Steel Tandem Cold Mill

The steel tandem cold mill is a vital component in modern cold-rolled steel production, consisting of three to six mill stands arranged in series to progressively reduce the thickness of the strip in a single pass. With its powerful reduction capabilities and high production rates, the tandem cold mill enables steel producers to meet the growing demand for advanced steel grades through high-capacity production. The advanced features of tandem cold mills from Primetals Technologies, incorporating the UC-MILL principle, enhance yield and ensure uncompromising strip quality to meet strict tolerance requirements, while maintaining simple and user-friendly operation.

For automotive steels, there is a growing demand for high-tensile steel at thinner gauges as producers aim to reduce vehicle weight and improve fuel consumption. Consequently, there is increasing pressure to enhance the performance of rolling mills. To address this demand, the steel tandem cold mill utilizing the Universal Crown Control Mill (UC-Mill) for all stands has become the standard as a highly effective solution.

The UC-Mill

The UC-Mill is a 6-high steel mill designed on the UC-Mill principle, which restricts work roll deflection caused by rolling force by shifting the intermediate rolls according to the width of the rolled material. The Hyper UC-Mill, featuring even smaller work roll diameters, can also be applied in the tandem cold mill to meet the growing market demand for thinner and harder products, such as advanced high tensile strength steel or silicon-contained electrical steel. The UC-Mill features include work roll bending, work roll shifting (optional), intermediate roll bending, intermediate roll shifting, super heavy reduction, high strip shape control ability, and cylindrical rolls for easy maintenance and operation.

Standout Feature of Exit Equipment

A carousel tension reel with two mandrels combined with a robust rotary shear enables the strip to be cropped on completion of a coil, allowing the second mandrel to accept the oncoming strip without stopping the mill. For inspection of the product coil surface, various types of inspection stations can be offered to suit client requirements.

Benefits of Tandem Cold Mills from Primetals Technologies

• Very high production rates (over 1.2 million t/a)
• Reduced roll consumption
• Flexible production
• Tight tolerances for strip thickness, shape, and high surface quality
• Low costs for operation, maintenance, and minimum downtimes
• Reduction in off-gauge material
• Elimination of strip threading problems