Fives Stein has been selected by Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) to design, engineer and supply on a turn-key basis the two walking beam furnaces which are part of the contract received by Siemens VAI Metals Technologies (Siemens Industry Inc.) for the new advanced speciality metal hot rolling and processing facility to be built for ATI Allegheny Ludlum in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
ATI is one of the largest and most diversified speciality metals producers in the world, using innovative technologies to offer global markets a wide range of speciality metals solutions. ATI’s major markets are aerospace and defense, oil and gas/chemical process industry, electrical energy, medical, automotive, food equipment and appliances, machine and cutting tools, and construction and mining. ATI’s products include titanium and titanium alloys, nickel-based alloys and specialty alloys. Grain-oriented electrical steel, stainless and specialty steel, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tungsten materials, and forgings and castings.
As part of a strategic investment to enhance the metal processing capabilities, the two new walking beam furnaces of Fives Stein’s Digital Furnace® technology will be capable of reheating a wide range of stainless steels and other specialty alloys with the highest quality requirements. Each of these Digital Furnaces® is designed to reach unrivalled ultra low NOx performances combined with high energy efficiency solutions for the full operating range of production. The furnaces will be equipped with the latest generation of Fives Stein’s low NOx Advantek® MWF modulating wide flame burners. The associated pulse firing combustion system of the Digital Furnace® technology gives the best flexibility of operation and allows the production of the various specialty metals and slab dimensions of the product-mix at high productivity and quality levels.
The project scope for Fives Stein comprises design, engineering, manufacturing and supply of the complete furnace equipment, the slab handling and the electrical and automation systems. The level 2 process automation features a HOS (Heating Optimizing System) and is aimed at meeting the mill requirements while maximizing the furnace productivity and the product quality. Supervisory services are also being provided for installation, start up, commissioning, technical assistance and training.