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Sumitomo Metals Kokura to Upgrade Bar Mill with 3-Roll Kocks Block
Oct. 19, 2009 Sumitomo Metals Kokura [SMK] has contracted Friedrich Kocks GmbH & Co KG, Hilden, Germany, to replace the existing 3-roll finishing block of their specialty bar mill in Kokura, Japan, with a latest-generation 3-roll Kocks Block.
SMK’s fundamental objectives for the investment are to improve quality and expand production capacity for special steel bar, which are both strategically very important for SMK. The objectives are supported by an SMK forecast that indicates total demand for special steel bar will increase and customer’s request for higher quality steel grades will accelerate in the long run.
The new reducing & sizing block heavy duty design will facilitate rolling with higher rolling forces as well as temperature-controlled rolling, which will help to provide a better product quality. Considering the decrease of rolling efficiency for the production of high-quality steel grades, the RSB will increase the efficiency of the whole rolling mill and at the same time will assure competitiveness on the market by reducing energy consumption.
Upon completion of the modernization, the mill will comprise the roughing mill, intermediate mill and finishing mill, all three of them in 2-high design, and the 3-roll Reducing & Sizing Block in heavy duty design [RSB++] as a 3-roll finishing mill. The monthly production of the bar mill will be increased by 10 % to 90,000 tonnes/month.
More than 20 years ago, SMK pioneered the implementation of a combined Kocks 3-roll finishing block into their existing rolling mill prior to all other specialty steel bar manufacturers worldwide. Their selection of the 3-roll technology was based on finished product quality in regards to roundness and tolerance as well as the reliability and results of the technology.