South Korea’s KG Steel has contracted Primetals Technologies to modernize its pickling line tandem cold mill (PLTCM) at the company’s Dangjin plant.
The 18-month project will involve a comprehensive upgrade of the existing PLTCM, including replacement of its basic automation system with the SIMATIC S7-1500 platform and installation of a new process automation system incorporating AI technologies.
The upgraded automation system will improve control of strip thickness and flatness, enabling KG Steel to expand its production range of cold-rolled products, including galvanized steel, tinplate and pre-coated products under its XTONE brand.
The project will also include a renewed human-machine interface, server virtualization and an advanced pickling model to improve operational stability, product quality and recovery times.
Primetals Technologies will use a shadow-mode and switch-over approach, allowing the new system to be connected and tested while the existing system remains operational. This is intended to reduce commissioning time and minimize disruption during the main shutdown.
Following the modernization, KG Steel expects improved mill availability, reduced downtime and higher productivity, while the upgraded digital infrastructure will allow additional digital solutions to be integrated in the future.
KG Steel Co. is a South Korean steel producer manufacturing cold rolled and galvanized steel and tinplate.