Newly Implemented Hot-Edge Inductors Enable Hulamin to Enhance Product Quality

• Primetals Technologies has installed hot-edge inductors on exit side of an aluminum cold rolling mill, enhancing the rolling capability
• Upgrade has enabled production of high-quality cold-rolled aluminum strip, meeting the demands of the can packaging market

Recently, Primetals Technologies signed the final acceptance certificate (FAC) with aluminum producer Hulamin following the successful installation and commissioning of new hot edge inductors for its cold mill rolling line (S5) in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. This upgrade effectively addressed the tight edge issues in aluminum strip that occurred during high-speed rolling, leading to improved product quality. The implementation has enabled the production of high-quality coils for demanding markets, such as the can packaging industry.

Improved Product Quality

Primetals Technologies successfully completed the design, procurement, manufacture, supply, and commissioning of the inductor system in just 18 months. The moving induction heating head assembly has been installed on the exit side of the mill, below the exit delivery table. These assemblies are positioned close to the roll surface, just outside of the strip width, effectively counteracting the thermal camber that causes tight edge issues during high-speed rolling.

The hot edge inductors have successfully resolved the tight edge issues by providing additional heat to the work roll at the strip edge, expanding the roll and alleviating tight edges. This improvement has led to better control of the strip edge shape, enabling Hulamin to achieve its key objectives of high product quality and maximum cold mill capacity.

Successful Collaboration

As part of an integrated series of upgrades to Hulamin’s cold rolling system, the implementation of the hot edge inductors has yielded encouraging results. The aluminum producer has observed noticeable improvements in the on-line strip shape performance and continue to further optimize and refine the use of these powerful actuators in its rolling programme. 

The way the Hulamin and Primetals Technologies teams collaborated from inception to final testing has been a significant driver to the success of the system. Hulamin’s mill operations team has fully embraced the system and relies on it daily to achieve improved mill productivity with consistent shape performance.  

Project Success Sparks Expansion

“Hulamin is extremely pleased with the implementation and the resulting improvement in product quality. Following this success, discussions are ongoing about implementing similar systems on additional mill lines at their site in Pietermaritzburg”, says Calvin Coetzee, Senior Fluids Engineer at Primetals Technologies.