SMS group to modernise automation at cold rolling mill

thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel (tkES) has awarded SMS group a contract to upgrade the automation systems at its four-high CVC cold rolling mill in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

Originally built by SMS in 1974, the reversing mill is dedicated to processing grain-oriented silicon steel (GO Si-Steel). The modernisation aims to enhance automation, improve safety, and integrate advanced digital technologies to maximise plant availability and efficiency.

The upgrade will be carried out in two phases, with completion scheduled for 2027. Central to the project is the replacement of the existing X-Pact electrical and automation systems with the latest generation of automation technologies.

These include the X-Pact Embedded controller, high-speed EtherCAT I/O systems, and new ergonomic control pulpits.

A virtualised IT infrastructure will also be introduced to improve lifecycle management and reduce dependence on specific hardware or operating systems.

The automation package features level 1 and model-based level 2 systems specifically tailored for GO Si-Steel production, supported by the X-Pact Vision human-machine interface. 

^{SMS’s integrated safety concept for mechanical, electrical, and automation systems: safe plant access with a key transfer system}

This intuitive HMI enables efficient operator guidance and provides tools for system diagnostics, maintenance, and troubleshooting. A master controller will oversee the rolling process and coordinate data flow across all automation levels, including safety systems.

In preparation for the upgrade, tkES and SMS conducted thorough on-site assessments and jointly developed a comprehensive safety concept.

The resulting measures are designed to improve occupational safety during both operation and maintenance activities.

An optimised performance

To ensure seamless commissioning, SMS will conduct its X-Pact Plug & Work integration test, combining the original hardware and software with the new systems in a simulated test environment.

Leveraging a digital twin of the mill, this approach allows final optimisations to be made before installation, reducing both time and costs associated with commissioning and documentation.

Independent safety control functions will also be fully tested during this phase.

The project builds on a long-standing collaboration between tkES and SMS, including successful revamps of the cold rolling mill in 2000 and 2011.

Through ongoing X-Pact Service contracts, the mill has continued to operate at a stable and optimised performance level, supported by SMS’s technical expertise and tkES’s operational insights.

Beyond enhancing automation and safety, the project supports tkES’s long-term commitment to the efficient production of high-quality electrical steel.

The company’s grain-oriented silicon steel, containing 3.1% to 3.5% silicon, plays a crucial role in global energy transmission and distribution networks by enabling minimal energy losses and greater sustainability.

Philipp Geisler, solutions flat products at SMS, said, “Our process knowledge and integrated solutions in design, research and development, and automation, make us the ideal partner for tkES’s modernization goals. Together, we develop tailored solutions for electrical steel production to boost the availability and safety of the reversing cold rolling mill for years to come.”

Also read: SMS group and Ansteel partner to drive green steel innovation