SMS group to deliver its most powerful five-meter plate finishing mill to Xuanli Steel

• The mill stand will provide the highest rolling force ever achieved in a plate mill built by SMS group
• The five-meter plate finishing mill’s mechanical equipment and automation systems will ensure exceptional flexibility, productivity, and precision
• The trimming shear and slitting shear, key components of the heavy plate mill, enable the production of double-width plates, thereby enhancing flexibility and productivity

Anhui Xuanli Steel Group Co., Ltd., a private enterprise founded in 2019, has awarded SMS group a contract to supply a new five-meter plate finishing stand, along with a trimming shear and slitting shear. The new production facility will be in the Yi’an Economic Development Zone, located in Tongling City in Anhui Province, China. The plate mill will feature the most powerful plant of its kind ever designed and built by SMS group, enabling the application of exceptionally high rolling forces. With this investment, Xuanli Steel aims to significantly expand its product portfolio and strengthen its competitiveness in the heavy plate market. With an annual production capacity of two million tons, the plate mill is set to make this strategy a reality. The project marks the launch of a collaborative partnership between Xuanli Steel and SMS group. The plate mill is scheduled to go into operation in 2028.

Cutting-edge plate rolling solutions from SMS

A core component of SMS scope of supply is the powerful four-high finishing mill stand, equipped with hydraulic gap control (HGC) cylinders and work roll shifting/bending systems (CVC^® plus).

SMS’s advanced CVC^® plus (continuous variable crown) technology in co-axial design provides exceptional plate crown and flatness control. This precision is key to producing high-quality plates for demanding applications, from shipbuilding to heavy machinery, while ensuring high yield.

Complementing the finishing mill, the trimming shear and the slitting shear–key elements of the heavy plate shearing line–enable Xuanli to roll double-width plates and subsequently slit them into narrower plates with outstanding finished-edge quality. This process significantly increases overall rolling mill productivity.

With this setup, the plate mill can roll finished plates in widths ranging from 1,300 to 4,900 millimeters and thicknesses from 5 to 300 millimeters.

Advanced automation and condition monitoring for efficient, reliable plate production

The new plate finishing mill will be equipped with sophisticated level 1 and level 2 automation systems and process models from the X-Pact^® family. Physical models calculate optimal rolling schedules and setpoints, while advanced shape control functions ensure excellent plate geometry and rectangularity. X-Pact^® Thermo-Mechanical Rolling maximizes productivity through intelligent plate sequencing. Supported by the Batch Scheduler 

Module, it optimizes furnace discharge timing and rolling sequences while dynamically adapting to process disturbances in real time.

X-Pact^® Sense further increases the level of automation by enabling fully automated slab turning. High-resolution cameras and image-recognition technology detect the slab’s position and turning angle, eliminating the need for manual visual inspection and contributing to reliable process execution.

“This important order underscores our commitment to deliver cutting-edge plate rolling solutions that combine maximum power with unmatched precision,” said Stephan Krämer, Senior Vice President Flat Products at SMS group GmbH, “we are proud to support Xuanli Steel’s strategic expansion and look forward to a successful partnership.”