London, 29 November 2016

Nucor Steel upgrades automation and drives in carbon steel plate mill with Primetals Technologies

• Finishing end automation and drives system upgraded in North Carolina mill

• Technical options include quality assurance system

• New system installation expected by spring 2017

​Nucor Steel has selected Primetals Technologies to upgrade the automation and drives system in the finishing end of its carbon plate steel mill in Cofield, North Carolina, USA. Equipment in the finishing end includes the side trimmer, cold shear and plate piler. The project also contains an option for future implementation of a quality assurance system. The upgrade will be completed in May 2017.

Built in 2000, the Hertford County mill produces 1.6 million tons of carbon, alloy and high strength, low alloy steel plates including quenched and tempered and normalized steel plates. The plate mill produces plate for many products, including armored personnel carriers, railroad tank cars and bridges. Primetals Technologies will replace the mill's existing drives and control system with Siemens drives, automation and human machine interface (HMI), a WinCC software system, and a level 2 automation system to control the mill's side trimmer, cold shear, and shipment prep areas. Nucor is also considering an option to add a quality assurance solution with a character-recognition camera to validate customer data on metal plates.

A Fortune 500 company, Nucor is the largest manufacturer of steel products in North America, with approximately 200 operating facilities, including wholly owned subsidiaries Harris Steel, The David J. Joseph Company, and Skyline Steel, producing more than 21.1 million tons per year. Products include: carbon and alloy steel -- in bars, beams, sheet and plate; steel piling; steel joists and joist girders; steel deck; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold finished steel; steel fasteners; metals building systems; steel grating and expanded metal; and wire and wire mesh. Nucor is North America's largest recycler.

Plates produced on the carbon plate steel mill of Nucor Steel in Cofield, North Carolina, USA. Nucor has selected Primetals Technologies to upgrade the automation and drives system in the finishing end of the mill (Photo courtesy Nucor Steel).

Primetals Technologies, Limited, headquartered in London, United Kingdom, is a pioneer and world leader in the fields of engineering, plant building, and the provision of lifecycle services for the metals industry. The company offers a complete technology, product, and services portfolio that includes integrated electrics and automation, digitalization, and environmental solutions. This covers every step of the iron and steel production chain—from the raw materials to the finished product—and includes the latest rolling solutions for the nonferrous metals sector. Primetals Technologies is a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and partners, with around 7,000 employees worldwide. To learn more about Primetals Technologies, visit the company website www.primetals.com.