SMS group and Hybar LLC are leading the way to green rebar with continuous mill technology
SMS group and Hybar LLC stepped into an innovative collaboration to establish one of the most modern and sustainable CMT® (Continuous Minimill Technology) rebar minimill ever built. The project is being carried out on Hybar’s Arkansas site.
Caster technology
The Concast single-strand caster enables stable high-speed casting by addressing increased heat loads on molds. The CONREX mold technology optimizes cooling, reduces thermal stress and maintains lower temperatures. Its design minimizes containment length and reduces wear on mill rolls. Grooves on the mold tube enhance heat transfer, improving cooling efficiency.
The CONDRIVE system ensures accurate mold oscillation with torque drive technology, allowing online adjustments and reducing operational costs compared to hydraulic systems.
Mill technology
The CMT® rolling mill operates continuously, with the cast strand running directly into the mill. An induction heater is positioned before the mill to provide supplementary heating or temperature equalization when required. The system produces straight bars from 8 to 63 mm and wound bars from 6.3 to 32 mm. With additional equipment, it also handles wire rod from 5.5 to 26 mm (28 mm) and light sections, delivering maximum operational flexibility and production versatility.
Hybar’s rolling mill is equipped with fourteen housing-less stands and an eight-pass MEERdrive® high-speed finishing block. MEERdrive® technology reduces roll ring inventory by 60% compared to conventional finishing blocks, thanks to its flexible gear ratio selection. Its individual drive concept lowers energy consumption and operating costs by approximately 30%. Additionally, the MEERarms ring-changing system enables module changes in just 10 minutes, further improving operational efficiency. The "one-family-rolling" concept sequence also optimizes production, reducing downtime and energy usage. SMS group’s quenching and soft cooling TMbaR® thermo-processing systems are also incorporated into the mill.
The TBK MEERgauge autonomous laser measurement system is installed directly after the rolling mill to check product dimensions, optimize production, and utilize tolerances. It enables early detection of dimensional anomalies in both hot and cold conditions. Hybar’s mill operators can monitor deviations via 2D and 3D models on the HMI, including details on deviation and probable causes.
The integration of the High Speed Delivery (HSD®) system and the Vertical Compact Coiler (VCC®) technology in the two separate finishing lines enhances material yield by up to 2% by minimizing the occurrence of short bars in multistrand bar rolling.
We are going to produce long products at Hybar, using high-yield, low-emission, and energy-efficient CMT technology from SMS group. We see the opportunity to set worldwide standards in terms of carbon emissions and labor efficiency.
