Increase Material Temperature and Reduce Variance for Efficient and Stable Work
Block Dust and Heat to Improve Worker Working Environment
[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks (Director Lee Jin-su) announced on the 10th that it has installed a tunnel-type heat insulation cover on the hot rolling mill's rolling line.
Hot rolling is a process in which a slab, a rectangular semi-finished product, is reheated sufficiently and then pressed to produce a thin steel sheet called a hot-rolled coil. Maintaining an appropriate temperature consistently is crucial.
The hot rolling division of Gwangyang Steelworks, after considering various measures to maintain world-class competitiveness while practicing ESG management, has applied the tunnel-type heat insulation cover for the first time to the 4th rolling mill, which mainly produces high-quality hot-rolled coil products for premium steel such as automotive steel sheets.
When the cover is installed, outside air is blocked, raising the tunnel's internal temperature to an average of 650℃. This increases the temperature of the material passing through the rolling line by about 11℃, helping to save energy used for temperature control.
Additionally, the temperature deviation in the length and width directions of the material decreases, allowing the slab to pass stably between the rolls without shifting, which reduces quality defects and improves productivity.
In particular, it draws attention by achieving a dual effect of blocking dust and heat generated during material transfer. Workers at the 4th rolling mill responded positively, saying that after applying the tunnel-type heat insulation cover, the dust flying around has decreased and they are no longer directly exposed to heat, enabling them to work in a more comfortable environment.
A representative of the hot rolling division at Gwangyang Steelworks said, “Through the newly installed tunnel-type heat insulation cover at the 4th rolling mill, we have been able to reduce energy usage required to maintain the appropriate temperature, achieving cost reduction as well as practicing ESG management,” adding, “We plan to expand this to all hot rolling mills in the future to maintain a clean working environment and accelerate the efficiency of hot rolling operations.”
Meanwhile, the hot rolling division of Gwangyang Steelworks completed the Hot Rolling AI Smart Center in July last year, which enables remote equipment control based on smart technologies such as artificial intelligence and IoT, leading efforts to strengthen steel competitiveness through the realization of a smart steelworks.
Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr
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