’s sheet steel mill in Hickman, Arkansas, USA. The contract was awarded to International technology Group ANDRITZ. Start-up of the plant is scheduled for the second half of 2018. The 650,000 short ton p. a. expansion project will increase Nucor Steel Hickman’s production of specialty grades, including third-generation, advanced high-strength steels, high-strength low-alloy steels, and high-efficiency electrical steels.
The ANDRITZ METALS scope of supply includes a high-performance push pickling line with line speeds of up to 200 m/min for pickling hot-rolled carbon steel. Besides complete ANDRITZ in-house electrics and automation, an advanced ANDRITZ multi-roll leveler for highly effective shape correction and a powerful ANDRITZ 4-high skin pass mill are included. Thanks to the multi-roll-leveler and the skin pass mill, the push pickling line will achieve superior material flatness in addition to the well-known, excellent ANDRITZ strip surface.
The order also comprises a reduction cold rolling mill equipped with the ANDRITZ S6-high technology as well as a temper rolling mill in 4-high design, including reduction mode (prepared for future S6-high mode as well). With rolling speeds of up to 800 m/min, the mills process advanced high-strength steel of the third generation and even beyond for material grades of up to 2,000 MPa. All rolling units (skin pass, reduction, and temper mill), which are operated with state-of-the-art ANDRITZ in-house electrics and automation, are equipped with correspondingly fast and automated roll change equipment, integrated bridle rolls, advanced strip drying, and gauge controls to ensure tightest tolerances.
