To upgrade the machinery, one of the company’s production shops had to close down for the time being. The renovating process is expected to take fifteen days, in which the equipment of two rolling mills (850 and 650) will be improved upon. This will include the breakdown mill, the pinion stand, the spindle system that rotates the rollers, and the water-accumulator installation that supports the balance of the upper rollers. In addition, the roller conveyors, manipulating equipment, and six saws will be repaired.

Rolling mill 850 will be fitted with the automated breakdown mill control system. The breakdown mill will form the general shape of the billets which will then be delivered onto rolling mill 650 where the final shape of the product will be molded.

The enterprise has already acquired some machinery from Siemens, with software developed by Yekaterinburg-based ASK’s programmers. ASK experts are also going to set up the equipment and train the rolling mill operators.

All the upgrading procedures are to be carried out by employees of Nizhniy Tagil Iron & Steel Works (part of Evraz Group) and four contractors – some 150 people altogether. All the technological machinery needed for the upgrade has been bought and delivered onto the plant’s premises.

The spokesperson for Evraz Group says the upgrading of the rolling mills will result in speedier rolling process and work cycle as well as in less frequent repairs and fewer spare parts for them. In addition, the production shop will be operating more stably, and no mistakes will be made with setting up the rolled products’ parameters, as they will be set by a computer program. Finally, the company’s production output is expected to rise by 20,000 tons a year.