Coiler drums are integral components of the Steckel mill reversing hot strip rolling process. A Steckel mill produces hot rolled strip steel from cast slabs, which are heated before being converted, via roughing, to a transfer bar, of which the thickness is subsequently reduced to the desired gauge by means of a reverse rolling process performed by the Steckel mill. Coiler drums are located inside two Steckel furnaces, which are positioned on both sides of the mill stand. As the strip thickness is reduced during each pass, the length increases. In order to obtain high rolling speeds and retain temperature, the strip is successively coiled and uncoiled, under tension, onto and from the heated coiler drums during processing. As coiler drums have a high unit cost and a significant impact on the quality of the finished product, coiler drum performance is important to Steckel mill operators. The high cost is associated with the high alloy composition of the casting and the specialised manufacturing process required for the production of coiler drums. Deterioration of the coiler drum condition over its service lifespan can adversely affect the quality of the final product, namely coiled strip. This investigation was therefore undertaken to gain insight into coiler drum failure mechanisms, which will benefit Steckel mill operators, mill suppliers and coiler drum suppliers. / Professor R.F. Laubscher
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:2579 |
| Date | 10 June 2008 |
| Creators | Hamman, Gert J.M. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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