Past AIST Committee Activities
Current Activities
The Rod & Bar Rolling Technology Committee (RBRTC) met during AISTech 2010 on Tuesday, May 4, with 21 people in attendance. Five attendees were potential new members for this committee. Larry Dalke reviewed the 2010 Steel Industry Fatalities Statistics, noting the eight recorded fatalities. Round table discussion followed, with everyone asked to discuss recent injuries and improvements in their safety programs. Current RBRTC membership stands at 97 members. The RBRTC officer elections for the 2010–2011 term resulted in Ty Hall being elected as chair, Jim Buhl as vice chair, Steve Broyles as papers chair, Dan Davies as membership chair, Doug Fuhriman and Steve Pegg as safety co-chairs, and Bob Greuter as education chair. Larry Dalke was elected as the AIST Division V board of directors representative for the 2010–2012 term. Bob Greuter, RBRTC education chair, presented a draft agenda for the initial Rod and Bar Rolling Training Seminar, scheduled for Feb. 28–March 3, 2011, in Charlotte, N.C. Gerdau Ameristeel Charlotte will be the host plant, with Casimiro Liborio, vice president and general manager, featured as the keynote speaker. Potential seminar presenters along with Bob Greuter are: Joe Kennedy, Matt Allen, Jim Buhl, Ty Hall, Doug Fuhriman, Steve Pegg, Dan Davies, Steve Broyles and Larry Dalke. The RBRTC Training Seminar Subcommittee will finalize program details during a meeting in early September. The next RBRTC meeting will be in Charleston, S.C., Nov. 17–18, 2010, with a tour of Nucor Steel–Berkeley’s rolling mill.
The Rod & Bar Rolling Technology Committee (RBRTC) met in Jacksonville, Fla., on Feb. 18–19 with a tour of the Gerdau Ameristeel Jacksonville Rolling Mill. There were 19 RBRTC members in attendance. Johnny Miller from Gerdau Ameristeel Jacksonville presented a safety and plant overview of the rolling mill, which was built in 1976. Safety discussions started with the Safety & Health Technology Committee Steel Industry Fatalities statistics, the importance of lockout/tagout, and how at older mills it is difficult and very costly to install quick disconnects. Steve Boyles mentioned a generation gap exists that creates a safety communication challenge for most plants. The RBRTC has committed to develop a Rod and Bar Rolling Training Seminar, scheduled for March 1–3, 2011, with Gerdau Ameristeel Charlotte as the host plant. Bob Greuter, RBRTC education chair, has encouraged committee member participation to provide the expertise in teaching rolling mill fundamentals. RBRTC officers Larry Dalke, Ty Hall, Jim Buhl and Doug Fuhriman will participate, along with members Joe Kennedy, Matt Allen, Steve Broyles, Dan Davies and Bill Smith. RBRTC officer rotation for the 2010–2011 term will be as follows: Ty Hall, chair; Jim Buhl, vice chair; Steve Boyles, papers chair; and Dan Davies, membership chair. Current RBRTC chair Larry Dalke will be the next Division V AIST Board of Directors representative for the 2010–2012 term. The RBRTC fall meeting will be held at Nucor Steel–Berkeley.
The Rod & Bar Rolling Technology Committee (RBRTC) met in Memphis, Tenn., on Oct. 1–2 with a tour of Nucor Steel Memphis’s rolling mill. Committee chair Larry Dalke welcomed the 26 RBRTC members attending. Steve Pegg and Doug Fuhriman, RBRTC safety co-chairs, gave an overview on rolling mill safety practices and procedures. Various safety audit programs were discussed, including E-Stop awareness, lift chain/cable inspections, contractor safety coverage, and supplier safety requirements. Dan Davies and Steve Boyles reported on the recent Steel Manufacturers Association meeting and the topics covered there. AIST’s Safety & Health Technology Committee’s 2009 steel industry fatalities statistics were the focus of an open discussion. Alan Jackson recommended that every plant visitor be asked to offer one safety audit suggestion for the shop they’re visiting. Larry Dalke mentioned the development of a rolling mill best practice, where issues like a roll change or cobble removal practice are detailed using the safest procedures. The RBRTC was reminded that each committee member can send an e-mail message using the AIST Extranet to communicate a safety incident or near-miss that recently occurred, in hopes of not repeating a similar safety hazard in another shop.
Bob Greuter, RBRTC education chair, presented a Rod & Bar Rolling Training Seminar agenda to the committee. The committee has scheduled this training seminar for March 1–3, 2011, in Charlotte, N.C. Gerdau Ameristeel Charlotte is a possible tour site. Presenters thus far include: Larry Dalke, Ty Hall, Jim Buhl, Bob Greuter, Steve Pegg, Doug Fuhriman, Joe Kennedy, Matt Allen and Dan Davies. If you have an interest in participating in this training seminar, contact Mr. Greuter. The committee will determine course length and topic material at its next meeting. Committee members are asked to mail sample product pieces to Mr. Greuter that will be used in the training seminar.
The AISI Steel Bar Product Guidelines was presented by Mel Head, AISI metallurgical consultant, who illustrated the revisions made to this manual since the 1996 edition. The new, revised copy can be purchased through AIST’s Steel Library. The next RBRTC meeting is scheduled for Feb. 18–19, 2010, in Jacksonville, Fla., with a tour of Gerdau Ameristeel Jacksonville’s rolling mill.
The Rod & Bar Rolling Technology Committee (RBRTC) met on Wednesday, May 6 at AISTech 2009. There were 23 committee members in attendance. Larry Dalke, chair, reviewed the RBRTC sessions at AISTech, which involved 15 papers. The AISTech 2010 Call for Papers asks for committee members to solicit papers for the 2010 conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. Contact Jim Buhl, papers chair, for details on submitting a paper. RBRTC officer elections were completed, with existing officers asked to complete a second one-year term for 2009–2010: Larry Dalke, chair; Ty Hall, vice chair; Jim Buhl, papers chair; and Bob Greuter, education chair. The RBRTC discussed creating Safety co-chairs, and this was approved. Steve Pegg and Doug Fuhriman were elected as Safety co-chairs. The RBRTC training seminar was discussed, and agenda items and a target audience were determined. Bob Greuter, education chair, will send a revised training seminar agenda with day-ending panel discussions to increase participation from attendees. Potential presenters will also be noted for review. The next RBRTC meeting is scheduled for Oct. 8–9, 2009, with a tour of Nucor Steel Memphis on Friday morning, Oct. 9. Committee presentations will be made on Thursday, Oct. 8, involving rolling mill safety concerns; shutdowns and start-ups; cost prevention while at reduced capacity; and quality concerns producing at slower rates. Contact Larry Dalke before Aug. 15, 2009, if you would like to make a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation on one of these topics. RBRTC members presented Mr. Dalke with a plaque in recognition of his dedication and participation within the rolling mill community.
The Rod and Bar Rolling Technology Committee (RBRTC) met in Duncansville, Texas, on April 1–2. The RBRTC meeting was held in conjunction with the Southwest Member Chapter’s spring meeting, which included a tour of Gerdau Ameristeel Midlothian. Committee chair Larry Dalke welcomed the 12 committee members in attendance. The RBRTC roster has 137 members that reflect inactive Long Products Committee members. The RBRTC will work on building a strong producer member base by reaching out to current rolling mill producers who are not yet involved with the committee. Safety round table discussions involved dehydration issues around the furnace area, combustion concerns with multiple start-ups and shutdowns, furnace relighting procedures, dust in the eye and its frequency, employee safety ownership, cross-departmental safety audits providing a fresh set of eyes to evaluate audit area, combining initial turn activity with safety, and exercising and increasing safety communications plant-wide. A serious injury was noted in which an employee was struck with a 1-ton bundle of bars below his knee. The possibility exists that he might lose his leg because a safe, clear distance was not maintained in this bar storage area. Nucor Steel Seattle and Nucor Steel–Nebraska discussed their Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), which has been recognized by OSHA. The RBRTC reviewed the 2008 Steel Industry Fatalities statistics provided by AIST’s Safety and Health Technology Committee. A proposal to improve committee safety awareness was presented. Taking an example from the Continuous Casting Technology Committee, two RBRTC members were elected to become safety co-chairs, who would solicit rolling mill safety papers for AISTech and encourage safety presentations for future committee meetings. Steve Pegg, Russula, and Doug Fuhriman, Nucor Steel–Utah, were asked to fulfill these committee assignments. The RBRTC was reminded to use the Members Only area of the AIST Web site to broadcast any injury that occurs in their plant that day in hopes of preventing a similar accident at another rolling mill.
The RBRTC’s sessions for AISTech 2009 were reviewed, with three scheduled sessions and 15 paper presentations. The RBRTC also updated its topic for the AISTech 2010 Call for Papers. Bob Greuter, education chair, discussed key elements for planning a Rod and Bar Rolling Training Seminar for the fall of 2010. Defining the audience will be critical, while addressing the following training subjects: safety concerns with rolling mills; introduction to rolling; hot rolled as-rolled attributes; steelmaking; metallurgy; rolling procedures; area-volume-mass flow; incoming material; reheat furnace operations; work rolls and speed; roll passes; drives; ancillary equipment; classification of defects; and yield factors. Larry Dalke and Ty Hall will collaborate and define what rolling mill training aspects will be addressed. Nucor Steel Seattle has volunteered to be host plant for the initial RBRTC training seminar.
Current RBRTC officers were nominated to extend their terms an additional year to help organize the training seminar. Larry Dalke, chair; Ty Hall, vice chair; Jim Buhl, papers chair; and Bob Greuter, education chair were nominated. These nominations were to be voted upon at AISTech 2009. Ty Hall and Jim Buhl made technical presentations at the Southwest Chapter spring meeting.
The Long Products Rolling Technology Committee (LPRTC) met in San Antonio, Texas, for a tour of CMC Texas. Under the direction of Larry Dalke (chair), Ty Hall (vice chair) and Jim Buhl (papers chair), the LPRTC decided to reinvent itself to give AIST members in the rolling mill community a substantive group to provide technical forums, training seminars, a more representative rolling mill committee membership, and improved networking. Active LPRTC members voted unanimously to change this committee’s name and mission statement. The Long Products Rolling Technology Committee will now use the name of Rod and Bar Rolling Technology Committee (RBRTC) to appeal to the rolling mill members. A subcommittee may be formed for rail and beam producers. Rolling mill training will serve as the first priority for this new committee. A Rod and Bar Specialty Training Conference will be scheduled for September 2010, with Nucor Steel Seattle serving as the host plant. The new RBRTC selected Bob Greuter, of Morgardshammar Inc., as its education chair, responsible for developing the training conference. Availability of AISI’s Rolling Mill Training Modules will help this committee formulate an effective training session. The RBRTC mission statement now reads, “To serve the Rod and Bar Rolling Technology Committee by providing forums to advance safety, quality, technology, and performance issues related to the long products industry. The RBRTC will accomplish this mission through the development of technical training seminars, promoting the AISTech conferences, and organizing committee meetings.” Ty Hall, CMC Texas rolling mill superintendent, presented a safety discussion entitled, “Safety Pays the CMC Way.” Safety improvements were noted, and a complete plant tour was provided for the committee. Housekeeping was rated as excellent by this committee. CMC Texas employs roughly 700 people who have adopted the safety philosophy of the “I’s of Safety,” where an employee is only as good as their next decision made. Bill Smith, of LAP Laser, made a presentation on current lasering practices in the steel industry. The next RBRTC meeting will be a joint venture with the AIST Southwest Member Chapter spring meeting in Dallas, Texas, on April 1–3, 2009.
The Long Products Rolling Operating Committee (LPROC) met at AISTech 2008 in Pittsburgh on May 6. Committee membership totaled 97 members. The AISI Rod & Bar Committee joined the LPROC to become the new Long Products Rolling Technology Committee (LPRTC). Elections for 2008–2009 officers took place, with Larry Dalke of Nucor Steel Seattle elected as chair, Ty Hall of CMC Steel Texas as vice chair, and Jim Buhl of Nucor Steel Seattle as papers chair. Future committee meeting sites are The Timken Co. in November and CMC Steel Texas in the spring of 2009. Mike Engestram, committee chair for TCSS (Technical Committee for Structural Shapes) was an invited guest to observe AIST committee involvement. He offered a synopsis of structural shape developments since 1988.
