Giridhan Metals awarded AIC a contract for automation and fast finishing area equipment for their 350,000 tons per annum bar mill. The mill, which was commissioned in June 2023, has significantly enhanced productivity, particularly for smaller sections of 8-12 mm.
The plant now achieves 8mm profiles rolling at 33.75 m/s, with speed limited by the block speed. The mill is closely integrated with the caster and operates with continuous hot charging. Billets are heated to 950-1000 Celsius using an inductor heater to prevent heat loss. AIC’s scope of supply included automation systems for rolling mill control (S71500), motion-controlled shear and high-speed equipment from Siemens, and fast finishing area equipment such as pinch rolls, continuous shear with a high-speed diverter, tail breakers, rotating drum, and drive systems. The mill is fully automated with a recipe-based system integrated into the HMI, enabling a quick learning curve. According to AIC, this high level of automation led to significant productivity improvements within the first week of startup.
