Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH has completed a major modernization of its seven-stand hot strip mill with SMS group, marking a key milestone in a long-standing partnership that dates back to 1963. The project, finalized in March 2025, centered on the installation of SMS’s advanced X-Pact Centerline Control system, part of a broader technology package ordered the previous year.
The system uses industrial-grade smart cameras to detect and automatically correct lateral strip deviations in real time, ensuring precise alignment throughout the rolling process. This reduces issues such as double-rolled edges, ripped tail-ends, and cobbles, while improving wedge control and strip positioning.
Designed to enhance rolling stability, strip quality, and operational efficiency, the fully automated solution minimizes unscheduled downtimes and the need for manual steering. Benefits include uniform winding and thickness, improved surface finish, consistent material properties, and higher processability. Integration with Salzgitter’s mill was seamless, with real-time image processing feeding into the Level 1 automation system and adjustments made through the hydraulic gap control unit.
All seven stands are now managed via a user-friendly HMI interface, significantly boosting the mill’s performance and product quality.
