Russula supplies high speed wire rod mill

After the successful supply and commissioning of the 4 slitting bar mill in 2015, Russula supplied the high speed wire rod line for Gerdau's (formerly Silat) plant in Primavera in Caucaia, in the state of Ceará, Brazil. The combined mill is designed for an annual capacity of 600,000 tpy. The single strand line rolls wire rod in diameters from 5.5-16 mm, expanding Silat's product portfolio of 8-32 mm rebar to include wire rod and rebar in coil.

Proven design concepts was the core design basis for the wire rod outlet

Proven Design Concepts

The wire rod line design was based on the same proven design concepts implemented for the bar mill. Better what is known to work than what is newly known. Proven design concepts are reflected in the mill layout, mechanical and electrical equipment supply. Equipment was sized to reduce the number of spare parts and maximize accesibility, to simplify maintenance and daily operations.

Russula supplied the 10-pass, high speed, twist free wire rod finishing block

Scope of Supply

Russula supplied the high-speed mechanical equipment starting from the laying head, 10-pass, high-speed, twist-free finishing block, controlled cooling line, coil forming, tranport, compacting systems and all related equipment for the bundle forming and tying area, including a bar counting device, weighing station, tagging station, and coil unloading table. Besides the mechanical equipment, Russula provided the electrical and automation system for the complete line, including the motors, drives and sensors. There is one central control desk for both the bar and wire rod mills and another for the stacker. Electrical rooms are distributed thoughout the plant. Russula also supplied the supervision services for the construction and commissioning.

Patented laying head design improves stability and coil formation

Russula's patented laying head technology

For the Silat project, Russula developed a new laying head design that improved performance and simplified maintenance. When rolling at high speeds, power consumption and noise levels were reduced and wear and tear was minimized for the laying head compontents, compared to standard designs. Russula’s patented layhnology provides a competitive edge for steelmakers, making Silat one of the most advanced mills in the region.

The Silat and Russula team making final adjustments on the finishing block before startup

Roll thin diameter wire rod at 110 m/s

An essential characteristic of every wire rod mill is the finishing block. It permits a mill to roll thin diameter products at high, sustainable speeds, while meeting stringent quality requirements. The wire rod finishing block at Silat is designed for low and medium carbon products.

Coil handling equipment at Silat

Two, 6 meter long sections that make up the bundle forming area can be easily expanded in the future to add a third section, to fulfill long product market demand. The coil handling system is designed for maximum throughput and to compact the shortest coil possible for each product.

New wire rod line commissioned in February, 2017

Excellent coil quality on the first day of commissioning

The wire rod line was commissioned on Februrary 3rd, 2017. Silat can roll wire rod sizes at 110 m/s sustainable speeds. Coil quality was excellent, from the first day the line entered into operations.