Electrical Equipment for Federal Transportation
Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG commissioned gefeba to supply all the electrical equipment for a new coil transport system with a horizontal axis in a hot strip mill. The system is integrated into a high-availability production process in which new coils are produced and further processed at 75-second intervals. The requirements for automation, material flow, process reliability, and integration into existing workflows were correspondingly demanding. In addition to the safe transport of the coils, machining, inspection, marking, and tracking processes also had to be reliably integrated into the overall system.
gefeba implemented the electrical equipment and automation for the new strip transport system across the various process steps. After being unloaded from the decoiler, the coils are routed according to requirements: from trimming the strip end to strapping, marking, and weighing, through to additional customer-specific strapping around the circumference or through the coil eye.
Another component of the solution was the integration of a fully automated strip inspection system. Coils can be selectively diverted from the production line and sent for quality inspection. The removed sheet metal panels can be inspected on both sides using a turning device, enabling efficient and reproducible testing within the system design.
In addition, gefeba implemented a comprehensive data management system and seamless coil tracking within the facility. An integrated Wi-Fi system provides an up-to-date overview of materials on all five overhead cranes at all times. This ensures that the relevant coil information is available to operators and transport processes consistently and regardless of location.
To ensure a successful implementation, gefeba conducted a comprehensive factory acceptance test at its own facility in collaboration with the customer. The automation systems were tested and approved using extensive simulations. This intensive preparation laid the foundation for a structured commissioning process within the planned short retrofit timeframe.
The new electrical equipment provided a modern, end-to-end solution for coil transport in the hot-strip mill. The customer benefits from a stable material flow, transparent coil tracking, and high process reliability across all relevant processing and inspection steps. The comprehensive preliminary testing of the automation systems reduced risks during the retrofit phase and facilitated efficient implementation within the tight timeframe. At the same time, the implemented system architecture provides a reliable foundation for maintainable, traceable, and future-proof plant operation.
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We develop customized solutions—from analysis through the engineering phase to commissioning and support. Our focus is on maximum functionality, on-time delivery, and durability.
Our project work is supported by collaborations with leading technology partners such as Siemens, Rittal, B&R, and Proxmox, which provide the technological foundation for our project results and help expand them.
