Commercial Metals Company (CMC), a US steel producer, has commenced operations at its new micro mill in Mesa, Arizona, according to a press release by Italian steel equipment manufacturer Danieli.
The startup of “CMC AZ2 micro-mill” is a milestone because it is the first of seven Danieli MIDA QLPs to operate with Digimelter/Q-One power feeder, and it will be first in the world to produce quality merchant bars in endless casting-rolling mode, Danieli said.
The innovative Q-One technology, patented by Danieli, enables a direct connection between the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) and ladle furnace to renewable energy sources. By employing Q-One, CMC AZ2 micro-mill aims to reduce electricity transmission losses compared to conventional methods, thus minimizing associated operating costs while having a negligible impact on the power grid.
In the downstream process, the Digimelter receives a continuous supply of preheated scrap charge, and a single-strand Octocaster, equipped with the FastCast Cube oscillator and octagonal mold, ensures uninterrupted rolling operations for the production of 500,000 short tons per year of long products.
Initially, the CMC AZ2 micro-mill is focused on manufacturing rebar. However, once the merchant finishing section of the plant is completed, it will also produce channels, angles, flats, square bars, and round bars.
This micro-mill is the third of four Danieli MIDA QLP minimills ordered by CMC. It is situated adjacent to the first CMC AZ1 plant, which has been operational in Mesa, Arizona, since 2009. The fourth minimill ordered by CMC Steel, utilizing Danieli’s MIDA QLP technology, is currently in the engineering phase and will be installed in West Virginia.
CMC, along with its subsidiaries, is involved in the manufacturing, recycling, and fabrication of steel and metal products. Their extensive network of facilities includes seven electric arc furnace mini mills, two EAF micro mills, a rerolling mill, steel fabrication and processing plants, warehouses for construction-related products, and metal recycling facilities in the United States and Poland.