Modernization of the 6-stand tandem cold rolling mill at Rasselstein Hoesch GmbH

The 6-stand tandem cold rolling mill at Rasselstein Hoesch GmbH was moderni zed with the aim to achieve product improvements in terms of tickness toler ances and flatness of the cold rolled strip as well as off-size strip lengt h and plant availability optimization. In order to remain competitive again st new packaging materials, the produced tinplate and the production proces ses must be continuously improved. The strip for beverage cans has become e ver thinner over the last ten years. At the same time processing speeds in can production have become ever faster. This has resulted in extremely exac ting demands on the material properties and dimensional accuracy of the str ip. The 6-stand mill - whose design was extremely advanced at the time of i ts installation in 1971 - was no longer capable of achieving the thickness tolerances demanded by the market and therefore had to be upgraded. The pro ject mainly included the replacement of the complete electrical equipment a nd of the hydraulic screwdown and wedge adjusting systems. Moreover, the mi ll was equipped with new gauge and flatness control. After two standstills of only 29 days in total the plant was smoothly brought back on stream. As all the set targets in terms of thickness tolerances, flatness and off-size optimization were achieved, the modernization project could be successfull y completed. The plant is now ready to produce strip that fully meets the c hallenges of the market.