Process & Technology Consulting for the Steel Industry

Process and technology consulting for the steel industry focuses on enhancing plant performance and reducing conversion costs, enabling the swift and accurate selection of feasible improvement measures. Primetals Technologies provides technology consulting services designed to help steel producers achieve and sustain high standards of production excellence. With decades of experience in the engineering, installation, start-up, and commissioning of steelmaking plants worldwide, the specialists at Primetals Technologies excel at identifying opportunities to improve plant performance through comprehensive performance checks. Tailored and detailed concepts are developed to optimize processes, equipment, and product quality, ranging from raw materials to various steel grades. By implementing these improvement measures, steel producers can achieve cost-effective, sustainable production excellence, ensuring long-term competitiveness and efficiency.

Process and technology consulting for the steel industry addresses all aspects of production optimization, from ironmaking and steelmaking to casting and rolling. This consulting service also includes insights into automation and digitalization strategies, as well as consultations for eco-friendly steel production.

Ironmaking

Primetals Technologies offers expertise across all aspects of ironmaking technologies, including sintering, pelletizing, hot metal production, and direct reduced iron production. Comprehensive training and advice are provided to enhance productivity, process stability, and product quality, even under varying demands from steelmaking plants—ensuring a fast return on investment.

An initial ironmaking fitness check consists of visual inspections, detailed investigations, and studies. Results and improvement proposals, including cost and benefit analyses, are presented and discussed. Quality improvements are achieved through metallurgical investigations and back/forward calculations that account for the chemical and thermodynamic behavior of input materials and the required output chemistry. Minimum energy input is maintained by balancing mass and energy.

Steelmaking

Primetals Technologies covers both converter and electric steelmaking technologies, including LD (BOF), AOD, and EAF, as well as secondary metallurgy technologies such as VD, VOD, and RH. A structured consulting methodology is used to identify improvement potential, resulting in cost savings and enhanced production quality with a rapid return on investment.

Consulting begins with a performance check, which includes equipment evaluation and discussions with customer experts, followed by a detailed report with expert recommendations. The second step involves developing and evaluating detailed concepts, culminating in a presentation of results, proposed measures, and an implementation schedule with associated costs and benefits. Finally, the measures are implemented by Primetals Technologies experts, supported by comprehensive training for operators and metallurgists to ensure optimal results.

Continuous Casting

Primetals Technologies provides expertise in continuous casting technology for billet, bloom, beam-blank, and slab casters from any supplier. Consulting begins with a caster fitness check, followed by detailed investigations and studies. Results and improvement proposals, including cost and benefit analyses, are presented and discussed.

Quality improvements are achieved through metallurgical investigations, surface and internal quality optimization, and automation setup, all supported by technological training. Advanced tools like Computational Fluid Dynamics, Thermomechanical, and Equipment Quality Simulations ensure the highest quality in the shortest time. On-site equipment analysis identifies weaknesses and provides quick, cost-effective solutions. Primetals Technologies supports all aspects of continuous caster operations.

Rolling Mills and Processing Lines

Rolling mills and processing lines often operate for several decades and must be maintained to meet evolving market demands, including new steel grades, quality requirements, and dimensions. High yield, mill availability, and production throughput must also be optimized to ensure economic success. Primetals Technologies employs a systematic approach, working closely with customers to develop tailored upgrade, modernization, or extension concepts. Before investments are made, specific investigations and studies provide insights into technical feasibility, bottleneck identification, and investment estimates. Leveraging extensive plant-building experience, feedback from installed references, and advanced simulation tools, Primetals Technologies ensures that these studies meet the highest technical standards.

In addition to high-tech equipment and skilled employees, comprehensive process and metallurgical expertise are essential for the successful operation of rolling mills, galvanizing lines, and annealing lines.

Benefits of Optimization Services

• Strategic and holistic operational planning, process optimization, and scenario-based strategic planning for management decisions
• Calculations of asset scope, material balances, and the impact of raw materials and energy flows
• Optimization of costs, emissions, and KPIs through adjustments to raw material blends and process parameters
• Configuration of optimization routines based on individual customer requirements
• Simulation of plant performance during maintenance periods
• Evaluation of operational philosophies and recycle loops within existing processes

Electrics and Automation Consulting

To meet customer needs for lower conversion and raw material costs while improving plant performance and product quality, Primetals Technologies offers innovative electrics and automation solutions. Senior automation experts evaluate the current status of automation systems and process-relevant areas, such as drives, power distribution, and instrumentation. Findings are documented in detailed reports, including recommendations for improvement.

Tailor-made packages are available for the following topics

• Operational consulting
• Benchmarking
• Operation improvements
• Feasibility studies
• Logistics
• Preventive maintenance studies
• Optimization of electric power supplies
• Energy management value scans
• Plant assessments and condition analyses
• Energy consumption and plant performance

Environmental Consulting

Compliance with environmental standards is a critical challenge for steelmaking processes. Primetals Technologies provides expert environmental consulting to help producers meet these standards, save resources, and create value throughout the metals production chain.

Key focus areas include

• Gas cleaning for emission reduction
• Waste heat recovery systems to increase energy efficiency
• By-product utilization to enhance recycling efforts
• Saving resources:
• Optimized use of raw materials
• Minimized gas emissions
• Reduced energy consumption
• Significant reduction in particulate and gaseous emissions
• Efficient by-product treatment and recycling
• Creating value:
• Improved plant performance
• Lower conversion costs
• Reduced environmental taxes and disposal costs
• Increased energy recovery
• Substantially improved working conditions and safety