Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) has been awarded a contract for an expansion of the merchant bar mill at its Roanoke Bar Division, Virginia operation to SMS group. The upgrade is to integrate a new reheating furnace and a completely new finishing area into the facility. This investment enables SDI Roanoke to increase its rolled capacity from 500,000 tons to 600,000 tons per year.
The new reheating furnace increases the productivity and improves the energy efficiency, with an adoption of a smart combustion management system.
The new finishing package includes all equipment starting from the outlet of the dividing shear up to the finishing area. It comprises bar layer transfer devices, bar counter, lance-type bundler, electrical-type tying machines, bundle transfer and temporary storage devices. The lance-type bundler ensures high-quality bundle formation. The bundle length will vary from 6 to 18.3 m and the weight can vary from 1 to 5 T, maximizing the furnace capacity.
After its upgrade, the merchant bar mill will increase the production of rebar to over 200,000 tons per year. Commissioning of the upgraded facility is scheduled for the end of 2017.
