Steel producer Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) has ordered an LD converter (BOF) relining machine from Primetals Technologies. A 30-year-old and outdated machine at HKM’s steel plant in Duisburg, Germany, will be replaced. Startup is scheduled for June 2024.
HKM’s decision to award the contract to Primetals Technologies was based mainly on the tailormade design. This is optimized for HKM’s needs. The design brings successful recent relining machine projects with features such as staff elevators and tailormade solutions for brick logistics. Primetals Technologies will engineer, manufacture, implement, and provide advisory services for the installation and startup of the new relining machine.
Improving occupational health
Primetals Technologies did a comprehensive study to find the best relining solution for HKM, one that would meet their needs in terms of state-of-the-art ergonomics, staff access via a separate elevator, and an automated working platform.
As part of the solution, personnel working inside the converter vessel will no longer need to lift the bricks. This is thanks to a semi-automatic system in which two magazine lifts transport the bricks from the depalletizing station and into the converter. A brick manipulator, which is an arm-like robotic device for handling materials, will then automatically discharge the bricks from the magazine lifts onto an extendable roller table.
With this logistics concept, the bricks are pushed into their final position without the workers having to lift them. Additionally, a staff elevator ensures that the personnel have easy access to the relining platform.
