Henan Yirui completes conversion of aluminum hot rolling mill

Henan Yirui New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Henan Mingtai Group, has signed the final acceptance certificate (FAC) for the newly upgraded four-stand aluminum hot finishing mill, developed by SMS Group. The conversion involved enhancing an existing hot rolling mill by adding three new finishing stands, transforming it into a tandem finishing mill capable of producing trimmed strips up to 2,150 millimeters wide.

This strategic upgrade, completed ahead of schedule, marks a significant milestone in Henan Yirui’s expansion project at its facility near Gongyi, Henan Province, China. The company leveraged SMS Group’s extensive experience in aluminum industry projects to execute the modernization successfully. The new mill integrates components from the existing hot rolling mill, which included a reversing roughing mill and a single-stand reversing finishing mill, into a 1+4 tandem configuration. The result is a more advanced four-stand finishing mill, now in operation.

SMS Group provided the necessary mechanical equipment, fluid systems, and X-Pact® electrical equipment with process automation. The three newly added finishing stands are equipped with advanced CVC® technology to ensure high-quality strip production. The mill’s exit section also includes a modern side-trimming shear, a down coiler unit, and an offline strip surface inspection station, all contributing to the mill’s ability to produce strips of wider dimensions and superior quality.

The successful outcome of the project is attributed to a combination of advanced technology and dedicated collaboration between the teams. According to Liu Jie, General Manager of Henan Mingtai Aluminium, “Installation and commissioning times were significantly shortened thanks to the superior technology and the outstanding efforts, dedication, and commitment of Henan Yirui and SMS Group.” He also noted the seamless integration of secondhand equipment into the new mill’s automation system as a key achievement. Specifically, SMS Group’s incorporation of the roughing mill into the X-Pact® Pass Schedule Calculation (PSC®) system demonstrated their technical expertise.

Rüdiger Roger Wiechmann, Project Manager at SMS Group, emphasized the strong working relationship between the two companies, stating that “throughout the project, it has always been a real pleasure to work with such highly motivated and dedicated project teams from both parties. The flat decision-making hierarchy on the customer side was also very helpful.”

This collaboration has positioned Henan Yirui to significantly enhance its aluminum production capabilities, thanks to the state-of-the-art finishing mill now in operation.

Source and Photo: SMS Group