Atlas Tube, a company of Zekelman Industries, has recently reiterated its trust in tube welding technology from SMS group, a group of companies internationally active in plant construction and mechanical engineering for the steel and nonferrous metals industry. SMS group has now received several follow-up orders for the 16-inch tube welding line which was moved to Blytheville, Arkansas, in 2006 and which SMS had already extensively modernized and extended as part of that relocation.
The line is now going to be equipped with a completely new sizing section to expand the product spectrum and improve productivity. The use of URD® (Uniform Rigidity Design) stands in the sizing section will significantly shorten the size changing times in future.
Once the upgrading measures have been completed, the line will be able to roll structurals (round tubes with outside diameters up to 18 inches) as well as square and rectangular hollow sections. Hollow section sizes will range from 14 inches x 14 inches square to up to 18 inches x 10 inches rectangular.
Two newly developed inside scarfers have been supplied for the 16-inch line installed by SMS group in Harrow in 2000. These scarfers are a further optimization based on Zekelman Industries’ and SMS group’s experience of the original scarfers of proven SMS design.
