Visit to rail production facilities at

Baogang steel, Baotou, PRC & EVRAZ

NKMK, Russia

21.10.2019 – 22.10.2019 (One and Half Day) – Baogang Steel, PRC

24.10.2019 – 25.10.2019 (One and Half Day) – EVRAZ NKMK, Russia
BAOGANG, PRC

• Two Rail and Section Mills – Total Capacity 2.1 MT (Rail and Sections)
• Mill – 1 – Commissioned in 2005, 0.9MT Capacity
• Mill – 2 – Commissioned in 2012-13, 1.2MT capacity

• Production – 1MT Rails per year

• Best ever rail production – 1.36MT

• RHF – Mill 1 – 180 Per Hour OEM – MCC Beris

• RHF – Mill 2 – 260 Per Hour – OEM – MCC Beris

• Rolling Time – 70%

BAOGANG, PRC

• Plant Visit

1. Mill – 2 (H Beam Rolling was in progress)

2. Mill – 1 (Rail Rolling was in progress)

• Product Mix (Rails)

1. 50% - 100 M (Full length)

2. Rest 50% (12.5M, 25M, 50M)

BAOGANG –Roll Turning Shop

• CNC Machines – 24 CNC Machines for both the Mills

• Campaign Life
1. UR – 3000- 3500T
2. UF – 1500-2000T
3. E – 6000T
4. BD2 – 5000T
5. BD1 – 12000 – 15000 T
6. HRSM – 10000 – 12000 T

• Branding and Stamping is done on the same side of the Rail

BAOGANG –Roll Pass

• Roll Pass design changes have been done in BD1 and BD2 (not
disclosed by BAOGANG)
Layout
Baotou Iron & Steel Line 1
Layout
Baotou Iron & Steel Line 2
 Plants at a Glance

Parameters Baotou Line 1 Baotou Line 2 EVRAZ NKMK

Capacity 1.2 mt/y 0.9 mt/y 1.4 mt/y
Section Rail 51.5-75 kg Rail 43-75 kg Rail UIC 54 & 60
H Beam Tram rail Rail P 43-65
I Beam Crane rail Channels
Sheet Piles H beam Beams
I beam
Angles & special sections
Bloom Size 380x280 mm 380x280 mm 365x300x7600 mm
Mill – Supplied by M/s Mill – Supplied by M/s Mill – Supplied by M/s
SMS-Group SMS-Group SMS-Group
Finishing designed by Finishing designed by Finishing designed by
BAOGANG BAOGANG EVRAZ
Process highlights of Baogang Steel Mill-1, Baotou, PR China

Furnace Auto combustion

Yearly Maintenance 14-21 days
Rolling hours 70 %
No of passes BD1-7, BD2-5, TM-2-1-3, BD1 last pass appeared to be equivalent to URM BD-2 first
pass
Roll change time 45 min
Section In 2 blooms max
stabilisation
Cobbles Rare
Roll breakage 4-5 /y
HRSM ring life 10,000 t
No of CNC machine 23-24 Nos (for both Mill-1 and Mill-2)
Furnace Scale loss < 1%
BD 1 BD 1 last pass twisting is common but doesn't affect subsequent rolling
Prime acceptance 93% (loss = scale 1%+UT 0.5% + (dimension + crop + surface defects) 5.5%)
Rolled length, m 108 to 110 hot rolled length,104 after cut and 103 cold length
Crop end cutting Only FE is cut at hot saw, BE is removed after visual
Layout Front End of Rolling is fed to the Straightening Machine
Process highlights of Baogang Steel Mill-1, Baotou, PR China

BD-2 T pass Inverted

Roll Changing Time BD1, BD2 – 45 Minutes, Tandem – 30 Minutes
Descaling Pressure 180 Bar (before BD1 and Tandem)
BD1 Manipulator Mechanical Drive and J Hook Tilter
Rolling Rate 30 blooms / hour approx.
Hot Saw – 1 Not used
Hot Saw Disk Change in every shift
Cooling Bed 36 fans for cooling of rails
Cooling Bed Rails touching each other at cold side
Final Rolling < 900 deg. C
Temperature
Cooling Bed Approx. 60 rails (visual)
capacity
UT Defect 0.2 to 0.5%
Yield 93% (prime acceptance)
Process highlights of Baogang Steel Mill-1, Baotou, PR China

Stacking Space Two beds for 100M rails

Loading By two EOT magnet Cranes
Inspection Random Inspection by Chinese Railways
Tandem Mill Hot Profile Measurement System by M/s TECHNOGAMMA
Mill Covered from all sides with very good house keeping and clean floor
Shift 12 Hourly

Suggestions of 1. Improve Bloom Quality to reduce UT defects

Baotao experts 2. Redesign pass schedule to reduce surface defects
3. Modifications in the Visual and post Visual Lay out
Suggestions of Not satisfied with the Finishing Layout. Suggestion was to process full length prime
Baotao experts ans defective marked rails separately.
Baotao Mill Layout Finishing facility area is very well spread out with facility of handling of different
features lengths of rails in different beds.
Layout
EVRAZ NKMK
 Process highlights of EVRAZ NKMK, Novokuznetsk

Rail output Design:1.4mt, Rail capacity-1mt, Rail actual last year- 0.84mt, 90% Heat Treated
Sections produced last year: R65 (0.8mt), Rest other sections, mill started-2013
Rolling Rate 200 t/h
Furnace 250 t/h, Walking beam furnace by Techint, Italy, Less than one percent scale loss
Mill availability 73 %
No of CNC machine 4
No of passes BD1-7, BD2-3, TM-3-3-3, UF0-1
Descaling Primary 200 bar before BD1
Secondary 200 bar before TM
Roll Materials BD1 & BD2- Alloy graphitic steel (45-50 ShC), UR – Steel Roll Arbor ring adamite
shell, Edger-Pearlitic CI (58-68ShC), UF-Pearlitic CI with CI shell (58-63 ShC),
Edger- pearlitic cast iron (58-63 ShC)
Scrap Diameter BD1- -200, BD2- -200, TM- -150, UF0- -150
Offtake BD1-14-15mm, BD2-14-15mm, TM-
Roll life/campaign life BD1- */12000 , BD2-*/12000, Edger-70,000/4,500, UF-50,000/4500, UR-
50,000/4500, UF0-*/2000
Rolled length, m 110m hot rolled length, 105m after cutting 5 crops at hot saw
 Process highlights of EVRAZ NKMK, Novokuznetsk

Roll sets in circulation UR/EDGER/UF/UF0 -8/4/8/8

Roll Supplier Germany china Italy Thailand & Russia
Thick web asymmetric 20000t/y
rails capacity
Section stabilisation 2-3 blooms, online profile measurement, Tecknogamma
RRSM rings life, t HRSM-20000, VRSM-10000-12000
Production Monthly 85000 max and average 75000
No of lines Finishing One NDT Line and one visual line for long rail, Short rails are visually inspected
separately in a batch
Temp Furnace exit -1200+- 20, BD2exit-1050, TM exit-950
Specific roll 2kg/t
consumption
Heat treatment of rail Two parallel lines. 100m long both side of roller table. Stationary, head up air
quench. Designed in house, inline, line speed-equal to normal rail output, No
induction heating, only rolling heat and Compressed Air is used.
Roll breakage Very rare
Crop end cutting Only FE is cut at hot saw, BE is removed after finishing
 Process highlights of EVRAZ NKMK, Novokuznetsk

Roll Lubrication Not used

RRSM Make BRONX, Cantilever Type HRSM, VRSM Web Working, Residual Stress – 250

NDT Machine FMG (Russian Make), ECT (NDT Canada Make), UT (Phased Array technology, Dry
UT, Make NDT Canada)
Hot Hours 18 hours

Quality Check Crown Profile checking after Straightening machine by gauges

Inspection 100% Inspection by Russian Railway Inspectors as informed

Hot Rail Head Cutting Only Rail Head Cutting @650 deg C by Cold Saw

Walking Beam 250T / Hour

Capacity
Shift 12 Hourly
Process highlights of EVRAZ NKMK, Novokuznetsk

Layout UF-0 introduced at a later date (helps in better tension – compression control
rolling)
One NDT Station
After NDT Station – defective rails are cut in 2 pieces for offline processing in
different beds
OK rails are cut to 100M and sent to Visual Inspection Stations
Bent end, if any, are corrected by Gag Press installed just after the Visual Stations.
 Finishing Layout
100 M Prime Rails
2X52M Rails for Offline Processing
VIS-2
Gag Press
Bed with Chain Transfer
Mechanism
100 M Prime Rails
VIS-1

Gag Press Bed with Chain Transfer

Mechanism
Carbide Saw

2X52M Rails for Offline Processing

Bed with Chain Transfer
Mechanism
NDT(UT, ECT, FMG)
EVRAZ –Roll Turning Shop

• CNC Machines – 3 for Horizontal Rolls and 1 for Vertical Rolls

• Rolls of BD1 and BD2 turned in conventional lathe

• Eccentricity – < 0.05 mm

• Campaign Life
1. UR – 3000- 3500T
2. UF – 1500-2000T
3. E – 6000T
4. BD2 – 5000T
5. BD1 – 12000 – 15000 T
6. HRSM – 10000 – 12000 T

• Branding and Stamping done on different sides of the rail

 EVRAZ – Rolls
ROLL COMPOSITION

• BD1: Low carbon alloy steel(C<1%)

 0 to 200 B.P LIFE
 1 redressing of 15mm
 12000T life per campaign

• BD2: High eutectoid graphitic steel(45-50 shore hardness)

 0 to 200 B.P LIFE
 1 redressing of 15mm
 15000T life per campaign
 EVRAZ – Rolls
ROLL COMPOSITION

• UR: Forged steel shaft with adamite shell(55-60 shore hardness)

 4500 T per campaign
 0 to 150 B.P LIFE
• EDGER: Pearlitic cast iron with spheroidal graphite(58-63 shore
hardness)
 4500 t per campaign
 0 to 150 B.P LIFE
• UF: Pearlitic cast iron to avoid sticking(58-63 shore hardness)
 4500T per campaign
 0 to 150 BP LIFE
• U0: : Pearlitic cast iron to avoid sticking(58-63 shore hardness)
 2000T per campaign
 0 to 150 BP LIFE
EVRAZ – Rolls

TANDEM ROLL SETS IN CIRCULATION

• 8 SETS IN UR
• 4 SETS IN EDGER
• 8 SETS IN UF
• 8 SETS IN U0

PLASMA HARDENING
• Heat treatment of specific portion of roll structure to increase wear
resistance done in UR,E,UF,U0 ROLLS to take care of localised wear
out of rolls
EVRAZ – Chocks
• BD-1 and BD-2 – 9
• UR, U0 and UF – 12 sets
• E – 6 sets
• Vertical – 24 sets
EVRAZ – Roll Pass

• Roll Pass design changes have been done in BD1 and BD2 (not
disclosed by EVRAZ)
 EVRAZ NKMK – Points after
Discussion

1. Total 7 passes in BD1, 1st pass of URM BD2 is 7th PASS OF Evraz BD1.
2. T pass in Evraz is inverted therefore no downward tendency.
3. BD2 few passes are inclined.
4. Total 9 passes in tandem UR – E – UR
5. One more universal ( UF0) after tandem.
6. Recommended cast iron rolls in UF operator side to avoid sticking,
hardness 62 shore C.
7. All tandem and UF rolls having hardness > 60 shore C.
EVRAZ NKMK – Points after
Discussion
1. Only roll cooling
2. No pass lubrication in any of the rolls.
3. Plasma hardening at flange portion in BD2, UR and UF rolls.
4. Maintaining eccentricity less than 0.05 mm.
5. Presently doing manual branding on bottom roll of UF0.
6. Cutting 5 m from the front and then sending 105 m to finishing.
7. Web straightening as in RSM.
8. Calibration time for NDT machines – about 1 hour. Calibration
frequency – once in Shift of 12 hours
Heat Treatment line BAOGANG

• Not Shown
Heat Treatment line EVRAZ
NKMK
• Online Heat Treatment using Proprietary Air Quenching Technology

• Two Heat Treatment Lines at the output of the UF-0

• Heat Treatment is done at one go for the entire rail (rail is head up and
stationary)

• Heat Treatment is done independently for both the lines

• After Heat Treatment, rails are transferred to the roller table and fed to
the cooling bed entry roller table

• Rolling Rate with Heat Treatment – observed 30 rails / hour

• Photography was not allowed for the facility

 Head Hardening Arrangement
From Mill after UF-0
Rail Head Up Oprn

Head Head Hardening

Hardening Module #2
Module #1

To Cooling Bed Entry

Common Features – Mill (Baotao
and EVRAZ)
• BD1 and BD2 are in the same rolling line
• As rolled length in both the Plants – 108-110 M
• Only Front End Cutting
• In both the plants, rolling front end enters the
Straightening Machine
• Cantilever type HRSM in both the Plants
• Technogamma Profile Measurement machines was
present in Baogang Mill-1 and EVRAZ.
• No Hot Surface Defect Detection Machine in both the
plants
• No Use of pass lubrication in both the mill.
Common Features – Finishing (Baotao and EVRAZ)

• Rail processing both combination of Online Inspection (for full length rails) and Offline
Inspection in beds (for defect marked rails which are salvaged in shorter acceptable
lengths).

• Component of full length 100M prime rails is 50-60% maximum in both the plants
• NDT at EVRAZ
1. Dry type phased array UT Machine by NDT Canada
2. ECT machine by NDT Canada
3. FMG machine – Russian Make
4. PMG Machine – Not Available

• NDT at Baotao
1. Not Shown

• Finishing Logistics and layout

1. Layout is suitable for online and offline processing /inspection.
2. No Rail welding line in both the plant.
3. Finishing facility area is very well spread out with facility of handling of different
lengths of rails in different beds.
Maintenance and Spare Management Practices

BAOGANG China

Maintenance Strategy

• 2 scheduled maintenance of 14 hrs. each every month

• One capital repair of 14-21( based on mill condition) days
every year
• AMC of major equipment – Not disclosed.
Maintenance and Spare Management Practices

BAOGANG China

Spare Management

• Sufficient quantity of spares from OES/OEM available at

shop floor.
• All insurance spares like main drive motors,spindles,gear
boxes are available.
• The spares are kept in marked area near stands.
• Hydraulic cylinders in ample quantity available..
• Geared motors and sensors available in sufficient quantity.
• Spare roller table assembly with couplings available at site.
• Mill Check – ½ hour in every Shift
Maintenance and Spare Management Practices

EVRAZ Novokuztesk

Maintenance Strategy
• Scheduled maintenance of 8 hrs . every week.
• One capital repair of 6 days every year
• No AMC is in place.
• Evraz technical support headquartered at Moscow to support in case of
complex problems. Technical Support team is available at site.
• Operative maintenance during shift changeover – 30 minutes
• Scheduled replacement of components as per the maintenance
schedule.
o Edger Block changed every week

o Pressure Transducers of Tandem Mill changed 50% every year

Maintenance and Spare Management Practices

EVRAZ Novokuztesk

Spare Management

• Sufficient quantity of spares from OES/OEM available at shop

floor.
• All insurance spares like main drive motors, spindles, gear boxes
are available. There was a failure in one of the main drive motors
at the Plant.
• Ready to use spares are kept in marked area near stands.
• Hydraulic cylinders in ample quantity available..
Maintenance and Spare Management Practices

EVRAZ Novokuztesk
Spare Management

• Geared motors and sensors available in sufficient quantity.

• Spare roller table assembly with couplings available at site.

• Spares procured on proprietary basis from SMS Group Spare Division Only

• Commissioning spares and two years spares’ were ordered with the

Project
 Implementable Points
Use of SGCI (Cast Iron) Rolls for Vertical Rolls
of UF to avoid sticking problem
Plasma Hardening of selected roll portions
(prone to maximum wear out) BD-2, UR and
UF Rolls
Adequate spares and consumables including
insurance spares from OEM/OES
Periodic replacement of sensors and
cylinders
 Implementable Points
Changes in the Roll Pass Design to be
explored.
Modification in BD-1 passes (tapered) to
minimize lap.
Modification in Leader and Finishing Pass of
RSM to address the flange thickness issue in
line with 60E1 profile requirement.
Installation of Head Hardening Unit (EVRAZ
Model) parallel to RT101 Roller Table of RSM.
THANK YOU