Raises availability and avoids additional downtime
SMS group successfully upgraded the automation system of the five-meter heavy plate mill at Jingye Yingkou Medium Plate, Liaoning Province, China. Integrated into the plant’s annual maintenance shutdown, the modernization was completed within eight days and enabled production to resume after a ten-day stoppage without requiring extra downtime. The upgrade improved system availability, maintenance efficiency, operational safety, and readiness for future expansion.
The project modernized the X-Pact® ProBAS level 1 automation system for the roughing mill, finishing mill, and hot plate leveler by replacing obsolete and non-operational components with the latest state of the art technology. SMS group implemented X-Pact® Embedded controllers and a high-speed EtherCAT I/O system to improve communication speed and data handling, thereby strengthening the reliability and serviceability of automation functions and technological packages. In addition, the safety modules were replaced with the latest models to enhance plant safety. A key technical feature of the solution is its future-oriented open hardware and system platform, which is based on international standards and supports flexible integration with a wide range of hardware and software. This provides the customer with a scalable foundation for future modernization, expansion, and integration projects requiring long-term adaptability. The heavy plate mill is designed for an annual output of 2.3 million tons and produces steels for shipbuilding, pipelines, pressure vessels, boilers, and high-strength structural applications.
We were supported in this automation project by an excellent team from the SMS Automation, Digital and Service Solutions unit, who worked diligently and efficiently in such a short time to ensure a successful outcome.