The finishing block upgrade, Phase 3 of the multi-phase upgrade was successfully completed at the end of last year. The multi-phase revamp approach permitted Evraz (Rocky Mountain Steel), located in Pueblo, CO, USA to upgrade obsolete control equipment at the plant’s convenience and minimize mill downtime to reduce the impact on production. The upgrade of the mill, rod mill outlet and finishing block occurred over the course of two years.
Multi-phase automation upgrade
Phase Startup Date
- Roughing, intermediate., finishing & break down mill November 2015
- Rod mill outlet November 2016
- Finishing block December 2017
Russula was responsible for installation supervision, commissioning, on-site operator/maintenance training and provided both on-site and off-site remote support after the start-up to guarantee a smooth transition back to production.
Since Russula is an independent systems integrator, Evraz was offered two drive alternatives from different suppliers. The 6.8 MW ABB Mega Drive-LCI was chosen. It is a robust medium voltage drive used for high power applications ideal for the finishing block.
Start-up December 2017
During an 11-day maintenance outage, the new drive was installed and commissioned. The finishing block successfully returned to operations on December 8, 2017.
Russula supplies a full range of automation solutions from instrumentation and control systems through advanced drive technology and tailor-made control solutions for greenfield projects and revamps counting on thirty years of unparalleled experience in the steel industry.