The company said the upgrade was implemented to address significant wear after 15 years of continuous production, focusing on the spherical plain bearings. To maintain performance and reliability, other components were replaced such as hollow shafts, spur gears, bearing shafts and support rollers. 

This service approach, combined with the decision to perform repairs on-site, resulted in significant savings along with minimizing the risk of unplanned downtimes. Production was able to resume quickly since there was 24-hour operation during the repair work. 

“This project underscores the importance of close collaboration with our customers. Our proactive diagnosis and precise planning not only restored operational safety but significantly reduced downtime and costs for Acciaierie d’Italia,” said Christian Werner, solutions flat products at SMS. 

The rotor replacement proved a challenge since it had a diameter of 4 m and weighed 55 metric tons. However, they were able to safely lift it for repairs through meticulous planning. Technologies such as induction heating devices and hydraulic tightening systems up to a metric size of M80 were used to install the spherical plain bearing, whose outer diameter is 900 mm. 

“Thanks to precise planning, innovative technologies, and seamless coordination, we efficiently implemented the repair of our rotary mandrel, saving valuable time and costs while improving the plant's reliability and performance,” said Acciaierie d’Italia in a statement.