Rolling mill, drives, availability, modernization

The article describes modernization activities undertaken at a wire rod mill, focusing on drives and control systems to increase system availability and reduce production costs.1. INTRODUCTION
The issue of availability in production processes has a direct impact on the cost of manufacturing a product and is a function of the availability of the machines and equipment used. System availability is higher when the number of failures and unplanned downtime is lower [3, 6, 7].
The subject of the article is examples of modernization solutions for drives and control systems at a wire rod mill, aimed at increasing availability and reducing production costs.
2. CHARACTERISTICS OF A ROLLING MILL
A rolling mill is a department of an industrial plant, most often a steelworks, or a separate industrial facility where the primary production method is the rolling process. Depending on whether the process is carried out hot or cold, we distinguish between hot and cold rolling mills. Rolling mills are classified according to the types of products rolled on them. Thus, we distinguish between section mills (long products), plate and sheet mills, strip mills, pipe mills, and mills for various special products [2].
Rolling mills are classified according to various properties. The division into types of rolling mills is based on the conditions under which the rolling process takes place and on the produced assortment and its dimensions.
Depending on the conditions, a distinction is made between hot rolling mills and cold rolling mills. Depending on the assortment, a distinction is made between: a. semi-finished product mills, including primary processing units. b. finished product mills: section mills, which produce bars, sections, wire rod, and narrow hoop iron (long products); flat product mills, which produce sheets, wide hoop iron, strips, and foils; welded and seamless pipe mills; periodic mills for producing products with variable shapes; special mills for the production of rings, wheel rims, balls, threads, and horseshoes.
Each rolling mill is divided into more detailed subgroups depending on the roll diameter and the size of the assortment [1]. (…)

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