Stahl Gerlafingen, Switzerland's largest recycled steel producer, partnered with Primetals Technologies to modernize its wire rod mill due to frequent downtime caused by excessive vibration in the laying head. The upgrade focused on eliminating this vibration, enhancing production stability, increasing yield, and improving product quality while minimizing costly downtime.
Challenge
Challenge
Operating a high-output wire rod mill requires precise control and mechanical stability. Stahl Gerlafingen faced several challenges limiting performance and efficiency, including excessive vibration in the laying head causing unplanned shutdowns, production interruptions resulting from conveyor stops and maintenance issues, inconsistent coil formation affecting downstream handling and quality, and limited real-time insight into product movement and positioning. Together, these issues reduced mill utilization and increased operating costs.
Solution
Solution
Primetals Technologies implemented a comprehensive upgrade centered around advanced mechanical design and intelligent automation.
1. Next-Generation Morgan High-Speed Laying Head
The next-generation Morgan High-Speed Laying Head features a one-piece fabrication design for improved durability, an optimized center of gravity and pipe path to reduce vibration, an integrated segmented deflector plate for precise front- and tail-end control, and a high-performance gearbox with roller bearings.
2. Intelligent Pinch Roll and Drives
The Intelligent Pinch Roll and Drives system incorporates an electrically driven design that provides greater speed, improved process stability, and increased operational reliability under high production loads.
3. Real-Time Tension Monitoring System
The real-time tension monitoring system uses laser speed gauges to measure product movement and position and is fully integrated into the HMI. This enables operators to continuously monitor performance and make data-driven adjustments as necessary.
This integrated approach provided both mechanical stability and digital insight into the rolling process.
Side view of the Morgan High-Speed Laying Head at Stahl Gerlafingen's wire rod mill in Gerlafingen, Switzerland
Results
Results
The upgrade delivered measurable improvements across productivity, quality, and operational efficiency. The improved equipment design enabled higher production speeds, while reduced downtime increased overall mill utilization. The elimination of vibration-related disruptions and improved process stability significantly reduced maintenance interruptions, while fewer conveyor stoppages and reduced material losses resulted in improved yield and operational efficiency.
Precise front- and tail-end placement, combined with more uniform coil geometry, improved downstream processing performance and overall product quality. The tension monitoring system enhanced visibility into process parameters, enabling faster decision-making. As a result, the mill is now capable of producing up to 600,000 tons per year of high-quality wire rod and rebar products.
This project highlights how combining mechanical innovation with intelligent automation can unlock significant performance gains in long rolling operations. By eliminating root causes of downtime and enabling real-time control, producers can maximize throughput without major capacity expansion, improve product consistency and customer satisfaction, and reduce operational risk and maintenance costs.
Benefits
- Increased production performance
- Reduced unplanned stops
- Improved yield and efficiency
- Superior coil quality
- Real-time operational control
Conclusion
This upgrade highlights how targeted modernization that combines mechanical innovation with intelligent automation, can unlock significant performance gains in wire rod operations. By eliminating root causes of downtime and enabling real-time control, wire rod producers can:
- Maximize throughput without major capacity expansion
- Improve product consistency and end-customer satisfaction
- Reduce operational risk and maintenance costs
